wheels

The last time I rode on the "wrong" side of the road was in Bermuda. I was the passenger on a scooter and I don't think I opened my eyes even once. Before renting the scooter, my friend was given proper training in the parking lot to make sure he was comfortable driving. Bali is a bit different. One day while lying by the pool, I said I thought it would be great to have a scooter so I could be more independent. Not five minutes later, a guy was there at my lounge chair holding a helmet and keys to a little red Honda. We paid him 500,000 Rupia (about $50) and I was set for a month.

Everyone drives a scooter here. And seats aren't just for two people anymore – I've seen a family of five on one bike… Also, I think the kids start driving as soon as they can walk. People will transport anything from a large sum of lemongrass to an over-sized tree trunk.

Brian (part of our Bali Institute team) was nice enough to give me a short lesson. I then followed him  to town a few times. He likes to play Frogger, zipping in between cars. I'm not so crafty on the road. I feel more and more comfortable each time I drive, but turning right is still a challenge. This is one of the scariest things I have ever done. Meanwhile, I'm thinking - if that kid can do it, so can I. I also keep thinking – Holy shit! Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck?!

I have spent so much time lately trying to be present. Living in the moment is something I often forget to do. My mind wanders to the past, to the future, to the last five years. And next thing you know it's December again. Nothing like driving a scooter on the wrong side of the road in a place with dogs in the streets, chickens crossing the road, women carrying gigantic baskets on their head and huge potholes on the road to force you into the now. It is a challenge, but it gets easier each time. I have had a few very close calls… my instinct when getting into trouble is to pull the gas bar instead of the breaks. Not a good plan when "trouble" could mean anything from hitting a small child to driving straight off of a cliff. There's no room for error here. Tonight I had my first small accident – if that's what you want to call it. It looked bad from the outside. I realized this when I fell to the ground and everyone ran out of the restaurant to make sure I was okay. I just scratched my elbow, didn't even rip my shirt. The bike was fine too. I was trying to get around a car and lost control of the bike, shooting it straight into a tree. I have done worse on my own two feet. My calf is bruised and scratched up pretty badly from trying to leap across a narrow pool and my camera was dead for a day because I fell into a river just trying to walk. Ah. Bali. 

Yikes!!

Brian -- my teacher