At one of our favorite restaurants in Tissa, we met a family: originally from Morocco, currently living in Finland, and planning a move to Dubai. As we talked, it became clear they weren’t exactly fans of Sri Lanka. To them, the lack of halal options, the "unpolished" scenery, and the communication barriers were deal-breakers. While I didn’t agree, I was fascinated by their clarity.
As someone who thrives on “vibes and feelings”, I struggle to think in absolutes. Sri Lanka offers an untamed experience—often described in blogs as a “wild, soulful dream”. The people are warm and incredibly perceptive; they seem rooted in their culture and visibly aware of their past without being hardened by it. The only jarring note was the heavy military presence across the country—something that sticks out to me as a foreigner, but which locals seem entirely unfazed by.
As we prepared to leave, I started making notes on how I saw this country and what I wanted to remember. It turns out, Sri Lanka is where I fell in love with the most unlikely things:
The Bakery Uncle: Have you ever felt nostalgia for a place you’ve never been? A close friend once gifted Niki a dictionary that defines this as “Anemoia.” If I had grown up here, my core memories would be triggered by the sound of “Für Elise” blaring from a bakery uncle’s tuk-tuk (officially known as Choon Paan). I can’t explain why, but the sound of that truck selling fresh seeni sambol buns is the first thing I’ll get excited about when I return.
The Omnipresent Meditating Buddha: In busy city centers, they offer a stark, tranquil contrast to the chaotic traffic. There is a certain peace that takes over every time you spot one- the same peace I find in the street-side temples of Bangalore, but these are so much more 'dressed down.' They provide that familiar spiritual anchor, just stripped of the usual ornamentation and made completely to the point.
Daal: Excuse me, I am Indian, how am I going around falling in love with daals from other countries?? Does this qualify as treason?? But it is true, daal was one of those comforts; no matter how your day went, it always tasted great and was always a significant part of every thali.
Short eats: While I was disappointed that I never found my favorite mutton rolls, I still found and ate several types of short eats each time I got the chance. From fish to vegetable rolls, there is something for everyone on almost every street corner.
Bump-free roads: We took all types of roads, from expressways, main highways to winding rural roads. In my experience, the journeys were consistently smooth and full of greenery. Any struggle I had with motion sickness was strictly a 'me' problem—the roads themselves were flawless.
Effortless integration: Regardless of a man running a small grocery stall happy to discuss cricket with Niki, to the surf instructor with big dreams, to Tissa Rainbow uncle who would continue to offer generous meals, to the owner of the Tissa fitness centre who took time to talk about his good old days as a karate champion when he travelled through and loved India: almost everyone we met was interested in an exchange, in whatever capacity possible. It made me feel like if I were to end up here, I might find some friends, a community, and a conversation over a warm meal.
Falooda icecream: Another heavy feeling of nostaligia hit me as soon as I took a bite of this Falooda ice cream, but this time I knew I have tasted this before. How can that be? I do not eat falooda or any such desserts back home, neither am I too fond of these flavors. It took me a whole day, and I remembered eating the “Fruit biscuits” from Karachi Bakery when I was younger: this was exactly that!
And so we sat at the Kerawalapitiya resort on our last day in Colombo, watching the season finale of Stranger Things and nibbling on pieces of watermelon from a bottomless bowl of freshly cut fruits. “I really hope Thailand has a strong fruit culture.. because I can get used to this here,” I said to Niki, to which he responded with a knowing smile, “Ooh, you are going to love Thailand bro, don’t worry.”
With this, I hope to get you as excited about Thailand as I felt in that moment.
And as always, we love you for sticking around <3
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