Today I decided to become more adventurous and explore a bit of the city on a bicycle. It turned out to be a brilliant plan because when you get up some speed you create your own breeze and then it doesn't feel so stifling hot!
First off I headed out towards the beach and up and down the road by the golf course. This was basically my trial run since I haven't been on a bicycle in years, and also served to practice my speach to myself - drive on the left, drive on the left, drive on the left, don't get hit, drive on the left. hahaha. All went well so I decided to see if I could bike a few kms down to where I have seen fruit vendors before. It is a lovely scenic road along the water and not too busy at that time of day. I got most of the way down but was getting a bit tired, and very thirsty, so I pulled over for a little break. That's when I heard - pop pop pop bang BANG! hmmm....that sounded like guns. *BANG BANG BANG*....uhoh I think. This is bad. Whate made me think I should bike away from my usual subdivision and now I'm caught in some horrible violent situation?! Panicked I start looking around to see what others are doing to get away and find shelter. Much to my surprise - they are all going about their business. How can they be so calm in this major crisis?!?! Then....I look across the street.....and realize I stopped for a break beside the Royal Navy Firing Range. HA! I actually laughed out loud at myself.
I think I must be a source of great amusement to the locals. To begin with my pasty white skin stands out from blocks away. Then I was definitely the only person on a bicycle - everyone here has a scooter and the rich people have cars. Also I was wearing my camelback - a backpack with a water container in it and essentially a long tube that forms a straw for you to drink from while you hike or bike or whatever. And I get scared standing beside the firing range....I am the crazy panicked white lady on a bike with a hose stuck in her mouth.
I bet if I could read Thai I would find myself in the headlines of some amusing gossip column :)
Lots of love
Pamela
p.s. I think biking found some muscles I haven't used in a while...tomorrow might be interesting.
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