Round up, back to reality, twowheelsinlondon
After my last post about arriving in Phuket I have felt compelled to write again and include post about the yin which is the other half to the yang making the trip complete and balanced.
There was a real sense of confusion the day after the ride was over. What was i doing sitting around in a hotel lobby like everyone else, checking emails and taking the occasion dip in the pool! This all seemed rather foreign as I’d become used to our routine of up early, and hit the road, allowing oneself to become absorbed in your own thoughts. This became even more surreal when I took a taxi to the airport that afternoon! I truly felt trapped and isolated from the world outside in the air conditioned container!!
I had two nights in Bangkok catching up with a couple of friends and taking in some of the key sites, including the infamous shopping malls where I found the ultimate riding nutrition…the Tarzan bar!!
Then onto the main event, the very reason I made this trip, a three day Indian wedding for one of my closest friends. Thank you both for choosing such a perfect setting and consequently allowing me to take this journey.
What a celebration this wedding was…dancing and partying until 4/5am every day!! The colour, the food, smiles, laughter and love. It was a unification of two families and there were no half measures, all the guests were treated to such hospitality and warmth. It felt such a privilege to be part of it all. And the dancing, with grandmas, grandpas, old friends and new friends! I will remember this for a long time to come.
Truly a duo of two halves, one void of partying, alcohol, dancing, and commotion, the other void of exercise, down time, solo time; but both filled with energy, passion and love :)
The perfect combination for balance of mind, body, and soul!
So what’s next….I’ve been been at work for just two days and already had a rude reminder of what twowheelsinlondon sounds and feels like. This evening as I rode home I heard this angry horn from a few vehicles behind me. I was just cycling safely along the road and when available I merge into the cycle lane, which of course is inconsistent (as are most bike lanes across this city). within seconds the owner of the annoyed van kindly slows just long enough to shout at me through his open window... 'Get in the f*****g cycle lane you f*****g cyclist'. And with that I'm right back to assertive, in the moment cycling that is demanded when you take two wheels in london. As previously mentioned I realise I've been very fortune to cycle in some amazing places where the romantic notion of gliding by on your own steam as you take in your surroundings makes the journey magical. But even if london requires your wits and eyes and ears to be completely alert, I'd still take that over passive sardine compression of the tube (ok it's not actually that bad, well apart from rush hour)! Perhaps it's not quite as peaceful as the quiet beachside roads of Thailand but I still enjoy the sense of freedom cycling provides and the possibility of new discoveries if you decide to stray from common routes! I'm happy to be back and will treasure the memories. Now to start planning some more two wheeled adventures :)
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