New Year brings back memories of a childhood enriched with what could be termed today as dual “ethnicity”. A Buddhist Sinhala father and Burgher Christian mother, which enabled the assimilation of both cultures, for which I am very grateful.

She doesn't like the words 'bucket list', considers allowing oneself negative thoughts a form of self-defeat and bristles at the implication that it's time to retire 'Let's Get Physical'. "You think it stops now?" she asks, obviously enjoying putting a journalist on the spot. A few minutes later she says, "Someone told me in Sri Lanka that if you're over forty they think you're over the hill.