Blurry Visions
The train heading back home.
Every now and then the sea demands an offering of some technology. A camera, iPod, phone, Poseidon wants something. Last time I dropped my phone in Arugam Bay. My camera has also been having recurring acid flashbacks. This time I flipped a jet ski in the Bentota River and lost my glasses. The curious thing about not being able to see far behind your nose is that it kinda makes one more kindly disposed towards people. Everyone’s a sort of warm and fuzzy blob and anyone getting within conversational distance gets a dumb smile until I can figure out who they are. I also find myself listening and thinking more. It’s an interesting altered state, for a while.
I could still take photos and then see the world in focus on that screen. That, alas, was also compromised because my camera is really screwed up and hallucinates these messy striations. But it was an interesting (office/conference) trip down south on the private Viceroy Train, then a day at Bentota. I was in the water most of the time at Bentota, but got some randomly interesting shots on the train.
The Train’s Crest, methinks
The Viceroy Special is a private train that you can charter. We chartered it for this GSMA AP Conference, and it was not charter at all. It’s A/C’d and quite comfortable, and they’re serving you food and stuff throughout. I was sleepy on the way down, but on the way up it was really a quite pleasant way to travel.
It’s certainly more comfortable than the other means of travel, that being common train. Those are packed and hot and the foods not so good. I think the Railways Corp is actually a money losing enterprise as well.
As you can see from above, my camera now has a systematic problem with light. Certain levels cause it to spaz, giving these horizontal lines and striations. In this case the picture window is messed up, whereas the frame is not.
People live along the railtracks, in technically illegal shanties. You can see their houses stacked like matchboxes as you pass. People wash at shared taps and kids run about as you casually picture window through their backyards.
You can have coffee.
Get a lovely view of the sunset.
Through the lavatory window even.
Just after we passed Mount Lavinia a bomb exploded there, a minor one I hear. We got to Fort Railway station fine, though that place is still tinted with the memories of the rush-hour bomb not long ago. Colombo feels a bit still and there are unuttered stirrings in the north. Such is life. Sometimes its better to have your glasses off.
The rest of the photos are tagged ‘viceroy’ on Flickr.
This is highly dubious. Miss Travel is a travel/social networking site that connects ‘Generous’ and ‘Attractive’ travelers. To, like, travel together, I guess. It all seems a bit like arranged prostitution and trafficking. This is part of a broader online trend to connect rich men to younger, attractive women. Sites like 
Sri Lankan domestics never say anything, they just stop coming. My maid just stopped coming and when I finally pressed her she said I needed to get a washing machine. I was hoping to ride this one out, but I’ve run out of underwear and I have no choice. I finally caved and bought a washing machine, from 
There’s nothing wrong with pornography, but there’s a lot wrong with porn. Nothing wrong with watching people have sex, but too often that sex is brutal, senseless and coerced. I mean how many couples are coming on each others faces every day? Hence, philosopher king Alain de Botton – after calling for a 
Sri Lanka is going to start offer 
You flew the Viceroy Special? lucky dawg =))
I like the crest. Check out the symbolism.
Got any pictures of the interior of the train?
Picture of the sunset really nice, i mean u should have remove that cup,looks like a painting
I usually keep a several pairs of glasses with me. There is one in the car, two at my apartment, two at home and one at campus! So most of the time I can say “I see clearly now”. For sports like falling off cliffs, falling into cold bay waters trying to wind surf, I use a pair of anti fog goggles.
Looks like a good trip on that train! How did you take the photo of tilted cup of coffee?
tilted cup? Which one? In the shot with two hands, one of them isn’t mine.
FYI, people have asked, and the renting the Viceroy is insanely expensive, in the lakhs (thousands of dollars). There’s a minimum of 30 heads or something. It’s for corporate outings, not casual trips.