Monday, July 04, 2005
Careening
Saturday I moved in with my homestay family, the Trieus. They are great! The first thing I did here was try to learn my new route to Peace Village. It is closer by bike now, so Ha Trieu and Ms. Nuyen led me by motorbike along the route. It's only about a mile, but I have not ridden a bike in seven years. The first turn off a narrow street is onto a path with two ponds. I was afraid I would end up doing a dive into these tiny lakes.
But even scarier was the traffic. In Vietnam, red lights are ignored and everyone has the right of way all the time!. I wobbled along the narrow streets, trying to avoid hitting or being hit by other bicyclists, pedestrians, kids playing, hand carts, automobiles, cyclos, trucks and buses. I became stuck a few times, afraid to cross the road. When this happened I tried to dismount my bike, and my skirt tangled on the seat. Here I am, a sweaty American, hairy, bruised, legs exposed, dangling from a girls bike, annoying motorists with my hesitant ways!
But even scarier was the traffic. In Vietnam, red lights are ignored and everyone has the right of way all the time!. I wobbled along the narrow streets, trying to avoid hitting or being hit by other bicyclists, pedestrians, kids playing, hand carts, automobiles, cyclos, trucks and buses. I became stuck a few times, afraid to cross the road. When this happened I tried to dismount my bike, and my skirt tangled on the seat. Here I am, a sweaty American, hairy, bruised, legs exposed, dangling from a girls bike, annoying motorists with my hesitant ways!
