We had an afternoon at leisure after touring Bangkok all morning, so some of us walked over to the Silom Complex mall on Silom Road and Rama IV. Vit said that would be a good time to call Qantas and we could look up the info on his iPad as well. He called for me, but after learning that the change of date would cost $200, I told him I'd think about it and deal with it later.
We started walking back to our hotel, The Tawana, which was only a few blocks away on Surawong Road. Vit asked, "Would you like to take a motorcycle taxi back to the hotel?" I hesitated for a moment and he said, "It will be a cultural experience for you. And faster." My hesitation was rooted in recalling what Vit had told us about motorcycle taxis a few days prior. Yes, he said they are fast and convenient, but he also said that no one wears a helmet, though the law requires it. Some of the drivers carry a helmet for their passengers, but it's the same helmet for everyone. Vit said people usually line the helmet in plastic or wear a shower cap. All the elementary school teacher in me could think was: a) Why haven't I collected the shower caps from our hotels? b) HEAD LICE!!!
As I was ruminating about where I might find some RID in Thailand, we approached an apparent biker gang, smoking and hanging out in front of 7-11. I walked closer to Vit, then realized that these guys were the taxi drivers, with not one helmet in sight. Before I could say anything, he told them our destination, hopped on the back of one of the bikes, and motioned for me to do the same. I thought we'd ride the same bike back to the hotel! I don't know how, but if a family of four can do it, I thought we'd manage. Picture this: the dad is driving, the older child is standing up in front holding onto the handlebars, and the mom is sitting behind the dad, holding their newborn baby. It sounds crazy to an American, but it's a perfectly acceptable norm here. I couldn't imagine my niece or nephew calmly riding a motorcycle. It's just how the Thai kids are raised.
"You okay?" Vit asked. "I guess, but how do you hold on?" He didn't hear my question, and his motorcycle sped off. I called after him, "Am I supposed to hug him???!!!" The driver looked at me amusingly and motioned to the seat. These motorcycles aren't Harleys. They are sleek, with no compartment on the back, nothing to lean against. Similar to a scooter, but more powerful and with larger tires. I inspected the seat and wasn't sure where to step to get on. The driver seemed a bit impatient, so I just stepped up on some part and hopped on. Now, do I hug him??? I scooted up close to him so I wouldn't balance on the edge of the seat, and felt around for the bar that contours the back of the seat. I guess that's what I'll hold on to! We took off. "Okay, this isn't so bad," I said to myself. "No cars around...quite unusual for Bangkok." Then we arrived at Surawong and a traffic jam. I knew what was coming. I squeezed my legs together as hard as I could, but noticed that my driver's legs were still wider. Good. I held onto the seat bar as tightly as possible, thinking my white knuckled grip would be painful later. The driver darted in between cars, buses, taxis, tuk tuks, and for a moment I understood the exhilaration that accompanies motorcycle riding! Just when I was feeling slightly at ease, we arrived at the hotel. Vit was waiting on the curb, smiling. "So, how was it?" I hopped off and fumbled around in my bag for the 30 baht payment, hands shaking. Vit handed the driver the money, as I'm sure he couldn't wait to take off. "Scary, but exciting," I said, finally rounding up 30 baht to repay Vit. "Cultural experience!" he said.
Trust was the evident theme here. I knew Vit would never put me in any danger and I just had to go with it. I've been tempted to hire another motorcycle taxi for a short distance around town, but I think once was enough.
Apparently, once was not enough for you! Let me remind you of another ride of OUR lives in Tanzania. Keep on trusting, experiencing, and exploring!
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