Wheels

I finally have wheels.

Last Wednesday I rented a scooter.  It is a Honda Vario, one of the most popular models.

For the first time in nearly a month I was able to go where I wanted without needing someone to drive me there.  It is a freeing feeling.

For my first trip, I wanted to visit Goa Gajah, also known as the Elephant Cave, an eleventh century royal temple located a couple of miles outside of Ubud.  My plan was to drive very cautiously, staying behind the cars, and avoiding any risky maneuvers.  Immediately I got stuck in a traffic jam.  I sat there as dozens of scooters whizzed past by driving into the oncoming traffic lane.  I felt overly timid sitting there while every other scooter zoomed past.  I finally followed suit, which wasn't as scary as it seemed, and which saved a nice chunk of time otherwise spent sitting in traffic breathing exhaust fumes.

Soon enough, I was stuck in a worse traffic jam.  Two oversize tourist buses were trying without much success to fit past each other on the narrow side street I was driving on.  There was no option to pass by driving in the oncoming lane, as the two buses were completely blocking the entire road.  Giving up any vestiges of my resolution to be cautious and obey Western road rules, I followed the other scooters onto the sidewalk, and quickly passed the buses, narrowly avoiding some gaping holes in the sidewalk. 

The intersections are fun.  Cars, trucks and scooters all drive into the intersection at the same time from multiple directions and then somehow come out the other side.   The technique is to make your way to the center of the intersection and then insert yourself into any tiny gap in the traffic flow of the direction you want to go.

At last, feeling somewhat strung out, I reached Goa Gajah.

The entrance to the Elephant Cave

View of the entrance from inside the cave

Offerings inside the cave

Fountains with holy water

A large block from elsewhere in the complex that had broken off in an earthquake and was resting in a shallow pool

The 'guide' hanging around the pool area who showed me the locations of the inscriptions on the large fallen blocks of the temple.

I soon became less impressed by my scooter adventure when a couple of days later we were visited by another Green School family with two little kids.  I assumed they had driven over in their car.  But when the time came for them to leave, they all put on helmets and each parent hopped onto a scooter.  Then both kids climbed onto their mom's scooter - the little one in front of her, and the eight year-old in back - and they all sped off into town.

A typical scene - four on a scooter, no one wearing a helmet, mom with only one hand free