hands-free biking

Bike courier day, somewhere in Cubao

Decided to give my aching back a rest from my too large frame by letting go of the handlebars. Life is good. :)

Blue nails

Biking with blue nails.

Please don't make fun of my ugly foot.

Poverty

Poverty in Manila. Behind the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (Philippine Central Bank) at Agham Road, Quezon City. A fire ravaged a squatter area here a few weeks ago. Because the fire destroyed their homes, families were forced to relocate wherever they could find shelter. In this case, the island separating the North and South lanes:

Tent city

Blurry picture, but here's a man living in his makeshift home:

See him?

Needless to say, this ride drained me.

Vague

I think the summer sun fried my camera.

Ayala Technohub, Commonwealth Ave.

Waiting for deliveries

Essentials for getting around Manila:

Pedala delivery form and Metro Manila Citiatlas to help me get around the city

My nameless pink bike, helmet and lots of water!

Scenes from Pedala

Visayas Ave:

My bike:

Marcos Highway 1:

Marcos Highway 2:

Marcos Highway 3 (LRT alert):

Pedala bike messenger

Things I learned about being a Pedala bike messenger:

1. Having a messenger bag is cool, but always prepare for cases where the package you're delivering won't fit. It helps to bring a small, foldable drawstring sack (thanks, Nature Valley) so at least you can sling it around your back, even when wearing the messenger bag. And when not in use, you can always stuff it in the messenger bag.
2. Have the luxury of using different bikes. By the end of the day of deliveries, you'll be cursing your bike because it's too uncomfortable, too slow, too heavy, too small, too big, any of the above. You'll always find something to complain about and might not want to ride the next day. Having the luxury of using another bike the next day adds variety to your workout and
3. Bring a ballpen.
4. Wear clothes with pockets in them-- to carry your extra change, bike lock key, ballpen, mp3 player, etc.
5. Waterproof your stuff. Might not rain, but the sweat on your back is almost equivalent to rain. The last thing you want are your clients receiving sweaty deliveries. Ew!
6. Use a citiatlas-- works wonders. But don't be afraid to ask for directions from anywhere you can find. tricycle drivers offer the most valuable information, as they can give you the ins and outs of a particular location, especially if inside villages.
7. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! In case you haven't noticed, it's hot in Manila.
8. Always be polite and courteous. A smile on your face even when you're dead tired goes a long way. Plus your deliveries never just end with deliveries. People always want to know more about you.
9. Bring an extra shirt. Or towel. Or both.
10. Brace yourself for Manila's streets: pollution, crazy drivers, crazy cars, crazy animals, crazy streets, crazy pedestrians. It's crazy here in Manila.