Sri Lanka

I started my 2023 trip in Colombo, and it was much better than its reputation. The Galle Face Green sunset, Hindu temples with towers covered in brightly painted gods, rice and curry spread over a plate with dal and greens, and a tuk-tuk ride through all of it. My hotel had a bathtub with a view of the city, which I'm still a little proud of.

Then I took the train into the hill country, one of the great rail trips in the world, past tea plantations and waterfalls with my head out the open door. Kandy and the Temple of the Tooth were genuinely moving. The south coast had palms, grilled fish with fries, a cold Lion Lager and surf breaking on the rocks under a pink and orange sunset. Sri Lanka packs a whole continent's worth of variety onto one small island.