2 Lakes, 1 Bride, a New Friend and a Close Shave

He sat on the center bar, proud as punch, yelling greetings to the passes-by that he knew, which was pretty much everyone. We whizzed down the hill, Tago back to 100% fitness, then he pointed and mumbled something like stop, I applied full brakes and we stopped 10 meters past the front of a little shop, tea time.

Earlier this morning I had made my way towards Koggala lake, a large tidal mangrove lake. Leaving home I skirted the west part of Weligama this time. The dogs slowly lifted their heads, nothing more, it prommissed to be another scorcher. People on their way to work nodded and greeted as I cycled by.

The route I had selected ran past a small lake, not on the travelers check list, but I never did follow rules that well. It lay nestled in the hills to the north of Weli, covered in waterlillies. The spaces of open water reflected the coconut trees on the far side, calm and windless.
I peddled along the road that gripped the waters edge, cement topped. I peered into the water and glimpsed my first snake in SL, a water-snake, about 40cms long, it saw me and disappeared below the murky water. 


"You marry her" he said while pointing at one of the women standing with the tooth brushes he had just pulled from his mouth. I leaned back in my chair, smiled and said "she is beautiful".
I had left the lake, cycled down a dirt track, if it goes somewhere my curiosity needs to know where, a couple of dogs had barked. Resting in my one hand on my knee, a freshly picked coconut, the spoils of being different, I felt like a Zulu chief being offered a wife while perched on his throne, plastic one in my case. I might have accepted too, if she had more teeth, with promises to return, I peddled on, I needed new directions.

"Koggala" a man answered and pointed left to my question.

I only made it another 100 meters before my rear wheel felt like a mash mellow, punctured and deflating fast, I pushed on.

"Hallo" came a shout from the darkness of a hair saloon.

"I don't need a shave, I need a bicycle mechanic" I replied pointing at Tago's rear wheel.

The little man waited with me while the older big man returned indoors, triumphantly he re-appeared pump in hand. He pumped hard and we could hear as the air escaped, shhhhhhhhh, it needed a patch. The little man helped me across the road, bike mechanic, two more steps and I would have found it. 

Shirtless the mechanic left his present repair and the comorft of his shaded wooden shack, a yellow outline of a bike painted on the side.

I left Tago in his capable hands, little man in tow, we crossed back to the saloon.
"Shave" I proclaimed to a rapturous, 3 person crowd, and we all laughed and entered the saloon.
I could see this guy took pride in his place, 2 large clean mirrors hung on the wall above a clean shelf and clean chairs, much better I thought.

The little man was handy-capped, a speech impediment, only 5 foot tall, skinny and with a heavy limp, owing to his bowed legs.  

He could get by with English, though he was difficult to understand, that made him important in these times.
He had scars on his forehead and arms, scratched raw. His laugh was contagious and direct, but no he was not the barber.

Two skirts of the magic water on my face, painted in shaving cream and a new blade fitted, I felt more comfortable. Starting at my right side-burn he slide the blade expertly down my face, the scraping sound could be heard in my head. I took one last look at little man smiling in the reflection of the mirror, like he was at the movies with front row seats. I closed my eyes and felt as the blade slipped effortlessly across my cheek and over my chin.
I opened my eyes a new man, it was my first time on this trip without a hair on my face.

 

I had promised myself no message after the last time, but when I saw the good job he had just done on my face, I relented.

"Go ahead" I confirmed his hopes, he and little man smiled broadly. His hands were much gentler, strong but soft, he began his trained skill, he later expressed. Eyes closed, I relaxed, with my head back, he pinched at my cheeks and walked his fingers across my forehead. Then came the head message, painfull memories flooded my mind, but even the herbal oil smelt better here. Little man laughed as my long hair was flicked from one side to the other.

