OBike is really very good.
I have made my first foray into the world of bike sharing as a means of travel and so far so good. Having downloaded the app ages ago and never having put it to use I finally loaded RM20 onto my account and tried it out. Having dropped Edwin off at his dance lesson this evening I discovered a bike about four metres away and followed the instructions. I scanned the QR code, adjusted the seat, clambered on and cronked and growled my way off towards KLCC. I should add that it was the bike that did the cronking and growling, not me. Ok, so my bottom bracket needed some work (the bike's, not mine) but the tyres were full of air and it did get me the 2.9 miles to my destination successfully. The price? A staggering RM0.50 or just under 10p.
I was inspired to put sandal to pedal having seen loads of obikes and other app bikes all over Singapore at the weekend. Lawrences were in the city state to watch Julius Caesar in Fort Canning Park. Year after year the festival organisers and directors come up with delightfully thought provoking ways to interpret and then perform the great man's works, and this year was no different. With the world being ruled by politicians who are in varying degrees combinations of democrats, kleptocrats, state religious leaders, and dictators this was as good a time as any to examine power and the desire for it. Quite an outwardly sympathetic Caesar was put to the sword by Brutus, Cassius et al who were desperately trying convince themselves that Rome needed them more than JC. The ensuing riots, staged under the glare of TV cameras were reminiscent of the bloody weeks of transition in Singapore immediately following the Japanese surrender in 1945 when he country sunk into a brief period of blood petting and score settling. Overall, Julius Caesar was great.
And then there have been tumultuous times in Malaysia. Today is the first of two national holidays to celebrate the victory of the Pakatan Harapan coalition of parties under the leadership of now Prime Minister Mahathir. I spent lots of time on Wednesday evening watching an English Language results show and watching an unofficial website with fascination. I called it a day at 11.30pm, expecting a similar result to 2013.
Wednesday had been a day off for voting and so school had been closed. Consequently I had turned my alarm off, forgotten to
put it back on and then we had all overslept, until 7.10am, a few minutes before the start of registration. A quick check of messages announced the seemingly impossible victory and the two days of holidays. 61 years of one party being in power is really too long and many of the Malaysian crimes I have have been very keen for change, which, hopefully, will come with the change of Government.
Exciting times ahead, and I am not just thinking about my next OBike ride.