Snake Boarding on Sunday

By Carly

“Ashley!!  Carly!!  It’s time to go!!”

“Oh darn!!!”  Ashley picked up the snake board and we started to walk to lunch.  As we were walking, I started to think about all Ashley and I had done in the last two hours at Da’an Park, the biggest park in Taipei.

      Ashley is a girl that my mom met when she came to Taipei to find an apartment in November.  My mom was trying to set up a city bike account and Ashley and her dad saw her and asked if she needed help.  Ashley’s dad’s name is William.  William lived in Texas for three years, so he is fluent in English.  Ashley lives near us and is a few months younger than I am so my mom got his e-mail so my family could meet with her family again.  And I am glad we did!

      My dad, William, Ashley and I had decided to meet at a little park that was near Ashley’s apartment.  After playing at that park for a bit, we walked to Da’an Park.  We brought games, a jump rope and a snake board.  When we arrived at Da’an Park, we jumped rope over to a playground.  We looked around and saw a basketball court.  Peerrrrrrfect!  The cement was great because it was so smooth.  “Whoever gets there first gets to do the snake board first!!” we shouted.

      O.K.  I have said snake board twice, so for you people who don’t know what it is, I must explain.  A snake board is a long, skinny object that has two platforms for each of your feet with a bar attaching the platforms.  The bar is there so you can wiggle each platform different ways.  It has that ability because wiggling the platforms pushes the snake board forward so you don’t have to push it with your foot like you do with a skateboard.  There is only one wheel on the bottom of each platform.  Believe it or not, the wheels are roller blade wheels!

  

      We hurried to the basketball court.  “Yes!  I win!”  Ashley had just stepped onto the basketball court before me and she started to snake board easily around the court.  When it was finally my turn, I put my right foot on the snake board and started to push it along with my other foot, which is how you start it.  Then I quickly placed my left foot onto the back platform and wiggled my feet different ways to keep myself moving.  I could feel the wind and drops of rain against my face.  It felt refreshing because it was so hot out.  Two seconds of that wonderful experience and … whump.  I fell again and again.  But I was determined to keep trying!

      After two hours of snake boarding, I could finally go all the way down one side of the basketball court and turn by leaning forward or backward.  Then I would fall off.

“Carly, do you like pizza?” asked Ashley.

“Yes.  Why?”

“We’re going to a pizza place for lunch.”

After lunch, Ashley’s parents had meetings, so we said goodbye and then Ashley’s dad said, “Next time, we should go to karaoke.”  

 Our street