Scooter in Bali

Podcast #4: Biking in Bali as a Beginner

In this episode I share my experience of learning to ride a motorbike (well, scooter) on the mean streets of Bali. Okay, so not exactly mean, but pretty freaking hectic for sure.

I talk about:

  • The 4 big reasons I was avoiding riding a scooter
  • What prompted me to just go for it
  • The learning process
  • The speed pact I made with myself
  • Filling up with petrol
  • The infamous Canggu shortcut
  • Riding in the rain
  • The single most amazing place I visited
  • Insurance, driving licenses and other necessities
  • My tips for people thinking of doing the same

Listen / Watch

You can listen on StitcheriTunesSpotifyPocket CastsPodBean … and others.

Or right here on the page:

Show Notes:

Here is the (in)famous Canggu shortcut:

Here is a couple on a scooter falling into the paddy field and a pretty decent video of the shortcut in general.

Here is the Canggu Community Facebook group, which is an essential contact point between foreigner visitors and local Balinese people. Also for regular photos of the shortcut.

My comment about being in a state of ‘flow’ (which I arguably wasn’t by the way, as I was way too much of a beginner) is a reference to something outlined in the well-known book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

This is my blog post on Sidemen, which you should definitely visit. Sidemen, that is, although you should definitely read my blog post too, obviously.

Here is the listing for that amazing guest house, but wait – sign up for Booking.com via this link and we both get money off our bookings on booking.com, which is a good thing, obviously.

[NB: there may be affiliate links on this page, meaning that Amazon and others may give me some pocket fluff as thanks for nudging you in their direction, while you pay the exact same amount]

2 Comments

  1. Chapeau to you Sir!
    It takes a lot of bottle to do what you did.
    It is a weighing up of Risk Vs. Reward, but (providing you donยดt have a bad spill), the freedom and spirit of adventure make it very, very exciting indeed.
    As the old adage goes, “In a car you are watching a film, whilst on a motorbike, you are in the film!” (Or something like that).
    Excellent podcast, keep them coming ๐Ÿ™‚

    • wanderboss

      Cheers Johnny – much appreciated. First time I’ve heard that adage, and I don’t think I’d have got it before, but I certainly get it now ๐Ÿ™‚

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