My first visit to Sri Lanka involved a road trip that started at 2AM in Colombo, and continued for 9 days along a route that took in historic Dambulla in the north, the old capital Kandy, the tea growing regions around Newara Eliya, the southern coast and the beaches between colonial Galle and Bentota and finally, a short stay in Colombo itself where we savoured some of the best seafood I have eaten anywhere. Every place visited had a unique charm, every dish a taste all its own, every personal interaction a natural ease: serendipity after serendipity indeed!

While I carried only the Fuji X100F for the sake of simplicity, I found myself reaching for my favoured 28mm length more and more and discovered, therefore, that the iPhone 7Plus suited my preferred focal length quite often. I think the only thing I missed on this trip was not carrying the Fuji X70. I've made a note to carry it on all my trips going forward. Having said this, the Fuji X100F is a great camera and performed well in some pretty challenging situations.

Inside the Dambulla Cave Temple: better preserved than similar temples on the subcontinent (X100F)

The signs of the devotee (X100F)

Temple pensioner (X100F)

Hillside Vista (X100F)

The famous hill fort of Sigiriya (X100F)

Climbers snaking their way up to the top of Sigiriya (X100F)

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Guardian of the Royal Baths (iPhone 7Plus)

On top of the world: View from Sigiriya (X100F)

Nalanda Gedige: Glimpse of the enlightened one (X100F)

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When the beasts are athirst (iPhone 7Plus)

The Temple of the Tooth, Kandy (X100F)

The moat, Temple of the Tooth, once infested by crocodiles (X100F)

The hill country in central Sri Lanka (X100F)

The stone edifice that is the Hill Club, Newark Eliya (X100F)

Sunset at the Galle Fort (X100F)

Bentota Beach (X100F)

Green Architecture (X100F)

Wabi-Sabi, Bentota Hatcheries (X100F)

The symmetry of perfection (X100F)