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Entries in elephant (1)

Thursday
Apr122012

India series, Part 4: When you overtake an elephant on the highway, be sure to pass on the right; birthday remembrance; In Wasilla, pass "oversize" on the lef

When you see an elephant going down the road ahead of you in India, you must remember to pass it on the right. This is because, just like in the UK, people in India drive on the left hand side of the road. This is true whether they are driving cars, motorbikes, auto rics, trucks, elephants, camels or monkeys.

Actually, I have never seen or heard of anyone driving a monkey in India, but that doesn't mean it has never happened or never will happen. If it does, then, for sure, they would drive the monkey on the left-hand side of the road.

Well, maybe I shouldn't say "for sure." One thing that I have noticed in India is that even though people drive on the left, it is not uncommon for someone to decide it suits them better to drive on the right and then, sure enough, you will see them coming straight at you, driving down their right hand side of the road, which is of course your left and left is just where you are.

In at least one such incident after Sandy's wedding in 2009, I thought certain death was coming straight at us - Melanie, Vasanthi, Murthy, Buddy, our driver, and me - but death missed by a hair. No elephant was involved. Just people and machines.

But, generally, they drive on the left, as they do here. 

As Soundarya so dearly loved animals, I think this is a good time to note that today is the 33rd anniversary of her birth. Not April 12 - she was born on April 13, 1979, in India - right now, it is April 13th in India.

Happy birthday, Sandy!

I had not planned to post this little elephant vignette today. I had planned to put up a major post in this series, and I did quite a bit of work on it. Then I took my coffee break, thinking I could finish it up in two hours after I got home, but no sooner had I started back to work on it when my office door flew open and in came Kalib, who had just arrived from Anchorage with his mom, baby brother, and grandma. He wanted me to get the Thomas the Train that Suji gave the family for Christmas out, so that he watch it go 'round the track.

Then some Mormon missionaries knocked on the door and stayed for awhile to visit. After that, I needed a hamburger. I could still finish it, but not until late, because I am certain that two hours I had anticipated would turn into four and I am drained. I am just drained.

So I decided to finish it tomorrow, and today go for the elephant Vignette instead.

Now, I am just too drained to finish it, so I will finish it tomorrow.

Of course, if you are driving in Wasilla and you see a cowboy hat going down the road - be sure to pass on the left. In Wasilla, we drive on the right side of the road.

The cowboy, by the way, is named Bill. Sometimes when I am out walking and he is plowing the road, he will stop for a few seconds to say "hi."

I'm not sure why Bill was plowing snow. There is still snow here but it is melting fast and as near as I can tell, there is none left on the pavement - certainly not enough to plow.

 

 

 

 

Series index:

India series, part 1: With a little help from the Indian Air Force, I begin my India series without actually beginning it
Return to India, Part 2: Pain beneath the fan, a sprawling tree, monkey on a string; those I would soon join on a train ride; the garland
Return to India, Part 3: My Facebook friend, Ramz, her mischievous brother, her nationally recognized achiever mom, her dad at the wheel
India series, Part 4: When you overtake an elephant on the highway, be sure to pass on the right; birthday remembrance; In Wasilla, pass "oversize" on the left
Return to India, Part 5: I wander the cold, empty, streets of Bangalore
Return to India, Part 6: A cow, blessed and safe; Suji takes me to lunch, then goes out with Bhanu to do some wedding shopping
Return to India, Part 7-A: A three-snack outing as mother and daughter shop for Suji's wedding
Return to India, Part 7-B: On the painted holiday of the final full moon of winter, Sujitha and Kruthika go back to get a necklace
A spacer only - the Buddha and the glamour poster ad
Return to India, Part 8: henna, to highlight her beauty and deepen the love between bride and groom; a moment on the way to the train
Return to India, Part 9: A prayer and a blessing for Suji; we head for the train; three calls to Manu
Time for another spacer - the green man who showed up at the railroad station
Return to India, Part 10: The train to Pune, part 2: Sujitha by the window as a thin thread of her India flows by
Return to India, Part 11: On the train, part 3: Ganesh Ravi - Photographer: how we discovered his hidden talent
Return to India, Part 12: On the train, part 4: After dark
Return to India, Part 13: train ride, part 5: we click and clatter into Pune, take a perilous walk and step into a world beyond imagination
Return to India, Part 14: The groom his wedding suit; me in mine
Return to India, Part 15: A function to mark the final night Sujitha would spend with her family before the wedding
Return to India, Part 16: Inside the Biradar house: portrait of an elder woman - portrait of a young girl
Return to India, Part 17: We dine in the home of the groom's parents, then join in the Puja of Kalasha
Return to India, Part 18: Slideshow: Sujitha and Manoj at the wedding hall - Engagement and Haldi Night
Return to India, Part 19: The wedding band, in the visual style of Sgt. Pepper's (10 image slide show)
Return to India, Part 20: The groom rides a white horse to the temple, there is dancing in the street; Sujitha and Manoj are wed
Return to India, Part 21 - Benediction: Sujitha takes me to the sacred waters; fish dine - a crow flies