I’m not a great one for cooking programs, but tonight’s Luke Nguyen’s cooking show caught my attention for talking about motor scooters in Vietnam. If you’ve travelled anywhere in Asia then you’ll know that these scooters are an important form of transport for individuals, families, freight, livestock and ….. ….yes, even trees.
One of the few times I was allowed to drive the scooter. Yes, that’s the owner on the back holding a very big bush knife.
Scooters are the primary form of transport in parts of the jungle. Helmets are less popular.
Yes, I’ve come off more than once, commonly catapulted off the back after the driver fails to miss one of the (too) many potholes. Truth is, all credit to the driver for keeping me on the back and the bike upright in the first place. I’m not small. Add the driver, our packs, rock samples (iron ore!!!), rock hammers, food, water, and the odd (unsheathed) bush knife – no, not dangerous at all!
Many (…….hmmm…..ALL!….) of these little gems of moto-mayhem wouldn’t be roadworthy here in Australia. Missing foot pegs seem particularly common. No big deal you might say? Why pick out such a trivial problem others might point out? Ha, well, go try it for yourself and I guarantee you’ll experience ‘tender’!
Problems aside, these scooters go just about anywhere and do just about anything. I’ve traversed ground that would be impassable to a four wheel drive. I’ve closed my eyes and flown across decaying jungle bridges. I’ve even escaped illegal gold-miners riding a scooter at speed through the jungle (defimitely a story for another post)…….
Well done little scooter! You have proven yourself an indispensable addition to the exploration toolkit!!
Traversing deeper watercourses is not a problem if you keep the engine revs up…….
….. but, if you dont get it right then emptying the bike of water is also not a problem….. with a little help from your mates!