One of my favorite things here in India is riding on our motorcycle! Who knew!? I think I'd only been on a motorcycle one other time before moving to India and it ended with me getting too close to the tail pipe and melting a nice hunk of skin off the back of my leg! But, now that we are in India, we ride on the motorcycle A LOT! I LOVE it. I don't know how to do all the fancy shifting involved in driving the motorcycle BUT I do drive a scooter! :0) It's so fun and relatively simple. Break. Gas. GOOOO! You will frequently see me puttering around the neighborhood, picking up the kids from play dates, picking up little grocery items from the shop, Oh shucks. Maybe even stopping for an ice cream at Baskin Robbins! It's just a great little form of "freedom" for me & I truly LOVE it!
Hold on Tight!!!
As of late, Matt and I have started going to tennis lessons at 6:30 am. YIPES! Too early for my liking but I'll tell you what makes me get my bum outta the bed.....The thought of riding on the motorcycle! :0) Right now our mornings are a little bit chilly so I put on my long sleeve shirt (which I also love and don't get to wear very often bc it's not usually "long sleeve" weather here), I strap on my helmet, swing my leg behind Matt and we are off! I love the "being together" part. You know, just the two of us?! Kinda makes me feel like the young "dating" Matt and Jen. The other thing that I love is the SOUND of our motorcycle. It's so loud! Hehehehe! I love the wind on my face and if I'm being really WILD - I love no helmet and the wind in my hair! (Shhh! Don't tell my Mother!) I also love the smells. Agriculture. Incense. Fire. Cooking. It's a sensory overload and I am in LOVE with it all.
Since Matt and I love the motorcycle and the adventure it brings we always offer to bring our guests that are visiting us in India to go on a motorcycle ride. It's truly an adventure. Some people love it. Others not so much. Some won't even try it! Our most adventurous guest experience to date on the motorcycle was when our friends, Jeramie and Jennifer came to visit. They didn't RIDE the motorcycle NOPE - they actually BOTH drove their own scooters! You may not be able to fully appreciate what a WILD and CRAZY act this was! Traffic here is INSANE! First of all, they drive on the opposite side of the road from what we do in the US - So right there - You've got to really be paying attention but then you add to it all the other elements of Indian driving. ANYTHING GOES! Slow driving. Fast driving. Lane Switching. Cow dodging. Rickshaws. Vegetable carts. It's a jungle out there, Baby!!!
I am often struck by the irony of driving in the US versus driving in India. It cracks me up that in the US everyone is sitting orderly in their lane and as everyone sits in bumper to bumper traffic...on the outside - It appears to be very disciplined, orderly & safe. The reality is that MOST of those people are teetering on the brink of "LOSIN' IT!" as everyone is completely annoyed with everyone else's driving. One false move from "the other guy" and people are ready to SNAP!
Road rage is not common in Indian traffic. In fact, I've seen people bump into other cars and the guilty party simply waves his or her hand in acknowledgement that they've just knocked into your car. Or if you don't get a friendly "wave" you definitely will witness the epic Indian "head bobble." In this case, a head bobble would simply mean, "Oops! My mistake!" No one gets out of their cars. People just go about their business. No big deal! SOOOOOO! All that to say - That although the streets appear to be complete insanity (and they are) the people driving on them are actually in a very healthy and calm state of mind. Lots of beeping and honking but not because you are ticked at the person in front of you - It's simply a way of saying...."Beep Beep! I'm on your right!"
For now, I am content to keep on riding my scooter but don't be surprised if I eventually learn how to drive Matt's motorcycle....I LOVE IT! And, as a sidenote, I'm loving tennis! YAY!
India Suits Them Well!
Great Food!
Great Friends!
Great Adventures!
Great Memories!
Anytime you guys want to come back - We're ready to roll! Let's do it all.... AGAIN! :0)
Hold on Tight!!!
As of late, Matt and I have started going to tennis lessons at 6:30 am. YIPES! Too early for my liking but I'll tell you what makes me get my bum outta the bed.....The thought of riding on the motorcycle! :0) Right now our mornings are a little bit chilly so I put on my long sleeve shirt (which I also love and don't get to wear very often bc it's not usually "long sleeve" weather here), I strap on my helmet, swing my leg behind Matt and we are off! I love the "being together" part. You know, just the two of us?! Kinda makes me feel like the young "dating" Matt and Jen. The other thing that I love is the SOUND of our motorcycle. It's so loud! Hehehehe! I love the wind on my face and if I'm being really WILD - I love no helmet and the wind in my hair! (Shhh! Don't tell my Mother!) I also love the smells. Agriculture. Incense. Fire. Cooking. It's a sensory overload and I am in LOVE with it all.
Since Matt and I love the motorcycle and the adventure it brings we always offer to bring our guests that are visiting us in India to go on a motorcycle ride. It's truly an adventure. Some people love it. Others not so much. Some won't even try it! Our most adventurous guest experience to date on the motorcycle was when our friends, Jeramie and Jennifer came to visit. They didn't RIDE the motorcycle NOPE - they actually BOTH drove their own scooters! You may not be able to fully appreciate what a WILD and CRAZY act this was! Traffic here is INSANE! First of all, they drive on the opposite side of the road from what we do in the US - So right there - You've got to really be paying attention but then you add to it all the other elements of Indian driving. ANYTHING GOES! Slow driving. Fast driving. Lane Switching. Cow dodging. Rickshaws. Vegetable carts. It's a jungle out there, Baby!!!
I am often struck by the irony of driving in the US versus driving in India. It cracks me up that in the US everyone is sitting orderly in their lane and as everyone sits in bumper to bumper traffic...on the outside - It appears to be very disciplined, orderly & safe. The reality is that MOST of those people are teetering on the brink of "LOSIN' IT!" as everyone is completely annoyed with everyone else's driving. One false move from "the other guy" and people are ready to SNAP!
Road rage is not common in Indian traffic. In fact, I've seen people bump into other cars and the guilty party simply waves his or her hand in acknowledgement that they've just knocked into your car. Or if you don't get a friendly "wave" you definitely will witness the epic Indian "head bobble." In this case, a head bobble would simply mean, "Oops! My mistake!" No one gets out of their cars. People just go about their business. No big deal! SOOOOOO! All that to say - That although the streets appear to be complete insanity (and they are) the people driving on them are actually in a very healthy and calm state of mind. Lots of beeping and honking but not because you are ticked at the person in front of you - It's simply a way of saying...."Beep Beep! I'm on your right!"
For now, I am content to keep on riding my scooter but don't be surprised if I eventually learn how to drive Matt's motorcycle....I LOVE IT! And, as a sidenote, I'm loving tennis! YAY!
Does this helmet make me look fat?!
 |
Jeramie & Jennifer practing driving in the scooters in our neighborhood.
No longer in "The Neighborhood" they are riding out on the real Indian roads of Bangalore!
WoooOOo-HooOOoo!
 in Boston traffic!?    their two-wheelers.     I think Jennifer's expression best summarizes our morning! ACKKKKKK!! |
Anytime you guys want to come back - We're ready to roll! Let's do it all.... AGAIN! :0)
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