I was born in Trincomalee, one of the most beautiful coastal cities in Sri Lanka. My family is from Kandy, but at the time I was born, my father had his naval appointment in Trincomalee. He served in the Sri Lanka Navy as an officer for 24 years and retired as a Captain in 2011.
It feels special that I was born by the sea, even though my roots are in the hills. Maybe that’s where my fascination with the ocean began. Perhaps that’s why I’ve always felt drawn to the roads, beaches, and tides that circle this island.
My mother, sister, and I spent almost all of our school vacations with my father, wherever he had his appointment. Most of the time, it was at the Naval Dockyard in Trincomalee, a place I’ve always considered my home away from home.
The sunrises over the parade ground, the muddy drives through the wilderness, the herds of deer, and the calm, untouched beaches, they truly shaped my childhood. Those days are some of my most treasured memories.
I’ve always been a fan of the sea. My father taught me how to swim when I was around eight years old, and soon I became quite good at it. He often took my sister and me to the beach for sea swims, and it quickly became one of our favorite things to do together. The sea and the ocean became a huge part of our lives, something that has stayed with me ever since.
As I grew up, my fascination with the beauty of this island especially its coastlines only became stronger. Traveling to the coast whenever we could, slowly became a family tradition. Even now, whenever I have semester vacations in university, we always head back to the sea to enjoy the wilderness, the waves. Recently, I’ve taken up scuba diving as part of that love for the ocean, exploring the incredible world beneath the surface. It feels like discovering a whole new side of the island I’ve always known.
Right after my Advanced Levels, my father handed me the keys to one of his old cars, a 1987 KE72 DX wagon. From that day on, it became my true companion. Most of the time, wherever I go, the wagon goes with me, like a loyal friend that has seen every sunrise, muddy road, and salty breeze I’ve driven through.
Traveling around the coast of Sri Lanka in this old, rugged wagon has become one of my favorite things to do. There’s something special about the sound of the engine and the sight of the ocean running beside it.
This blog is my travel journal, a collection of stories from the places I visit, the coastal adventures I take, from long drives to the shore, to exploring the reefs beneath the waves., and the moments that stay with me.
Happy reading!
