Motorbike

I was very excited to get to ride a motorbike again. There is nothing quite like the feeling of the wind in your face and the bike responding as if it were an extension of your body. But when I woke up, the bike had a flat. So I had to take a car. I wish there was a way I could explain fully the feeling if driving here. There are so many more variables a play here than at home. Not only are you watching the cars around you, but motorbikes suddenly appear out of no where and slip into your blindspot. Then you've got the the cars that are hoping to turn into the road you're on. They just kinda keep inching forward until the other cars have no choice but to stop and let them enter. If that isn't enough-there are the blue factory buses. I'm not sure who drives those, but I've heard they are from India- and they still drive as if they are there! They drive as if the whole road belongs to them and no one else is there. Plus those busses are huge! Not terribly much smaller than a semi really. On top of that, parking places are something of an art form. If you can make your car fit, it's fair game. Depending on the place, the far left lane will unexpectedly turn into parking. It's not uncommon to see cars parked two deep along the side of the road. I've always wondered how the inside car gets out. The lanes themselves are much more narrow then ours, and are much more flexible. Sometimes a road that is marked with two lanes becomes three. It's not uncommon to see cars driving on top of the lane line.
I did okay driving the car. I'm pretty used to the traffic rules, but parking, ugh! The next time I complain about parking in Seattle, please remind me that it could be much, much worse!!! I have no idea how people even fit in the parking spaces. There is absolutely no room for error. And I tell you what, you don't want to forget to bend your side mirror, or it might not be there when you get back. Needless to say, I was very happy when my friend offered her motorbike for today. It's just much, much easier. You can pretty much park anywhere and for the most part avoid all jams by sneaking around on the shoulder or inbetween stopped cars! Plus, there is just nothing quite like the excitement if riding the motortbike!