Bikes

After 6 months of no transportation other than our feet, we got out
our bikes! Actually kids had ridden theirs some recreationally but I
haven't ridden my bike in YEARS! It really was quite nice to zip
somewhere near by and come back quickly.

However after a couple rides, my bike acted funny. So last weekend we
took it to the repair shop. I figured we'd need to take a taxi there
but DH suggested the bus. They wouldn't let DH on the bus with the
bike even though the rest if us had already gotten on. Apparently
it's the rule (no bikes) but we didn't know it. So we argued in our
very basic Chinese to no avail. I was miffed and even asked for my
2rmb back since we had to get off. Nope! Driver says it's not his
fault we were trying to bring on a bike. I wanted to say, "Well I
hope you can sleep well!" (referring to having sleepless nights for
being mean and keeping my money). But I think in my broken Chinese it
came out: "Do you sleep? I hope you can sleep!". So he probably
thought I was truly nutty - bringing a bike on a public bus and then
speaking in riddles.

My current wish is to get a moped but one that can fit at least 3
kids. There are just days where it would be nice to not walk in that
cold or heat to pick up the kids or drop them off. I actually found a
moped that could fit two kids in the back and one standing in front
(they do that here). But even that's pushing it. I think the best
option would be to get like a Smart car or Mini Cooper. We'd look
like those clown cars in the circus where the little car drives up and
like 20 adult clowns get out...but mine would be kids. :)

Here's a picture of a place I went to this week. Can you guess what
it is? It sells hotel supplies! I know that's what you guessed...and
'confluence' is a word...maybe only I didn't know that.