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| Friday, 11 February 2005 |
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'Glad I came, even after the tsunami' by Aditha Dissanayake Until last month, David Lyman, a staff writer at the Detroit Free Press, used to wake-up in his two-storied house in South Rembrandt Avenue, Royal Oak, Michigan, stumble downstairs, switch on the electric kettle and make himself a cup of tea. Tea, ordered through the internet from Sri Lanka and according to David, undoubtedly the best in the world. It comes as no surprise therefore, that, when he was sent to visit as many countries as he wished on a scholarship called "Chivas Life", he would select Sri Lanka as one of his destinations. Why? Because he wanted to see for himself how his favorite brand of tea is manufactured. The result of this decision was that on 22nd January 2005, he landed on the doorstep of the Manager's bungalow at Great Western Estate in Thalawakelle to get a hands-on experience of tea making in the hill country, an industry introduced by his own ancestors in the 19th century. The bungalow itself, with its huge fireplaces, heavy teak furniture and a retinue of staff including a butler, three gardeners and two watchers, still retaining the aura of the colonial masters was in itself an object of fascination. "Flabbergasting" was David's exclamation when he heard about the last British planter who had committed suicide in the cloak room, and who had now become a much loved residential ghost. Immensely tall and immensely fair, with two gold-rimmed spectacles sliding down his nose and a notebook tucked into his pocket, clad in denim pants and a cotton shirt, David looks like the typical American journalist one reads about in novels. Its hard to guess his age but he says he became a journalist when he was thirty three, which was a long time ago. He has been going out with his current girlfriend for the past three years, but is not sure if she would ever turn into someone more than a girlfriend. Talking about the countries he has visited so far on his tour David recalls an island in Norway where it had been eternally dark. He had found it disconcerting to look at his watch and not know whether it was nine in the morning or nine in the night. This is one place, David says, he would never want to visit again. When he was in Mali in Africa he says, "Time stopped". No one bothered about time. Waiting for hours for buses which never came was accepted as a way of life. David is taking this opportunity to see if he could find a new country to migrate to, after completing this journey, because he is tired of the cold winters back home. "I'm searching for a place where it will be eternally summer. In Detroit almost eight months of the year is winter." He pauses and asks "Have you ever seen snow?", "No", comes the answer. "Except inside the refrigerator". David shakes his head and says "Its not the same thing as having your knees deep in snow and having to shovel it off the walkway in front of your house every morning, because if someone slips and falls they will sue you. Snow can be fascinating too, I suppose, but for me the best thing about it is, you feel so good when you get away from it". When David completes his trip round the world which includes climbing the Himalayas in Naples and a trip on the Shinkanzen in Japan, he will be returning to his house with the bushes of lavender near the front doorstep, carrots, cabbages and sunflowers in the backyard and to his two cats now looked after by his girlfriend, but not to his job. "I resigned from my post as a staff writer from the newspaper I worked for because they refused to give me leave for eighty days. When I return I don't know what I will do. Perhaps work as a waiter somewhere serving Starbuck coffee and write during my off days." Starbuck coffee and hamburgers are the two things David misses the most when he is traveling. But he is brave enough to try anything cooked in the traditional Sri Lankan style, using his fingers. Red in the face, whipping the tears in his eyes he denies the food is "Flabbergasting", and says "A bit spicy...but delicious". Advising everybody who wishes to visit America David emphasizes even though the popular belief is that New York and California are the two places one must not miss, a trip to Las Vegas is also a must. "Las Vegas with the replica of the Eiffel tower and pyramids is beautiful. There are two huge pirate ships on which actors play pirates, and as the audience watches the ship sinks..." talking about Detroit he says "If you ever come to Detroit come in the summer, because that's when nature Explodes!" What are his final impressions about Sri Lanka? David's blue eyes begin to sparkle. "When the tsunami struck, I thought I should cancel Sri Lanka. But now I'm glad I came. "Everything has been..." he searches for the right word. "Flabbergasting?" "No. Let's settle on Fascinating!" |
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