Riding and Dancing in Lanka

Topi riding Rickshaw

From Airport we hired a tuk tuk (in lanka, rickshaws are known by this name) for Negombo. We thought that will go for scuba diving but it was very costly-75$/person, so we changed our plans and headed for lunch, when we were moving towards restaurant, our driver stopped for paan (a stimulating 

Default Dish-Meduvada

and psychoactive preparation of betel leaf combined with areca nut and/or cured tobacco), and we were waiting inside tuk tuk, suddenly my friend asked permission for driving his rickshaw, he was so cool, that he said ok-go ahead. Funny thing Topi was not even able to start it in the beginning, but once driver started, he was driving it like its own car. 

EGB-Ginger Soda

Obviously I was little bit scared, after some time we stopped at restaurant and were provided with a default item in their menu (medu vada). Its default dish weather you order or not. While we were eating, I saw a mother giving some yellow colored liquid to her 2yr old kid from a bottle which looked like daru bottle (hard drink), but I thought it can’t be possible, so to know what it contains us also ordered a bottle of Egb. When I looked at its sticker, it read as real ginger. Then we knew that it was ginger soda. Since that mother was giving it to her child, so it was clear that it is a local health drink. Note that lanka is famous for natural herbs and hence the drink was.

Dance like nobody's Watching

After Egb, we moved onto our new adventure-Dance.

Yes dance was also an adventure, the way we did it. We were walking on road and I saw a joker dancing in front of a Bata showroom with blasting sound, I was so excited to see him that I joined him (It’s a natural talent whenever I see a person dancing, I also starts, it has happened before also when I was out with my school friends.) It became a road show. All the people were looking at us. But I didnt care about all such things,  I was there to enjoy not to think about what others think and we should be like that only, we should feel free to express ourselves, because if we keep thinking to please others, we won’t be able to live.

Pic with Bald Uncle

When we were back on track, one bald uncle was looking at us and smiling, he asked about us, where do we belong to, what we were doing there and then he showed us his vintage car, we took some pics of his car and then the conversation turned about our adventure that we are looking for scuba diving. So this bald guy called two of his friends and invited us in his car. He took us to his other friends who go for fishing and scuba. These people were not professionals for scuba but they were experienced locals, they asked about our experience of diving, we informed that we have no idea about it, so they said it is not possible without proper training. So bald uncle dropped us at the same point plus he hired a rickshaw also for us to place, where we can get training for scuba. Meanwhile we asked about his profession and knew that he works in Pharma Company but at that instant he was out there for some social work which was really good and image of uncle was again raised in our eyes. I would like to stress on the fact that Sri Lankans are ready to help anyone and everyone, without having any personal agenda behind that.

Only English

Welcome.

First of all, let me reveal the secret of “Only English” guy from last post. Well the secret of him knowing English only was….he was not from India. He was an Israeli, strange right.

Israeli and I started talking about here and there, and then I asked him “where are you from? How come you know only English” He told me “I am from Israel” Believe me, with his dressing sense no one could have guessed, just by bare looking that he’s not from India. Obviously if you keenly look, you can tell, ………………………………but being a guy, I gave only a bare look. 

Although know it was confirmed that he’s not from India, still I had doubts on him being from same location he says. It is in me, that I do not believe on anyone so easily, especially when I am travelling alone and person sitting right next to me know this very well. In order to clear my doubts, I asked him for his passport, he showed me and it proved that he was actually the person, he was saying to be. Another person (Tamil guy-Driver) sitting on left, found it very interesting that a man from Israel has come to visit India. Since he did not know English, I helped translated whatever he was saying. I have this level of maturity/ common sense that if I am sitting between different cultures, either I speak common language. In addition if someone is lacking some part and I know that I can help him by translating, I take that responsibility. 

But where I live/work/ have fun, I barely find a person who understands this thing. For example, 2 days back I was sitting with my Bolly* friends; suddenly they started talking in their regional language. I didn’t say a word, but one of them spotted me being annoyed, so I just said it feels like I am sitting between Blues*.

Even today, when I was in training, I experienced the same. One guy from my area was giving training; even then I asked all the doubts in neutral language respecting all the cultures which were sitting with me. But But But when it came turn of a Blue guy, one of my colleagues asked a question in Blue language only and he got reply back in Blue. I didn’t do anything, thinking that all the people besides me have lower level of maturity and even if I get frustrated/ get angry, I will be the loser one. So I just keep my calm and smiled from inside.

I have this thing daily in my shift. Once all the people from my area leave for the day and I am the only one left, all Blue started laughing on everything I say, Even if they are not laughing on me, but being on my side, just think, How I feel  and when I say what happened, they simply says learn Blue. Sometimes I think how fools are all these. They don’t have any professional skills and they are working in an MNC. How Funny.

I apologies to deviate from main story, but these small things are very necessary.

Well coming back to my Original story, so 4 (me, Israeli, Driver and Musician) started talking. In starting musician was sleeping but eventually when our conversation seemed interesting to him, he also joined. I tried to speak English as much as possible to make the ground neutral, because he Israeli was our guest, we should not say anything that makes him feel bad and also English was understood by maximum population (me musician and Israeli) involved in conversation. Also to respect Blue guy, I translated all the major points in discussion from time to time

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I think It is enough for this post. Will tell you about our conversation in next post,

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