A year on from the event that put paid to a journey of discovery

In 2004, I gave up a career in the UK where I was Country Manager for Dilmah Tea as well their rep at various trade shows in Europe selling the finest premium brand of tea of worldwide repute. The brand is Marketed in over 90 countries and in many countries the name Dilmah was better known than Sri Lanka.

After 33 years of living mainly in USA and UK, where I obtained my secondary school education and degree, as well as the Chartered Accountancy qualification, and with different career and lifestyle changes along the way, I returned to Sri Lanka to farm in the Rural areas by purchasing a property in the Polonnaruwa district in Minneriya, in addition to the one I had in Godagama, Meegoda.

Life was not easy, it was very hard work, but the blog which was started in 2007 goes a long way to explain why I did it as well as the incredible amount I learned about a lot of issues I had hitherto not been exposed to, and I do not need to elaborate as it is extensively dealt with here and in the blog I have written to explain some of the personal experiences and opinions on the farming activity I undertook, www.villagerinsrilanka.blogspot.com

However, on 30^th January 2011 on a clear Sunday afternoon, when I was returning from my fields in Minneriya, with about 2000 oranges in the back of my pickup truck, I was hit on my driving side, almost opposite the Army HQ of the Eastern Command in Minneriya, by the out of control Police back up Blue Landcruiser with the security contingent of the convoy that was taking Rauff Hakeem, the Cabinet Minister of Justice of the now ‘Banana Republic’ to Batticaloa.

The resulting injuries, and the totaling of my Tata Pick up left me no option, but to abandon my work, namely the only person in Sri Lanka, who was growing, transporting, and delivering (as well as retailing) to the door of my customers, a range of food items of about 60. In fact as I was a one man small business being key to organizing my staff directly, my enterprise collapsed at the moment of the accident, as there was no backup plan to carry on in the event of my incapacity.

The blog entries from that date reflect the alternative course of action I had to follow, and as I still have no mode of transport, and inability to drive, having difficulty walking with the elbow crutch, cannot see a return to the previous lifestyle, I had chosen, wanted to pursue, and also really did enjoy despite the difficulties and frustrations as documented in the blog. After my recovery and recuperation, I am now a Private Secretary to a MP from the opposition UNP.

The blog is called 'Dream into Reality' and I am still chasing the Dream and will continue to record Reality as I see it, a personal journey of discovery warts and all.