Traveling On a Two-Wheeler

Ever since I decided that I would be frequenting the swimming pool (about 15-minute walk from my apartment), I had been on a quest to find a bicycle. I looked around the market near the hospital, and found out that new ones cost at least Rs2500-2800 ($55-60), which is a bit much considering I'll only be using it for a year.

Then one day I saw a bicycle under the stairs at the apartment, and I thought, "Surely our landlady (who is 93 years old) couldn't use that bike..." So I asked her who's bike it was, and she told me I could use it!

My "new" bike!

The next day I took the bike to a bike shop near the pool. I got the tires pumped, the bell fixed, and the brake pads replaced. The bike mechanic here is quite amazing. He replaced the brake pads in no time, and I was really impressed when he fixed the bell with a hammer and pliers. And he charged me a very nominal fee for everything. My bike is still a bit rusty here and there, so I'll probably be taking it back to the shop soon.

Traveling by bike here is quite dangerous, or so it seems, with all the traffic and crazy drivers. But so far I haven't felt too dangerous riding my bike around. Everyone here honks their horns superfluously, so I always I know when they are right behind me and about to pass by (although I'm really glad I have a reliable break). Now with the working bell on my bike, I can join in on the "honking" fun and warn the pedestrians when I pass them by (although so far no one has turned around when I ring the bell).

It's definitely nice having a bike. I can now go to the pool or campus in couple minutes. I could even go to the pool just to take a shower there so I could save water at my apartment (of course I wouldn't do that, but I've been taking a shower there every time I use the pool).

This evening I went to the pool, and afterwards stopped by the campus canteen and ate dinner with a bunch of international students. You can actually order food from Darling Residency, and have it delivered to the canteen every night, so a lot of the students eat at the canteen at 8PM. I'll probably be visiting the canteen quite a bit now that it's a lot more accessible.

I probably sound like I'm just socializing, going to the pool, and not getting any work done... which isn't too far from the truth, but I am starting to get some really good ideas for a research project. I've been reading some articles and meeting with people, which I'll probably be doing for the next... 10 months or so. Everything's still up in the air, so I won't write about it until things start to take some shape.

In any case, praise God for a bike!

And here's one of my favorites:

From icanhascheezburger.com