Krishna Bus Tour

Part 21-Golden Moments and Pinocchio

"Dad! There's a really nice view down that trail."

I'd just woken up and was trying to remember where we were.

"You've got to see it!"

"It takes a lot to impress me, I'm from Hawaii."

"You'll like it."

I followed the trail to Lake Louise where people paddled canoes over turquoise water framed by steep mountains. One mountain jutted into the lake, making you wonder what those tiny people in canoes saw around the bend.

Bus kids laughed. "It doesn't look real. It's too nice."

"Rocks, dirt, trees, water, the same stuff we see everywhere," I said, "but this is like a good cook that can make miracles from potatoes."

"Someone did a good job."

"This is fairy tale stuff. Where's the unicorns?"

"It's like there's a painting behind it."

"It's fake," I said. "Nothing can look this nice."

Manu assembled everyone before Lake Louise for a group photo in our bus tour shirts. Gaura Narayana and I stood in the back with the other tall people.

"OK everyone—don't squint—one, two, three! OK, one more!"

"We'll meet for lunch up on that mountain," Manu pointed. "There's another lake up there. Everyone, take your time and enjoy the hike."

We zigzagged through forests of deep green pines.

"Grappa," I said, "look at that hat Jayananda's wearing."

"It's much too small for him," Grappa said.

Jayananda's Irish nose had been getting redder every day. He'd borrowed a hat to protect it.

"With those shorts ..." I said as Jayananda bounced ahead through the pines. "... we're in a magic forest where Pinocchio's become a real boy!"

"Hey Jayananda," Grappa said, "you'd better be careful not to tell any lies."

Jayananda aimed his red nose at us. "What's that?"

"You'd better not tell any lies."

"All right, then." Jayananda turned and bounced along the trail while Grappa and I walked like puppets.

"Hey, Jayananda," Grappa called again, "you look like Pinocchio."

Jayananda looked back.

"It's the hat, and your shorts."

Jayananda pulled at the legs of his shorts, curtsied, tipped his hat and continued bouncing over the rocky trail.

***

A caribou greeted us at Jasper Park.

"Look at those antlers," I said.

"You don't want to mess with that guy."

"I'm not getting off the bus till he's gone."

We would sleep under the open sky, as a meteor shower was scheduled that night.

Chay joined our tour for a week. She built a fire.

"We'll be safe from any bears with Chay here."

Circled around the fire, they took turns singing. Chay surprised the boys with her mrdanga playing. They applauded when she sang.

***

The next morning, Manu announced, "Today we'll visit the hot springs. It's a forty-minute drive, then we'll come back here for dinner."