Getting Lost in Ceylon is Easy
This piece is in evolution.
Yes, Getting Lost in Ceylon is Easy, especially with the present NPP Government in Power.
Tourist industry is our top earner until coronavirus pandemic hit us.
There was a master plan to recover and improve.
The present government has put that plan into the dustbin and trying to have their own amateur plan.
This piece not to discuss that.
I stop exploring at the age of 35.
I used to accompany university student explorations (only on minor episodes) as a senior designated by the university.
I was seconded officer and I had no academic restrictions and research activates.
I did my research work well past 50 years and my contribution is significant.
Reason for me quitting was I could not take the responsibility for irresponsible activities of the organizers behavior.
Alcohol was a taboo and bathing on water pools (unsupervised) after six was banned.
Have to come back before 10PM on day trips.
All these were not my regulations but bylaws of the university having experienced past catastrophe.
One of my teachers brother was drowned and one of my cousins was drowned in Mahaveli, long before I entered university.
My cousin was just eight years old and I did go with him to Mahaveli on that day.
We did not train rescue dogs but dogs always accompany our river bathing.
Attending his funeral was traumatic and never again another life was imprinted in my mind.
No wonder, I ended up as a medical man and that also on pediatrics.
Of course my interest was waterfalls and there are over 350 in Ceylon.
Before 35 I covered 90% of the big ones.
I was just turning 70 when I went to Diyaluma.
I am far off the target.
Let me start with our childhood.
We had very bad teachers, so staying in school was boring
We cut school and plan short explorations.
We somehow come back home at 1.30PM and 2PM the latest.
One day we ended up in Mylapitiya and we were stranded.
We did not have money for the bus trip back.
We figured out the route and decided to walk back.
The people in Mylapitiya treated us as aliens.
That is the point I want to drive in this piece.
Deep in their heart they detested our incursion to their domain.
We felt it acutely.
That is the simple outlook in Ceylon.
Cut the story short, we stopped a funeral van with a dead body inside and hiked the last 2 miles before Ampitiya.
We walked the last mile home as nothing has happened.
Mind you I was wearing a sarong and I was ashamed.
I never wore a sarong from that day onward and slippers were discarded and won't go out without a good pair of shoes.
That year end, I passed out "A" Level with good results with two distinctions (physics and mathematics).
If you get lost and ask for directions.
If you ask three you get three different directions.
They never say, they do not know.
That is the raggedy.
Let me amplify.
Just before leaving Ceylon, I wanted to visit a guy whom I promised many years that I would visit them but could not.
He was loner and I used to give my books for him to read.
Most of them were related to Dhamma and he did not read them.
I said if you are not reading them I should give them to somebody else and made an appointment to visit him.
I asked him directions and I could not figure out the location of his house.
I could mentally figure out, up to the major junction and not beyond.
I told him, I am coming by a Three Wheeler and give a call, once I reach the junction.
I had another plan.
Collect all Anchor Milk cartoon from all the stalls including C.W.E. (Sathosa) on my way back. This was the time when Powdered Milk was difficult to find and went up to Rs.2000/=.
My only request have some "Waraka" to taste.
He had several Jack trees with "Waraka" flavour.
I knew his son well and I told him my plans.
He opened an old wine bottle and I started polishing it out to his surprise.
He does not drink.
He was expecting me to be fully cut.
Of course, I stopped and that was the last tot I had in Ceylon.
I have one of my friends (old school classmate) who is born traveler.
That is his hobby. Unlike me he plans his trips and goes out with his family and with at least one of his sons accompany him.
He stops the car at a particular point and walks to his desired location until sunset.
This part is for foreign travelers.
Ceylon is very well mapped, especially because of our internal war.
There is a big Survey Generals Map of Ceylon.
The Survey Generals Map of Ceylon, or modern-day Ceylon, is commonly referred to as the "One Inch Topographic Map Series". This series consists of 72 sheets and was compiled using plane table surveys in 1924. The maps depict various features like relief, cultural elements, geographical names, administrative boundaries, and contours.
I had a copy of this map.
I did outlined the Mahaveli River in detail in my book on Ceylon and identifying the major waterfalls.
One can get a detail map from the Survey Generals, if one is interested.
I am not sure if foreigners are entitled to them, except the basic stuff.
I gave the Map to my friend before leaving Ceylon.
Of course being a real friend he was with me the last 8 hours of my schedule up to the Air Port inside Gate to say Good Bye.
