Welcome to Sri Lanka ( The Delicate Balance: Private Business, Public Pe...

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Arrivederci My Friend !

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We were getting ready at the famous J12 to watch the cricket match between India and Sri Lanka in the Cricket World Cup series in 1996 .  Primus suddenly walked in with a few papers and a very serious-looking face. He took me to one side and broke the news that my father had passed away in Sri Lanka a little while ago. The whole J12 mood changed from festive to sombre, and I got dressed up immediately and went to get my leave and travel sanctioned. That same night, Primus accompanied me to the airport for my homebound travels. Both of us knew well that the flight was fully booked and the chances of getting a seat for a rebated ticket were extremely remote, but I had no choice except to take a chance. Luckily for me, that night shift in charge was none other than Late Mr Dharshan Nissanka. Seeing us trying to approach the check-in counters, he came running towards us, stating "Is this a time for you to travel? Don’t you know the flights are overbooked during this period...
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Who Will Tame the Beasts on Our Roads?

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Sri Lanka's public road transport has long been a menace on the roads. For decades, citizens have endured the daily trauma of riding in filthy, overcrowded, and dangerously maintained buses, often driven by men who appear to treat roads like racetracks. Public transport, instead of being a symbol of convenience and safety, has mutated into a moving hazard. What’s worse is the widespread sense of impunity that emboldens such behaviour. Passengers are neither treated with dignity nor transported with care. Many are forced to cling to handrails for dear life, endure ear-splitting music, and inhale noxious exhaust fumes. Add to that the daily reports of reckless overtaking, red-light jumping, and frequent collisions, and it becomes painfully clear: the system is broken. The Sri Lanka Police, tasked with upholding road safety, appears more interested in extracting bribes than enforcing the law. Traffic violations go unchecked, and in the rare event that a serious accident draws medi...
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Hitchhiking in Sri Lanka: Why It’s Rare for Locals but Easy for Tourists

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Is Hitchhiking Common in Sri Lanka? Hitchhiking in Sri Lanka is not a typical practice among locals. For most Sri Lankans, the idea of thumbing a ride from strangers is unfamiliar and rarely seen. Public buses, tuk-tuks, and trains are the go-to transport options for locals, even in rural areas. Culturally, hitchhiking is “nearly an unknown concept” on the island. Why Tourists Succeed at Hitchhiking Despite the unfamiliarity of the practice among locals, many foreign travellers—particularly Westerners or “ suddhas ” (a colloquial Sinhala term for white people)—find hitchhiking surprisingly easy and effective in Sri Lanka. Drivers are often curious about travellers and may stop simply to have a conversation or hear a good story. The interactions are usually warm and welcoming, with many travellers describing it as a unique and enriching cultural exchange. However, long, continuous rides are rare. You’re more likely to hop from one short ride to another, as most drivers only travel p...
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