Jacqueline Lambert and the Fab Four on Monte Rosa, Italy
It’s about time I did another guest blog and who better than an author whose memoirs I’ve thoroughly enjoyed, Jacqueline Lambert.
If you enjoy travel memoirs with plenty of information, doggy fun, some truly dreadful puns, and a touch of political commentary, Jackie’s series, Adventure Caravanning with Dogs, is just what you’re looking for.
I’ve loved every one of Jackie’s books. From the UK to France, Germany to Romania, from lockdown in Italy to roaming central Europe post-pandemic, they are equal parts hilarity and serious description. I was lucky enough to receive an advance copy of Jackie’s latest book, To Hel in a Hound Cart, and can confirm this is another real treat. Hel is due for publication on December 9th; in the meantime, I had a chat with Jackie about being a permanent nomad, dogs, travelling, and the dreaded B-word.
Jackie's books... I love 'em all
Hi Jackie – it’s great to talk to you, and I’m still hoping for a face-to-face meet here in Galicia one day. Many people dream of selling up to live on the road, but what is it really like to be permanent nomads?
Hi Lisa – thanks for having me! I hope we do succeed in meeting up in Galicia. After three failed attempts, Spain is still on our list…
Mark and I love the nomad lifestyle, but it is not for everyone.
Jackie with Lani in Butrint, Albania
On the positive side, it is immensely rewarding. It is a life of unprecedented freedom. We can go where we want and spend our time doing more of what we love – windsurfing, skiing, cycling, and hiking with the dogs. Every day is different and filled with new people, places, and adventure.
Kai loves his dad, in Croatia
Compared with even the smallest house, we live in a small space, which means fewer possessions, but I found downsizing immensely liberating. I have absolutely everything I need, but I’m not weighed down by tons of STUFF. It took a while, but I have reached the Nirvana of knowing that there is nothing I could own that would make me any happier than I am.
However, life on the road is just that – it’s life, not one long holiday, and it can throw up many unusual challenges. In some countries, just solving everyday problems, such as where to buy essentials, can be difficult.
L: Yes, even finding some essentials in Spain is tricky, so multiplying that by many countries…
You’ve spent six years travelling in Big Blue with caravan Kismet and now your full-time home is The Beast, a converted six-wheel Volvo N10 ex-army lorry. How does travelling around in The Beast differ from your time with caravan Kismet?
Caravan Kismet and Big Blue in Provence, France
J: The dream was always to tour in a campervan, until we realised that there ain’t no motorhome big enough to fit my man – or all our ‘toys’. My husband, Mark, is 6’6” (2 m) tall, and can’t stand up in most motorhomes. We also travel with four dogs, five windsurf boards plus all their sails and accoutrements, two 12ft SUPs (Stand Up Paddleboards), two bicycles, two dog trailers, four pairs of skis, and all our winter gear.
L: Wow!
J: Investigating motorhomes made us realise the advantages of a van/caravan combo. The disadvantages are that caravans are more suited to staying on campsites with water and electricity on tap. They are often banned from the free or low-cost motorhome parking areas (‘aires’) found in many European cities.
Caravans are also more of a fandangle to set up. We had to hitch, unhitch, wind legs up and down, fit hitch- and wheel locks, fill and empty external water and waste tanks, and remove heavy items such as pans, crockery, and tinned food before we could tow. In The Beast, everything is on board. We simply park up and everything’s already good to go. To break camp, we secure loose items and drive off.
Jackie, Mark and the Fab Four with Kismet and (right) The Beast
The Beast is the manor house of motorhomes. At 10 metres long and nearly 4 metres high, she solved all our storage and space problems. We designed and built the interior ourselves: we moulded the sofa arms around our SUP boards, while the rest of our toys fit comfortably in the vast space beneath our larger-than-super-kingsized bed. Weight is not a problem – we still have 8 tonnes of unused capacity. As one German man said, “That leaves plenty of room for beer!”
Plus, most people love The Beast. She is very unusual and attracts attention. We have made many new friends because of her.
L: She’s certainly eye-catching, Jackie. We’ll have fun fitting her down our narrow lane when you visit! 😉. You’ve travelled around a fair bit of Europe with both Kismet and The Beast. Where have you not been that is still on your wishlist?
J: Between us, Mark and I have visited six of the seven continents, and over 30 countries – but that still leaves a good few hundred to go.
We would love to tour in South America, particularly Chile, and anticipate spending a year in Georgia (the one in the Caucuses, not the US state). We bought The Beast to tour overland to Mongolia, although we’re waiting for the political situation in that part of the world to calm down.
L: I loved Chile when we visited. Mongolia should be fascinating. What is your favourite place that you’ve travelled to so far, and why?
