GETTING AROUND

Once, in our early days here in Lanka, we showed Prince around our hometown using Google maps. During our virtual tour he was to ask us, "Where are all the people?" What he noticed about our suburban and city streets was the absence of action that is characteristic of Sri Lankan streets. He was wondering if people were asked to stay inside while these photographs were taken.

The contrast between the streets of Sri Lanka and those of Australia is substantial. Right now, the Colombo/Negombo road will be alive with people about their business - a weaving, honking, zooming assortment of vehicles with a side-serving of pedestrians and generous sprinkling of cyclists - and most of the streets spreading off like a series of arteries are not all that different.

Of course, the side streets are free of buses - probably the most common form of transportation. The buses are, I suspect, a little like me - susceptible to the wear-and-tear of their environment and older in appearance than they are in actuality. Red buses are government buses and white buses are privately run. Smaller coach buses are also privately run and, for a slightly more expensive ticket, offer the luxury of air-conditioning. There seems to be no passenger limit for buses and it is not unusual to see several people hanging out the doors of an over-crowded bus, hanging tightly to each other and trusting that the one closest to the bus will not let go. It may not come as a surprise then that we know of 3 people that have had falls from buses (in fact, it may surprise you that we do not know of more). However, one did fall while talking on his mobile so I suppose an awareness of the hazards of talking on the phone while travelling may have prevented this accident - it's not just for drivers, it seems.

The other form of public transportation is three-wheeling. Three-wheelers are those little vehicles common to many Asian countries but known by a variety of names: becak, bemo, tuk-tuk, (motorised) rickshaw and the like. In Sri Lanka, these mostly come in red, green or beige, with the occasional blue ones. These are able to transport, it seems, 4 or 5 adults or extra if there are children involved. Also, shopping, goods to be sold at market, fish of any size and shape, dogs both large and small, timber, whipper snippers or anything else you would like to move. Three-wheelers mostly try to cling to the sides of the road as their engines are no match for cars, trucks and buses and neither are their chassis, but this is not a hard-and-fast rule and these little smarties on wheels are not afraid to weave in and out of the traffic as necessary. Best to try and avoid being a passenger in a three-wheeler during rain though as visiblity is very limited once the side-flaps are pulled down.

If you don't want to send your kids to school in a three-wheeler, a school van is another option. There are a plethora of vans to be found on Sri Lankan roads at any point during the day and they are commonly used for school or factory transport, as well as driving lessons. I think it may be impossible to limit the number of people you can fit inside a van, especially when you're dealing with children - they're so small. In the morning vans full of white school uniforms, red hair ribbons, sleepy faces, cheeky grins and small, waving hands can be found all over the place. Oh, and point of note, I think it is a fact that people who travel in vans are super cool ;)

The wealthier and those who enjoy a house with car access will probably own a car. Big, black, shiny 4WD seem to be the status symbol here (although other colours are also acceptable). Government ministers drive these, often with a convoy of military bodyguards ahead and behind. They don't yet know that the super-cool people travel in vans.

More common family transport, however, is the motorcycle. Motorbikes are practical if your house doesn't have car access and, at least while the children are younger, you can fit the whole family on there. For a while, apparently, the government passed a law to limit the number of people allowed on a motorbike but when an overwhelming number of indignant families asked, "How are we supposed to travel now?" the government changed its mind. Still, adults are supposed to wear a helmet and it is illegal to keep your mobile phone wedged inside your helmet so you can take calls while riding.

But we can't all be lucky enough to have a motorbike, so there is still always the trusty bicycle. You can't really fit your whole family on the bike but it is usual for there to be two or three people on the bike. Unless, of course, you're on your way to market with your goods strapped on the back. Or you can walk. Few places have footpaths, though, so it's best to stick close to the side of the road. Or, if you are lucky, you might be able to catch a ride in the back of a truck. The rule with trucks, as with three-wheelers, is the more decorated the vehicle, the better it is.

And for those travelling long distances, there is always the train. With open windows and open doors, the trains offer a better ventilated and usually less crowded alternative to bus travel. Word of advice from Darren (who has travelled to the East Coast via rail): it is best for the unseasoned traveller to take a cushion as the seating is rather firm.

So, you see, there are many ways for you to travel around Sri Lanka. You can pick your fancy - just try and avoid the ambulances.