Bye bye London

Nine years ago we woke up for one of the most momentous days of our lives together thus far. It was the day where our escape from London was planned.

The day before the car -Our faithful Old Berlingo Bertie - was packed up with as many of the things we thought we'd need for  year's sabbatical as we could scrunch in.


In the afternoon we rounded up our two cats and settled them into their boxes for the journey, with a little light sedation as advised by the vet. Sadly neither of the old girls are with us any longer, but they ended their days with a few years in wonderful sunshine and relaxation.

SPIKE

 SAMM

Xali was also given a low level sedative, and along with erstwhile friend Martin we jumped in the car and set off for the channel tunnel. Xali enjoyed a journey-long cuddle with Tony, and enjoyed the comfort stops like the rest of us. He truly is a well-travelled dog!

XALI

Saying goodbye to our wonderful home in Brockley did bring a tear to my eye as we turned out of Foxberry road headed for goodness knows what in Spain.

The journey was pretty painless. We drove through the night as we thought the traffic would be less. Around midnight we were on the peripherique in Paris, and by mid-morning in Barcelona, where we to lost for the first time in the journey.

To bring the animals we had forked out over two hundred quid for each of them on pet-passports, yet not once did anyone check them throughout the journey. NO wonder animals end up being smuggled around Europe in awful conditions. Ours, happily, travelled legally in the best conditions we could manage. Although I think they were all relieved to arrive. 

BY the middle of the afternoon we were in Casa TulStig exhausted and ready for a few days rest. But more of our arrival tomorrow...