THE START I don't usually make the effort to get out of bed at 4 in the morning unless it's to head for the airport and sunnier climes, but I do sometimes make an exception if there's the possibility of cute puppies at the end of it! So this is how I ended up at Folkestone Services one cold Sunday morning in February at the unGodly hour of 7am. I was meeting Mary along with her Lappies Ilo and Tykky who were all accompanying me on my little adventure with Peppi Dog. We were heading for Strasbourg in the Alsace region of France - for a hot date with the gorgeous Hismo (Halloween Black Dream du pays de l'Aurore Boréale).
Whilst Mary was loading her dogs into my boot and transferring her bags, I toddled into the services to use the facilities. On my way in I passed a young lady holding up a cardboard sign saying 'hitchhiking for charity'. Curious I asked her where she was headed (all the whilst thinking 'you're bonkers!' and 'how dangerous' and 'I wouldn't let my daughter do that!'). "As far as I can get" came her reply. Turns out she's doing a 'jailbreak' from Royal Holloway University, having 36 hours to get as far away as possible to raise money for East African Playgrounds (!!). "Well I'm going to France via the tunnel if you'd like a lift but I warn you, the car is very 'doggy', there's three of them in the boot and not much room on the back seat". Needless to say she was very grateful (she's clearly nuts) and immediately called her friend to tell him she'd secured a lift! HER FRIEND??!! There seriously was barely room for one person yet alone two - "don't worry, we'll put all the bags on our laps and around us - it will be fine, thank you SO much" and that's exactly what they did and I'm not exaggerating when I say they only had room for one foot each on the floor and I could only just see their faces poking out from the bags! Charlotte and Shammy were so nice and as we queued to get on the train, we chatted about their trip so far (up and down the motorway and getting nowhere fast) and chatted about where we all came from blah blah blah. In an incredible twist of fate, it turned out that her best friend was the son of a good friend of mine (and I'd been hearing about Charlotte or CGR as she's known, for years!!). Incredulous, she picked up the phone and dialed my friend "You'll never guess whose just picked me up" and she passed the phone to me. My friend was lost for words (it doesn't happen often) - failing to grasp how I was chatting to her on CGR's phone at 7 in the morning? It is a small world indeed and even more amazing, I have never picked up a hitchhiker in my life and probably never will again!
Since CGR & Shammy were such good company and were knackered after only three hours sleep on the seats at the service station, I asked if they'd like a lift to Strasbourg and they said "yes please", shuffled in their seats and gave their other foot a chance to rest on the floor. When we stopped for a coffee break they made a live broadcast to Insanity Radio, informing them of their 'jail break', where they were and who they were with (a couple of middle aged ladies who smell of dogs & talked dogs and zzzzzzz). And so they slept.
Whilst Mary was loading her dogs into my boot and transferring her bags, I toddled into the services to use the facilities. On my way in I passed a young lady holding up a cardboard sign saying 'hitchhiking for charity'. Curious I asked her where she was headed (all the whilst thinking 'you're bonkers!' and 'how dangerous' and 'I wouldn't let my daughter do that!'). "As far as I can get" came her reply. Turns out she's doing a 'jailbreak' from Royal Holloway University, having 36 hours to get as far away as possible to raise money for East African Playgrounds (!!). "Well I'm going to France via the tunnel if you'd like a lift but I warn you, the car is very 'doggy', there's three of them in the boot and not much room on the back seat". Needless to say she was very grateful (she's clearly nuts) and immediately called her friend to tell him she'd secured a lift! HER FRIEND??!! There seriously was barely room for one person yet alone two - "don't worry, we'll put all the bags on our laps and around us - it will be fine, thank you SO much" and that's exactly what they did and I'm not exaggerating when I say they only had room for one foot each on the floor and I could only just see their faces poking out from the bags! Charlotte and Shammy were so nice and as we queued to get on the train, we chatted about their trip so far (up and down the motorway and getting nowhere fast) and chatted about where we all came from blah blah blah. In an incredible twist of fate, it turned out that her best friend was the son of a good friend of mine (and I'd been hearing about Charlotte or CGR as she's known, for years!!). Incredulous, she picked up the phone and dialed my friend "You'll never guess whose just picked me up" and she passed the phone to me. My friend was lost for words (it doesn't happen often) - failing to grasp how I was chatting to her on CGR's phone at 7 in the morning? It is a small world indeed and even more amazing, I have never picked up a hitchhiker in my life and probably never will again!
Since CGR & Shammy were such good company and were knackered after only three hours sleep on the seats at the service station, I asked if they'd like a lift to Strasbourg and they said "yes please", shuffled in their seats and gave their other foot a chance to rest on the floor. When we stopped for a coffee break they made a live broadcast to Insanity Radio, informing them of their 'jail break', where they were and who they were with (a couple of middle aged ladies who smell of dogs & talked dogs and zzzzzzz). And so they slept.
See that brightness at the back of them? I have it on good authority that it was the sun. I'm glad there is photographic evidence as I must have blinked and missed it because it was never to be seen again.
We dropped CGR & Shammy at a petrol station on the main road in Kehl Germany with one of their phones out of charge and the other with only 20% charge. They hoped to get to Munich. The place was deserted, the weather grey, grim and bitterly cold. Eeeeek. I hated leaving them but then I remembered that I was nearly at my destination - the Chateau, a nice meal and a drink were awaiting me. What if they didn't get a lift? What if they froze to death on the forecourt? What if the bar at the Chateau closed?? I sped off.
