Sri Lanka Tourism (SLTPB) recently hosted two social media influencers from Tamil Nadu, India, Shivaani Mathesh and Vishwa Sakthivel, who arrived in Sri Lanka for an all-island bike tour, covering the nine provinces.
The event titled ‘1700 km bike ride’ covered all the major cities including Colombo, Negombo, Hikkaduwa, Galle, Mirissa, Ella, Nuwara Eliya, Kandy, Sigiriya, Polonnaruwa, Anuradhapura, Trincomalee, and Thalaimannar.
They hoped to spread the message of gender equality, including equal rights, responsibilities and opportunities for men and women, and also to spread awareness among people that women riding motorcycles is normal and they can also travel in motorcycles too. With this message given, they were positive that the ride will motivate many young women to step out of their comfort zone and chase their dream of riding a motorcycle. The eight-day tour started on January 20 from the SLTPB premises.
They were flagged off by Managing Director, SLTPB, Ms. Padma Siriwardena and SLTPB officials. They had some memorable experiences while they were on tour, such as the power cut in Nuwara Eliya while they were on their way, and meeting the locals who were interested in knowing their purpose and where they came from.
Shivaani and Vishwa are not only social media influencers, but also automobile enthusiasts, as Shivaani is also a professional moto vlogger and the first female motor vlogger of Tamil Nadu, whereas Vishwa, hailing from the same area is an automobile enthusiast and a traveller.
They also hold the India book of records as the “youngest couple to complete motorcycle expedition to all districts of Tamil Nadu.”
Shivaani said, “As I embarked on our journey through Sri Lanka on bikes, I was filled with a sense of excitement and adventure. I was eager to explore the beautiful country, meet new people, and experience the rich and flavourful local cuisine.’’
They also had unforgettable experiences such as witnessing a wild elephant on the road and waiting for it to pass by, reminding them of the natural wonders in Sri Lanka.