Shortly after I started my new job in central London, I rediscovered the "joys" of travelling on the underground. For some strange reason I just didn't enjoy being packed into heaving carriages like a giant sardine, nor did I relish being late for work every damn day when we were inexplicably held in the tunnels. So, I hatched a plan.
Having seen lots of people with very cunning folding bikes on the train into London (yep, we chose to live in the sticks), I thought that I should get me one of them. After a day's careful research I decided on a badged Dahon (or perhaps it's de-badged), which is basically a really good folder, but made for another company and sold cheaper. Just 100 Great British Pounds later and I was the proud owner of said bike.
I merrily cycled from London Waterloo station to work each day for nearly two weeks. It took me a while to learn the route, but I was starting to get confident and would bore anyone who took even a vague interest with tales of my travels. But alas, this biking mania was not to last.
On March 3 I was patiently waiting to cross the road to my office, when traffic came to a standstill and a nice lorry driver beckoned me across. Across I went, but sadly did not have the sense to check the bus lane first. Bam! I was hit by a moped and deposited rather unceremoniously onto the tarmac.
I knew something untoward had happened, because I could hear myself moaning very loudly, but was powerless to shut myself up. Lots of policemen turned up - rather an excessive amount actually - and I was eventually taken to hospital.
To cut a long story short, I have a compression fracture of the 11th thoracic vertebrae. I can walk, talk etc, but I'm not allowed back on the bike yet, nor am I supposed to pick up the baby. I have been doing that lately quite a bit though and everything still works.
Silver lining to this was that I had to stop breastfeeding at night and within 3 days of Dad being in charge, VV started sleeping through the night. Who knew it could be that easy! After nearly 11 months of next to no sleep I am now a new woman, albeit one with a sore back. Hoping to get back in the saddle soon - the bike fared much better than me and is sitting, folded next to my desk at work, begging to be let out again.
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