Andrew, the web wizard who designed this site and www.roystonellisebooks.com, tells me that the first page of a blog should start with a welcome to readers.

So welcome! But at this stage I don’t know if I have any readers.

Of course, I have readers for my printed books. In the 1980s my series of Bondmasterbooks, which I wrote under the pseudonym of Richard Tresillian, sold in millions. How do I know? The publishers printed that on the cover, so it must be true!

More prosaic, though, are the sales of my guide books. Royalty statements for Sri Lanka: The Bradt Guide indicate readers are in their hundreds but they are participants as well as readers. They write to tell me what they have discovered so that I can incorporate their views in a subsequent edition. When they disagree with me, I acknowledge that.

After all, some people visit Sri Lanka for spiritual upliftment, wanting to learn more about Buddhist culture, explore the country’s ancient ruins, and detox on a diet of ayurveda cuisine. Others come for adventure like white-water rafting, or white-knuckle driving in Sri Lanka’s wild traffic.

Then there’s the incredible appeal of Sri Lanka’s wilder life. The big three (elephant, leopard and sloth bear) are to be seen without much effort beyond a sturdy backside for bouncing in a jeep along jungle trials, and patience while everybody ticks off sightings of their favourite animals, and you have seen nothing except an elderly cockroach.

From the window of my attic library where I am writing this, I see nature in the raw without leaving Horizon Cottage.

Pigeons turn up regularly every morning for breakfast, squirrels scramble for breadcrumbs on the veranda roof, monkeys gambol on the lawn, and snakes frequently frighten us as they glide towards to the kitchen.

Lena, the cat I had for seven years previous to the current Lena (I always give my cats the same name, it’s one less thing to remember), died a heroine.

She found a poisonous snake on the rug in my bedroom and tried to defend me as I groped my way to bed. The snake bit her; Ramesh, my houseboy killed it; and Lena slunk off to die quietly in the jungle.

Is this High Life Style?

Well, yes, it is. It’s my lifestyle and I am frequently high.

I recognise that because I have for the past 50 years successfully managed to survive as full time author, my “life style”  is not typical. As for “High Life,” that’s the title of a weekly column I used to write about restaurants and hotels.

Restaurants, hotels, booze, books, travel, people and other oddities, are the essence of This High Life Styleblog. So, to commence, here is a menu of a dinner I attended recently.

Guess which hotel and I’ll ask my colleague, George Ellis, of what-am-i.com to send you his ebook AM I SALAD? free of charge!

EVERYTHING SWEDISH

Scandinavian style marinated herrings with condiments, served with beer and chilled vodka shots.

Tartar of Norwegian Salmon, Gravad Salmon and Kalix Black Roe.

Duo of Poached Nordic Char and Bering Sea Cod.

Northern Elderflower Sorbet.

Pink roasted filet of Reindeer with morel sauce and lingon.

Cheese with rhubarb marmalade.

Flowers of Cloud Berry, Nordic Blue Cherries, Lingon Berries and condiments.

Tea/Coffee.

Thanks for joining me

Royston Ellis