Friday 22 February 2013

Taking a dog abroad

The channel tunnel has made life so much easier for those of us with dogs that have pet passports. Unlike a crossing with a ferry, the Channel Tunnel is a car train which means you don't leave your car or your dogs. If you look at the car closely, you will see Martha as Bepop still is fast asleep (she is an old hand at travelling), Martha still goes into a bit of a panic if one of us leaves the vehicle!.
As a rule it costs more than a ferry, but it is very flexible, you book a time online and when you check in, a machine confirms that you wish to travel on that train or it gives you the next departure that you can travel on for no further charge ( we often miss our booked train!) if you have time you can let your dogs have a stretch, if not  needed you can drive straight onto the train. It is not noisy for the dogs, it is just easy. To be honest I used to be nervous as I am not really a willing traveller due to a rather serious coach accident in France when I was sixteen, since then any mode of transport sets me on edge  but as we have now travelled so many times on the train my fear of death has reduced to the point I almost look forward to it.