traffic jam? rent a “tuk tuk”..

 

tuk tuk’s are unique Asian motorcycle-cum-taxi vehicles – a motorcyle fitted with 2 rear wheels and a rear seat to fit 2 comfortably (or 3 if you are really have to), with adequate cover from the elements. with a very small turning radius and a size to fit in the narrowest of places, traffic jams are no longer an excuse for being late…. if you don’t mind arriving smelling like car exhaust, that is.   a ride on a tuk tuk, i had almost forgotten, is quite a thrill, and at times hairraising, as the drivers weave their way through stalled traffic. a slight nudge from the bus inches next to you would not be terribly pleasant.   for 4 days in koggala, sri lanka, i used tuk tuk service by chaminda, a pleasant young entrepreneurial tuk tuk driver with a business card, a mobile phone and a yahoo email address to boot. every time i needed his service, i would sms him! he drove me to places otherwise not reachable by regular cars. we even went to galle (30 minutes), nearby excursions into the jungle (usually 10-15 minutes each). a whole day ride came in at under 1,000 rupees.