Bike!

so, while i am writing this around early-mid november, it is dated around the time that it happened, or rather, closer to the time that i should have written it. However, as anyone who knows me is well aware, i am a ridiculous procrastinator. But, just to get my shot in at many of you who are nodding, i'm pretty sure it's genetic.

(i wanted to post this with pictures, but it's been too long and i still haven't gotten the pitures, so i think i'm just going to post this now and put up pictures later.)

when living in city in japan (or most places in japan), the purchase of a bike come highly recommended. i learned why by agonizing over the decision to get one for nearly a month. it's kind of a heafty decision considering it is over 10000yen to get one and exactly 10000yen to get rid of it, in the form of a disposal fee, if you are unsuccessful in selling it or transporting it home. this said, my parents convinced me to get one anyway, and figure out what to do with at later. i truly thank them. it is quite the most useful purchase i've made here. i haven't even bought a cell phone.

a good majority of the city bikes i've seen here (and, really, by "good majority" i mean "all i can remember") come complete with a rear wheel or seat lock/anti-theft mechanism, bell, light (on a generator), and usually a basket and/or a mount for a basket or seat over the back wheel. not only that, but a bike with old school, upright handle-bars is extremely common and readily available.

the upright handle bars are a little difficult to get used to since i haven't had them since i was a kid, but all of this taken into consideration, i am inexpressibly happy with my new bike.

there a few arts i would like to master.

the first is riding with an umbrella. it is very common; not only do Japanese people frequently ride in the rain, but it is also common to hide from the SUN with an umbrella (occasionally and actual parasol). the variety of people, clothing, manouvers, and riding conditions i've seen with relation to bikes really just goes to prove how essential a bike is to everyday life in japan; it is NOT just a fair-weather pass-time as it is in my comparatively minute home-town.

another is riding a person on the back. this is one of the things you are not really supposed to do (actually, the umbrella is too), but it is so common, the rule (law?) is really only used to pester young people and gaijin (foreigners)... wait a minute...

actually, though, in the time between when i should have written this and when i really did write it, i've learned both of these skills rather well. as it happens, the umbrella thing isn't too hard. and i've managed to ride with my roommate, a rather light person who is skilled at being a passenger, on the back. the other day, i even managed to do this while balancing a pizza on the basket. i've learned that this practice, as well, is not as natural as it would first appear.