The monsoon experience

This week saw the tail end of the monsoon season hitting us here in trivandrum and I've never seen (or heard) rain quite like it.

When it rains, it pours, quite literally, and the battlefield that is the road system round here becomes a real challenge, with zero visability and mentalists on motorbikes. My driver this week decided he would "spice up" the experience a little bit though, and on most days didnt bother putting his wipers on for the whole way to work. I must say I saw this as an interesting deicsion to make, bearing in mind its dark when I go to work. Dark and wet. Dark and wet with pretty much no way of seeing where your going. But give him credit, I managed to get into work in one piece day by day.

I also saw someone else making an "interesting decision" in the rain this week. I saw a motorcylcist pootling along in the driving rain with no form of waterproof and/or coat on driving up hill into the rain. The roads were flooding and the rain was pouring, but this fellows journey on his bike was essential. Now, have a guess at the interesting technique he used to keep the rain out of his face? Wear a visor? Wear a hat? Wear some goggles? God forbid, wear a crash helmet? No. No. No. Its a much better idea to simply ride one handed. That way you can use your other hand to cover your face and eyes, adopting the "peak-a-boo" stance if you will. Literally covering his face with his hand, with little gaps through his fingers so he could "see" the road ahead was order of the day for this guy. Made me laugh anyway, almost as much as....

......possibly the greatest stunt I have ever seen performed on a motorbike. I've seen this stunt a couple of times whilst out here but saw the best example last saturday on the way to the beach. At least the weather was sunny again and it wasnt raining. I like to call this stunt - "The entire family on one little motorbike stunt" and as you have probably guessed from the title, its where the whole family go out for a little drive on one motorbike. Now if this family I saw moved to the UK, they could make a fair bit of money at bike shows and the like, wowing crowds with there lack of fear and daring skills. It works like this. Dad driving (obviously), two eldest sons on the front tank with one holding the handle bars and mum on back sitting side saddle with young baby in her arms. Mental enough I imagine in a straight line on an empty road, let alone mauevering round the roundabouts and junctions of the busy, bumpy streets. I felt like winding my window down and shouting "GET A BLOODY CAR YOU MANIACS" but they all seemed happy so I guess I should just butt out. I'm still yet to see this stunt in the rain but in such cases I imagine one of the sons on the front acts as "visor", probably putting his hands over daddies eyes to protect him from the rain.