Some where over the rainbow

Alright, there’s no denying it – traffic can often be overwhelming in Sri Lanka, especially if it is your first visit to the island. You will find yourself swiftly hurled into a car and driven at break neck speed down Negombo Road, to your first destination. You will also begin to notice the car jumps from one lane to another – much like a leaping frog. Yes, we are aware that it’s not the norm for vehicles to stick to one lane. But really, calm down, you’re almost there!

Rush hour traffic can often be a nightmare. Not only are you late, but the guy in front of you is contently sitting in the wrong lane, blocking your way. This can only mean one thing; one must resort to overtaking this imbecile whilst thrusting a fist menacingly at him!

One day I was in a friend’s car on the way back home after work, feeling grumpy and rather tired. That’s when I saw it - the delicate silver lining, that glorious pot of gold- at the end of a beautiful rainbow. No really.




The vibrant colours mystified us and we both sat in silence and marveled at its utter beauty. That’s when I realised it. We all spend too many precious moments complaining about our hum drum lives, when we really should be enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds us. Why is it that it’s always the bad that resonates in our minds at a days end?

Today, on this mundane Monday, I ask you to take a few minutes for yourself. Sit back and think about what you have to be thankful for. Or if you are lucky enough and live on a beautiful island like me, absorb the wonderful scenery that surrounds you. Misty dewy mornings, the warmth of the hot sun on your skin, blazing pastel skies at sunset and every once in awhile – that multi coloured arc that stops you right in your tracks and make you believe in magic, at least for a few seconds that is!

Many apologies for the blurry picture- it was taken off my ipod!

Hello world!

Staring out at the concrete jungle sprawling across in front of me, I had never felt further away from home. As my flat mates hurried about, gearing themselves up for yet another day in the urban rat race – I sat in the sweet confines of my room contemplating where I belonged and what my purpose really was. A tough question to answer at the age of 20, then again do we really ever know our purpose in this world?

This is one, among many reasons why I decided to move back home to Sri Lanka, after my 3 years of college education in Singapore. My name is Minal, a 22 year old girl born and bred in Sri Lanka. I have a passion for dance, discovering new music, tasting my country’s culinary delights and exploring my beautiful island.

I have lived and travelled abroad, yet something about this resplendent isle keeps beckoning me, like the pull of a fridge magnet. Maybe it’s the fact that my family lives here, or just the sense of belonging that I yearned for in Singapore. Whatever it is a supreme sense of being connected to my country and its people and the pristine natural beauty of the island is an integral part of why I love this island.

So join me on my travels, my musings and random findings to explore Sri Lanka, through my eyes. Discover quirky factoids and the whimsical fancies of my fellow countrymen that make us uniquely Sri Lankan.