Author Archive

Posted on January 24, 2010 - by Ffion

Welsh wonders with your dog: Playing, eating, & sleeping with a Welsh accent

An island sojourn: sand, sea and bracing (healthy) iodine-filled breezes — w With a twist. It’s all in Welsh.

Kiah and I are off to Sir Fôn (there’s the Welsh already), ready to sniff out the best places for a solo traveler – and her dog! Anglesey (the English name) is the largest of the Welsh islands (accessible by rail, road or ship). It’s also the place with the long place name (starts with Llanfairpwllgwyngyll…) and has standing stones, copper mines and friendly, welcoming locals. (more…)

Posted on December 19, 2009 - by Ffion

A Solo Traveler’s Holiday Thought:
A lesson from my dog.

Can you imagine living as a human in a dog’s world? I know. It sounds like some corny rehash of Planet of the Apes, but the thought does cross my mind when I see my dog live in a human world 90% of the time. She only has occasion to interact with others of her kind when she meets them on walks, or at the doggie day care. She is mostly a solo traveling dog.

I choose to travel solo, but what about Kiah? Sure, she sees me as the (human) pack leader, but doesn’t she get tired of her solo dog life sometimes?

I have a long history with dogs but they have not been solo animals. In fact, this is the first time I’ve shared my life with just one dog; usually it’s been at least two, sometimes three and, once, we had three dogs, two cats and two rabbits. Never a solo animal.

Recently, when I took Kiah over to my dog-sitting friends, it hit me how much she needs her own kind. We hadn’t been there for about six weeks and when we pulled up at the gate, she was so excited she practically leapt out of the car. Humans lucky enough to be familiar with Kiah know that she is generally a very laid-back animal. Leaping out of cars is not her style. And the other dogs were equally happy to see her, especially her packmate, Willow, who rolled over in a (for her) rare display of canine affection and pleasure. Kiah spent the day with her dog friends, and was happy and content not being a solo dog for a while.

I guess it makes me, a solo (human) traveler for much of my life, realize that although we humans can choose to travel solo, perhaps, at times, we also need the company of our special pack.

Solo travel, whether through life, a year-long global sojourn or on a brief weekend trip, is brilliant, great, fun and challenging. But perhaps, it is all the more so when spiced with the occasional “pack” day. I suppose, at this time of the year (Christmas, winter solstice, or simply the ending of one year and the awakening of the next), many thoughts turn to absent pack mates. Mine certainly do.

Posted on November 19, 2009 - by Ffion

How to travel alone: B&B-ing with your dog (Or how to ensure you both eat!)

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Ffion loves animals – particularly her dog Kiah.
She and Kiah hit the road together on a regular basis and have discovered some of the challenges
this presents as well as solutions. Every month she’ll share another post about traveling with pets.

“What d’you think, pup – time for dinner?” (more…)

Posted on June 20, 2009 - by Ffion

Look right then left – or is it left then right?

So, you know how, when you travel solo, you tend to meet a lot of people? And how you bone up on your languages so you can have a conversation beyond “Hello, How are you?” and “My name is…” You reviewed your French, Spanish, maybe some Chinese, and of course your English… (more…)

Posted on May 1, 2009 - by Ffion

Golden Delights of Solo Photography

“C’mon already – you’ve shot that thing 1000 times – let’s GO!”

Whine whine whine…Trying to combine my photography hobby with any kind of relationship is next to impossible.Except for my beautiful dog, Kiah, who’s a perfect companion for the Solo traveller/photographer.  As soon as she sees the camera in the ‘shoot’ position, she settles down to wait, totally at ease, no rush, content to share the simple country pleasures. And what pleasures there are in the UK. It’s almost summer here (20 degrees today), but the spring blossoms are still in glorious bloom. (more…)