El Andalous - The Funky Pigeon

The Flying Pigeon

There’s quite a lot I want to write about at the moment (this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s anything that’s really that interesting), but I’m so excited about my new bicycle that I have to write about this before anything else!

As I said, I had a bit of a spending spree on items that I would collect in the UK. The problem is, once I’ve allowed myself to spend, it’s quite hard to know where to stop. I’d been eyeing up a bicycle in our new supermarket, BestWay. It seemed meant for me as they were selling only three bicycles – two for children and one ladies bike with gears, which was ideal for me. However, it seemed like a lot of money (3.3k LE – around 260-300 quid), and each time I’ve owned a bike, I haven’t used it much, so I was trying to be sensible and to learn from past mistakes.

Anyway, I got to thinking about it again when I was in the UK. Although BestWay sold the bike, it didn’t come with a basket (a must-have), and they didn’t sell padlocks or pumps. Therefore, if I was going to get it, it would be easier to buy the accessories in the UK. Of course, I didn’t start thinking about this very seriously until it was almost time to leave.

Consequently, on my last day, I finally priced bikes in the UK and found I could get them for around 100 quid. Bargain! I fantasized for quite a while about getting one and putting it on a plane, but after reading about how to do this, it seemed a bit beyond me. People were talking about dismantling the steering wheel (or whatever you call it on a bike) and then putting various parts back together when you got back. And then I had to think about getting it to the airport in the first place (poor Geraldine, if I thrust this upon her!), and on top of that it seemed that you couldn’t just turn up to your flight with one – you had to book in advance to take a bike with you. Anyway, I gave up on the idea.

However, I decided that maybe I was more wedded to the idea than I realized, and so bought myself a lock and a pump in the UK to save myself some trouble. If I didn’t get the bike, the pump and the lock didn’t exactly cost much, and if I did get it, purchasing these items now would save me a lot of hassle later. The guy in the bike shop obviously sussed me straight away as clueless, so he kindly walked me through the basic types of locks and the basic types of pumps, steering me away from the expensive ones.

Once back in Egypt, it dawned on me that maybe I should see if there was a bicycle shop in Hurghada (doh!). I searched the internet and found a thread where people were saying that there were three shops in a street by the Marina that sold bikes for around 60 GBP. That was quite a saving over the one in BestWay. Although I want to support my local shops, I don’t want to support them to the tune of paying 250 quid extra!

So, off I went into town with Esmat on another intrepid adventure into Hurghada. He took me first of all to a bicycle shop near his home. He joked with me about him taking me to a useless shop as we went up some shabby stairs strewn with litter in a nondescript building (this is typical of Egypt). But there, on the first floor, was a fairly large shop with lots of new bikes. There were many children’s bikes (which is maybe why Esmat knew it so well). Unfortunately, they didn’t stock any ladies bikes with gears; there were plenty without gears for around 70 GBP. The guy in the shop tried to tell us (again, very typical of Egypt) that they didn’t stock ladies bikes with gears because they don’t exist. I reiterated to Esmat that the one in BestWay definitely had gears.

So, off we went to shop number two. This also did not stock any ladies bikes with gears. I was beginning to think that maybe I’d got it wrong. It was either at this shop, or the shop after this, that a shopkeeper informed Esmat that a street by the Marina may have the required type of bicycle. I’m guessing this is the street I’d read about on the internet (I had told Esmat about it, but I bowed to his local knowledge, and in any case he may well have taken me to cheaper shops).

Here, we finally had success. They had one ladies bike with gears sitting outside the shop. I felt a bit dubious about it as it was covered in dust, didn’t have a saddle, and cost 1000k LE more than the others we’d seen. Esmat tried to negotiate for me, but the shopkeeper wouldn’t budge as it was a famous make and had shimano gears (if I’ve got my terminology right here). I had heard of those gears before, and the bike was still 1.4k cheaper than in BestWay, and it had a basket, so I said I would just get it.

The bike didn’t really visually appeal to me much, but it was obviously a more difficult task to get one than I thought it would be originally. I had no idea what to look for in a bicycle or what you pay more for and I didn’t really want to spend time finding other shops which may not have anything suitable anyway. And it was Esmat’s time ticking away. After I handed the shopkeeper a deposit, he kissed the money, and then went off to clean the bike and add the bits and pieces to it (a branded saddle, new handle grips, a rear reflector, the matching basket), while I went to get money out of the bank.

It was also the usual Egyptian creativity in somehow getting the bicycle to fit into the boot of the car. The guy selling it asked for a tip (this still surprises me over here when they are just doing their job!); Esmat said it was voluntary but suggested maybe giving him 10LE. Again, the shopkeeper kissed the money as a way of saying thank you. I guess that’s also an Egyptian thing.

I was rather nervous on the journey back each time the car jolted because my bike was precariously sticking out of the boot, but my driver (Esmat had to go elsewhere) assured me it was all OK (which it was). I guess this is just business as usual for them.

Anyway, it turned out to be a bit like a successful arranged marriage (not that I’ve ever experienced that!). I inspected the bicycle at leisure once I’d got it all to myself at home and was delighted to see that it was called “flying pigeon”. I really love this name, although I keep on thinking of it as the “funky pigeon” (it’s not really that funky, but I love it anyway).

I’ve since looked it up and actually it’s a very famous Chinese brand that seems to have fallen out of favour. But the price I paid seems to be quite reasonable. The seat also goes quite low – many bikes I find have the saddle too high even when the seat is at its lowest, whereas on my new bike, the seat isn’t anywhere near the lowest point. I’m not a seasoned cyclist, so I like to feel I can safely have my feet on the ground quite easily. I have it on a firm tip-toe rather than a tottering tip-toe.

I took it out for a ride and it breezed down the streets. It’s lovely cycling in Sahl Hasheesh because there’s no traffic apart from golf buggies and other bicycles, so absolutely no stress. The saddle was nice and broad, the gears changed easily. My previous bicycle always clunked with each gear change.

Anyway, I now look at my bike as if it’s the most beautiful thing in the world. The branded saddle (it says “pigeon” on it, how wonderful is that!) matches the brown highlighted branding and the brown basket. I didn’t like it at first, but now it’s a work of art in my eyes. This ugly frog has turned into my prince. I hope I will continue to enjoy it and that the honeymoon never fades!