A Grand Adventure

tranquil country setting

Throughout my life, I've traveled extensively, both with family and on my own.  For the past nine years, I have also travelled across the U.S. with Maisie and Winston, my two Welsh Terriers.  Every trip is an adventure, but some are grander adventures than others. My ability to plan, organize, and remain flexable at all times will be tested this time.

This trip took over a year to plan and organize.  This spring we are heading out on a grand adventure to Great Britain with the dogs.  Brian and I went to Wales almost three years ago and had such a lovely time meeting Facebook Welsh terrier friends in person that we decided to come back and bring our dogs.

Planning and packing for this trip is far more detailed than usual.  One example is that the dog food we feed here in the U.S. is not made or carried in Great Britain.  So, they will need to gradually transition to food with a similar protein and fat content as what they eat here.  Special thanks to my friend Joe C. for helping me figure out what would be a good food to use.

We will stay in cottages in Wales, England and Scotland, and drive around the countryside immersing ourselves in local culture.  While we may see some castles and museums during our stay, the real purpose of this adventure is to experience life from a local perspective instead of a tourist.

Packing Preparation

I’ve driven to and from Virginia and Michigan as well as cross-country for years, so I generally pack on autopilot.  First, I collect all the clothing I’ll need and then add a little more just to be safe.  I pile it all on a chair and then move on to shoes, medicine, toiletries, books and any files I might need.

My attention then shifts to the dogs.  By the time my clothes are in a pile, the dogs are starting to get clingy, following me around the house.

Several years ago, my daughter gave me a baby bag that was outfitted for the dogs.  It has their names on the side and included collapsible dog bowls and insulated zip cases for meds or food.

The moment I pull their purple puppy bag out, the two settle in near the bag.  I imagine they are thinking, 'hooray, we are going with mom!'

Recently, the suitcases and the purple bag came out of storage and the dogs sniffed them all thoroughly.  They sensed they were coming with us but the travel preparation was out of sync.  Instead of a large pile of clothing on the chair, I brought out their grooming table, and items began piling on top of it.

Included with their leashes were items that smelled a lot like their friend Key from Wyoming, their muzzles and some raincoats that smelled new.  Items on the table also include guide books, several boxes of LMNT sodium packets, a bag of medications, binoculars and six pleasure reading novels.

My large pile of clothing got smaller over the course of a week, because I can only bring two bags on the plane with me, and the car we rented likely doesn’t have a large trunk.  So, I focused more on color coordinating my clothing and choosing easily mixed-and-matched pieces, instead of my usual approach of 'the more color and patterns the better'.

Plus, if I bring over fewer items, then I can come back with some locally made British things!

Choosing Housing

There is a Welsh terrier reunion and fundraiser in Wales at the end of April which we plan to attend, so we will stay in Tregaron, Wales at the start of our trip.

When searching for housing, I wanted places with charm, enclosed backyards, and a somewhat close proximity to pubs.  Why a pub?  Pubs are the social hubs of small towns, and we want to meet and engage with the communities we are staying in.

I also chose small towns rather than cosmopolitan towns to stay in because I thought the sense of community might be greater.  In Scotland, our first location will be quite remote, offering a chance to experience true isolation. I’ve never thought of myself as someone who could live remotely.   The time we spend near Skye will help me determine my threshold for limited human interaction.

By staying in smaller towns, we won't experience the daily hustle we are accustomed to in the U.S. Our new normal might be sheep crossing on the lane, a passing rain squall, and a blanket of fog that prevents us from seeing far ahead of us. In short, a grand adventure.

Choosing Activities

We have visited Great Britain multiple times so we don’t need to visit many castles and museums this time.  We checked those boxes before, so now we can sit back and do things that interest us and probably won’t be as crowded either.

We are going to hike and have even talked about trekking through parts of England.  Staying locally for longer lengths of time means that we can do those hikes and see those small Pictish stones that require a hike to see.  There won’t be strict opening and closing times at the castles we want to visit either, since many are just ruins exposed to the elements.

We do plan to see a number of beautiful gardens though that will be in full bloom while we are there. And my special treat will be a chance to attend the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the first time.  Our friends Claire and Neil will come and join us in London for this incredible garden adventure.

I love the idea of heading out for a days walk from our home, meeting with terrier friends for an afternoon stroll, and taking the train from the cottage to London to see the Chelsea Flower Show. These are things people do when they live locally.

Follow Along With Me

Over the next couple months, I'll share weekly updates about our overseas adventures with the dogs.  I will share the highlights of each week and will even mention what if anything goes wrong, in case you want to replicate this trip for yourself.

Additionally, I’ll make sure to post plenty of photos and give recommendations for places to eat and visit.  And for the dog lovers out there, there will be plenty of commentary from Maisie and Winston.

Winston, ready to learn some Welsh and come home barking with an accent.

Winston asked me the other day if he will understand what the Welsh dogs are saying to him. I assured him if he really paid attention, he probably could pick up some of their words but just to be sure, he can always sneak a sniff or two to be certain.

Maisie giving her best look to attract the boy dogs overseas.

Maisie hopes to meet a cute male Welsh dog that she can bat her bushy eyelashes at.  She fancies a foreign boyfriend to come home and tell stories about.

We’ll see what happens, and I promise to fill you in on every development that takes place.