We dropped CGR & Shammy at a petrol station on the main road in Kehl Germany with one of their phones out of charge and the other with only 20% charge. They hoped to get to Munich. The place was deserted, the weather grey, grim and bitterly cold. Eeeeek. I hated leaving them but then I remembered that I was nearly at my destination - the Chateau, a nice meal and a drink were awaiting me. What if they didn't get a lift? What if they froze to death on the forecourt? What if the bar at the Chateau closed?? I sped off.
Hurry up and take the bloody picture Mary, these guys are young & cool and it's all a great adventure, I'm old, cold and in need of a drink - let's get outta here!
We got to the Chateau - it was quite large, old, a bit tired yet utterly charming, a bit like Mary really. It was also plonked on the edge of a huge park - perfect for the doggies and maybe even a little foreplay with an amorous poodle - well you know what these Frenchmen are like! It's OK Peppi, what goes on tour, stays on tour.
Alas, there was no time to eat, drink and be merry (bugger!), there is another Frenchman to meet and time is of the essence. So without further ado, let's cross town to meet the Handsome Hismo and his lovely owner, Aurore.
Peppi, meet Hismo. Hismo meet Peppi.
Ooooh la la! Now hang on a minute young man, Peppi is a laydeeee and needs to be wooed. Peppi would very much like to check out your credentials, so can you just show her round quickly and then get on with it? Over to you Peppi.
"Are you a man of property?"
"Are you fit and good at jumping? Aha, aha, aha, tres bon, let's get on with it then, don't just stand there with your tongue hanging out!"
"Look at me in my beautiful naked glory. Feast your eyes mon cherie. This way, Hismo, ici, ici, ici! Mummy Liz, put those bloody biscuits away!"
"First we must dance!"
"Then you must catch me!". "Mummy Liz, Mary, look away now".
OK, we can look again and everyone is suitably smiling.
Ahhhhh, I think it's love! Great guys, that's a wrap, let's go back to the Chateau before my stomach digests itself. Actually, that's a lie, our wonderful hosts gave us the most delicious homemade cheesecake, but my dinner tummy was still empty and the dogs were fast becoming in mortal danger of being eaten.
THAT EVENING
We managed to grab the last table at the restaurant next to the Chateau and had a very pleasant meal and a little drinkie. Now I'm not saying they are a bit odd here in Strasbourg, but this dude wore a crown throughout his entire meal. Not odd at all.
THAT EVENING
We managed to grab the last table at the restaurant next to the Chateau and had a very pleasant meal and a little drinkie. Now I'm not saying they are a bit odd here in Strasbourg, but this dude wore a crown throughout his entire meal. Not odd at all.
Early morning walk with Peppi Dog, that's the Chateau in the background and behind her is an odd, I mean unusual, hare statue thingy.
This is in the park next to the Chateau - is it just me???....
Thankfully we came across this AFTER the deed had been done else we might have thought it was a bad omen - I mean why else would a reindeer have his hands over his private parts?
Must get a move on with this blog post, I'm starting to get bored and if I'm bored, you must be really bored. So let's crack on.
We went sightseeing in Petite France.
Must get a move on with this blog post, I'm starting to get bored and if I'm bored, you must be really bored. So let's crack on.
We went sightseeing in Petite France.
And I shopped in my favourite shop :-) And we ate at a lovely restaurant sat at an outside table under a heat lamp and swaddled in their blankets. Man it was f-f-freezing.
We visited Hismo once more and were given wonderful home made biscuits as a gift from Aurore's lovely parents. The next morning we headed for home. I will quickly gloss over the scenic *cough* route through Luxembourg and Belgium that ended up taking aaaaages because of horrendous traffic and caused us to miss our timed departure at the tunnel. But I will tell you about the lovely British lady sat in the customs booth who patiently explained that we wouldn't be able to get on a train any earlier than 21.50 (our one had left at 19.20) - that's not the interesting bit although having been in the car since 10.30 that morning you can imagine we were slightly disappointed not to mention KNACKERED. No, the interesting thing is what she said next. "What sort of dogs have you got in the back?". "Three Finnish Lapphunds" I replied, mentally thinking, well, you know what I was thinking 'she won't have a scoobies what a Lapphund is'....... "Oh how funny, just the other week I was on the SFLS Judging Seminar and this weekend I took Group 2 at Horley with my Polish Lowland Sheepdog behind Toni Jackson who took Group 1 with Matka". SPEECHLESS. I was even entered at that show and the previous blog post to this is Alice's report of the show where Ruska took Reserve Best of Breed. Did I mention it's a small world??
We did actually manage to blag our way onto an earlier train and I was delighted to finally walk through my front door at 22.30.
We did actually manage to blag our way onto an earlier train and I was delighted to finally walk through my front door at 22.30.
1030 miles later. And pour wine and collapse......
THE END
What's that you say? What happened to CGR and Shammy? They were never seen or heard of again.
KIDDING!!
I got home to a lovely Facebook message from CGR to say that they made it to Munich! They were now home after spending 24 hours on various coaches. It really was quite a trip!
THE END
What's that you say? What happened to CGR and Shammy? They were never seen or heard of again.
KIDDING!!
I got home to a lovely Facebook message from CGR to say that they made it to Munich! They were now home after spending 24 hours on various coaches. It really was quite a trip!
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