Gotta New Bike,,,,

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You know when you getta REALLY good deal on something, and you just HAVE to share the story?

Well here goes:

I mentioned in a previous blog entry that I was going to buy a bike, right? Well, I shopped around at the Malls and found a couple pretty nice mountain bikes for about $500. CAD (1800 drms).

Now, one great thing about living in Abu Dhabi is that there is absolutely no sales tax...notta....NOTHING. Not having to add 15% to everything in your mind, prior to making the purchase, takes some getting used to. Especially when the price of the item(s) you are purchasing is in the hundreds. With that said, I was okay with that price, since I am not paying to rent a car monthly.

Well now to the good deal. Last weekend on my walk to the Corniche, I passed a bicycle repair shop. I went in and asked if they had any NEW bikes for sale. They did. The best part is, that they were only 450 drms.....I was soooo excited. They looked good to me.....not anything close to top of the line...but good enough for my needs (since I practically have to walk it 6kms to ride it...where it is safe, at the Corniche...lol). I was sold but not forgetting that although the price was considerably lower than what I was previously prepared to pay at the cycle shops in the Mall, with the smaller shops in Abu Dhabi you barter, barter, and barter more. Not only did I get the bike for less than 450 drms BUT, I also got them to throw in a lock, tire pump, and a bell for 400 in total....lol. When I paid the gentleman (who I had to tell to stop calling me "Mama".....ewww.....lol), he gave me 50 drms back, for a Grand Total of 350 drms ($97.50 CAD) for everything! You would've been so proud hunny.

Needless to say, I had to go back there today after my 'dance-with death' bike ride to get there and to the Corniche in rush hour traffic, to have them tighten my handlebars (which all of a sudden twisted out of control...lol), to raise my seat a bit and adjust the gears...'iron out the kinks' in other words

In all, another Abu Dhabi Adventure for me and now I have a new bike. Check out the pic of me on my new wheels!

Only 7 more workdays until we're off for a week!! Yipeeeeee.......xoxo

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Photos

My new bike......
..."My good ole' bike" and yes, those are "fenders" AND a "rat trap" on back.....lol