#9 – From Dan:

Looks like you’re running low on dares. Now that you’re in China I dare you to ride a scooter (as a passenger or driver) down a ridiculously crowded street. Just like in the pictures.

Seems to me you could do this in either China or India, but you can do it where ever you have time/motivation.

Provide photographic evidence and your compensation will be $25 plus rental fee if you have to rent to complete your task. I’ll up the winnings if the street is REALLY crowded.

Reward: $25+

Status: Completed

After a few days in Bangkok without meeting anyone, I was starting to feel like my bang-up start was more like a bust. I was feeling lonely. Invariably, I’ve found this happens when I have the highest expectations for socializing. Then, when I’m asleep at the wheel, I end up meeting and hanging out with cool people.

To entertain myself, and hopefully earn a few bucks, I took on Dan’s dare. My friend Charlie in Chengdu had a motorcycle, but it was broken at the time I was staying with him. After a mentally traumatic mini-scooter accident when I was a kid at day camp, I lost any desire to ride motorized bikes. I prefer to be encased in metal, especially after seeing the way people drive in India.

Motorcycle taxis are commonplace in Thailand, so I hired one for a loop around Democracy Monument near Khao San. It took a little translation support to ensure the driver knew what I wanted, and he delivered in great fashion. Surely agreeing to what was likely a generous overpayment didn’t hurt.

Unlike paragliding, taking photos and video on the back of a bike was a breeze. I’m sure it would’ve been a dirtier, dustier, bumpier affair in India or Nepal, but there was plenty of traffic which we weaved in and out of at red lights. It turned out to be a memorable experience which helped to lift my mood.

Bonus Video

If you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe by e-mail or RSS feed!