Romania is Jackie's favourite country. I can see why!
J: Romania is our favourite country. Partly because it was so unexpected – everyone told us we’d be kidnapped, robbed, scammed, attacked by wild dogs, wolves, and bears – if the vampires didn’t get us first. The scare stories were so horrific, we almost didn’t go.
Yet what we found was the most friendly, welcoming, and beautiful country, packed with history and pristine nature. We spent three months there and barely scraped the surface. I could live in Romania, and I can’t wait to go back.
The Fab Four at Sarmizegetusa Regia, Romania
L: I think the Pawsome Foursome are the real heroes of your books. Tell us a bit about them. How do they each deal with celebrity. And do they have any quirks when you are on the road?
J: The lovely thing about dogs is that they take everything in their stride. Kai, Rosie, Ruby and Lani love the attention they get as VIPs (Very Important Puppies) but don’t let it go to their heads.
And at the Brandenburg Gate. How do you get them to pose like that?
The Fab Four are all Cavapoos – a cross between a Poodle and a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. Poodles are deemed the second most intelligent dog breed after Border Collies.
Kai, our first born by about a week, is our little black-and-white boy. He adores his dad and is never happier than when he’s curled up with Mark. He’s a lover, not a fighter and secretly, we’re convinced he’s human. Kai is the Hawai’ian word for ‘the ocean’. Since Hawai’i is Mecca for windsurfers like ourselves, we thought it was eminently suitable.
Rosie, our white-and-black girl, joined us to keep Kai company. Like me, she’s a Lancashire lass, and we named her partly for the red rose of Lancashire, and partly for the AC/DC song Whole Lotta Rosie because she’s bigger. Initially, we thought she was a bit of a porker, until we discovered she’s just crossed with a larger Poodle. Rosie epitomises how to get the most out of life. She is the sweetest girl, with a great sense of adventure. Rosie loves everything and everyone, and would never get into an argument. If someone wants to sit where she is sitting, she just gets up and moves without so much as a grumble. We can learn a lot from Rosie.
Princess Ruby is our little red girl. She came from the same breeder as Rosie, and is the reason we have four pups. Mark saw her and fell in love. I said that three dogs was ridiculous – until I figured that if you have one dog, you have a commitment. Another makes little difference, and she was very cute… Princess Ruby is highly strung and could definitely feel a pea beneath 20 mattresses. Yet despite this princess persona, she is a bog monster who will launch herself into any stagnant and stinking mire she can find.
Lani, our little black girl, came along because Mark carried on looking at pups on the internet and saying things like ‘three is a bad number’. We both have two siblings, so we know about these things. Lani looks like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, but she is a naughty little minx in the loveliest and most endearing way. Like Cato in the Pink Panther films, she deploys unexpected stealth attacks on Ruby, and excels at shredding pants and socks.
L: They really are adorable, Jackie. But what are the challenges of travelling with not just one, but four furry friends (and a husband!)
Their home, inside The Beast, remains constant
J: Travelling with four dogs is not a huge challenge. It follows much the same logic as dog ownership. One dog is a commitment. More than one is actually easier, because they keep each other company and don’t rely solely on you. Although we visit many different locations, their home – Caravan Kismet or The Beast – remains constant and familiar.
Travelling with dogs is a genuine pleasure – we’ve met so many people just because they want to come and say hello to the dogs.
Obviously, there is a cost involved. The dogs require paperwork and vaccinations to travel. We pay extra for their passage on ferries or the Channel Tunnel. Some campsites impose hefty dog charges – the worst we’ve come across was €8 per dog per night in Germany. I think that really translates as ‘dogs not welcome’.
Getting their favourite food is easy in Western Europe. It was more of a challenge in Albania and the rest of the Balkans, but not impossible. I have conducted vet visits in French, Italian, and German.
Travelling together is not hard, and there's room for extra love... Blade, a Romanian rescue dog
Travelling with my husband is not a challenge at all. Since we met, all we ever wanted was to be together full time. We are lucky that we want the same things, share the same passions – and rarely argue. This is essential when you live in a space just 7 x 2.5 metres – there’s nowhere to sneak off in a huff. Things inevitably go wrong when you travel, and we have found ourselves in some extremely stressful situations. Fortunately, we’re both very level and pragmatic, so rather than having a hissy fit, blaming each other, or having a row, we work together to appraise the situation and look for a solution.
L: Aw, that is sweet. We too have always lived and worked together. It makes for a much more relaxing life when you understand each other. And The Fab Four do everything you two do, it seems. They have been climbing, skiing, paddle boarding and have walked many beautiful trails. Is there any activity they’d really like to try?
