Renting a motorbike is one of 'the things to do' in SE Asia. And Sunday I rented one for the first time. I've been on the back of motorcycles in the US & a few motorbikes here...I'm a great passenger...love it... but never been the driver.

There's no insurance here... an accident would be very expensive. So I've been nervous... plus I kept picturing having my own totally gory 'motorbike tattoo' I saw on this westerner who had wiped out.

But the lure of a Buddha theme park was calling. How cool does that sound?!? And someone swore it was. So I decided to do it!

Rented a bicycle a few times from this place that also rents motorbikes. The owner was great & upgraded me to a new, bigger motorbike. I put on the helmet (surprisingly it's the law), sat on the bike... then asked him how it works. I seriously thought the poor guy was going to have a panic attack!!

Once I'm on my way, after an eternity of us driving up & down the block, I hit road construction. The vehicles in front of me move into the opposite lane. There were no cones & I thought I'd seen a detour sign...but no big deal...I can go with the flow. But soon they’re all gone... no traffic in front of me or behind... but plenty coming right at me! My turn to panic!! I quickly decide to take my chances on the side streets & get off that road.

But there wasn't really a side street. In no time I'm on a dirt road that's too narrow to turn around & huge potholes... my water bottle actually flew out of the front basket on one pothole! After what felt like an eternity of wishing a sports bra would fall from the sky, I see a major road. Hallelujah! But it’s the same road, right back where I started!!

Not knowing quite what to do, I went back... seriously considering calling it quits. But then, there it was... that detour sign.

After getting around the construction I stop for lunch in a little town with no tourists. Which means all the unemployed men for entertainment have to come watch me eat. As much as I HATE that, they came in really handy when I had to ask them how to restart the damn bike!!!

A few miles from my destination I've finally channeled my inner biker chick when my nice paved road turns into pothole ridden dirt trail. And I'm once again bouncing along at a snail's pace afraid of flying through the air like a circus performer. By the time I eventually get there so many people had passed me I have my own welcoming committee congratulating me on finally making it.

The park itself with hundreds of huge Buddhas was terrifically tacky... exactly what I was hoping for! And well worth the 2 hrs it took me to go the 14 miles there!!