The Legend of the Sri Lankan Feet
"It's only 3km away, that's only a short walk from here," many Sri Lankans met on the road often says something of this sort to the author. No joking, no exaggeration of self-pride, but just stating what is to them a simple matter of fact. And they certainly back up such talks with action: the author, on his bus trips, has seen too many locals, in their simple worn-out flip-flops, walking next to major highways, appearing in the middle-of-nowheres between towns that are not particularly close even by driving.