The Road to Freedom

A Chronicle of Wheels and Dreams

4 min read

Long before the hum of an engine or the gleam of a dashboard, my journey began with two wheels and a heart full of dreams. It was a battered, second-hand Raleigh bicycle, bought from a classmate named Nihal for fifty Rupees — a small fortune for a boy fueled by pocket money and ambition. When my hands gripped its handlebars, and my feet hit the pedals, I was no longer just a boy; I was a king, racing through the streets with my shorts flapping in the wind. That bicycle was my first taste of freedom, a simple yet profound joy that set the wheels of my life in motion.

As I grew older, so did my wheels. The bicycle gave way to a Lambretta scooter, a sleek machine that turned heads and announced my arrival into adulthood. I was the fashionable lad everyone noticed, zipping through narrow streets with a reckless grin and a heart full of youthful exuberance. The scooter wasn’t just a mode of transport; it was a statement — a declaration that I was ready to take on the world, one carefree ride at a time.

But dreams, like roads, stretch farther than the eye can see. In Sri Lanka, owning a car felt like a distant fantasy, a luxury ten times my yearly salary. I carried on with my scooter, dreaming of the day I’d sit behind the wheel of my car. That day finally came in Dubai, where years of hard work and saving culminated in purchasing my first car — a pristine white Mitsubishi Colt. At 6,000 Dirhams, it was a modest two-door manual, but to me, it was a symbol of triumph. It marked the beginning of a new chapter filled with hope, responsibility, and the promise of endless possibilities.

Life, however, has a way of shifting gears. With the arrival of my eldest child, the little Colt gave way to a blue Honda Accord — a spacious, reliable companion perfect for family outings. But my thirst for adventure hadn’t faded. Inspired by British friends who revelled in off-roading and beach rides, I upgraded to a Mitsubishi Pajero, a nine-seater beast that became my family’s trusty steed. It carried us to school, the beaches of Dubai, and countless weekend adventures, a testament to how far I’d come.

The years rolled on, and so did my wheels. From a sporty Honda Civic to a green Mitsubishi Colt, each vehicle carried a story as a second car, a memory, a milestone. The Pajero and Colt were left behind when we migrated to Australia, but the journey continued. A week after landing in Sydney, I bought a brand-new green Holden Commodore station wagon — a practical choice for a growing family. Greens and SUVs seemed to become a theme, reflecting my evolving life and priorities.

The 90s and early 2000s saw a parade of vehicles — each one marking a new phase. A Daihatsu Charade for odd jobs, a green Pajero and a powerful Nissan Patrol for epic family trips across Australia, and a sleek Toyota Echo for the simpler days. There was the black Toyota Avensis, the brown Suzuki Swift that turned heads, and the blue Honda Civic that carried me through quieter times. A Honda CRV followed but it did not last long.

But dreams, once planted, never indeed fade. In 2014, I fulfilled a lifelong dream by buying a Fiat 500 — a tiny, stylish marvel that reminded me of my teenage aspirations. It was a nod to the boy who once rode a Raleigh bicycle, a reminder that dreams, no matter how distant, are worth chasing. A VW, a comfortable small SUV for my needs, followed this.

As the years passed, my kids, now young adults, shifted their thoughts. Climate change entered our conversations, and electric vehicles became the future. In 2022, I embraced that future by purchasing a top-of-the-range Hyundai IONIQ 5 — a sleek, shiny blue EV that cost a staggering $95,000. The journey had come full circle from a fifty-rupee bicycle to a luxurious electric marvel.

Looking back, each set of wheels was more than just metal and rubber; they were milestones, carrying me through the chapters of my life. From the carefree days of my Raleigh bicycle to the proud moments behind the wheel of my IONIQ 5, the road to freedom has been long and winding. But the journey continues, one wheel at a time, with dreams still lighting the way.