When I have no need to be anywhere in particular for six months there is little appeal in returning north to snow and sleet.
So it's decided, Pup and I are off to England!
Well you might say it's still not exactly balmy there either, it's certainly beats Eastern Canada.
I'm a British citizen as I was born in London and currently one way flights are absurdly cheap, significantly less than half a return fare. The trick is Geordie.
The UK has a particularly stringent policy regarding importing dogs. After much research and many conversations with veterinarians experienced in the complex process of tests, vaccinations and chip implantation, I was all set. Pup just had to lose a few pounds to qualify for baggage compartment travel.
As I was booking our flight the attendant informed me that to qualify for the UK import scheme, pup must fly as livestock cargo independently of my ticket. OK I said, until I got the quote.
$4,800!! Not including the special livestock handling fees at Heathrow.
![]() |
This would have been our new home. |
Devastated. I was on the verge of making an offer on a River cruiser we would have lived on on the Thames.
I spent days looking at alternatives. And then it presented itself!
The Queen Mary II!!!
A little Googling and I discovered that pets are welcome, there is a lovely kennel and a reasonable fare of $750 that qualifies for the pet import scheme.
True my fare would be almost $2000, but the combined cost is still less than half of flying.
And it's a double stateroom, I could have a companion accompany for free.
Of course there's meals and such on board, but for the experience I'd gladly accommodate.
And the QMII is berthed 10 blocks from where I am in Brooklyn due to sail in 14 days!!!
Then the downside,...kennels are booked 12 to 18 months in advance.
Aghhhhh,....
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiubUtqb58ZDdLVxKTb2f-XvY7-FkBh5k0-15OUhLzWOtdSSx4JFEqNMGP8klWcjkJfzbeuI6Tb9FisSL8Ix3x4WjDgPbnNB3t4ygYyWfwkf8Tr2NiwI77X_D_Rby6g2y4zxBPW7Uuk2GA/s1600/images.jpg)
Our only reasonably warm winter option,...Victoria British Columbia.
Lovely city, fantastic climate that rarely freezes all winter. And a very marime culture.
Liveaboards and houseboats. It's perfect, except it on the opposite coast of a rather large continent, with a substantial mountain range in between.
So I decided to return to Nova Scotia and leave the coach in the East and install one of my full length hardtops on the Rover and build a micro camper to head west.
After a few days of designing and costing I realized the time and expense was beyond my means.
It was getting cold, if I was going to get across the prairies before winter set in I had to get moving.
So we did,..
Westward ho!,......
No comments:
Post a Comment