My days fly by. I wake always well before dawn. I have some time for quiet contemplation before others become active. Most mornings I run as soon as there is enough light. I also attend yoga classes and meditate. The city of Chiang Mai is bursting with temples - more than 200 in the city itself.
Most days I also set out on foot to explore the city. There are surprises around every corner. The markets are ubiquitous and one wonders how any of the sellers can make a living, given that hundreds of people are selling exactly the same 'things'. There are morning and night markets in addition to 'any time' markets. There are restaurants everywhere too and the food of course is delicious. The speed of cooking, combined with a diversity of fresh produce year round and a courageous and creative use of spices, herbs and coconut all conspire to create one of the world's most exciting cuisines. All other cuisines are also available.
Today, I decided to rent a bicycle. It took about 30 seconds to make the arrangements. Off I set on my trusty steed. I had noticed lots of people riding around, without helmets, in daylight and in the dark, and had serious reservations about the danger involved, given that roads can be insanely busy at certain times of day. However, I worked up my courage, arranged the seat at an unusually high spot to create space for legs, and launched into traffic. I soon discovered the cardinal rule for cycling here is to completely ignore what is happening behind you. Secondly, if one sees space, one moves towards it. There is nothing more to know. One can do left and right turns with gay abandon or just simply forge straight ahead, working one's way around all obstacles. It feels amazingly safe. The Thai tradition of reverence for the head (which must never be touched) presumably discourages them from crushing heads under vehicles. There is no other explanation for the careful progress of vehicles caught behind bicycles. One cannot forge ahead until the way is clear. There is no gunning of engines, no threats of swift movement and no ugly gestures. It's like a dignified path through life. Be kind to all.
However, surprises come from nowhere. When I was very far from base, I noticed the left pedal starting to become very independent. It would not engage when it was at the highest point in the cycle but would then flop forward a quarter circle in a most alarming way. I continued my progress hoping that nothing untoward would spoil my perfect journey. As I manoeuvred through a particularly busy junction, while doing the dreaded right turn across a very busy and fast highway, the left pedal was quite suddenly not there and my left leg flailed helplessly in midair. I heard a clatter of course and found a way to get back to retrieve the nuisance pedal. I know little about bicycles and how they are put together. I do fear their anomalies however, such as screwing tight in the wrong direction and the danger of stripping threads. But I had no choice. I needed to reattach the pedal if I was to avoid walking a very long way home. I did finally get it attached, with only bare hands (by now black) as tools, only to discover that both pedals were now facing in the same direction. Back to the drawing board, and a swift hand tightening of the offending bolt, and I was on my way again, looking more like a duck with one malfunctioning wing than the smooth worldly operator of a two wheeled vehicle.
I limped to a bicycle store that I had spied earlier, and where envy had surfaced as I saw beautiful bicycles rather like the ones all of my athletic friends ride. A young man took pity on me and quickly tightened the bolt with a wrench that was longer and newer than any I have ever seen. When I offered payment I got the kind of smile that makes one weep. I muttered my thanks in appalling Thai, wiped away my tears in manly style, and rode as fast as I could back to my abode. The pedal was quickly becoming loose as I rode so I asked the owners not to rent it out again as it really was a hazard. I doubt that my admonition will make any difference but it is important to try.
Apart from the obvious excitement of such an expedition, I now have a good route identified for my next very long run. I also know where I can go for a refreshing swim after it. Life is so good, so rich, so precious. Carpe diem!
Peace and love, Nigel
Most days I also set out on foot to explore the city. There are surprises around every corner. The markets are ubiquitous and one wonders how any of the sellers can make a living, given that hundreds of people are selling exactly the same 'things'. There are morning and night markets in addition to 'any time' markets. There are restaurants everywhere too and the food of course is delicious. The speed of cooking, combined with a diversity of fresh produce year round and a courageous and creative use of spices, herbs and coconut all conspire to create one of the world's most exciting cuisines. All other cuisines are also available.
Today, I decided to rent a bicycle. It took about 30 seconds to make the arrangements. Off I set on my trusty steed. I had noticed lots of people riding around, without helmets, in daylight and in the dark, and had serious reservations about the danger involved, given that roads can be insanely busy at certain times of day. However, I worked up my courage, arranged the seat at an unusually high spot to create space for legs, and launched into traffic. I soon discovered the cardinal rule for cycling here is to completely ignore what is happening behind you. Secondly, if one sees space, one moves towards it. There is nothing more to know. One can do left and right turns with gay abandon or just simply forge straight ahead, working one's way around all obstacles. It feels amazingly safe. The Thai tradition of reverence for the head (which must never be touched) presumably discourages them from crushing heads under vehicles. There is no other explanation for the careful progress of vehicles caught behind bicycles. One cannot forge ahead until the way is clear. There is no gunning of engines, no threats of swift movement and no ugly gestures. It's like a dignified path through life. Be kind to all.
However, surprises come from nowhere. When I was very far from base, I noticed the left pedal starting to become very independent. It would not engage when it was at the highest point in the cycle but would then flop forward a quarter circle in a most alarming way. I continued my progress hoping that nothing untoward would spoil my perfect journey. As I manoeuvred through a particularly busy junction, while doing the dreaded right turn across a very busy and fast highway, the left pedal was quite suddenly not there and my left leg flailed helplessly in midair. I heard a clatter of course and found a way to get back to retrieve the nuisance pedal. I know little about bicycles and how they are put together. I do fear their anomalies however, such as screwing tight in the wrong direction and the danger of stripping threads. But I had no choice. I needed to reattach the pedal if I was to avoid walking a very long way home. I did finally get it attached, with only bare hands (by now black) as tools, only to discover that both pedals were now facing in the same direction. Back to the drawing board, and a swift hand tightening of the offending bolt, and I was on my way again, looking more like a duck with one malfunctioning wing than the smooth worldly operator of a two wheeled vehicle.
I limped to a bicycle store that I had spied earlier, and where envy had surfaced as I saw beautiful bicycles rather like the ones all of my athletic friends ride. A young man took pity on me and quickly tightened the bolt with a wrench that was longer and newer than any I have ever seen. When I offered payment I got the kind of smile that makes one weep. I muttered my thanks in appalling Thai, wiped away my tears in manly style, and rode as fast as I could back to my abode. The pedal was quickly becoming loose as I rode so I asked the owners not to rent it out again as it really was a hazard. I doubt that my admonition will make any difference but it is important to try.
Apart from the obvious excitement of such an expedition, I now have a good route identified for my next very long run. I also know where I can go for a refreshing swim after it. Life is so good, so rich, so precious. Carpe diem!
Peace and love, Nigel
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