conquering new lands

Hi every reader,

I must tell you what we did the past days - it was so new and interesting!

One morning Chris let me get up really early. I always need a little moment
to wake up, so she left me alone, and we then went for the dog walk. Chris
had a different backpack on her shoulders this time, and instead of
continuing to work, we waited until a stranger arrived in his car.

Chris made me get inside. I am always reluctant to get in, I climb rather
than jumping. Chris says Hapoo always flew inside causing a major
earthquake, while I gently first put in my front paws and then the rest upon
her encouragement.

Chris says the stranger was not happy with me in the back seat, but she says
that I am not to sit in the front by her feet, because it could be dangerous
in case of a car accident. She says air-filled cushions come out crushing me
in such incident, and she wants me to remain healthy. I myself understand,
but the people sometimes don't.

Well after a while the stranger and Chris started talking, and then
everything was allright. He even took us into the train station, and they
tried to figure out something, but the man failed. So Chris simply turned
towards somebody passing by and asked them for help.

It was a nice woman, who agreed to help us from there. She took us on a
platform, and then we boarded a train. I got to lie down in a very nice and
spacious compartment, which was only occupied by one other lady. The three
chatted away, until the other one got up, and we remained there with the
friendly lady who had helped us. The lady had fun when Chris told her she
had seen this or that and that she had just broken her glasses yesterday.
Honestly, I have never seen the silly girl wearing glasses - nonsense!

Then Chris suddenly decided to get up and leave me alone. She went to a
little cabin behind our compartment, that's where humans do their business.
Unlike us dogs, they don't squat down on a grass patch to get rid of
internal waste, but they go into larger or smaller bathrooms. At home the
one has a shower and a clothes cleaner and more stuff to make Chris smell
different. But that one just had a sink and a waste container for humans.

When Chris came back, the lady and I greeted her at the door. I think it is
fun to wait until she comes back.

When we exited the train, the lady said goodbye, and another one came to
greet me very cheerfully. She just took us to the other side of the
platform, and not as I was hoping outside. So another train arrived, we took
that, too, and rode forever. But the space I had was good and the air was
nice and cool.

Finally outside we walked forever, accompanied by a lady who watched that we
took the right path, towards the beginning of the platform, where a man met
us and took us to yet another stranger's car, his car, as he was driving it.
When we stopped, Chris and he sorted out things, as a man opened her car
door and greeted her, followed by yet another one.

Then finally she and the car driver said goodbye, and she let me hop out,
put me on flexible leash and handed me over to one of her colleagues. That's
what they are, colleagues, although I have never seen them at home before.
Chris seems to like them both, and she says I behaved well on leash. We took
a nice long stroll around, until we went into the big building, upstairs
with the elevator and then into a room where my friend the dog walker
brought water for me, and the other one brought coffee for all of the
humans.

Then finally, there was somebody I knew, the nice lady I had seen a week
before, who was at the beach with us. She's great and very caring. The
humans settled down to talk and I slept and relaxed. When talking was over,
we changed rooms and then were asked into a separate room with another lady
who also seemed to like me. She and Chris talked more and more, and I found
out that she was the boss of the nice lady, and it is important that she
sees how important and valuable Chris can be for the team. And what about
me, I wonder?
Chris says I am important anyway, and if she is, so am I, there's no
question to that. Allright, I'm fine with that answer.
Then finally the nice lady took us for another walk, and then in her car to
the hotel where we were staying.

Chris sorted out a few things and had a phone call, before she fed me from
her hand, because she had forgotten a stable food bowl. Fine with me, as
long as I get food. Finally she went to bed and watched football and then
fell asleep with the mystery box still on. I don't mind, for at home she
often turns off the voice box in the middle of the night.

The adventures of the following day will be put into another email, I guess
you are tired from reading this far, right? Plus we have to go to work soon,
and Chris still has to change her smells, cheers, Quito.