Road to Indonesia--Van/Taxi, Driving

 We went to the open air market this morning.  As always quite a trip.  Got lots of stuff, even a big piece of pork that the man cut up for us into little pieces! for about $10!  After we were done,  another friend took us down to the bottom of our hill to the main drag of the town: one rather long street.  You put your hand out and a number of white vans will stop.  There might be quite a few people in the van, but that is OK. It is just going to drive up and down the main street and you can tell them to stop where ever you want. Near or far it is going to cost about a quarter.  We overshoot our mark, and walk a bit, and our friend keeps asking people where the location is. We finally get back into another van and ride a bit and find what we are looking for. It is a motor scooter helmet shop.  Our friend, the grade 3 teacher, is going to let us use her scooter whenever we want to. It was given to her, and she wants to share it. But she insists that we have helmets if we are going to drive it.  Thus, we are at the helmet shop.  We find two nice helmets that are not too restrictive or hot.....and then our friend insists on paying for them!!!  She says that a friend gave her a huge Christmas check and she wants to share.  Each of the helmets cost about $36, so this is not a small gift. Such a generous generous community overall. We got back in the van/taxi and rode to where our alleyway takes off up the hill to our home. Our friend had driven the scooter down to the bottom of the hill before, and we are suppose to drive the scooter home, while she walks.  (It is maybe a little less than a mile.)  We get on the scooter, and take off....on the wrong side of the road. (Remember, they drive on the other side of the road in Indonesia.) But we get straightened out after a little while and make it home by about 10:00. Good morning.