Vectra SRi 1.9CDTi

Advantages: Great drive
Disadvantages: Economy suffers when driven hard.

...I had a couple of these as hire cars, covering about 15000 miles over 6 months. They were pre-facelift models (04 and 54 reg). If I was in the market to buy a car in this class. this would be a sure contender. The SRi badge is probably pushing things a little. I always associated SRi's with BIG engines, and certainly not diesels! However, while the diesel (150ps) does a good job, I have to say the handling is the thing that justifies that Sri badge. The car feels really safe cornering and in general driving situations. While the Vectra has yet to reach the NCAP safety ratings of 5* acheived by manufacturers such as Renault, I would suggest that improved handling offered by a Vectra over a competetive model would actually reduce your need for this higher rating. I always felt that I could fully trust the brakes on the Sri, which I...

cpennington 28.01.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vauxhall Vectra SRi 1.9CDTi

Beruwela (Sri Lanka)

Advantages: Very Hot, Lovely Beach
Disadvantages: Touts, Poverty, Mosquitos

...We have recently come back from Beruwela (Sri Lanka). We flew from Heathrow on Sri Lankan Air Lines. The flight it self was nearly 10 hours but made as comftable as possible. On each seat was TV screen, the various channels included 3 film channels, comedy channel and also a channel where you could map out the journey. The meal service was first class. Food was Sri Lankan food and you had a choice of meals so suitable for any taste. Compimentry drinks included. Downside when arriving at the airport lookout for the porters wearing orange BIBS, if they help with baggage they expect english money. My experience included one porter taking to meeting point and another trying to take bags to bus pick up point and another trying to load on the bus. The air conditioned minibus journey to Beruwela took approx 4 hours. The driver was...

marie130569 18.06.2006 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Beruwela (Sri Lanka)

Galle - Sri Lanka

Advantages: valued experiences
Disadvantages: No

...I am going to explain my experience in Galle. I went on a trip to Galle with my friends. We took "Ruhunu Kumari" train. It was operated through the coastal area. Scenery was so beautiful and we enjoyed very much.The beaches are very beautiful. There were few tourists in the train. You have to realize how beautiful Galle is. You can see fishermen sitting on sticks fishing in the see along the south coast. It is a strange technique of fishing. Nobody knows how this technique originated from. It works as the stilts are attractive sceneries. You can catch a glimpse of the famouse stilt fishermen in the down south. You are lucky as such a sight is nowhere to be found in Sri Lanka. Stilt fishing is famous as a generational occupation among the fishermen with the child taking after father. They make their own stilts on the reef...

Viro 11.10.2008 (15.11.2008) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Galle (Sri Lanka)

Sri Lankan Airlines scammed us

Advantages: OK food I guess
Disadvantages: I never would have paid for the flights they stuck us with.

...We booked tickets from London to Colombo and Singapore a couple months before our holiday and choose Sri Lankan because they were slightly cheaper than others. A month before the holiday they cancelled one of the flights and rescheduled the remaining flights without giving us any option for a refund. The flights we were left with were horrible (9 hour layover and a long haul flight leaving at 4am) and we were forced to take extra time off work as the new flights arrived on Monday morning. We would NEVER have agreed to the flights that were forced on us and definitely wish we had paid a bit more to fly with an airline that doesn?t screw their customers. When we complained (Ref:E/051108/26414/TP) we were told this was within their terms and conditions....

scmor 18.02.2009 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Sri Lankan Airlines

Nuwara Eliya - Sri Lanka

Advantages: Breathtaking scenary
Disadvantages: Cold

...Nuwara Eliya is the best place for the people who are lookinf for a releif for their minds messed because of the maddening noises of traffic and heat. The salubrious climate and brethtaking landscape create a soothing and peaceful heaven for us. There are so many majestic waterfalls. Journey was quite exciting. The scenary was enchanting. There were lush and green plantations among the mountains. People have grown Carrots and leeks. In the colonial period Nuwara Eliya was called "Little Enngland". It was the home for planters. Ifeel it is an ideal holiday resort with so many places of varied interest. Lake Gregory was a pleasing sight. Boat ride was a thrilling experience Haggala garden was few miles away. It has a natural setting with many plants and trees. Not only Sri lankan but also foreign species. All...

