“THE EXPATRIATES’ SONG” by Des Kelly

     Written exclusively for all expatriates from Sri Lanka.

Born in a Country that was supposed to be THE former Garden of Eden, this particular “expatriate”personally saw the massive”changes” from the halcyon CEYLON of the 30’s, where “life” was uncomplicated,inexpensive, easy to live, in every imaginable way. First & foremost, it was a Country with NO Seasons. Waxing lyrical, Eternal Summer, golden wind-swept beaches surrounding it, palm trees, like no other, fruit trees, like no other, as well, bearing fruit like the mangosteens, rambutungs, bananas (of multiple variety), unheard of, in any other similar Country, the beli-fruit, which bore the adage “Beli-kanakota, bada-yanawa, Bada-yanakota, beli-kanawa”in Sinhala, or “When you eat beli, your belly discharges, when you THEN eat beli, your belly recharges”, in other words, this “fruit” will help you avoid constipation, but if you keep “stuffing-yourself”, as a lot of Sri Lankans do, all the time, then, this magnificent fruit will help you get constipated, all over again. Where else would you be able to get a fruit of this nature?. What’s more, if you are neither constipated or dehydrated, you can use it’s “hard-nut” outer to bash in the head of any “nut-case” who wishes to harm you or your family. Please don’t quote me, but I was made to believe that the British, who were in Ceylon, used “live-beli-fruit as “Cannon-fodder”. When they weren’t shooting people out of their cannons, wherever possible, they shot the plentiful “Beli-fruit” around them, in order to save their steel cannon balls!!.

     I am now feeling less hungry, so here we go again.

In approximately 26 thousand square miles of “Country”, one had the definite effects of perpetual Summer, in and around the Coast of Ceylon, now Sri Lanka, Colombo, for example.

For those who love Autumn, simply board a train & travel to the “midlands”, where it was still Summer, but slightly cooler

Travel “upwards” on this exciting journey to “feel” the temperature get steadily cooler, given the natural airconditioner of the C.G.R.(Ceylon Government Railway), if used, in the “open” phase, or broken completely. The problem here, was that the window-cleaners of the C.G.R., did such a thorough job, when they came to a broken window, (2nd& 3rd Class only), they let it be, as a window thoroughly cleaned, but took quick action on the windows of the 1st Class travellers who always gave bigger “tips” when some lucky “Cleaner”tried to clean the traveller’s eye-glasses, as well.

     And so we go, past the most beautiful scenery imaginable, at least six or seven verdant shades of green, flora that could possibly fill a Woman’s wedding bouquet, a million times over, shining, sparkling streams of cold water, by which the odd “dhobi” could be seen, smashing washed clothes, wringed out, on rocks to possibly erase a stubborn stain, shift sides in your compartment to look out over a rough “country-road” whereon a bullock cart  driver could be seen urging on his couple of bulls with a short stick gently poking the “rear ends” of his animals, past the magnificent flower-laden trees & bushes & the odd “kade”(shop), displaying their bunches of plantains & pink king coconuts, for all to see. 

     It’s getting later (and colder) now, as you shift sides again to look out on acres of land, now starting to rise at the horizon into hills & valleys of the tea-plantations that Ceylon was, and always be famous for. These tea-pluckers , mostly Tamil & Indian Women, have been out working on the thousands of tea-bushes, picking only the very tender leaves from each bush in order to produce the World famous Ceylon Tea, that everyone talks about.Many tea-factories to be seen in the distance, where the tea plucked is taken to, in order that you can have that “cuppa” with your breakfast each morning, and then suddenly, here we are, about 7 to 8 hours from Colombo Fort, at the Nanu-oya Station, this little Town famous because of the fact that it is the highest point above Sea level in the Country of Ceylon.

Then, we pass Diyatalawa & Haputale, two special Towns in the high Country. Diyatalawa was the Town that made a 7 stone weakling called Desmond Kelly into a “Man” via the Royal Ceylon Navy, & Haputale, besides being the Town reputed to be the 2nd most “visited” Town in the World, for people recovering from various illnesses, because of what was termed the “perfect climate”, was also the Town that I spent some of the best “holidays” each year, residing at the “High-Cliffe” Hotel & Restaurant with the girl I loved (at the time). my wife, Cynthia, who split the atom when she presented me with two wonderful Sons, Michael & Douglas in Ceylon, & later, Daughter Michelle & youngest Son, Warren in Australia. She now “rests” in the Botanical Necropolis Garden, in Springvale, Melbourne, so I’ll just say, R.I.P. Cynthia. In a “garden” is where you always wanted to be. Rest easy, sweetheart. I still love you.

     I am getting a little ahead of myself, as I usually do. What I wanted to say, much earlier, was the fact that, what struck me most, on my train-journey, explaining the “changes” which have occurred in the twinkling of an eye, in the context to time, was the fact that, in those days, “working” in Ceylon always seemed to be more like a “holiday”, given the surroundings people worked in. They seemed to be so happy, with a smile on their faces, as they “waved” to the old train, wending it’s way to the hills. A carefree sort of existence, I suppose, where they did not have much of anything, but did not want much of anything, anyway.

I do not have to elaborate on the fact that, living under these halcyon conditions, or, put more correctly, what one could easily have imagined to be a happy existence, for most of them, anyway, the changes are now, nothing short of catastrophic. Not only in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), of course, but all over the Planet. At least, Ceylon went through the changes over a much longer period, since the British took-over in 1815., giving them their independence in 1948.. 6

I came to Melbourne as a migrant in 1962. It would take at least a couple of books to elaborate on the “changes” in Australia in just the 56 years I have been resident here.

The World is heading toward (?),!!, so rapidly, it is almost impossible to keep track. Progressing, they call it. Sorry, folks, they are “Regressing” at least 70% of the time. 

“Going forward” is a catch-phrase now being used, by most people “Going backward”, it seems to me. 

     90% of World News is utterly depressing. Wars, everywhere, little babies “forced” into a World without asking to be born. The “rich” getting richer, paying 0% taxes, the so-called “middle-class”over-burdened, taxed to the hilt, the homeless & sadly, the “poor-class” around the World, rapidly becoming paupers, Countries like Sri Lanka wanting to boost their tourist trade, borrowing money & Labour from China, not being able to pay their debts, then having to “sell” parts of the little Island to repay their debt,America, Russia, China, England, in fact all of the better-known Countries of the West, starting to “take-sides”to stop terrorism, which is just a blatant “front”for every new “meeting”called, Australia forced to, once again, get involved in skermishes that they would be much better, out of! At one time, in my life, I was forced to read about “Despots” & there were many of them.

Now, ” Desperate-Des” reads about Desperate no-hopers all over the place, who DO believe in the “one God”, MONEY.

With money, one can do plenty of things, even murder their enemies. No amount of money will stop them “forgetting to breathe”, one day, but no-one even seems to bother about this, anymore.

     As usual, I have written this “piece” for my Lankan/Aussie readers. We are, the special ones for whom

The Expatriates’ Song is sung. Also, as usual, one of my favourite “Country Stars”, Merle Haggard says it as it is, in his own inimitable style  “Are the good times really over”?, 

“Yes, they are Merle, you have “earned” your peace, so R.I.P.

now. Your sons will also be especially featured in this article. Amazing, how they look like “the old man”, how they sing, even play your guitar as you used to do. I love it and take my chance to “entertain” my fans even though it is now impossible for me to do so. God bless you, my friends. My choices “in-song” tell the “story” as it should be told.

Desmond Kelly.
Star of eLanka.
(Editor-in-Chief.