Almost. It’s a beautiful story.

Fully intending to bring Shirley home with me back to England for another adventure I packed her up and stood in line at the airport at Mumbai Airport.

At the front of the line I was joined by the manager of BA who said I had to pay to take Shirley on the plane. Bummer. I had almost no money left when on the way home.

I changed up all the random currency I had left – Kroner, Rubles, Dollars and Pounds but was still short so I emptied my bank account of every penny I had. I was getting stressed because the flight time was getting so close.

And I still didn’t have the necessary cash.

The manager said, “You’ll have to leave the bike.”

I explained my story and untouched she repeated, “You’ll have to leave the bike.”

Close to tears I asked, “So I have spent 9 months of my life trying to raise money for people in your country and now you won’t let me off the small amount of money I was short.

Again. “You’ll have to leave the bike.”

I was thinking that the last person I meet in India is going to ruin my memories of the amazing Indian people.

Last calls were made for my flight. I stood there numb. Not wanting to leave my precious Shirley but knowing my family and friends were waiting at the other end of this flight with unlimited cuddles!!

Another call for last minute passengers.

Then the baggage boy, someone earning so little, started loading my bags and bike onto the conveyor belt. With sorry eyes – I said, “Dude, I haven’t paid, you can’t do this.”

His response a memory that will last forever…

“I’ve paid the extra.”