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No TV, No problem

No televisions, no problem

No Televisions, No Problem!

No Televisions, No Problem

I don’t know about you, but I really didn’t enjoy watching television when I was away on holiday.

Whenever we would get to our hotel room my wife and I would flick through the channels to find something that we would like.

No TV, No problem

There is something about watching television when you are in your own country. 

You know what you like, you know when the program is on and you know where to find your favourite programme.

I can't find it, there are too many advertisement breaks.

We tended to watch a lot fo BBC programmes in the UK and therefore didn’t to have to deal with advertisement breaks. 

There is something about the rhythm of the programme, even when you watch commercial tv, that is quite comforting. You are used to the timing and the length of the advert break. Years of programming our brains makes it alright.

BBC Masterchef - select your channel

Television abroad - no thanks

However, I used to get frustrated watching television on holiday as the rhythm wasn’t comfortable for me.

It was a real turnoff.

So, I didn’t watch any television programmes when I went on holiday.

The world has changed

Since moving to Sri Lanka in 2016 the world has been through some incredible changes.

Sitting down in front of the television to relax after a stressful day in the office is no longer the norm.

The global pandemic left lots of people stuck at home looking for entertainment to while away the hours.

Netflix and other streaming services became the go to place for entertainment. Binge watching box sets was what everyone was talking about.

When we were in the UK we only watched a few programmes when they were being broadcasted. Most if what we viewed was on catch up.

 

The importance of internet speed on holiday.

No televisions at GlenMyu Estate, no problem

Since living in Sri Lanka we have been weaned off television.

I could see from our first six months on the island that we really craved our favourite programmes that we enjoyed together. 

However, as we couldn’t get our usual BBC programmes, we used to buy the occasional DVD and watch them together.

The environment in the Sri Lankan Hill Country has changed our requirements in life. It’s hard not to be affected by the surrounding nature. Whether it’s the noise from the birds, the ever changing view from the lounges or spending time on the five acre estate, sitting in front of a square box does not seem to be important now. If we don’t know who is in Masterchef, the Bake Off or Strictly, it really doesn’t matter.

The views around the Estate

Immersed in nature

Living in London for many years we were really out of touch with nature. So many people living in big cities must be in the same position.

I don’t know what happened to me.

In the UK I wasn’t interested in birds and trees. My inquisitiveness appears to have been injected into my veins since living here. Planting trees and watching them grow, getting up early to catch the birdsong or making sure I catch the sunset sky.

It’s hard to get the feeling over to you. You really need to come and experience this for yourself.

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country and see sights like Horton Plains National Park is a unique experience.

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

No televisions, no problem Read More »

Free WiFi is important on holiday

Internet Speed in Sri Lanka

Internet Speed in Sri Lanka

Internet speed in Sri Lanka.

How good is it?
Is there free WiFi?
Will I be able to work online when I am in Sri Lanka?

We try to answer your questions.

Free WiFi is important on holiday

Why is it important?

You are on holiday. Surely, you want to leave your life back home behind!

We realise that we are living in the real world, and being connected is very important.

One of the important things on my list when we check guests in at GlenMyu Estate  is to provide the WiFi password.

It's great being off -grid but.......

Ben Fogles’ New Lives in the Wild visited the unique off grid clamping experience at Cliff Lodge, Haputale. The programme  was aired in February 2024 and both Anke and Naveen won the hearts of viewers. 

Being off grid, with no internet or phone connection is an excellent experience where you can really connect with nature.

We didn't go down that route.

When we originally planned GlenMyu Estate, which is also near Haputale, some of our friends suggested that we didn’t provide an internet connection.

We provide a different experience from that to an off grid holiday. However, we do find that our guests do connect with nature and are abler to switch off. 

WiFi is an important service that we provide to our guests and we leave it up to them on how much they use it.

Keeping in touch
Keeping in touch
Working with a view
Working away from home with a view

Keeping connected with family and friends

If you are travelling to Sri Lanka for the first time your family and friends will be happier to know that you are safe and enjoying your holiday.

Keeping in touch with friends

Sharing your experiences

It’s really important to share your experiences with others when you are on holiday. Perhaps it will inspire your friends and family to do a similar trip.

We love it when our guests share pictures and videos of their stay at GlenMyu Estate.

Sharing your experiences on holiday

Those important work calls

Making that work call

No one likes taking work calls when they are on holiday, however sometimes it is really important. We have hosted several business owners at GlenMyu Estate and we realise that some information or decisions have to be made by the boss, whatever country they are in

Working on holiday - Digital Nomads

Working love has changed since I left the UK in 2016.

The global pandemic changed the view on working from home and now it is the norm. I would have even loved hybrid working when I was in London. Imagine all those tube journeys that I would not have needed to take!

Nomads
A break for surfing

Here are some videos that will provide some additional information about being a digital nomad in Sri Lanka.

Lots of our guests work and play

At GlenMyu Estate, many of our guests have had to do some work whilst they have been on holiday. 

 

Working on holiday
Working while you are away

Is there free WIFi in Sri Lanka?

We provide free WiFi to our guest at GlenMyu Estate. This would be a normal offering when you stay in a hotel in Sri Lanka. Unfortunately you cannot guarantee that you will have a fast enough connection to do what you plan.

We had an unfortunate experience when staying at a hotel in the south of the island recently. The WiFi speed was dire. We also could not connect using our own data   on our Sri Lankan SIM as there was no coverage there.

Clearly, some hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes have good internet speed. However, you may have to look for them.

Buying a local SIM card

Many of our friends and guests buy a SIM card at the airport when they arrive.

If you are on a vacation for two or three weeks this is a good way to keep connected around the island. You can manage your data package by using free WiFi when you are at your accommodation.

For a longer stay, it is worth buying a local SIM card from a Communication Shop around the island. This will work out a bit cheaper as you will be able to buy a monthly data package.

Internet providers in Sri Lanka

There are lots of internet providers in Sri Lanka. You will see the vendors at the airport after you collect your bags. 

Dialog and SLT Mobitel would be considered the main providers. However, Airtel, Hutch and Lanka Bell are others to consider.

Improving Wifi speed for our guests

We are looking to improve our offering to our guests and plan to put in a fibre line which will improve internet speed.

A word of warning - no guarantees

I am writing this article after 36 hours of using a WiFi router rather than the fibre line we have at GlenMyu Estate.

The internet connection stopped working yesterday and we send a message to Sri Lanka Telecom to alert them to the problem.

It turned out that a bees nest had been made at the cable line at the main road which had broken the connection. The brave souls from the repair team managed to move the bees on and repair the line.

So, a word of warning. We will do our best to provide a good, fast and secure internet connection for our guests. However, sometimes nature gets in the way!

Stay at GlenMyu Estate to explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country

A stay at GlenMyu Estate as you explore the Sri Lankan Hill Country.

Hopefully, you will not need to work too much!

We only have three bedrooms and you will need to book early during the peak holiday season.

The estate is usually within an hours drive of the major sightseeing locations such as Nine Arch Bridge, Ella Town, Upper Diyaluma Waterfall, Lipton’s Seat, Bambarakanda Waterfall and many more,

GlenMyu Estate is listed on Booking.com and Airbnb.
Contact us by the WhatsApp button on our website for direct booking rates.

Internet Speed in Sri Lanka Read More »

GlenMyu Estate Luxury Bed and Breakfast
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