Sri Lanka, it makes you wonder

Those who are familiar with our travel stories and adventures know that we don’t seek a destination. Instead, we explore, and we communicate with people, we cherish those brief acquaintances and we make sure to make the most of our journey.

Leaving Negombo

In a 12-seater minivan, we took off from Colombo to Negombo heading to Sigiriya Rock. Chantal and myself were accompanied by my long-time buddy Ronnie and his lovely girlfriend (now wife) Nathaly, better known as Nattout and together we set out on a journey around Sri Lanka. From the coast to the lush green and humid mountains at the heart of the tea plantations estate area, all the way down to the sunny south and back to the capital Colombo. Our friends, Edmond and Layal were a newlywed couple who would join us in a couple of days when we would have reached Kandy.

A proven driving strategy

With the front wheels and the engine located below the driver’s seat, there was nothing much in front of the windshield. If you haven’t been in the driver’s seat of a minivan before, you would have felt a bit strange at first, but the truly challenging part was the driving wheel being on the left side. We followed a dumb but proven driving strategy especially when passing on a crossroad: Always look to both sides and ensure that both sides are clear before you push down on the acceleration pedal.

The quest for authenticity

We had around 130 km to cross. Compared to some previous road trips and motorcycle rides where we averaged 600 km per day, we felt like this was a piece of cake. However, we didn’t know at the time about the road conditions and the traffic in Sri Lanka and simply ignored Google’s time estimation. We made several stops along the way. After a short stop at a roadside fruit stall, we came back to the minivan with a whole bunch of colorful fruits which we consumed along the way.

Two hours passed, and we still haven’t crossed a quarter of our intended distance. Eating all those fruits along the way made us crave some other food. Knowing us, we wanted something authentic.

At a maximum speed of 40 km per hour, we drove for another hour on the winding road meandering into the thick forests until I spotted a handmade wooden Kiosk on the side of the road. “That’s where we’re having lunch,” I said. A moment of silence was followed by curious smiles mixed with doubt. “Let’s go” I suggested with an excited voice. From the minivan windows, we could only see the smoke of a fire underneath some type of dough. On the side a huge pile of peeled corn leaves. “It looks promising” Ronnie added in an ironic voice.

A happy young woman

We took a few steps towards our potential meal. Inside the kiosk, a young lady stood up and welcomed us with a very expressive smile. She seemed happy that we stopped by. She was quite happy! Not because of us, but it was obvious that she was a happy person. She didn’t speak any English, so her smile was the only communication tool. She gestured with her hands for us to sit on some beaten plastic chairs covered with dust and dirt by the passing cars and the heavily crowded public buses. After a quick swipe, each of us took a seat not knowing what was coming next. Then with both of her hands in a respectful manner, she offered each of us a golden charcoal boiled corn on the cob covered with a thin corn leaf. What delicacy! It was so good we had to ask for more.

All eyes on us

Seconds later, we started hearing a rustling noise in the bushes and trees around the wooden kiosk. We looked up and a dozen wild monkeys were hanging off the branches. All eyes were on us! That awkward moment when you want to run for your life, but you hesitate to be first! My first reaction was to observe the local woman. She must have been familiar with such a situation. I looked at her and there she was with all her stillness smiling back at me. I guess she understood that we felt threatened. She walked towards the bushes and threw some cobs to get those monkeys away from us. The monkeys had gone crazy, flapping the branches and hopping between the trees heading towards their feast. It was wild.

A soft breeze brought a new flavor. A mixture of spices. We closely observed, with curiosity and the young lady presented us with a spicy red spread on a brown dough half toasted and flame-grilled over charcoal. We took the first bite and a burst of spices circulated straight into our veins. With a sense of wonder, we neglected hygiene and enjoyed every bite that this lady had prepared for us on the side of the road using basic ingredients and tools.

I wonder

It made me wonder, what really makes us happy in life? I wish I had been able to communicate in words with this lady. I would have asked her what really made her happy? We travel to faraway destinations to experience moments of happiness, while we should redirect our quest to the inside. Happiness is within. It is an absolute state of being. And true happiness is not about happy moments but is a whole other experience. It is a state of living the moment and being present in the moment. At the end of the day, what did this lady possess that we didn’t? Gratitude is the key to happiness, and this lady had it all. Although I don’t know her name, I will never forget her smiling face.

Serenity and peace at the Golden Temple of Dambulla

Later that afternoon, we arrived at the Golden Temple of Dambulla. By the time we reached our destination, the weather had turned a bit cold. We parked the vehicle and got out. A woman at the lower gate of the Buddhist temple offered us some lotus flowers in exchange for a small donation. Then we walked all the way up the alleys and stairs until we reach the main temple gate. We took off our shoes and entered the temple. Our short visit to the temple filled us with serenity and peace. The time had come, and we had to leave and find a hotel to spend the night in before it got too dark. At that moment we realized that Sigiriya would have to wait till tomorrow.