New Sport
I tried a new sport this weekend. I call it underwater cycling.
This is the rainy season, so after a week of no rain last week, things were brewing for a big storm. It hit on Saturday afternoon when I was riding my bicycle on the other side of town to pick up a couple of things from a market. I spent an hour or so sheltering in the market and enjoying making small talk with the various stall holders. When the rain finally slowed to a light shower, I decided to buy a raincoat (poncho-style...all the rage here!) and head home.
A couple of blocks from the market the main road was completely submerged. In the middle of the road was between 10cm and 50cm of water but towards the edges it was over a metre deep. In the half-metre sections, every time I pedalled my foot and ankle disappeared under the flowing currents. Trucks weren't able to travel much faster than me but they did make bigger waves. As the water splashed up I wondered whether I should have bothered with the 50 cent poncho at all. It was interesting to see that for once the usual hierarchy of transport didn't seem to apply. Motorbike engines got flooded, cars got stuck and I even saw a mighty 4X4 SVU being pushed.... Compared to pushing a dead-weight motor, cycling was a pretty good option.
I managed to avoid any major potholes (sheer luck as I couldn't see anything under the murky water!) and quite enjoyed the adventure of getting home. I don't think that I'll be able to incorporate underwater cycling into a regular routine but it was fun to be out there enjoying the chaos.
This is the rainy season, so after a week of no rain last week, things were brewing for a big storm. It hit on Saturday afternoon when I was riding my bicycle on the other side of town to pick up a couple of things from a market. I spent an hour or so sheltering in the market and enjoying making small talk with the various stall holders. When the rain finally slowed to a light shower, I decided to buy a raincoat (poncho-style...all the rage here!) and head home.
A couple of blocks from the market the main road was completely submerged. In the middle of the road was between 10cm and 50cm of water but towards the edges it was over a metre deep. In the half-metre sections, every time I pedalled my foot and ankle disappeared under the flowing currents. Trucks weren't able to travel much faster than me but they did make bigger waves. As the water splashed up I wondered whether I should have bothered with the 50 cent poncho at all. It was interesting to see that for once the usual hierarchy of transport didn't seem to apply. Motorbike engines got flooded, cars got stuck and I even saw a mighty 4X4 SVU being pushed.... Compared to pushing a dead-weight motor, cycling was a pretty good option.
I managed to avoid any major potholes (sheer luck as I couldn't see anything under the murky water!) and quite enjoyed the adventure of getting home. I don't think that I'll be able to incorporate underwater cycling into a regular routine but it was fun to be out there enjoying the chaos.
posted by pip @ 4:10 am
4 Comments:
At 5:04 pm ,
Anonymous said...
Hey Pip,
Where's everybody! No comments lately! I hope they're not all too distracted (like I have been) to keep up with you....we westerners with our 'busy' lives. I've been on a reading marathon about lives lived in China, Vietnam and Nepal.....thru all their interesting histories. Guess I've got to get into my "Cambodian History' sessions......but first I've got to be busy doing all my trivial life stuff. Glad you're still doing well and finding 'muck' interesting. Some people would freak out to be hip deep in dirty water. God bless and keep you germ free:)
Marsha
At 10:09 am ,
Anonymous said...
Hi all
Yes, we have very busy lives. I've been trying to catch up at work after my time away - almost there now! Will start walking again soon, but not too keen on the idea of underwater-cycling. Phil, I have an image of a sodden, trailing plastic poncho that stuck like a huge piece of gladwrap around your wet clothes. But extremes can be fun, and hope too, you had no ill effects.
Maureen
At 4:09 pm ,
Anonymous said...
we are all children isn't it, playing in the rain.
cool site
reint
At 3:19 pm ,
pip said...
Thanks Marsha & co for the comments- nice to know that someone other than my mum reads this blog... hee hee!
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