Viro 17.10.2008 (18.10.2008) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Nuwara Eliya (Sri Lanka)

Down South Attraction - Sri Lanka

Advantages: Breathtaking sceneries
Disadvantages: No

...of the entire temple and they are depicting various JATHAKA STORIES. The Buddha statue conveys to us the incredible talents of the early sculpture. *************************** Then we reached to Dickwella. In Dikwella 20 km away from Matara there you can find the Sri Lanka's largest Buddha statue at the "WEVURUKANNALA Temple" along Dickwella - Beliatta road. This temple is dominated by an image of a seated Buddha. This Sri Lanka's statue is 150ft high. There are three separate parts at the Wevurukannala Viharaya (Temple). First part is almost 250 years old. Next part is of great significance. Punishments are depicted if you do not follow the path to enlightenment. Other significant part is the Seated Buddha that is as high as an eight storey building. We could climb that building and reached the back of the statue head. There was...

Viro 12.10.2008 (25.11.2008) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Airlines: A Taste of Paradise

Advantages: Great Food and Crew, Comfy Seats, IFE is Top Notch!
Disadvantages: Business Class always fully booked.

...Travelled economy from LHR-CMB-SIN (London Heathrow to Colombo to Singapore). Aircraft: A340-400 Sri Lankan is now handled by KLM at Heathrow and although their attitude was quite indifferent at check-in, it was a totally the opposite when onboard. After being greeted with Ayubowan (traditional Sri Lankan greeting) at the door and taking my seat, I was given hot towels before the flight took off (I've not seen this done in 'economy' on another airline). They also given menu booklets to all the passengers in economy. It makes you actually feel like the money you've spent is being used for your service and enjoyment. The crew were amazing: friendly and warm. I had a pasta type meal for dinner which surprised me wholely as the quality and taste was amazing. It was as if I was eating a freshly cooked meal in a restaurant! They...

perera 27.11.2000 (09.10.2006) · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Sri Lankan Airlines

Sri Lanka - not all tea plantations

Advantages: Stunning scenery, pineapples are 10p!
Disadvantages: Can't safely see it all - roads are awful in places

...orphanage. Sri Lanka really is a beautiful place, with gentle people and amazingly good value food - we still had to buy lunches and started getting quite upset if it came to more than £2. No one suffered from any kind of travellers tummy, at least not in my earshot. Sri Lanka did however introduce a new word to my vocabulary - "Templed-out"...

BNibbles 09.12.2000 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Sri Lanka

Vauxhall Corsa SXi 1.3CDTi 16v 2007

Advantages: Diesel engine so fuel economy is good. Much better styling inside and outside
Disadvantages: It's still a Corsa from Vauxhall, which means it's still by General Motors.

..., it was different somehow. The car had a different sort of styling to it, it had a different feel. The angled headlights made the car look angrier now, and the angled back made it look like a sports coupe. The alloys actually looked like they were the right size for the car and the backend didn?t look bad either, but it still has an unnecessary spoiler. I was thoroughly surprised, a Vauxhall Corsa that was actually pretty nice to look at. My mate then got out of his car, walked up to me with a slight swagger, and smiled at my surprised face. ?It is a Corsa that is, and it is a SXi. But this is the new Corsa SXi CDTi 1.3l 16v 90ps.? For those that don?t know what that meant, he was boasting about his Corsa being the ?sport? model, which if you have read my previous review, I slated immensely. But this was a different sort of Corsa...

linkz0rz 16.07.2007 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of Vauxhall Corsa 1.3 CDTi 16v

Living in Sri lanka

Advantages: very individual culture
Disadvantages: touts

...I spent a great six months of my life working as an English teacher in Sri Lanka, and i hope i can maybe inspire others to go and see this country. Before i left i had no ideas as to what to expect. Sri lanka is very humid and it takes a bit of getting used to the constant heat, usually around the low 30's. The best ebaches are along the south west coast, hikkaduwa and mirissa are both very beautiful and have accomodation on the shore. Hikkaduwa is the more lively of the two, and has a great guesthouse called neelas, i was there three weeks and they still email me, they were great hosts! There are many buddhist temples in sri lanka, many that are breathtaking, see the lonely planet guide to sri lanka. I remember one in anaradapurah, we had to walk barefoot as it is religiuos place and our feet got burned!! A typical day would...

peahead15 20.12.2004 · Read review
Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful
Review of General: Sri Lanka