Happy Place
A storm is brewing. Enormous ranks of clouds, heavy with rain and illuminated in flashes by streaks of lightning, gather on the horizon. Below us, the silver crests of crashing waves stand out in the darkness. It’s 2am and there’s not another soul in sight for miles around. The stern of the little boat we’re in rides up as we gain speed, skipping over the gentle undulations of the lagoon.
I am in Bentota, Sri Lanka, on board a tiny motorised boat rapidly approaching the confluence of the Bentota estuary and the Indian Ocean.
CAPITAL START
The trip started off in the capital, , a day earlier. A common misconception is that the airport is in Colombo; it’s not. It’s actually around 40km north of the city. We take a three-lane expressway south towards the capital as we exit . The road heads south, clinging to the coast, affording us a glimpse of the deep blue of the Indian Ocean. Colombo, when we reach it, is neat and well planned. The roads are tree-lined, with generous sidewalks, begging you to explore on foot. The motorists are well behaved, perhaps owing to the strict enforcement of traffic rules in the country, or simply because Sri Lankans are a considerate bunch. There will be many times over the six days I spend in the country when I would be given right of way by all vehicles when crossing roads. Not one honk nor
