The first time Julian and I visited the tea growing island of Sri Lanka over 20 years ago, we drove from the airport to the capital, Colombo, in the thick of night down dusty roads, our taxi driver pushing his rickety car to the limit and almost (but not quite) missing the oncoming traffic as he weaved in and out.  On our most recent visit the arrival was a far more relaxed affair.  Our VIP meet and greet, straight off our flight, was by a rather pleasant airport official with a signboard: Mrs Ann Lesley and Mr Julian Peter.  She efficiently whisked us through the form filling at immigration and, whilst we sat in the VIP lounge having our first cup of Sri Lankan tea, she collected our luggage and cleared it through security.  All we had to do was slip out of the back door in to our waiting car and on to the new (Chinese funded) bypass for a smooth journey to Colombo.