Of my fellow traveller... Take two

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(Apologies... First one was double!)

As we emmerge out of the busy railway station, we are confronted with a sea of offers to buy, ride, see, eat, you name it, we were offered it. In his good Australian manners, Gordon began politely refusing the rounds, his left hand beside him stretched out to signal decline. “No thanks mate, no thanks mate.”

As we snaked our way along, one of the old men turned to me and said, “Why your friend call me Ismail?”, referring to a name common in the Muslim culture. I looked at him curiously, at first not understanding. Then, listening to Gordon's chorus ahead of me, I realised what the old man was referring to; he, along with surely quite a few other Hindu men, were under the impression that the slurred phrase 'thanks mate' actually meant 'ismail'. I smiled as I thought of how confused these old fellows must be with a white, nevertheless-British-looking man, bestowing on them a name out of their rival religion.

Now, Gordon sits before me on the 4 hour delayed train, and sings melodies of food, as his rubbling stomach is still accustomed to the Aussie way of eating. “Mmmh, chicken, I could eat a whole chicken. Look at all those steaks running around out there, and the pelicans flying low with gravy boats in their mouths. Oh, imagine it, a big Christmas dinner right now.” He has a glint in his eye as he teases me about chocolate crepes and other delicacies.

He pauses for a moment in his crazy mutter; people are getting on and off the train at a stop we have pulled up at, buying packaged marie biscuits and the like. I ask why he doesn't get something also. He stares dreamily out of the window; “a meal is so much nicer if one must wait in anticipation”.

It seems that Gordon, like India, is also full of contrasts.

X

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Comments

[Ann]

hello
Enjoy reading your articles and glad you are looking after 'my Gordon' - for those who keep asking who he is - he is OURS!! the equal best guy under 60 in the world (we have two sons). Ich kann auch Deutsch schreiben wann du willst aber Gordon kann es nicht verstehen. Hope you are surviving the heat and am still laughing about the flying gravy boats - I agree with a comment that having people in your articles makes them heaps more fun. Cheers Ann

[ross]

sounds brilliant!!!! As i sit down with my family to share a large bowl of soup and crusty bread with lashings of butter and a bottle of shiraz viogner i am contaent but in my herat of hearts i long to be adventuring on some far off cotinent..........please continue regards Ross xoxo

[Yvonne Wells]

Hi Maria, I have finally had a minute to myself (Stephie, is back at school) and hava read all of your excite discoveriers about Inda. I have never wanted to go to India, but after reading about your advantures, I am now more open to going there. By the way you have not missing much here weather wise, we are having a very cold winter, for a change, plenty of rain, the dams have gone up from 28% to 33.8%, cold winds, snow on the near mountains and hail, is forecased for today. Take care Sweetheart, love Yvonne and family.

[Gabi]

Well, well,bata chikken can't be as good as what I am having, juicy new England steaks, "smached "potatoes,baked broccoli and cauliflower in a Bechamel sauce, mixed salad with homemade dressing, baked sweet patatoe with sour creme and chillie sauce, nachos from Rumours, and "deserts",ice cream with hot strawberries, French crepes with fresh fruit and a Cointreau topping, and I could go on and on...Still smiling, Gordon?Have a great time, you two, and I miss you, Mariechen!!mum

[anonymous]

hi
Hi Maria, I have been going through your India blogs and thanks for writing such wonderful things about my land. Just a few days back I was reading an India blog by another traveller who was totally fed up with India and had said that everyone should be happy going back to their country knowing that they were born in their respective countries and not in India. It broke my heart and I wouldnt argue as to each his own and I know that India can be extremely overwhelming in good and bad ways. Hope you are enjoying your stay here and I know that India will be difficult for you at times but nevertheless I hope that you see the good side of it.....and believe me, there IS the good side of India. Enjoy your stay. ciao.