In the Sri Lankan Jungle
Here I am discussing tactics with one of the local foremen (Sunil), somewhere in
the jungle during construction of a brand new section of road. Bullbars and all
extras on my Land Rover, fabricated and fitted by our own Balfour Beatty team.
This Land Rover did a lot of hard work and travel, just a little bit more than you
would give your average town or country car, at home, or wherever you have lived.
the jungle during construction of a brand new section of road. Bullbars and all
extras on my Land Rover, fabricated and fitted by our own Balfour Beatty team.
This Land Rover did a lot of hard work and travel, just a little bit more than you
would give your average town or country car, at home, or wherever you have lived.
The Ford car on the left of picture was also run by myself, but I allowed Sunil to
run one or other vehicles, and I used the other one, depending on workload etc.
run one or other vehicles, and I used the other one, depending on workload etc.
When road construction was completed in the jungle, I was asked to travel to the
capital, Colombo, to work on a new dual carriageway there, and I took the car.
During the ongoing work in Colombo, the then President of Sri Lanka
summoned our company director, and asked if I could go to Ratnapura to
construct roads into a new village that was about to be opened six weeks later. I
took lots of plant and machinery plus 150 of our workers, and on arrival there,
employed 150 local women to assist in the works.
We were hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms many times, and one evening whilst
trying to get back to the Ratnaloka Hotel, I encountered an area where the river
had submerged part of the road, and on trying to cross this flooded section, the
car gave up the ghost and I had to get out and push it the rest of the way until I
finally reached dry land again, arriving to the applause of a hundred or so locals.
Why were they applauding you may ask? Simply because that section of the
river, the Kalu Ganga, which means "Black Water", was the most feared in the
Country
as it was infested with the biggest crocodiles I have ever seen anywhere in my life.
Lots of people were eaten by these creatures every week, and a list of all know
people who had been seen to be eaten was published in the local newspaper.
I told the people waiting to cross this section when the water level dropped, that
the task of crossing was not so bad, but they all stayed there until the whole road
surface was clearly visible, and it was deemed fit to continue their journey, which
was at day break the following morning.
I was the only one staying at the Ratnaloka Hotel because of certain activites
carried out by the Tamil Tigers, details of which I will definitely not go into.
On completing works in time for the opening ceremony, the President and his
entourage arrived at the hotel the night before the grand opening, and I was
invited to join them at the dinner table where I became good friends with the then
Minister of Justice, and many others, the Justice Minister later on in life, saved
me from a fate equal to death, (or worse) a story which is definitely better to be
kept under wraps for years to come !!!!!!!!
capital, Colombo, to work on a new dual carriageway there, and I took the car.
During the ongoing work in Colombo, the then President of Sri Lanka
summoned our company director, and asked if I could go to Ratnapura to
construct roads into a new village that was about to be opened six weeks later. I
took lots of plant and machinery plus 150 of our workers, and on arrival there,
employed 150 local women to assist in the works.
We were hit by heavy rain and thunderstorms many times, and one evening whilst
trying to get back to the Ratnaloka Hotel, I encountered an area where the river
had submerged part of the road, and on trying to cross this flooded section, the
car gave up the ghost and I had to get out and push it the rest of the way until I
finally reached dry land again, arriving to the applause of a hundred or so locals.
Why were they applauding you may ask? Simply because that section of the
river, the Kalu Ganga, which means "Black Water", was the most feared in the
Country
as it was infested with the biggest crocodiles I have ever seen anywhere in my life.
Lots of people were eaten by these creatures every week, and a list of all know
people who had been seen to be eaten was published in the local newspaper.
I told the people waiting to cross this section when the water level dropped, that
the task of crossing was not so bad, but they all stayed there until the whole road
surface was clearly visible, and it was deemed fit to continue their journey, which
was at day break the following morning.
I was the only one staying at the Ratnaloka Hotel because of certain activites
carried out by the Tamil Tigers, details of which I will definitely not go into.
On completing works in time for the opening ceremony, the President and his
entourage arrived at the hotel the night before the grand opening, and I was
invited to join them at the dinner table where I became good friends with the then
Minister of Justice, and many others, the Justice Minister later on in life, saved
me from a fate equal to death, (or worse) a story which is definitely better to be
kept under wraps for years to come !!!!!!!!
