By Easwaran Rutnam
She brought smiles to every Sri Lankan she met on the streets while driving around in her three-wheeler.
Better known as Tuk Tuk Kella, British national Cassie Trevis was so obsessed with Sri Lankan three-wheelers that she made Sri Lanka her second home for about a year.
While in Sri Lanka, Cassie purchased her own three-wheeler and drove the streets of Sri Lanka, making friends along the way.
However recently she was forced to return to the UK having failed to obtain clearance to continue to remain in Sri Lanka much longer.
But she did not go back empty handed. Cassie took back with her the love of her life, her three-wheeler.
“I have promoted the paradise island and praised its people and I know that I have brought a smile to many Sri Lankan faces which I have enjoyed. But it seems I was unable to stay. So for now it is goodbye and goodluck to Sri Lanka. But look! I am not alone…….After 10 days at sea my tuk tuk has arrived, we are reunited <3 and our story can continue,” Cassie said after her black modified three-wheeler reached her home in England.
Cassie Trevis first arrived in Sri Lanka as a tourist and was on a visit to Unawatuna when her memorable meeting with a three-wheeler took place.
Cassie then got her own three-wheeler and she says the three-wheeler was like a portable home for her when she was in Sri Lanka as she slept in it, ate in it and did so much more in the vehicle.
It took her about two months to learn to drive the three-wheeler. The Tuk Tuk Kella has a three-wheel driving license to drive her three-wheeler in Sri Lanka so nothing she did was illegal.
Cassie worked at a factory in Hanwella and her driver taught her how to drive the vehicle. Her parents in England, who were initially not happy, were later supportive of her and her three-wheeler.
She however says while she was like an average Sri Lankan three-wheel taxi driver she did not make any money out of it.
Her friends thought she was, to put it in her own words, a “pissu kella” for driving a three-wheeler which many feel is dangerous.
Cassie feels despite what is being said, it is safe to go in local three-wheelers and she would encourage tourists to use them.
She also says she has never been harassed when going around in her three-wheeler alone, even at night.
Cassie’s popularity grew immensely with her ‘Tuk Tuk Kella’ facebook page drawing several ‘likes’ and a Sinhalese song has also been released about her.
Cassie says she likes the ordinary people in Sri Lanka and loves their culture and enjoyed her time with them when she was in the country. (Colombo Gazette)
