November 2020
Saturday 21st November 2020
Pura Vida
In my journal entry for October I wrote about the bicycle I had ordered.
When I realised that my old bike needed replacing, I ordered a new one. Like many other people, I placed my order at the height of summer. But in this corona year the company that builds these bikes had fallen way behind with their orders. As summer turned to autumn, there was no sign of the new bike.
Until today, nearly four months later, on the coldest day of the year so far, when an SMS popped up on my mobile phone. It read, “Your bicycle is now ready to be collected.”
I needed no second bidding. I dropped what I was doing – I was cleaning the bathroom, so it wasn’t difficult to drop it – grabbed my helmet and hopped on the bus to the bike shop. An hour or so later I came out of the shop, and cautiously rode the new machine home.
When I realised that my old bike needed replacing, I ordered a new one. Like many other people, I placed my order at the height of summer. But in this corona year the company that builds these bikes had fallen way behind with their orders. As summer turned to autumn, there was no sign of the new bike.
Until today, nearly four months later, on the coldest day of the year so far, when an SMS popped up on my mobile phone. It read, “Your bicycle is now ready to be collected.”
I needed no second bidding. I dropped what I was doing – I was cleaning the bathroom, so it wasn’t difficult to drop it – grabbed my helmet and hopped on the bus to the bike shop. An hour or so later I came out of the shop, and cautiously rode the new machine home.
And here it is, the long-awaited two-wheeler.
The model of bike has the rather inspiring name Pura Vida.
The model of bike has the rather inspiring name Pura Vida.
It made me think back to the first bike I ever had.
It was a hand-me-down, which had had I don’t know how many owners before. At some point in its history someone had hand-painted it yellow and blue, but where the paint was chipped, it looked as though it may once have been red.
It was a hand-me-down, which had had I don’t know how many owners before. At some point in its history someone had hand-painted it yellow and blue, but where the paint was chipped, it looked as though it may once have been red.
Recently, while I was sorting through some old photographs, I stumbled on a black-and-white photo of it. We weren’t very experienced photographers in those days, so there’s actually not much of the bicycle to be seen in the picture.
But what is clearly visible in this old photo is the shiny new white artificial-leather saddle bag that I had been given for Christmas.
And even now as I look at that photo I can vividly smell the strong smell of plastic that saddle bag used to have.
But what is clearly visible in this old photo is the shiny new white artificial-leather saddle bag that I had been given for Christmas.
And even now as I look at that photo I can vividly smell the strong smell of plastic that saddle bag used to have.
Front page story
Look back to 1665: the Plague Year
Contact
If you’re interested in English lessons or translation and checking services, please feel free to contact me in the language of your choice - English, French, German or even Lingala!
Here are my details:
Here are my details:
Mobile
078 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
+41 78 609 56 51
Location
Tödistrasse 9, 8634 Hombrechtikon
(New address from 24th March 2018)
(New address from 24th March 2018)
If you are travelling from Rüti / Wolfhausen, drive past the Hombrechtikon place-name sign for about 300 metres and turn right into Tödistrasse, just before the Tobel bus stop.
Approaching from Hombrechtikon
If you are approaching from the centre of Hombrechtikon, follow the signs to Rüti. At the Tobel junction (the Methodist Church is on the left) turn left. Tödistrasse is the next turning on the left, just past the Tobel bus stop.
The entrance to our new flat is about 100 metres from the junction with Rütistrasse, on the left-hand side of the road.
The house number is number 9 and we are on the first floor.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
There are a few visitor’s parking bays a short distance beyond the entrance, on the left.
Arriving by bus
If you arrive by bus from Bubikon, get off the bus at Tobel and follow Tödiweg until you get to Tödistrasse. Our house is on the right.