Motorbikes represent modern Vietnamese culture. They represent freedom; freedom to move about. They represent everything that is right, and everything that is wrong with this country in some weird way. Increasing wealth, family, pollution, chaos, and immense patience.
“There is a motorbike in my living room. Don’t worry, I put it there on purpose, I didn’t drive through a wall or anything. It’s just sitting there, paid for, looking at me as if it were a piece of furniture. It’s kind of like the baby that was raised by the pack of wild dogs and then starts taking on traits of the wild dogs. Maybe if I keep the motorbike sitting there long enough it will start to think it’s a coffee table or a couch. I have completed step one – I now have rented a motorbike.”
The Motorbike Diaries chronicle my epic journey to becoming a part of Vietnamese culture and driving among them….the locals that is.
Pecking Order One of the disadvantages of living a solo life is that when you have one of those experiences that you just want to tell someone about – there’s normally no one around to listen. So, instead of bottling it all in, I blog; which makes me feel as if I’m telling someone the […]
Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 Mirror Mirror on the motorbike, what is your purpose; are you just there for decoration? Unfortunately after driving a motorbike in HCMC for the last 3 months, I feel as if I’m the only person here who uses my motorbike mirrors for their intended purpose; to see […]
Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 The power of the hand… I hopped on my motorbike tonight at 8:30 PM to find out that my headlight no longer worked. It would only work when I throttled the bike up – but after I slowed down, the light went out. This created an interesting […]
Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 The Great Horn Divide No matter how hard I try, I just can’t do it. I lose the mental battle every time. I tell myself to be calm, patient, understanding – but then it happens – BEEP, BEEP BEEEEEP, BEEP, BEEP; and after the 3rd time of […]
Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 What’s in a Name? I’m going to state the obvious – I’m a girl. What I mean by that is I can exhibit typical girl traits at times; especially when it comes to my knowledge of cars. As long as I can remember, I’ve never really been […]
Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 You won’t believe your eyes this week! I’ve collected some of my recent motorbike photography that will amaze and baffle you. After living here for a year, I’m still absolutely dumbfounded and tickled by what I see the Vietnamese strap to their motorbikes. The motorbike culture here […]
Rush Hour Start from the Beginning – Motorbike Diaries Vol. 1 Resistance is Futile – Assimilation I’m not sure how it happened, but I’ve become one of them. I wear a jacket (which I’m boiling in), a mask, a poncho, ….I’m a Vietnamese motorbike driver. I’ve become used to being squeezed into small places and driving […]
