This week, WordPress challenges us to tell a story with photos.
In October 2010, I visited Baikal Lake for the first time, and was overwhelmed by its beauty. Settled on Olkhon Island, we rented bicycles to go around and explore.
Just as we left the little village of Khuzhir, we noticed that a dog was following us.
I am always very uneasy with dogs; they terrify me. But it didn’t take long before I realised our dog wasn’t trying to attack me, but rather to protect us.
At the beginning on the road, whenever the occasional car was passing us, the dog was barking at it until it disappeared out of sight, as if it was a real danger for us.
When we left the road, the dog was frolicking in the nature around us. Every time we stopped, it also stopped and was sitting or lying quietly.
We decided to give it a name, and it became Vlad.
I liked to imagine what was going on in this little head; and whether Vlad was picturing he was our protector, keeping us safe from harm and brigands on our long Central Asian voyage.
After a few hours of a wonderful ramble in the Siberian landscapes, we finally got back to the village. I was wondering what would happen with Vlad. Would it beg for food as a tip?
But Vlad was just our friendly companion for the day. As soon as we reached the village, he left us and took another direction, without saying goodbye
Traveller on a Mission 