Around the world in 60 years

Considering his love for travel, it is quite easy to imagine how it all began. Sitting on a rug with the big book he could barely carry spread out before him, the young Rienzie Weeraratne got his first glimpses of the world he would come to travel extensively as an adult. The determination to see the real thing had begun at this point. When questioned on his so-called obsession with the huge book- Glimpses of the World, his response was that he was memorizing them, and that he intended to visit all these places in the future.

And seeing these places for the first time, it was almost as if he had been there before. In his new book, The World I Saw- Reflections of a Lifetime of Travel, launched on Saturday, March 8, Mr. Weeraratne recalls his travels around the world which span a period of around 60 years.

Having had his higher education in London, Rienzie Weeraratne began his career as a banker at the newly established Central Bank, but in 1956, accepted a job at Lever Brothers Ceylon. “Being that my training was in banking, I was a little apprehensive about my new post at Lever Brothers, but I was able to learn on the job, and it was an interesting and rewarding experience,” he recalled.

From a memorable train journey as a nine year old, to trips to Greece and the Far East, The World I Saw is a rich collection of the author’s cherished memories and anecdotes of a travel experience many of us can only dream about.

One of his most memorable experiences was meeting singer Paul Robeson at Stratford after watching him play Othello, reminisced Mr. Weeraratne, recalling his surprise when, despite the long line of fans waiting to meet the actor, he was given the chance to meet him.

Shakespeare’s Stratford, the Eiffel Tower, the leaning tower of Pisa, the pyramids at Gaza are but a few of the places featured in the book. Apart from these spectacular locations and their history, what makes this book special is the fact that everything is made personal. There is clearly a great deal of appreciation of the people the author has travelled with and the people he encountered during his travels.

One such encounter was in Africa. Having been educated under the colonial education system, one in which, during that era, focus on Africa, its people and its history was minimal, a posting in the country left the author mildly apprehensive. There is a joking narration of how, on his first day, being greeted by a typical African tribesman who was to be his night watchman, he slept with his bedroom door locked as a precaution until he came to know the man better.

“I was glad that I was given the opportunity to live and work in Africa,” explained Mr. Weeraratne, “I always wanted to know more about the country and its people, and was never satisfied with the little we learnt at school. When I left Africa, I was given a chief’s farewell, presented with a valuable gold cloth and a gold bracelet for my wife.”

Two chapters of the book are dedicated to Sri Lanka, and provide detailed descriptions and pictures of everything important in our rich heritage.

The one thing that is not dealt with is the ethnic conflict, for it had been far too painful to write about.“After travelling so much in Sri Lanka itself, and seeing what everyone who lived here contributed to it, I just cannot understand how we have all come to be so divided.”

Writing had not been Rienzie Weeraratne’s first interest, and his globe trekking was certainly not in aid of writing a book in the future, but the innate determination he had had, even as young boy, to see everything he could of the world.

In 2004, he released his first book- A Humane Judge- the biography of Sir Thomas Edward de Sampayo, one of his ancestors.

“I was always extremely interested with anything to do with the life of Sir Thomas, and I spent a lot of time researching his life’s story. Once I had all the information I needed, I knew people would be interested in knowing more about him, so taking the advice of my brother, I wrote the book.”

What followed next was this new book, once again written on the advice of his brother. It is dedicated to the memory of Elaine Weeraratne, his beloved wife and constant travel companion.