Jackie and Kai, paddle boarding in Croatia
J: We have bought an inflatable boat for when we visit the water castles of Lithuania, but after being pups on SUPs, I imagine they will take this in their stride.
L: Can you, at this moment in time, ever see yourselves settling down in a house again? Is there anything you miss having no permanent base?
The Beast, wild camping at Vlore, Albania
J: When we set off in 2016, we intended to tour for three years, but we love it so much. We spent eight months in Italy during the first global lockdown, and a year in the UK for Britain’s second and subsequent lockdowns. Being grounded made us realise we’re not ready to settle in one place yet.
Kai in Monte Rosa where the family were locked down
L: I think lockdown was hard for so many people. We were incredibly lucky here in Galicia, as I think you were in Italy, in many ways. There are worse places to be stuck! Now, I have to ask, because for many Brits your lifestyle is now a pipedream; what issues have you faced, if any, from (shh, whisper), Brexit?
J: For many Brits, Brexit has put paid to their retirement plans. It has made travelling with pets much more difficult and expensive, and has also meant re-introduction of the outrageous mobile phone roaming charges that the EU outlawed. It caused us problems sourcing materials for our truck conversion, or made them considerably more expensive, because the process is now so onerous that many companies ceased import and export operations between Britain and the EU.
When Brexit ended freedom of movement, it removed the rights of British Citizens to live, work, or study in the Schengen visa-free area, which currently comprises 26 countries, but is set to expand. Without a visa, UK citizens are limited to a 90-day stay in each 180-day period in the whole Schengen area. Brexit spelled the end of extended motorhome tours of Europe, over-wintering somewhere warm like Spain, or spending a ski season in the Alps.
The Pups in France, Pont du Gard
An unforeseen consequence of Brexit is that it also affects our ease of travel to countries outside the EU. Some countries’ reciprocal agreements and online visas are set up with the EU, not with Britain. With Britain outside the EU, all bets are off.
Mark and I are optimists, however, and believe that there is always a solution.
We foresaw some of the problems that Brexit would bring to our lifestyle and took action. For example, we put The Fab Four on French pet passports, so each time we enter the EU, they don’t need expensive Animal Health Certificates that are only valid for four months. Sadly, obtaining pet passports in France is no longer an option for non-residents, although some other EU countries will offer pet passports without residency. UK vets can’t update EU passports, which means rabies vaccinations are best administered in the EU.
Italy refused our visa application, but some countries offer visas more readily than others.
Glove Rock, Krakow gate, Ojcow, Poland
The Schengen Shuffle is also an option, and that is exactly what we did for this year’s Never Mind The Balkans Tour. We expended our 90-day allowance in France and Italy, then hopped into Albania and the Balkans until we re-set our Schengen clock. Sadly, the number of Shuffle stations is reducing. Croatia joins Schengen in January 2023, and in early December, we will learn whether Romania and Bulgaria have also been accepted. Previously, we could spend 90 days visa free in each one of these three countries.
L: Many people are still surprised that Brexit is having such far-reaching effects. I think many people are apolitical, or apathetic about politics. In your books, you don’t shy away from a touch of political commentary. That’s a brave move. Do you find it difficult to talk seriously in what is essentially a comedy memoir? Is it important to you?
J: It is brave, possibly foolish, since politics is inevitably a divisive subject. However, it does have a massive impact on us. For example, without Brexit, we would not have bought The Beast to drive to Mongolia. It changed our lives completely.
World politics also affects us hugely. Mongolia is off the table at the moment because it requires us to drive through Russia, which is at war with Ukraine. In addition, several other countries we would need to traverse are affected by the war, or are politically unstable in some other way.
As a travel memoirist, this makes some aspects of politics an inextricable part of my story. Travel broadens the mind, and I want my travel memoirs to do the same. I am very moved by the differences in privilege and lifestyle I witness when I travel and sometimes, I want to highlight this in my narrative.
I also see the effects of history repeating itself, which worries me. Some of the greatest atrocities in the world could have been avoided had there been enough people brave (or foolish) enough to call them out before it was too late.
I seek to be entertaining, rather than purely comedic, but sometimes comedy or entertainment is a very effective way to shine a light on injustice, prejudice, or disinformation and bring it to people’s notice.
As an author, I have a voice. I hope that, while they have a laugh and feel uplifted, my books may also give readers occasional pause for thought, or help to expand their view of the world as they travel with me, and see the world through my eyes.
At the recent Frankfurt Book Fair, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sent a message to authors, publishers and readers. “When people lack the knowledge, they can be manipulated more easily by politics.” He implored us all to, “keep writing about it, keep reading about it,” because, “knowledge is the answer.”
