Sevici, the community bike hire scheme in Sevilla (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’ll be the first to tell you that I LOVE SEVICI. Seriously, it’s becoming an obsession. For a mere 28 euros you can get a pass to borrow bicycles all over the city of Sevilla, 24/7 and 365 days a year. It’s the ultimate mode of cheap transporation (barata, another one of my favorite Spanish words!). But my SEVICI pass hasn’t come without its fair share of mishaps and adventures. Like with my La Comida page, I’ll keep this section updated with all my crazy SEVICI travels.
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23 September: Facebook status- “Had my first (and inevitable) Sevici accident in Parque Maria Luisa, glad to say the only thing bruised is my ego.”
Photo evidence of my Sept. 24 SEVICI accident (guess which replacement pole is my mark on Sevilla? :p)
24 September: Facebook status- “First falling over a curb, now casually breaking off chunks of concrete posts. The SEVICI adventures continue! Glad Ashley told me to stop being so cheap and buy the 5 euro insurance :p”
25 September: A 30 minute Sevici ride, 25 minutes of walking, and another 25 minutes of Sevici later, I probably got more exercise registering for la Carrera Nocturna del Guadalquivir than I’ll actually get running the 7 mile race.
– I also learned when biking to the Champions for Africa fútbol game that you cannot cross tram tracks in a parallel direction of a bike unless you want to nearly wipe out.
26 September: SEVICI is definitely paying for itself; too many classes to exercise officially today but definitely biked over an hour going to and from different campuses.
28 September: It only takes me 20 minutes to bike from la Facultad de Medicina to la Facultad de Psicología. Success! SEVICI ❤
29 September: Bike with Kristin to el Festival de Naciones, bike nearly falls apart. 😮
1 October: Let this be known as the day I lost SEVICI card #1. Tis a sad day in Sevilla for Shannon. 😦 Let the countdown until my new SEVICI card arrives…
2 October: Change that! Facebook status- “Hallelujah! My SEVICI card has been found. Tengo mucha más suerte hoy en día :)”
3 October: First late-night SEVICI ride=SUCCESS!
4 October: In the middle of showing Kristin the pole that I broke on one of my earlier SEVICI adventures, I bumped my leg on another pole. That’s gonna leave a bruise.
11 October: As predicted, that bump left a bruise. Not predicted: this bruise is still here ONE WEEK LATER!
25 October: Bruise update- Three weeks later, it has finally disappeared physically…. but definitely still there. Sure hoped I learned a SEVICI lesson on this one. Hope there’s no more bumps like this!
31 October: Probably just rode the most ghetto bike in SEVICI history (think half of the seat missing and both handlebar grips gone), but at least the chain/gears funcioned decently. And HAPPY HALLOWEEN!
8 November: Well that’s a first! I chose an “invisible” Sevici… selected #15, went to find my bike & the only part there was the part that clips into the station. Guess I wasn’t going anywhere on that!
15 November: So remember that concrete post I broke? (think chunk of concrete on the ground, post on 24 September) Well they finally got around to replacing it! Stands out from the others for sure, but glad I literally left my permanent mark on Sevilla. 🙂
20 December: Nothing like having a perfectly functioning SEVICI for my one of my last rides in Sevilla! Minus a little rain & a seat that wouldn’t adjust…. guess you can’t ask for too much!
Shannon en Sevilla 
Hi Shannon, I’m also planning to study abroad in Sevilla and am really enjoying your blog! I was wondering how much you paid for your homestay, or if it was part of the whole study abroad package? How did you find your host family?
SEVICI sounds real great too, and I’d love to do this except I never learned to bike!
I just got your e-mail as well and am about to reply!