Crazyness

Alright, so what to update? Yesterday was insane. We had an optional bike ride to this mountain at 5 a.m. Of course everyone wanted to go. So, I had to wake up before dawn and ride over to the SITA center to meet up with everyone. Everything started out ok, but then I started feeling a little bit of vertigo, which wasn't helped by the fact I was trying to balance myself on a bike. I got very disoriented by the headlights of oncoming cars. I had to stop a couple of times because I was feeling nauseous and generally not well. Fortunately, I had people to stop with me, including Lauren, one of the program assistants. We finally got there, and Lauren went to find someone who had apparently gotten lost on the way. I still had some vertigo as I was climbing to meet up with the other people on the program. Once I got to the place they all were, I was able to eat a cookie and I felt a lot better. It was like magic. Then we had a more challenging climb, which involved some scooting on our butts and taking off shoes so as to better grip the rocks with our feet. We finally got to the top and we all took pictures of the view and next to the "I Heart India sign." I climbed back down, feeling a lot better. I also felt a lot better on my bike as well. Silly me, I should have known. As I was riding down one road, this jeep/land rover type thing came completely in the wrong lane, out of no where. I guess they were passing someone, but they were going pretty damn fast, and I didn' t have much time to react...and they side-swiped me. The only thing I could think was "Shit! I've been hit by a car." and then "I hope its not serious." Some of the girls who were riding near me turned around and came back when they heard me yell. The car didn't even slow down. I wasn't badly hurt...my wrist hurts and my upper arm is a little sore. I also have some bruises on my legs, but I could have gotten those earlier in the day. Anyway, the people who were on the side of the road all came to make sure I was alright. They were asking me if I had any pain, told me to move my arm, checked to make sure my bike was working properly, etc. One man gave me a cold bottle of water from his shop. Another guy had written down the license plate number. Lauren came to help me, and we decided to take an auto-rickshaw to the place we were meeting for breakfast. The guys at the side of the road let us leave our bikes at their shop, and they wouldn't let us pay for the rickshaw. In the US, people would probably just sit there and look at you. So yesterday, I felt completely incompetent. I have no idea whether there was really much I could have done to avoid getting hit by the car. It just wasn't my day I guess. Lauren and Marcie went to pick up the bikes later, and I rode home. I don't feel like I'm going to die when I do that. Those SUVs are just no good, I guess.