ode to the Moto

the Vietnamese motorbike. what a trooper!

the moto is: city runaround
the moto is: family car
the moto is: city to city travel
the moto is: tractor
the moto is: with a basket on the back, how you transport your cow or pig to/from the market
the moto is: the local travelling shop
the moto is: furniture removal truck
the moto is: how you get a coffin to the house where your family member will be placed in it
the moto is: school bus
the moto is: useless above 40km/hr because you'd have to break too quickly
the moto is: completely useless without a good horn
the moto is: still perfectly roadworthy without indicators
the moto is: third in the pecking order on the roads (1-bus, 2-car, 4-bicycle, 5-human)
the moto is: how this country keeps going
the moto is: where you conduct a Spanish Inquisition with a westerner...oi Troi oi!
the moto is: a really fun ride, but don't let it run away from you and fall on your foot
the moto is: usually a complete rustbucket, but if you're young and have a good job, it is p-i-m-p-e-d

and the horn, what does that mean?
well it goes something like this (regardless of vehicle)

passing on the right
passing on the left
hurry up
move over
light's gone green
hi i'm here
i'm bored what are you doing?
i'm coming through this junction now
i'm coming round this bend
i'm singing a song in my head and it goes with the tune
(ok, maybe not strictly speaking, but sometimes feels like it)

the last piece of this blog was brought to you courtesy of my fellow volunteer (and Irish-blooded lady) Jen, you can read her story here