Tania Welikala is a child and family therapist who lives in Oregon. She provides mental health therapy services to children and adults who are  primarily disadvantaged including those who have experienced incest, sexual abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, domestic violence and trauma. A well travelled person Tania loves canines and good cuisine.  

Why do you love travel?
My husband and I love to explore different countries, sample native food and learn about different cultures; it’s our favourite pastime and it is a great way to unwind from our daily lives.


Your favourite travel destination and why?
Placencia, Belize! I’m not a great swimmer, so the ocean is the calmest in Placencia. It’s a very primitive place, underdeveloped and you don’t see typical tourist attractions. The rest of Belize is also rich in history with many archeological sites, which are also natural habitats for a variety of species.

What do you need for a perfect holiday?
My husband Asthika, a tropical location, a great hotel, really great food and some good books.


In which country have you felt most at home?
Belize, because it reminds me of Sri Lanka, minus the great Sri Lankan cuisine of course.

Most unusual souvenir you have brought home?
3 fertility gods from Maui, Hawaii. I didn’t know they were fertility gods, they looked cool and exotic.


Favourite holiday discovery?
Tulum, Mexico and spending Christmas/New Year’s eve at the Catalonia Tulum resort, it came close to 31st night in Sri Lanka, and it was only 6hrs away from the U.S.


Worst holiday or travel experience?
Bombay, India. I was travelling alone to Delhi by train, and a man was following me around the train station, I told him to stop following me, or I would alert the “tourist police” if he didn’t. I went to the ticket counter to look for the tourist police, they had no idea what I was talking about, there’s no such thing!


Best piece of travel advice?
Go where the locals go, they know the best beaches, and the best places to eat. Try to blend in, don’t stick out like a tourist.


Your top five travel destinations?
Sri Lanka, Belize, Thailand, Tamrindo-Costa Rica, Agra/Delhi/Jaipur (only) in India and USA.


What has travel taught you?
There are so many undiscovered, beautiful destinations, and the human connection, that how similar we are, beneath the cultural influence.


What is the country you will never go back to and why?
Probably, Nicaragua and Guatemala ; there’s really nothing to do there, if you’ve seen Tikal, the Mayan site, in Guatemala, and the old Spanish cities, that’s about it, that’s two days tops.  


Which country did you taste the best ever cuisine?
Singapore/Malaysia, it’s a melting pot of flavours.


Next travel destination?
Germany
 


Text by Tina Edward Gunawardhana