06.11.2002

<my first bike>

prior to this silver/pink chinese beijing bicycle,

i never owned or maintained any others.

and of course, i never had to rely on *A BICYCLE* as a major means of transport to carry out my main daily activities

like work

AND SO, for the last couple of rides to and fro work, i had felt that the suspension of the bike was somewhat 'off'. and i hear a funny squeaking noise. and also, i seem have to pedal harder to get the thing going. well, i ignore, thinking - 'oh these china-made things won't last!'

so, when i got to the parking lot, the parking 'a-yi' pointed to my back wheel and screeched out something.

i looked at where she was pointing - only to see a flat tyre!

SHOCK! HORROR!

my first thought - oh no! now i need to get a new bike!

my second thought - oh no! of cos i don't need a new bike! but shoots, how on earth am i going to get this thing home??

so the a-yi saw my retarded reaction and was even more appalled when i asked her what i was supposed to do.

she pointed to this pipe sticking out from the wall near by and said 'pump air there'

and OF COURSE, this form of technology is totally alien to me.

most embarrassed of course.

i quickly explained to her i'm NOT CHINESE (from CHINA) and that i never had to cycle yada yada yada.

she did what had to be done while i was trying to memorise the steps to

fill air in a bicycle wheel

so, now i'm speeding away again!

8km everyday - at <5deg cel

very happy with how far my SGD60 purchase has taken me

and amazed at how much i got to see and know beijing on it