Home with Ginger
Today, I feel frivolous! Never having had a linear thought in my life, I have decided to take a detour of my stories from the North and describe our return to “A” Town, (Ahmedabad) last Sunday. After visiting the Indian travelers’ equivalent of an Italian travelers’ visits to Rome, Florence and Venice…Taj Mahal, Golden Temple, Jaipur/Varanasi, (I couldn’t choose just three!), we lift Delhi on an overnight train. I was excited as I love train travel. Surviving the throngs of Delhi travelers pushing/shoving through security and milling around on the platform, our train finally rolled into the station. We had a 2A accommodations which means two bunk bed organization with a total of 6 people together in a space. A sleepover! It is possible to have 3A or even 4A available, which sounds like coffin sleeping to me. After more jostling and confusion, we found our spots marked with a pillow and case, clean sheets, towel, and the proverbial brown wool blanket found all over India. Dinner either veg or not, plus breakfast were served and a pleasant unexpected gift. After a pretty good night of sleep, and arriving in Ahmedabad, we were back to reality. The train stopped and we hailed rickshaws and haggled over a few rupees or “rups” as the students call them.
Our big “a-ha” moment was that we were coming home. After two months we felt at ease and content on our way back to the hostel….The Presidency Enclave. As we entered the lane where we live, there was an empty rickshaw parked along the wall. What to our surprise, there was Ginger taking a nap in the back seat! (Check my post on Feral Dogs) It was as if he was waiting there, catching some zzz’s but ready to welcome us back. He jumped up, tail wagging, and guarded our walk as a personal escort, growling at the other dogs to stay away. He had not forgotten us. We were home!
Love it. I felt as if I were there. I can’t wait to travel, but I think we might need to wait till the kids are in gradeschool… Until then, I shall live vicariously.
We took groups of students to Rome for a semester when our children were 6 and 12. Once we traveled with them for two months around the Mediterranean from Spain to Egypt. They were troopers. I did home school teaching when were in Rome as the International schools were terribly expensive and we wanted to use the money to travel. And , of course, we have traveled without them. My advice is never miss an opportunity to see the world! 😎
Aww Ginger looks pooped!
He works very hard walking and guarding his “peeps”as they walk up and down the lane. He had to catch a nap when he can. This is the only time we caught him sleeping in a Rickshaw . Mostly the dogs dig a nest in the dust in which they snuggle up!
how funny about the dust nests lol.
Very cheap and plentifully building material in incredible India !
Lovely XX
Thanks friend !
I always enjoy my visits here. Wonderful travelogues.
Cheers,
Lance
Thanks, from a sentimental elementary teacher!!
Well written … Coffin sleeping lol …!! I love the description 🙂
I think that is nice thing about dog. Dogs welcome you, when you are back.
How very cute 🙂
Reblogged this on TalesAlongTheWay and commented:
Another of my Indian animal friend stories! This is about our old friend Ginger, the guard dog of the lane!
Great story, that is one loyal dog.. x
Will be fun to see if he remembers us after 2 years !
It is thought dogs lose memory in around 6 months if taken to one home to live in another…Let us know, would be AMAZING if he remembered you all. .x
LOL. . . . it would be great. . . . but nonetheless he will have another whole group of students to befriend him. We used to try to give food from dinner to he beggars but they wanted only money, so we took it to the dogs. Amazing that they will eat curry and veggies because they are hungry!
Ginger looks like he could do with a bit of a tub (bath).
Ah, this is the life of a feral street dog in India! No baths!