Saturday, September 09, 2006

'TRIPLEY'

Two years ago, if somebody had told me I'd be doing a triple seater journey on a bike all the way to Pizza Hut and back on a crowded Friday evening, I would probably have snorted at the thought. I was a little wary of bikes, having fallen off a scooter into a ditch once long, long ago.

After two years of post grad at a place which was only accessed by personal vehicles and crazy tuk-tuk wallahs, I now enjoy bike travel. It is easy, convenient, and fun when people stare at you traveling with your face covered like a dacoit:)

And now, riding Tripley has been the most fun ever:D

It all started with my friend asking me to hop on the bike behind her.. and her friend. "People are staring," I said to her, trying get her to stop scooting ahead on the seat to make place for me. We were in the middle of a busy road on a weekday morning, with people all around us. "Just sit!!" she said. Wondering how I was supposed to fit myself in what appeared to be two inches of space, I put one leg across to the other side and wriggled a little. Miraculously, it looked as though the three of us could manage.

As we whizzed through busy lanes, people around us seemed flummoxed. I was embarrassed, yet a trifle tickled. Just when they'd been thinking, "There go two normal people on a bike.." up popped a third head at the back:)

It is now fun to look at people and grin gleefully at them looking quizzically at us. It is even more fun to watch them wait for ricks knowing you don't have to do it so often anymore. From going dignifiedly up the stairs at a Pizza Hut a year ago, I now turn up on a bike, almost falling off the back, grin cheekily at waiters who've seen us ride up and walk in with two other people who are laughing just as hard as I am:)