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When I was in China last semester I used (infrequently) a very old bike to get around the campus. When I took it to the bike repair man he almost fell about laughing. It was so old! I managed with it - deciding to buy a new one IF I came back.

In the few days that I have been back I have been studying the different bikes at the shopping malls. Getting any service was challenging. Blonde, white woman, no English = too hard. They ignore us.

So I found a bicycle shop and started to negotiate. I found a purple bike. My favourite colour. It had big wheels (26 inches probably) and looked sturdy. It cost me 368 Yuan. Almost as much as I paid for printer inks for my printer!

The traffic here is rather chaotic. I describe it as like playing "Dodge'em", so taking a bike out onto the roads is fraught with danger. Terror!

But I had worked it out. I vowed to myself that I would not ride right into the city - the heart of the city, that is. Too terrifying.

Luckily an English speaking Chinese lady appeared and we were able to chat and get to know the bike man a little. He put my new basket on it, and the lock, adjusted the seat and a group of spectators had gathered to watch the blonde from Australia mount the bike and disappear down the road.

Head high, I peddled on, all the way to the college with no mishap.

Boy, now I am going places! Photo? Soon.

As you can see from the photo there are all sorts of bikes and the footpaths are full of them.

I have created a new blog about the various wheeled transport in China. Check it out here.

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