nella's journeys

Tri-sikad...
so-called for
how it looks - it has three wheels;
and how it works - it is foot-pedalled.
(To pedal in our dialect is sikad).

This is common in the province
where life is not a rat race
and traditions are remembered and repeated
as they evolve in time.

I find travelling by tri-sikad interesting
as it enables me to:
- savor the view of the countryside
- relax as the gentle breeze beats on my face
- recognize a red, black or blue ant that crosses my way
- greet unhurriedly a cousin or friend on the road
- watch amused at the face of the kids
as I smile and wave hello.

The tri-sikad goes slow
a reflection of the life here in the province.
Even its people don't age fast
as they take life in stride
laughing off life's worries
living one day at a time.

The tri-sikad drivers I've met
were simple, honest people
who would patiently wait
as I drop or pick up something
en-route to the house of a friend.

If I don't know how to get to a place
I just give them the name
and they'd bring me there