motorcycle diaries

well, a lot has happened since my last post. the main development has been that we've "given up" on the dream of reaching the end of the Great Wall by bicycle, and instead said dream has been replaced with "reaching the end of the Great Wall by 3-wheeled motorcycle". no, the reason is not because we're lazy asses, but i was struck down by a mysterious (but not so serious) illness that involved me feeling light-headed and unbalanced while riding my bike. so to prevent any likely accidents, such as falling into the path of an oncoming truck, we decided to abandon the bikes and take up this motorised vehicle.

now things aren't necessarily easier with this motorbike. i often have to hop out of it and give andy a push start if we are going up a steep hill or if it's been bogged in sand. so now it's not my leg muscles getting the work out, but my upper body. also, its really fucking cold riding in this thing. cold air whipping against your face and frozen/numb feet doesn't make for the most pleasant ride in the back of the motorcycle tray. thirdly, on bumpy roads, riding in the back is a frightful experience. if i sit on the raised bench in the back, and the road is rocky, i feel like i'm on a bucking bull. it's such a battle to be NOT thrown out of the back. not to mention the constant jarring feeling in your neck and your lower back everytime its wheels regain contact with the ground. so don't call us wimps for adopting this new mode of transport! we are by no means, wimps. we're sticking it out. in it til the end (of this damn Wall)!