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October 09, 2005
Veloland Thailand
So we’ve decided to start from scratch regarding Pamela’s scooter lessons. Saturday afternoon, after the Terry Fox stroll-a-thon early that morning, we met at my guesthouse and found a bicycle rental-and-clothing tailor shop that let Pam a small mountain bike at 20 Baht (US$0.50) for two hours. We then walked the bike to the back sois of the new town just south of Tha Pae Gate Road. After our first twenty meters or so some Western guy walked by and clapped in admiration of either Pam (for learning how to ride a bicycle) or me (for having the resolve to teach a grown woman such a task.) Within ten minutes she was riding by almost confidently herself, proving the old saying “once you learn how to ride a bike you never forget”. 
Twenty some minutes later we took a review break and had some coffee, juice and a cake at the very Germanic Bake & Bite Bakery on Loi Kroh Road. Thinking Pam was fully in control, and more importantly that my latte needed my attention more than she did, we agreed that she should set off around the block by herself. After about fifteen minutes I became worried and stepped outside to wait for her. Five minutes later a torrential downpour started and I became a bit more panicked. A few minutes there after and I grabbed a tuk-tuk to drive around the neighborhood looking for Pamela—unfortunately, he did not speak much English and we had to stop and ask a ladyboy buying some food at a concession stand for translation help. A full trip through the ‘hood saw us back at the bakery where we found Pam. Whew—another trip to the Lanna Hospital Emergency Room was averted!
So, we head of in search of a few beers to debrief and organize her next steps. The plan now is to get her out on a long bike journey (2 hours or so) at some speed (20kph.) I’m thinking then we’ll move onto a scooter, but something more like a 50cc model rather than the 125cc we started out with.
Cross your fingers.
Posted by stu at October 9, 2005 01:55 PM
Comments
hey, stu...i finally figured out i could check in from work (we're on line most of the time now!!!) and i can actually see the pictures you send. at home they look like there's snow on the satillight disk.
hope you are over your illness? all that piper 100 must be good for something?
am making you a christmas gift but suspect you will not want it sent to you. oh, well, i'll just have a catch of stuff waiting for when you live somewhere again.ain't motherhood grand?
love, mom
Posted by: mom at October 17, 2005 04:56 PM
Hey Stooey,
I'm in Thailand, I've decided to join the Airforce after all. Hey I was thinking about hunting down some dogs, let me know if you see any with Big Balls. Sounds like fun! I like the sound of your moped, had me rollin'. He's the leader of the pack. Hope to see you on the Westside soon. Take care and say "hi" to Pamela.
-Rana
Posted by: Rana at October 15, 2005 01:41 AM