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"School-pen, school-pen" they chant, dark eyes huge and pleading. The small outstretched hands waggle brown little fingers to encourage us.
"Bubblegum?" They switch to a substitute when we hesitate. There are only about four of them jostling as we try to photograph the vegetable market stalls clinging to the roadside precipices near Kandy, in the highlands of Sri Lanka. We want pictures of cabbages and strawberries and local carrots. They want – well, they want school pens. Or bubblegum.
These kids are no surprise to us. They have been with us since the coast, popping up at every stop, surprising us with their similarity of facial features – glowing black eyes and strong even white teeth. We almost wonder if they have hitched a ride along on the back of our minibus, hopping off just to hassle us again each time we pull up. Their bobbing heads and waving hands have popped into more than one photograph, and they elbow into the van, trying to follow us too as we move away. When this happens our Sri Lankan driver sends them scurrying with a burst of Singhalese and we escape laughing.
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This article continues telling of the traffic, the constant horn-tooting, beautiful scenery and even more lovely people, their religion, and the tea plantations for which this country as Ceylon made its name. It includes information on accommodation provided, local food and cuisine, things to do and see.
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(finishes…)
Here the hills, striped like green corduroy by the tea plantations, fold across to the horizon. Here the river valleys are crammed with gardens growing cabbages and carrots, strawberries and onions that find their way to those corrugated-iron and plastic stalls on the roadsides.
On my next-year's calendar, January is already circled and boldly marked: Sri Lanka. Beside it, remembering those eyes and scrabbling brown fingers I have scribbled 'School-pens. Bubblegum'.
©Sally Hammond 2006
Picture Credits: ©Gordon Hammond 2006
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