On top of the world (Thursday 15 July 2010)

Alfie and I were on top of the world today – Alfie was reasonably ok but I was knackered and walking rather slowly on four rather sore paws which even the icy waters of the spring outside the chalet could make better!  But don’t forget Alfie is five years younger than me! So after a short painful and slow walk down for a swim in the lakes after breakfast we went back to the chalet for a snoozy restful day whilst the grown up’s went right up to almost 4,000 feet and into the snow. It was quite good of them really, we weren’t allowed on the two big lifts to get up there so they decided to go when we were a bit tired. But we know what they got up to as they told us all about it (yawn, yawn....) when they got back!

What bothers me is that they are spending all their money, not on us but on beer, wine and lift passes – the passes today were 41 Euro’s each! But they did like it. The first lift took them to the Plan du Midi at 2300 metres (near to where we started our long walk down yesterday) and then straight on to the Aguille du Midi rising up up a staggering 3843 metres. The last bit apparently was really scary as it went up vertically over the snow. Alfie and I could see this out of the window in the chalet and couldn’t believe they were so far up. At the top is the restaurant – the highest in Europe and from where we were it looked like a tiny needle high in the clouds. They were all a bit cold but enjoyed not only a good lunch (more wine I expect......) but also seeing all the climbers going off on the snow, all roped together to climb the summit to Mont Blanc. Aunty Allsorts was a bit of a wimp though as usual, she didn’t like being so high and claiming altitude sickness (yeah, right – more like wimp sickness) she came down early and waited, with a glass of wine too no doubt, at the mid station. Uncle John W was tired again so in the afternoon he came back to see us and rest in the chalet and the rest of them went on a short walk from the midi station to take a look at the Lac Bleu – a small glacial lake. We would have liked it there as we could have gone for another swim!


They went off out for dinner and left us at home again – we pretended we were a bit miffed and wanted to go but in reality we were glad, I certainly was a bit stiff still and my paws were still a bit sore – it’s alright for them they wear those ugly trainer things but me and Alfie only have our bare paws to walk on all those rocks. As usual they bored us when they got back telling us how good the meal was at Le Petit Kitchen in town, I suspect they enjoyed more wine too..... And you can see from this pic that Alfie's daddy John really enjoyed his chocolate pudding....

Will this walk never end - the day it all started to go downhill (Wednesday 14 July 2010)

Alfie guarding his daddies' lunch!

The amazing view of the glacier

Today we decide to go up to get near a glacier, so take a leisurely walk (the only one that day, but more of that later.....) into Chamonix and take the Montenvers Mer de Glace train. It’s not like any train I’m used to like the one I go on with Daddy Ant from Clapham, it’s funicular one, quite steep and goes up from 1000 metres on the valley floor to 1913 metres when you get off. I was glad I had my own fur coat – think our grown up’s may have got it wrong – just in usual summer stuff while everyone else was wearing winter woollies....


The Montenvers glacier is pretty impressive at 7kms long and 200 metres deep with a little cafe where the grownups had to get coffees as they took in the view. I tried to nick some of their doughnuts but Alfie as usual was more concerned with guarding his daddies’ lunch in their back pack (see pic) – he really growled at me as I tried to nick stuff from that as well – it was nearly the end of a beautiful friendship....


But after a bit of a look round and admiring the views we decide to start off on our walk over towards the Plan du Midi ski lift. We knew we couldn’t get that ski lift down though as we dogs aren’t allowed, so the plan is to walk down, sounds like fun! As usual, the walk is harder than we (well harder than Aunty Allsorts) thought. As usual, the grown up’s were pretty bad with maps – they had only gone a few hundred metres and came to a fork in path and had no idea which way to go! Luckily a group of helpful German’s with a guide (just glad it wasn’t one of their shepherds, they scare me a bit and Alfie would have barked.....) came and pointed us in the right direction. So we climbed up and up and up on another windey path, stopping lots to supposedly admire the views when in reality they (well Aunty Allsorts again....) just needed a rest! It was great fun and a bit adventurous as we edged along the mountain and scampered across the scree. We stop for a bit of lunch at the top in a forest of cairns (no beer here – not a bar or cafe to be seen) and then forge on. Down we go and thought it was all downhill from there. But yet again the maps tricked us – we go down a really steep bit, only to realise that we had to go back up the other side before we could get anywhere near the path back down to town. Aunty Allsorts was not pleased – she said it was a real disappointment to think she would be going downhill only to realise there was another steep climb in the way... I loved it though, and my tail was getting a bit tired it was wagging so much! But we plod on and eventually find the path down to town. It didn’t look too bad but when we could finally see the valley floor and Chamonix we realised just what a long way down a steep zig zag trail it was – the houses and roads down there looked smaller than toytown. It was only a kilometre down but because it was so steep the trail went back and fore ad nauseam so we must have actually walked miles. We had gone down a bit and came to a bit of a clearing with a mountain hut and a few goats and chickens. Alfie and I loved it we, could roll about in goat’s poo to our hearts content. And I managed to escape for a few minutes – I didn’t eat the chickens, but I did manage a few mouthfuls of their food – it was nice! There was a rough gravel bit there and all the grown up’s managed to slip but only silly Aunty Allsorts managed to twist her knee a bit. It was a bit of a nuisance as it slowed me down, but I did stay with her most of the time to make sure she was ok. The daddies found her a big branch to use as a walking stick to help, but we had no choice, we had to keep on going, there was no other way to get home! Then we entered the forest and carried on plodding down for miles. After a while we passed a girl walking up to the top. About an hour later she passed us again on the way down (was she really fast or were we just rather slow?) She was really nice, saw that Aunty Allsort’s was having a few problems walking down so gave her her walking sticks. She was Hungarian with no English but managed to communicate that she would wait at the bottom to get her sticks back. It was such a kind gesture and it really helped speed us up, I liked her so much for doing that I almost wanted to give her some of my Iams....

