Cycling Kuching

On our last day in Kuching we finally get to see the city properly - on bikes. The lovely people at CPH Travel, who have organised everything we've done here, give us helmets and pretty little folding bikes and a guide named Richard, and off we go. Or off we would have gone, if not for a pause to pump up our own tyres, then two different stops in search of a helmet for Richard, whose boss hadn't left one out for him as promised.

"We're going to die, aren't we," I mutter to Gregory, eyeing the city traffic with trepidation as we adjust our helmets. Kuching traffic is an odd combination of laid-back and unregulated; operations like merging, giving way and changing lanes are done with more regard to the feelings and needs of other road users than to the road rules. While that's kind of sweet, it can be alarming at first. Being a pedestrian is very disconcerting when no one stops to let you cross - but the moment you take your life into your hands and step into the road, vehicles carefully steer around you as if they actually don't want you to die. Coming from Wellington, this is a revelation.

Pedaling grimly along the Kuching waterfront road, we quickly find that the same attitude applies to cyclists. The drivers share the road like gods. They make way and keep clear and let us go first at traffic lights. In this city where double-parking appears entirely legal, a driver alert for unexpected vehicles parked in his lane has no difficulty with an unexpected cyclist. They just drift calmly along behind, never even tooting, until we can get ourselves out of harm's way.

Once the question of traffic is settled I begin to relax and enjoy being on the move. It's 30 degrees and the sun comes and goes. In the heat, moving is better than not moving, but soaring along on a bike is best of all. The breeze of your progress makes the heat bearable and the changing vista keeps your mind off the discomfort.

We visit Kuching South City Hall, cycle across the western river bridge to visit a vegetable market, take in the stately buildings on the north shore - state legislature, state library, governor's residence. At every new sight we stop for photographs and Richard waits patiently. We wind up with a visit to an orchid garden before putting the bikes on a water taxi back to the south side.

The bikes are folding ones with small wheels and they fit easily under the low roof of the water taxi. As we'd discovered when we stopped earlier to adjust them for taller riders, they're designed with ease of use in mind - from the seat to the handlebars, everything is quick-release and slide-to-adjust, no spanners or hex keys necessary. I want one.

After a final sprint back along the waterfront, we leave the bikes in the van, folding their pedals up to make them fit better. Richard says goodbye - he has another job to do this afternoon. We put on hats against the heat and stroll, too slowly now, back to Chinatown for lunch. We are sore and sunburnt, but we feel so much more at home in Kuching for having soared through the streets like laid-back locals.