So, it’s really exciting to be able to spend my 24th birthday in India. Before I left for the race, I thought it was such a forever far away time. I never thought this day would finally come, but here we are. I am in India and I am turning 24 next week. Because my birthday falls on a debrief day, I wanted to share it with my team while we are here in Bangalore. Friday night, we celebrated.
I was told to be ready at 4:30, and after getting semi lost (surprise, surprise) on our way there, we finally arrived at Ruby Tuesday’s for dinner. I was pretty excited because any place American is like an automatic welcome at this point. The table was covered with awesome handmade party hats which were awesome. All together, two teams and Andrew and one of our contacts Thelma were there. It felt so good to be with friends… well, family really. I had this awesome chicken spinach stuff and mashed potatoes with cheese… so good. After this, the waiter came out with a huge bowl-like glass of chocolate cake, ice cream, and whipped cream. I realize that this race makes you the least shy person in existence, which means everyone had a spoon and very quickly helped me devour the whole thing as soon as the last note of the Happy Birthday song was belted.
After this, I’ll be honest and say that I expected that we would do something else on this most momentous celebration, but everyone was set on going back to the base, because we had ministry today. Everyone seemed frantic, but of course I didn’t notice. We took rickshaws home instead of a bus (they are more expensive which doesn’t make since) but of course, I didn’t notice. I was pulled into a rickshaw that I wasn’t initially going for, while others frantically got into the first one available, which again I didn’t notice. Amber and Sarah and Thelma were in my rickshaw, so of course everything was hilarious and distracting. They were acting a little sketchy, but again, I didn’t notice. I think the World Race has desensitized me to everything that is remotely out of place, I think because most things are out of place.
Before we got back to base, Thelma got a call and decided that we needed to turn around to go and get something from her friend, and she had to do it now. She was afraid to annoy our driver after she realized that we were semi lost, so we paid them and got out to begin to walk on foot – lost down dark alleys. Yes, there were no lights, yes, it had just rained and I couldn’t see, and yes, there were random scary packs of dogs everywhere.
At one point I looked at Amber and said, “I have enough of this.” I was annoyed that we had no clue where we were going and that this all had to be done right then. I thought it was stupid, and I just wanted to go home. I was like, “Happy Birthday to me”… as I stepped in a puddle of sludge and was told by exasperated Thelma that we still did not know where we were going.
We finally arrived at “her friend’s” apartment building and climbed the stairs. When we got to the second floor, the door opened and what I expected wasn’t what I got. The rest of the racers were there with our contacts with a cake and candles and the birthday song (again). It was so hilarious and crazy. We ate and talked and I was informed that we would be sleeping overnight and that I could have a shower and that my clothes had already been packed… it was such a pleasant surprise. I thank God for my family on the race. They always know how to make something out of nothing and make things special even though we’re broke and homeless. Needless to say, I felt bad about being annoyed… and everyone is still shocked that I had no clue since there are never any secrets in this community of weirdos…
