Jul 31, 2011:

Thinking, "Bicycle."

(13 Images)
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(From Christi) After I finished my teaching contract in South Korea, I thought, "since I'm in Asia already, and since Asia is such a long way from home, I really ought to spend some more time here." So, I headed off to Southeast Asia.

As I have been wandering through Thailand, Cambodia and, most recently, Myanmar, I can't help but think of where I will be at this time next year. More specifically, my thoughts are often filled with images of turning pedals, cranks and gears. (In particular, I am most often pondering how on earth I will survive 18 months on a bicycle seat!)

So, when I'm walking down the street, or peaking out of a bus window, or even just sitting in a teashop, these are the sorts of things I notice:

Photo is of bikes being sold in a shop in Southeast Asia. The red bikes are in a neat row.

Oooh, nice, shiny, red bikes that look pretty sturdy. Check out that beefy rack in the back. I wonder how much weight that can hold?

Photo is of a bike leaning against a light pole. It has a metal basket in the front, and inside is, unfortunately, probably trash. Someone probably walked by and just dropped some food wrappers in the basket.

Photo is of a bike leaning against a light pole. It has a metal basket in the front, and inside is, unfortunately, probably trash. Someone probably walked by and just dropped some food wrappers in the basket.

Hmm, I like the basket concept. I want one for the tandem!

Photo is of a rickshaw, a three-wheel bike where the pedaler in the front pulls a carriage where a passenger or customer can sit in. The bike is yellow and the photo is taken in a street alley.

Photo is of a rickshaw, a three-wheel bike where the pedaler in the front pulls a carriage where a passenger or customer can sit in. The bike is yellow and the photo is taken in a street alley.

Oh, who am I kidding! Forget the tandem idea, let's get a rickshaw! Have fun pedalling, Tauru ...cuz I'm kickin' back and enjoying!

Photo is of a couple of Burmese men riding along the street. They wear longyis, which is a cloth wrap kind of like a skirt. It's like as if you took a 3 foot by 4 foot piece of fabric and wrapped it around your waste as a skirt. That's what they wear! And the men are wearing flip-flops.

Photo is of a couple of Burmese men riding along the street. They wear longyis, which is a cloth wrap kind of like a skirt. It's like as if you took a 3 foot by 4 foot piece of fabric and wrapped it around your waste as a skirt. That's what they wear! And the men are wearing flip-flops.

These guys can master the chains in long skirts (longyis - typical man-wear in Myanmar) and flip-flops. Clearly, spandex and special bike shoes are not required.

Photo is of trishaws going down the road. Trishaws are like a bicycle with side cars. They're three-wheeled.

Photo is of trishaws going down the road. Trishaws are like a bicycle with side cars. They're three-wheeled.

Or maybe we should each get a trishaw - self balancing, so maybe I could captain my own?

Photo is of a woman sitting in a parked trishaw on the side of the road. She sits in the side car passenger seat with an umbrella to protect herself from the sun, or perhaps oncoming rain.

Photo is of a woman sitting in a parked trishaw on the side of the road. She sits in the side car passenger seat with an umbrella to protect herself from the sun, or perhaps oncoming rain.

I like her fancy rain gear.

Photo is of kids waving.

Lots of "hellos" when you are on a bike. I wonder who we will meet on our journey?

Photo is of a bike in front of a Budha.

Buddha blesses bicycles - we'll need all the help we can get!

Photo is of a couple of trishaws in a row at a shop.

I wonder how much a trishaw costs - he's got the right idea. Check out his fancy "pannier" (basket of rice).

Photo is of a two kids. One of them is trying to straddle a bike, which is clearly too big for him. But he looks up with a smile.

Photo is of a two kids. One of them is trying to straddle a bike, which is clearly too big for him. But he looks up with a smile.

That one might be just a little big for him. Gosh, once we attach a trailer to our bike, it's gonna be really big, too!

Photo is of a dirt road filled with puddles after a monsoon rain.

Photo is of a dirt road filled with puddles after a monsoon rain.

Rain puddles make for pretty sunsets, but I sure hope we'll be safely at camp by this time of the day. Those conditions could be a visual nightmare for Tauru.

Photo is of an older woman riding a bike down the road smoking a pipe.

Photo is of an older woman riding a bike down the road smoking a pipe.

Big smiles. Nice pipes. Clearly, oxygen is not in short supply here. I wonder what it will be like climbing up to the 14,000-ft altiplano of Bolivia.

Photo is of a Southeast Asian bike shop, which is really an open-air setup where bike parts are dangling and the repair guy is sitting on the ground working on a repair.

Photo is of a Southeast Asian bike shop, which is really an open-air setup where bike parts are dangling and the repair guy is sitting on the ground working on a repair.

Repairs. Oh yes. Many thoughts of all the flat tires back in 2009 are flooding through my head here. I sure hope flat tires will be our only "mechanical" worry on the trip!

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