This is the only lousy photo I've got.
It's a stillshot from a video that we took while riding in the park with no traffic!
So here’s the craziest thing I did in Phuket – I rode a scooter without a license. And Sarah was my pillion. I have never been on a bike before, and the only two-wheeled thing I’ve operated is a bicycle. I don’t know what kind of guts I had, but yeah, I did that. Hahaha.
Actually, we kind of got tired of being ripped off on transport, and it just didn’t make sense to rent a car on the last day because they couldn’t make arrangements for us to return it at the airport. After talking to other tourists who persuaded us that riding a bike is the easiest thing in the world, we decided to rent a scooter for 200baht. Which is less than 10bucks in Singapore dollars. A one-way 15min tutuk or cab ride costs like 300baht, no second price.
So after we got the scooter opposite our hotel, we took turns to try it in the carpark. We agreed whoever who turns out less dangerous would ride the bike, and the other one would be pillion. Sarah fell off the bike after 3metres. Hahaha. So I guess that made me the less dangerous one. After 2 rounds around the carpark, trying to find my balance with Sarah on the back of the scooter, I told her “I don’t care if you’re ready or not. We’re going out on to the road now. LET’S GO!”
And there we were. Two crazy girls wobbling on a scooter, attracting wide-eyed stares because we were probably screaming “Road Hazard”. Hahaha.
Then the next day, we decided to take the scooter out and explore more of Phuket. We tried to find Phuket Town from Karon Beach. Without a map. All I had was a rough idea from Google Earth and one remote road sign every few miles.
It started raining, and the roads got crazy. There were huge slopes and sharp turns and medium traffic. At one point of time, I had to make a huge right turn up a steep slope. Should I not make the turn and accelerate straight ahead, we would end up in a ditch, because they were having road works. I think I made the turn by 1 inch, with my knee almost scraping the ground from the turn. The whole time I was thinking, “Tilt your body, don’t use your hands. Tilt your body, don’t use your hands!”
All of you who gave me advice on how to ride a bike on Facebook that night, you probably saved our lives.
So we survived the slopes and the rain and U-turns (during which Sarah asked, “Are you confident?” And I said, “No.” Then I made the turn with her screaming behind me. Hahaha), But naturally, we had to have an accident. Guess where? When we were trying to park the scooter.
I forgot to switch off the engine after I slotted the scooter into the lot, and while trying to pull it back a little, I PULLED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE THING LURCHED FORWARD LIKE MAD! Hahaha. Sarah had to reach forward to press the brake for me, but we still fell onto the wet ground. Her on the bum, and me on the boobs for some reason! So I had a wet patch on my boob for a while. Shit.
Thinking back, I think we were impossibly gusty, and if you asked me if I’d do it a second time, I might not. Haha. So I guess it’s true, you’re only young and crazy once.
Actually, we kind of got tired of being ripped off on transport, and it just didn’t make sense to rent a car on the last day because they couldn’t make arrangements for us to return it at the airport. After talking to other tourists who persuaded us that riding a bike is the easiest thing in the world, we decided to rent a scooter for 200baht. Which is less than 10bucks in Singapore dollars. A one-way 15min tutuk or cab ride costs like 300baht, no second price.
So after we got the scooter opposite our hotel, we took turns to try it in the carpark. We agreed whoever who turns out less dangerous would ride the bike, and the other one would be pillion. Sarah fell off the bike after 3metres. Hahaha. So I guess that made me the less dangerous one. After 2 rounds around the carpark, trying to find my balance with Sarah on the back of the scooter, I told her “I don’t care if you’re ready or not. We’re going out on to the road now. LET’S GO!”
And there we were. Two crazy girls wobbling on a scooter, attracting wide-eyed stares because we were probably screaming “Road Hazard”. Hahaha.
Then the next day, we decided to take the scooter out and explore more of Phuket. We tried to find Phuket Town from Karon Beach. Without a map. All I had was a rough idea from Google Earth and one remote road sign every few miles.
It started raining, and the roads got crazy. There were huge slopes and sharp turns and medium traffic. At one point of time, I had to make a huge right turn up a steep slope. Should I not make the turn and accelerate straight ahead, we would end up in a ditch, because they were having road works. I think I made the turn by 1 inch, with my knee almost scraping the ground from the turn. The whole time I was thinking, “Tilt your body, don’t use your hands. Tilt your body, don’t use your hands!”
All of you who gave me advice on how to ride a bike on Facebook that night, you probably saved our lives.
So we survived the slopes and the rain and U-turns (during which Sarah asked, “Are you confident?” And I said, “No.” Then I made the turn with her screaming behind me. Hahaha), But naturally, we had to have an accident. Guess where? When we were trying to park the scooter.
I forgot to switch off the engine after I slotted the scooter into the lot, and while trying to pull it back a little, I PULLED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE THING LURCHED FORWARD LIKE MAD! Hahaha. Sarah had to reach forward to press the brake for me, but we still fell onto the wet ground. Her on the bum, and me on the boobs for some reason! So I had a wet patch on my boob for a while. Shit.
Thinking back, I think we were impossibly gusty, and if you asked me if I’d do it a second time, I might not. Haha. So I guess it’s true, you’re only young and crazy once.
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