Sadly, it is often only ‘brave’ to express observations and opinions because of trolls and bullies. Speaking your mind is not a recipe for a quiet life. Yet, if that causes you to hold back, the trolls and bullies win.
The Fab Four in Provence, France
L: I can’t see bullies getting the better of you, Jackie. Regarding your books, do you plan each one in advance, or are you a pantser who writes as the words pour out?
J: I am very much a pantser!
My writing is based on my life and travels, so I suppose the ‘plot’ is already there. However, ‘We went here and we did this’ does not a gripping read make. My approach to storytelling often comes out of the ether – sometimes the words do just pour out. When this kind of inspiration happens, I get the same thrill as I do from adrenaline sports such as windsurfing or skiing.
Jackie gets a thrill skiing, and writing
However, like most authors, refining and editing probably accounts for about 90% of my creative time. I can never look at anything I’ve written without wanting to tinker. The difficulty is knowing when you’re done. When what you’ve written is as good as it can be. To me, a beautifully crafted humorous sentence is one of the most satisfying things in the world.
L: And you do craft those sentences so well. I was rude about your puns earlier, but I’m actually intensely jealous that you can come up with these things. I’m hopeless. Have you always been fond of word games?
J: I can’t believe you said my writing is full of truly dreadful puns. Honestly, I have never been so proud…
L: Haha!
J: I absolutely LOVE words. I love how it’s possible to use them to paint such powerful pictures, and make people laugh. As English speakers, we have such an incredible language at our disposal. I once read that English gives us a vocabulary of 500,000 words to draw on, compared to 20,000 in French. I don’t know whether that is correct, but I do know that with its Latin, French, Scandinavian, German and even Indian roots and influences, English is a superlatively expressive language.
Clever, witty observation and satire are among my favourite forms of humour. I grew up with incredible wordsmiths, such as Kit Hesketh-Harvey, Ronnie Barker and Patrick Campbell. Maybe it was not normal for a twelve-year-old, but I would never miss Frank Muir and co. on Call My Bluff and still wish I’d written some of Tom Lehrer’s songs, such as The Periodic Table of the Elements.
L: Some great comic mentors there, Jackie. I bet they never had to write in a caravan with four dogs, though. What are the most difficult things about having to write whilst constantly on the move?
The challenges of writing on the move, in Montenegro
J: It’s the same problem that most writers face – finding time to fit writing around life.
I keep a travel journal, post on my blog at least once, if not twice a week, and also write posts and articles for other blogs and publications. My style of travel writing requires extensive research into the places we visit, and I am a perfectionist, so revising and editing is very involved and time-consuming.
I often wake early, and write for a couple of hours in the morning while Mark and The Fab Four doze. It’s a good creative time for me, since inspiration tends to hit at 4 a.m., so I also sleep with a pen and paper by the bed.
L: I should do that! I’m always waking up with an idea which vanishes before I find glasses and paper. Is there anything you miss about England when you are away? And is there anything from another country you would like to transplant to England that you think would improve it?
J: A cup of tea and a bath!
We carry vast quantities of tea. I can’t do without my cuppa. The bath I have to live without, although if I felt strongly enough about it, I suppose I could book myself into a hotel or spa.
The more I travel, the more I appreciate England (and the rest of the United Kingdom). It is beautiful, diverse, safe, and dog friendly.
It’s a national pastime for Brits to moan about the weather, but having spent several summers sweltering away in a Continental climate that hit 49°C in July, but can plummet to -30°C come winter, there’s a lot to be said for Britain’s temperate climate. Yes, it does rain, but at least it’s rarely so hot or so cold that you can’t go outside.
If I could transplant anything to England to improve it, it would have to be the Alps. Britain is a world-class hiking, SUP, and windsurfing location, but not so great for skiing.
Where are we now, guys? Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic
L: Tea! Yes, a Brit essential. We import Yorkshire tea by the bucketful! And finally, if you yourself were one of The Pawsome Foursome, what sort of dog would you be, and what would your name be? Why?
J: Mark says he thinks I would be a Poodle – playful and eager to learn. He thinks my name could be Spes, the Roman goddess of hope.
L: I can see you as a curly headed poodle! Thank you, Spes, for being my guest.
Don’t forget, Jackie’s latest travel memoir, To Hel in a Hound Cart, will be on sale on December 9th and can be pre-ordered HERE.
STOP PRESS: The paperback of Jacqueline Lambert's new book, is live and available to order, right now!
If you want to know more about Jackie’s writing, and her nomadic lifestyle, you can follow her blog at www.WorldWideWalkies.com or on FACEBOOK. https://www.facebook.com/JacquelineLambertAuthor
You can also order Jackie’s books on Amazon Worldwide using this Universal Link: https://author.to/JLambert