Week 13: Getting Lost is #BetterByBicycle

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I've been in Hoi An, Viet Nam quite a few times last year, that in my latest visit, I kinda got confident about going to places without using GPS. I'd always thought that I should slowly wean off my reliance on technology specially when going to places, like a real traveler. One of the things I do on a weekly basis whenever I'm in Hoi An is bringing organic waste to Hoi An Eco Hub,  a community composting facility, which is about 5 km from where I was staying.


I thought, I've been there many times so I should be able to go without using Google Maps. So yeah, I got too confident and went there completely relying on my mind map. But my memory betrayed me and halfway through my trip, I started to see unfamiliar landmarks. I got lost.

Help Klook! I'm lost! Yes I can still smile. 

The good news was, Hoi An is a great place to get lost. The place is charming, friendly, safe, and most importantly, it has a strong cycling culture. I say that with conviction because even though motorbikes is the dominant mode of transportation around the town, I see a good number of cyclists, both tourists and locals, to commute or run some errands. The riders are also diverse, aside from foreign tourists, I would see women, children, elderlies, people with disabilities on any time of the day and even during rainy weather. 






So despite getting lost, I didn't get scared trying to find my way back to my destination. Besides, getting lost on a bicycle is just another opportunity to explore the place. I get to feast my eyes with interesting visuals. 

Such as architecture... hmm, interesting bridge design

or wall art of an abandoned building

or strange play of nature - (I imagine this pomelo will grow with a crease on the bottom like a butt!)

Sometimes, you'll just meet a friendly fellow. 

Getting lost while on a bicycle is something I could look forward to, as opposed to when I'm driving because I have to be wary of my gas consumption and it's not like I could just stop to look at my maps, I still have to look for a spot where I can safely stop. Also, there is increased chance that I could violate a local traffic ordinance (e.g. one way streets) since I'm in unfamiliar place. It's just too much hassle. By the way, I did get back on track, even without GPS. How? I asked the locals. Sometimes, the old ways of doing things is still the most effective.

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