Three and a bit years ago, I was in Brazil, and a different relationship. I posted this:-
11th May 2018
Oh ‘eck. Rather too much enthusiasm today. I left home with the intention of riding further along the road I found on Monday. The legs were doing well, both cycle track and roads were quiet, so I just went for it. Six or seven miles along the front wheel found a patch of sand on a left hand bend, by the time I had straightened it out, about half a blink of an eyelid, both wheels were in the gutter. Like a few around here, both sides of the gutter are vertical and deep and, as I discovered, not possible to ride out of. I flew instead, the bike was close to me but we were not attached. A group of cyclists stopped, and after the language was sorted out one of them called my girlfriend, and an ambulance. Bike into car, me into hospital and in a remarkably short space of time my gravel rash was cleaned, skull tomographed and scapula, clavicle and nearby other bits X rayed. Broken collarbone, which is one of those things really.
All credit to the Brazilian emergency services, the free ambulance, and the fire brigade, are run by the military. I was taken to a public hospital, which was busy. All the staff were so very good and cheerful, helpful even. Quite a number spoke English, a good thing for me, ‘cos I have very little Portuguese. Once our lass arrived things language related were a lot easier, but there were no problems, just laughter. Oh aye, we are really too old to be girlfriend and boyfriend, but one of the staff asked where my girlfriend was. Guess it will stick. Still grinning, it is so wonderful when the nasty bits have been sorted.
.........I've tried to tip it over without success, I think it is too low down
