Salt, Wind & Chaos: Reckless in Srilanka
There are trips you plan. And then there are trips that grab you by the collar, dunk your head into salt water, and leave you gasping with joy — the kind where you come home sunburnt, salty, and wondering: “Did that just happen?!” Our Reckless Collective Retreat in Kalpitiya, Sri Lanka, was exactly that. A wild, magical, epic week where strangers became family, the lagoon became our classroom, and tuk-tuks became our second home.
Meet the Reckless Crew 👯
We weren’t just 11 random travellers. We were a human cocktail of characters:
2 Indie Hackers building with and for the AI world.
2 Gen Z from Bangalore - 1 obsessed with vinegar and the other with 80s music.
1 lawyer just to make sure we have reckless coverage.
1 VP with an AI side hustle who barely slept.
1 real estate + fintech mix from MP (yes, that’s a thing).
1 storyteller with a camera and a degree in philosophy.
1 Zoogler now a marketing master & music head.
1 Googler from London at a crossroads in life.
1 edupreneur or a self-proclaimed chaos coordinator. Different decades, different worlds, same wind.travellers
The Lagoon Life 🌊
Each morning, the lagoon greeted us like an old friend. Still waters, kites already dancing in the sky, and coffee in hand. Our trainers were legends—patient, encouraging, and maybe slightly amused at our chaos.
Our hosts (Jenna, Ian and his team) spoiled us silly, with music, food, drinks. Our adventure kits buddies Carrypro and Black Pole coffee—because a bag and caffeine is true fuel of adventurers.
Learning to Fly (and Fall)🪁
Day 1–2: Ground School
The first days were deceptively simple—learning how to inflate, steer, and hold a kite without faceplanting. We laughed more than we learned. But by the second evening, we could hold the kite with one hand, walk with it, and even manage to pick things off the ground while it floated above us. Some of us had to switch kites more times than Tinder dates. 😂
Day 3–4: Into the Lagoon
This is where things got reckless. The kite no longer stayed politely on land—it dragged us across the lagoon like rag dolls. We learned body-dragging, relaunching in water, and swallowing more salt than was healthy. 🫣
Day 5: The Big One—Water Starts
If Hollywood had filmed us, it would’ve been part sports drama, part comedy. Some of us stood up for glorious seconds, others belly-flopped repeatedly. A few had to be rescued mid-lagoon. Kites switched, boards flew, egos deflated. It was chaotic. It was hilarious. It was perfect. 🤪
Nights of Stars, Pizza & Firelight 🍕
If the days belonged to the wind, the nights belonged to the stars.
Life Graphs & Conversations: deep, heart-opening talks.
Boat Ride to the Mangroves: quiet magic after the chaos.
Sunset Kayaking & Bonfire: the perfect mix of calm and fire.
Pizza Night & Games: competitive, loud, and a little reckless.
Sri Lankan Feasts: long-table meals where strangers turned into family.
Dance Parties Under the Stars: questionable moves, unforgettable vibes.
We also squeezed in yoga, podcast chats, and a group session on “How Do We Even Make It in Life?” (spoiler: no answers, but lots of laughs). These weren’t just meals—they were family reunions with people we’d only just met.
The Aftermath: Tuk-Tuk Diaries 🛺
Just when we thought the retreat was over, we decided otherwise. Seven of us rented tuk-tuks and hit the road for a four-day island-hopping. Cue the reckless adventure:
Wandering through Galle Fort.
Punctures, empty fuel tanks, and one minor accident.
Surfing in Welligama & Hiriketiya.
Café-hopping in Unawatuna, Mirrisa & Ahangama.
Singing loudly in tuk-tuks, climbing on their roofs, stopping for coconuts and views
Witnessing the blood moon over the island.
