A JOURNEY OF HEARTS ON THREE WHEELS

Negombo's morning streets buzzed with colour and anticipation on September 20 as 42 riders from 11 countries revved up their tuk-tuks for the start of the Pimp My Tuk Tuk (PMTT) Charity Ride 2025, an extraordinary journey blending adventure with purpose.

- By Allaam Ousman

The convoy-with participants from the UK, Sri Lanka, South Africa, Singapore, Australia, Japan, the USA, Hong Kong, Canada, New Zealand, and the Netherlands-set out on a 1,300-kilometre odyssey across the island. Their route wound through Kurunegala, Sigiriya, Mihintale, Vavuniya, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Ampara, Monaragala, Dickwella and Hikkaduwa, before concluding in Colombo on September 26 with a visit to the Foundation of Goodness' Centre of Excellence in Seenigama.

It was the third such charity ride organised by PMTT in Sri Lanka, following the success of the 2015 and 2017 editions. This year's participants - mostly expatriates based in Singapore - raised funds through the Foundation of Goodness (FoG) to support women's empowerment, children's education, and access to clean water in underprivileged communities.

Smiles that never fade

There is something about Sri Lanka that makes people smile - a smile that never fades, no matter the circumstance. It is that very smile that has drawn a group of foreign adventurers back to the island again and again, not just to explore its beauty, but to give something back to its people.

"People always have a smile on their face," said Alex Longman, one of the organisers of the tuk-tuk ride across Sri Lanka. "We've found that the reception is so good, it just makes us even more enthusiastic about trying to help and raise money for them," said Longman.

Longman, originally from London and now living in Singapore, is no stranger to adventure. "This is the third time we've done a tuk-tuk ride," he explained. "We also did a 100km walk from Colombo to Galle back in 2018. Our first trip was in India in 2013, and then we carried it on from there to Sri Lanka - and we've stuck with Sri Lanka ever since. It's beautiful, you see. The hills and plantations, the beaches, the natural wildlife - it's everything about the country. It's just amazing," he said.