training wheels

Those of you who haven't heard from me in over a month (and that would be everyone but blood relatives) probably thought I'd dropped off the face of the earth. Trust me: I thought that, too. Long story, which will be soon forthcoming in a post. At least that's the plan. But there was some fun from today that I just have to tell you about. Today was the long-awaited day that we learned to ride the scooter.

I know, I know. It's only a scooter, not a bike. Small steps first! And don't think Mossimo from "Wedding Planner" when you think scooter; this one is more sophisticated and looks more like a bike, if only slightly. Our scooter is dark, glossy, hunter green, and has only a few scratches from today's driving school. It also is a semi-manual (if there is such a thing?) so I have to think about which gear I'm in and try my hand at shifting gears for the first time in my 10-year driving career. It has a hand brake and a foot brake. . .the hand brake is located on the same handle as the gas, which for my short fingers makes things interesting at times.

Ryan helped us get the basics today. I only seriously fell once, COMPLETELY off of the bike and slightly downhill. Fun times. I knew the first, too-easy turn was in fact too good to be true. Everything but the kitchen sink can be found on the roads--simultaneously--in N. Traffic includes carts and pedestrians (who, unlike in America, are everywhere in the streets rather than on the sidewalks), school buses, bicycles, motorcycles, animals, and enormous, unmarked potholes. If you fell into one we saw today, you would be in the hospital, I'm positive.

All that to say, today's driving practice made learning to drive in the States seem like a piece of cake. I think I ate enough dust tailing buses to remedy any iron deficiency I might have. And for any of you looking to repeat those terrifying days of teaching your teen how to drive, I've got a backseat with your name on it on my little green scooter in Boudha.