Throughout my time in Sri Lanka I’ve two objectives: to go to the American ambassador (who’s considered one of my best-good pals and I’ll brag about her till the day I die) and drive a tuk tuk. After spending a number of days with my pal and her bodyguards in her armored BMW, I strike out by myself and lease my dream shit field. Or shit triangle because the case could also be.

Driving a Tuk Tuk in Sri Lanka

What the heck is a tuk tuk?

The three-wheeled tuk tuk is a cross between a bike and a really small automotive. Its entrance wheel is steered by a set of bike handlebars, whereas the ability goes to the 2 rear wheels through a 4-speed handbook transmission. It has a canvas roof, roll-down plastic doorways for rain, and a windshield with a single wiper blade. A bench seat within the rear takes up the entire 51.0-inch width and the entrance has a single seat. Its tiny 200 cc engine is nice for 10 hp and a modicum of torque. A number of firms make them, however mine was manufactured by Bajaj out of India.

My tuk tuk is delivered to me within the beautiful fort city of Galle and the rental firm sends somebody to point out me the ropes. To start out it, I simply flip the important thing and provides it a tiny little bit of gasoline. I attempt to rev it onerous at first and my tuk tuk tutor provides me a verbal slap on the wrist. I’ve virtually flooded the engine. Like a standard bike, the correct foot operates the brake and the clutch is manipulated by the left hand. Nevertheless, there isn’t a brake lever for my proper hand and no gear lever for my left foot. As an alternative, gear modifications are carried out by twisting the left deal with, and, sorry, however the one brake is up entrance. Good luck!

Like a bike, impartial may be robust to seek out, however shifting into reverse is the actual pickle. To get going, I’ve to shift into impartial, have interaction an enormous lever that pushes down from the sprint, after which put the tuk tuk in first. Truthfully, it’s simpler to only get out and push. This factor weighs lower than 800 kilos, in spite of everything. 

I’ve few luxuries right here. Seat belts, for one, but in addition a USB port and a cellphone holder that’s virtually safe. 

I get some good apply within the practically car-free walled part of Galle. Driving is completed on the left facet of the highway in Sri Lanka, and it takes me a scorching second to get used to it, typically straying to the correct facet whereas I focus on shifting. Regardless, I’ve Google Maps downloaded into my off-line maps and my aim is to only drive and see what occurs. My solely plan is to be at my subsequent resort in time to benefit from the pool for awhile. 

Driving a Tuk Tuk in Sri Lanka

First drive

I resolve to go to the Handunugoda tea plantation, traversing the two-lane highway that runs alongside the coast line. If texting and driving is harmful within the States, it’s double jeopardy right here. Lanes are mere ideas and folks use all obtainable house to get to their vacation spot. Stray canine dart onto the highway repeatedly, folks flip in entrance of me, and if I’m not being handed by a bus belching out diesel smoke then I’m caught behind one, respiration the fumes. 

The roads to the plantation are all paved, however issues get a bit extra dodgy on the way in which to my resort. First, the highway will get tough, then barely vast sufficient for my tuk tuk, then all pavement disappears, changed by rutted mud. “That’s advantageous,” I believe. “I’m a podium-winning off-road driver. I can deal with this.”

I downshift and gun it—perhaps slightly an excessive amount of. I’m driving like I’m making an attempt to get a heavy-duty truck as a substitute of a light-weight runabout by means of the mud. Some mud splatters into the door-less cabin and the rear slides round only a contact, however the tuk tuk handles it like a champ.

Driving a Tuk Tuk in Sri Lanka

Get to know the locals

The subsequent day the tuk tuk brings me on a brand new journey with a number of locals. A fruit vendor retrieves my cellphone when it bounces out of the tuk tuk on a busy avenue. As a thanks I purchase a watermelon, throwing it into the small storage space behind the rear seat. I don’t actually have a approach to eat stated watermelon, however what the heck. It might turn out to be useful as a bargaining chip later. 

A bit farther down the highway I cease to talk with a bunch of tuk tuk drivers and I’m instantly surrounded by a dozen dudes, peppering me with questions. The place am I from? Why am I driving a tuk tuk? How do I like Sri Lanka? 

One among them decides he’s going to check my driving abilities. He jumps within the backseat and directs me out to the busy four-lane avenue. After I don’t sign quickly sufficient he reaches over my shoulder to flip the swap. He chides me for driving too quick however praises me for my right-hand turns into site visitors. The subsequent factor I do know I’ve apparently agreed to get him a visa to come back to America. I don’t assume my sarcasm is known by the Sri Lankans. The poor man would possibly nonetheless be ready for me to come back again and marry him.

Driving a Tuk Tuk in Sri Lanka

Oops, I stalled it once more

Later that day, my confidence buoyed by the skilled tuk tuk driver’s reward, I resolve to take the lead in a right-hand activate to a busy avenue. Driving on the left facet of the highway means a proper flip takes me throughout site visitors. Often I simply wait till one thing greater can also be making the flip, then I simply associate with them. This time, I lead the pack. And I stall it.

I’m principally sitting in site visitors like a rock with vehicles flowing round me making their proper turns and a giant ol’ truck looming towards me in a broadside place. I panic a tiny bit and attempt to restart the tuk tuk. Why received’t it begin? Ah shit! I’m in first gear. Okay, impartial, impartial, impartial! How do I put it in impartial once more? I can see the truck driver’s eyes now. There isn’t any anger or annoyance. It’s like he runs over dumb People who can’t drive each day. 

I get the tuk tuk began and scoot out of his manner simply in time, however I’m sweating like a mofo and my coronary heart goes a billion miles a minute. Time to calm down with a $12 therapeutic massage on the native ayurvedic spa. 

Driving a Tuk Tuk in Sri Lanka

Tuk tuk terrific

I liked driving the tuk tuk for the sense of freedom it gave me, but in addition as a result of it introduced me a bit nearer to the locals. Would I ever have had the prospect to joke round with a bunch of drivers had I not been driving the three-wheeled shit triangle? In all probability not. Driving a working-class automobile, feeling the humidity within the air, smelling the curry, listening to the myriad horns in site visitors as of us made their manner across the island was infinitely higher than being ensconced in my ambassador good friend’s air-conditioned luxurious SUV. Was it harmful? Meh. Possibly. Even once I stalled in site visitors, native drivers simply went round me. The large truck would have achieved the identical had I not gotten going once more. Even touring as a single girl I by no means received harassed or felt unsafe. The folks had been pleasant and curious. 

Whereas the fee to lease a tuk tuk in Sri Lanka can begin as little as $14 per day, my three-day journey was a bit extra. My journey plans meant I couldn’t choose up or drop off the automobile on the foremost workplace, in order that was a $70 upcharge on both facet. My brief rental interval price me $90. I additionally paid the rental firm $40 to acquire my Sri Lankan driver’s license. All instructed, I spent $270, and my $150 deposit was refunded.

Electrical tuk tuks are additionally obtainable, however I didn’t need the additional stress of determining find out how to cost. I don’t know what number of miles I drove in complete, however the little man took 4 liters of petrol once I was achieved, or a few gallon. I paid $1.10 per liter, rather less than what I pay for gasoline in California.

I liked my tuk tuk a lot I instantly signed up for an additional journey, this time for 12 days driving a tuk tuk throughout India with The Adventurists. It is going to undoubtedly be harder, climbing the Himalayas in that tiny factor and hauling round tenting gear and three folks, however love makes folks do some fairly dumb issues.