I smelt and felt good as we made our way across to pick up Tago, he lay lent up against the fence, ready to go. Bill paid, next stop was a tailor, little man led the way, 20 meters along. My bag strap had snapped just before my flat tire, it happens, she took it over to her machine, empty.
She normally made clothes, little man decided to show me, he grabbed a pair of light blue shorts, almost turquoise, think he might have been colour blind too. The noise of the sewing machine buzzed in the background, bbbbzzzzzzzzz. Little man held them up in front of him, confused, did he want me to buy them for him, because the size would not fit my one leg or was he just showing me her style. The buzzing stopped, fashion show over, I was saved by her finishing, yip it works, no finesse, but it worked. 

"100 rupees" she said, to which little man mumbled something, "50 rupees" came her new price, I paid, happy little man was in my corner.

Our journey continued, little man, Tago and me, we walked down the dusty road. After another 20 meters really slowly, I motioned little man to hop up onto the Tago's center rail, Tago hardly felt him, a quick push and we were off.

A long haired  'white monkey' lifting a disabled local, we sure made heads turn and little man loved his minutes of fame.
The tea was hot, black and sweet, we drank it sitting on the steps overlooking the road. Little man told me his name was Banuda, UB40's top hit of the 80's, 'Red, Red Wine' was blaring out from the house opposite our steps and we felt fine.

I peddled Tago to get some more speed, houses became more frequent as we approached a larger town. Then I pulled over again, Banuda wanted off, we stopped next to another small shop, what next? I thought. He mumbled something about a bangle, I said my farewell a little confused and left as he entered the shop.

The town was Ahangama, a coastal town on the south coast, along the A2 on the way to Galle. I stopped and bought a vegetable rotti and carried my adventure on down the A2. Between the buildings I got glimpses of the beautiful blue and tranquil Indian Ocean, it was calling my name.

A pathway lead me down onto the hot sand, now nearing 11am, foreigners lay in the shade drinking soft drinks, in front of an expensive resort. Positioned on the sand I ate my veg rotti, curried vegetables wrapped in rotti bread made from rice flour, Sri Lanka's answer to the samosa.

Surfers rode a beach break to the right, I ran straight in, to cool off and catch the body surf.

The A2, hugs the coastline all the way to the capital, Colombo, the road markers read 130kms. Dust swirled around me as trucks and buses hurried by, I peddled on. I past expensive hotels and resorts overlooking the ocean, high walls were decorated in air conditioners, tuk-tuk drivers lay in the shade and kept a lazy eye on the front gates, a mix of worlds.

Just passed the Koggala Air Force base, towards the lake I hoped, map what map?

Lasantna gave me the price for the boat trip, don't think he had watched me as I entered on Tago, even he stretched my failing budget, there was no use even bargaining.

"Bring 3 friends" he said seeing my laugh coming, "and you can go free". I waved my hand infront of his face to check and see if he was blind and left.

Koggala lake is a beautiful stretch of tidal water, with five so called spice islands, cinnamon was the only on that interested me, but as I went to none of them I can't really tell you what goes on there. It is also a big bird watching area, with migratory birds spending the winter around it, I spotted a crane, which I know spends the summers as high up as Poland.

After more exploring and an Elephant Cream Soda, soft drink, I decided another swim was in order and made my way back to Ahungama, to take the train back to Weli.

Jumping up and down with excitement, Banuda, waved me to a stop, he mumbled something, guess I was supposed to wait for him. He hoped back on the bar, now if you think lifting a 5 foot handy-cap local in the back streets gets you stares, try imagine how we looked on one of Sri Lanka's busy main roads, him waving fanatically.

The Laurel and Hardy show pulled into Ahangama, my legs burned I had cycled between 35 - 40 kms, a number of those 2 up. Leaving Banuda in town I made my way to the train station, I wanted to get back for an afternoon surf.

I watched as the Train Station Master, painfully, filled in my luggage ticket for Tago.

"Two hundred and 24 for the bike" he finally concluded " and 10 rupees for you".

I opened my wallet, trying not to laugh, and paid the man in uniform with a 2000 rupee note, I had 10 minutes before the train arrived and he looked like a man who would appreciate a large note.

I sat and stared out the window as the train made it's way chugging back along the coastline, stunning.