Our journey towards Mumbai was hurried and full of excitement . We just wanted to leave our previous station, we were bored to death in VIZAG (3 years and you would say the same thing) . If any one would have asked me back then to spend another second there I would have kicked or beaten that person. For me VIZAG had become more like that Hindi teacher who yawns a lot or that cynical Mathematics teacher whose xyz factor is always missing. Where as Mumbai lured me towards it like an English teacher who is always up to date with fashion and it’s rules (after all Mumbai is the fashion capital of India). I was specially buzzing for Mumbai magic , because my younger sister lives here (we are special brand of crazy , put two of us together and you will run for cover ) .
Our doggo supervising the luggage loading for transfer .
We had already decided that it’s going to be a road trip, safety of Spring was (will always be) our biggest concern. Travelling in India with pet is full of hassle and hazardous for them due to lack of much concern or facilities for them. It is full of paper work and first tier A.c. coupe is the only option. If you are a family of four or more it’s perfect just buy 1st A.c class tickets and do the required paperwork for your pet. But if you are family of 2 or 3, then 2 seater coupe is only option. That is because you can not predict how well your fellow passengers in 4 seater coupe will react, to a pet travelling with them. And trust me people are fine with dangerous road side any type of 4 legged creature but they won’t trust the owner or well trained pet when it comes to travelling (have read a lot of experiences). Getting a 2 seater coupe is purely depends on your luck and it’s usually reserved for VIP’s (vip culture 🙄I tell you). The passenger chart is usually prepared an hour before the travel time, so if you are really enthusiastic about train travel with your pet, reach station master’s office at least 2 hours before your journey , write an application to him stating your reasons why you need a 2 seater coupe, request, persuade and if by God’s grace no superior mortal (read MLA or MP) is travelling that day, chances are you might get coupe of your choice. And this process works only if train is originating from your city, if you are planning to board en route train, then your problems double up.
Road leading to Vijaywada , four lane and smooth drive .This stretch is full of scenic beauty .
So we being the lazy but smart couple, had pre decided to travel by car. Our Spring loves car rides though we had never taken any inter-state rides or for that matter any long drives with her but we were sure that as long as she has us in front of her , she will do fine (that doggo of mine is quite needy). We had done our prepations much before the travel date. Below is points to remember checklist before embarking on any journey with pet or pets –
- please get their full body check up done to rule out any issues which may come up during the journey.
- Feed them 6 hours before the commencement of the journey to avoid mess in your car, dogs and motion sickness go hand in hand.
- Give them plenty of water to drink , that keeps them hydrated (in India summers are brutal ) .
- Stop for stretch break every 2.3 hours , to straighten your legs as well as pee break for doggo .
- Spread sheets on your back seat and keep some favourite toy of your doggo handy ,to keep him/ her busy, happy , loved and secure , as for some dogs long journey can be a daunting task .
- Keep small treats ready, to encourage your doggo that he/ she is doing great but only 1or 2 no more than that .
- Be stern in your commands on highway , Indian highways are rough , you would not want your pet to wander around and get hurt.
- Keep them on tight leash , whenever stopping for pee – poo break .
- Keep your window screen up and A.c. on , doggo likes it cool while travelling.
- Talk to them, tell them I LOVE YOU ,they understand it.
- Encourage good behavior in calm tone , who wants a jumpy hyper doggo in car that too on highway .
- If your doggo is unruly for some reason keep him/her on leash and sit with your pet baby .
- Book your night stay places in advance and let the hotel know that you are traveling with pet (many hotels do not allow pets , so do your homework in advance).
Best doggo in the whole wide world .
We were not only travelling with doggo but a 6 month old very cute human too. I am truly a blessed mother, my minion is one of those happy child for whom crying is the most hated exercise. She is a toddler now but no tantrums or unnecessary howl, feed her on time and explain everything to her, she is happy learning and listening but doesn’t respond to power play nicely ( she plays rough when it comes to that) . So while preparing her bag , I kept these things
- Diaper.
- Formula milk, bottles and sippers (though she was totally on my feed, kept the sipper for water and juice )
- Baby wipes
- Hot water and normal water bottle .
- Some warm clothes (for night time, if you are sleeping in A.c room) .
- Soft toys and teether (my daughter was starting to teeth and she use to love nibbling)
- Baby carrier
- Car seats (to secure your baby )
- Car window shades to protect the baby from glaring summer sunlight .
- Baby medicine .
- Banana (super food for babies older than 6 month and easy to digest )
- Lullabies uploaded in pen-drive , to play when baby gets cranky or agitated .
- Extra comfortable soft clothing . Keep in mind no fancy frills while travelling in car , babies should be comfortable in breathable fabrics .
- Some biscuits, crackers, cookies and cakes (homemade or store bought ,depends on you)
Our precious resting after a long road journey from Vishakhapatnam to Hyderabad.
How I miss this toothless smile ❤️
2 days before the journey , smiling at movers and packers.
And after much preparation for the doggo and the bub, it was time for our car to get ready. Our red beauty went to service center for her “spa treatment” and “upholstery change” (to make it pet friendly , we were bit lazy until then, thanks to not many long drives with Spring).
Our red beauty
We we’re all set to roar on Indian highways . Our itinerary was
- Vishakhapatnam to Hyderabad
Crossing Godavari river
- Hyderabad to Pune
Crossing karnatka boarder villages towards Maharshtra . This short stretch was full of windmills and sunflower fields . The video doesn’t do any justice to what it was like .
- Pune to Mumbai
Clicked in Hyderabad (the famed outer link road).
We covered 1341+ kilometers in three days , soaking in all the country side beauty and basking in the knowledge that we belong to this unbelievably beautiful country which we call “Mother India” . Every nook and corner of this country is beautiful and everything else is superficial.
whackytoddlerwittymom 