Demoted

Last week Neung gave me the keys to the cha-puhh as she pronounces it.

The key she has for it is attached to an animal antler.  BONE.

Don't have a pic.

After breaking the news I cant handle clutch on a car let alone a motorcycle (requires right and left hands and one foot each with independent tasks) she gives me keys to her moped instead

Here is the key...

Just to clarify, that's a mini pink purse keychain...


Here is the moped...

 

Here is the helmet...

I felt compelled to skip and giggle when I got off it at the market and throw glitter at everyone and go buy a dress.

But I couldn't find glitter and my right hamstring still ached from riding another neighbors bike for shits an giggles up and down the block.

Then yesterday (Thursday) Rob took some time out of dealing with his own shit to put up with my shit and helped me get my very own wheels.

We went back to a dealership we checked out a few days before, the same place he bought his first bike.

After looking over a few we took some out around the block.  I quickly "decided" I just wanted an automatic (Dad, I think because I tried to learn stick with you in your car that anytime the word "clutch" or "stick" is involved in learning something I am forever destined to fail by sheer mental forces) and found one peppy 100cc one with 19k kilometers on it and new tires.


Rob admits he's crap at haggling, I'm decent but I felt like I was on his time since he's helping me and didn't think quibbling over a few K baht could be justified.  Then there's the issue that he would translate for me or Tommy would.  In either case, I'd be filtered by someone else.

So haggling came out to this:

_________

Me: *Point*point* Tao-rai? (How much?)

Her: 19 Baht

Me: Okay

_________


So slick I swear I don't know how I do it.

They adjusted the brakes a bit and they did improve.  We filled some paperwork out and I paid.  To save trouble, apparently the bike has been registered in the name of one of the shop owners family members name.  The alternative option is a massive drawn out pain in the ass.  Rob wasn't turned off by the idea so I figured shit if I know I'll do it.

I drove it home and filled the tank for $3.50.  I'll see how many kilometers that gets me.

Here it is.  Babyblue, got some semi girly graphic near the tail.  But the first thing I noticed about it when I took it for a spin was how fast it accelerate when I 'punched it.'  None of the others I tried could match it. That counts since merging and darting is your bread and butter around here.

 The dealership even given gave me a spiffy jacket.

For the rest of the day I drove it all the hell over and found places I'd been looking for on foot for weeks and got a bit of sunburn but it was worth it.  I also visited the other mall, 'Big C' which is big but smaller than the main mall Central Plaza.  It has what I'd call a Walmart inside.

While walking back to my scooter at the mall I paused when it hit me...I could actually do stuff now.  I could even drive out of the city once I make sure the scooter isn't going to die on me...

In a short while I was driving with confidence.  I realized when I was test driving them what I was doing wrong to make me look and feel so awkward, nervous, and clumsy.  All my driving life I've sat in a car where all I have to do is gently hold the wheel and push here, pull there and I move about.  Plus 4 wheels and two for turning really stabilize things.  Once I really gripped the handles and braced my arms I had a far, far better handle on things.

What also snapped me out of my nervousness was having old ladies and schoolgirls pass me. Literally school girls, like from Asian anime.

Oh, took it on the highway.  Shit's fast.

For a helmet I settled on the same one Neung lent me but in white.