A Tuk-Tuk Ride in the Night

Trip Start Oct 24, 2005

Trip End Nov 26, 2005

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Flag of Sri Lanka Pottuvil, Sri Lanka
Sunday, November 6, 2005

Finding a ride to Komari from Pottuvil at night and during a downpour requires not only the financial means, but also a bit of pleading. Being three young foreign women must have also helped in convincing the only tuk-tuk driver to be found in this town normally crowded with drivers eager for a share of the pie. The young driver charged us a 100% premium to compensate for the risk associated with traveling through an elephant corridor at night. During the rainy season, the elephants come out at night to warm their feet on the road. Not a reassuring thought when sitting in a flimsy tuk-tuk that provides little protection, if any at all.

We got into the backseat and his buddies piled onto the driver's single seat and we zoomed away in the rain and darkness. As bad as the roads and visibility were, we wobbled along at a merry pace; all the while I'm trying to hold the door flap closed with two hands and one foot yet still getting half of my body absolutely drenched. We could not see even five meters ahead and nearly rear-ended a bull! On top of it all, we suspect that our driver was operating under the influence of Lion Lager, the national brew... The idea of toppling over the causeway directly into a crocodile infested lagoon was just as disconcerting as being charged by an angry elephant!

In the end, we got a ride worthy of an amusement park and reached home base without much incident other than rolling over a snake.

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