Its a windy day in Taiwan’s windy city.

The temperature is rising and the sun is shining. The wind has the added effect of blowing all the bad smells and pollution away from the city. Unfortunately it also generates allot of dirt and sand that immediately hits you in your eyes and face. Driving my scooter today I realised that my body on top of a small scooter is somewhat like a large sail on small boat. It’s great when the wind is at your back but when a gust hits me on my side it makes for some comedic driving. I kept wondering if I would be blown of my scooter to the delight of the passing motorists.
Driving my little decrepit scooter is still something of a shock to my manhood. I mean real men drive Harley’s not 125cc Kymco’s. I know some locals try to be the equivalent of cool when driving but I remain unconvinced. I shudder when I drive by a reflective store window, I always try to look in the windows of the ‘barber shops’ in the hopes of seeing some old scrag performing some illicit act, and I see my hulking shape atop a “girlie bike”. I put a couple Apple stickers on mine to compensate.
A cousin of mine who when I was growing up was a “cool guy” who could fight and get girls was home in Charlottetown when I was visiting a couple or more years ago. He was a Chef at a resort in Bermuda and now is Executive Chef at a hotel at home. I told him about how I got around the city – I think I was a bit embarrassed. But his telling me that in Bermuda it was the preferred mode of transport for him gave me some small comfort. If the “cool guy” when I was growing could drive one than I shouldn’t worry. Except I’m 36 now I shouldn’t really be reflecting on what is cool when your 14.
I have since bought a car. A piece of junk for sure, but a big piece of junk and one that doesn’t blow all over the road when driving in Hsinchu. In a sign of my age it’s a mid size sedan with flowered seat covers.
Tonight I’ll drive home taking the usual route using the Taiwan aggressive no rules driving technique. I’ll say a little prayer hoping that no one succeeds in hurting me as all the drivers want to do, believe me everyone is invisible, even babies on the side of the road. I just hope that the wind is my sails and at at my back.


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