The first stop on my second trip to Sri Lanka is of course, Singapore, and a dawn visit to its World Heritage botanic gardens.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been there and I always find something beautiful in flower. This time it was what is probably my favourite tree – the aptly named Cannonball Tree.

Named after its fruit which are unsurprisingly just like cannonballs … this a truly spectacular tree, but not one you’d want to sit under once the fruit has ripened! Nearby was a Sausage Tree (no prizes for guessing what its fruit looks like) sadly neither tree was fruiting.

Some four hours and over a hundred photos later I stumbled out of the gardens in search of an iced tea and a blast of chilled air.

Next stop Colombo …