Me knackered.....

Me - knackered again....

But we walked on and on and on – the odd glimpses of buildings we could see in the distance still seemed tiny. Hours later a relieved group finally reached the valley floor – what a relief that was – even Alfie and I had slowed up a bit by this stage, and I think I even glimpsed a few tears of relief in Alfie’s favourite daddy Colin’s eyes.... But as usual the grown up’s didn’t think of going straight back to the chalet for our tea, but managed to find the only cheap wine of the trip in a car park! Beers first, followed by two (yes TWO) litre carafes of the local rose and hotdogs, they were feeling no pain. It was really warm so after a big drink of water Alfie and I just snoozed under the tables and let them get on with it! But all that calorie expenditure was catching up with them so they all stopped for in town for pizza’s and yet more rose wine before going home so we could finally get out tea. I must say, Alfie and I still looked tidy, but they looked like a pack of chav’s, rather out of place in smart Chamonix. Sweat stained, pink sunburn marks and grubby, we felt really embarrassed sitting with them!

They drink rose, all we get is water!

Alfie and I were mortified by the state of this lot!

The Sound of Happy Birthday, Daddy Ant (Tuesday 13 July 2010)

We were all a bit achy from yesterday’s walk, and bearing in mind Daddy Ant’s great age – another year older today - we planned a less hilly walk on the valley floor. We walked all the way to Les Houches. At the end of the road the chalet is in, there are some lovely but cold lakes where Alfie and I could swim away.

Alfie is very good at fetching large sticks and bringing them back, but I prefer to swim towards them and then back, leaving them for Alfie. I would normally bring them back of course, but thought I’d be unselfish and leave them for him.... We finally had to get out (we weren’t pleased....) and started the walk towards Les Houches through the forest and along the river. Aunty Allsorts was very nervous as I was off the lead and the river was all white water. I kept taunting her and going off in that direction but even I wouldn’t be daft enough to go in it – but it was good fun frightening her! It was further than we thought so yet again the grown up’s found a nice bar in the town for yet more expensive beer. Alfie’s Daddy John and Daddy Ant were very good at making baguettes for lunch so they noshed away on those and gave Alfie and I the odd scrap.... Uncle John W was a bit tired today so he went back to the chalet and the rest of us pressed on to find the Bellvue ski lift. The nice French lady in the ticket office told us it was a nice, easy walk from the top over to the Le Prarion ski lift to come down. I always though I could trust the French – but no more! She lied. We get to the top and walked a bit and the saw the other ski lift in the distance. It looked a long way but not too bad.... but a few hundred metres on the full horror hit us. We had to walk down a long steep mountain and then up a steep windey path to get back up again! But we pressed on and stopped for an ice cream at the cafe at the bottom, before starting our ascent. The walk was nice though, on the way down we passed loads of cows with big bells round their necks, and on the way up we walked though alpine meadows with lots of lovely flowers. It was all reminiscent of Julie Andrews in the Sound of Music so we all did the singing and running through the flowers. Not sure what the locals thought..... and I didn't find an eidleweiss..... but saw a few lonely goatherds high on the hill......

We finally reach the top and collapse into the nice little deckchairs they provide and take in the amazing views before going back down to the valley floor to get the train back to Chamonix. But we had missed a train and had a wait of an hour for the next one – so what else could we do but repair to the local bar to start the birthday celebrations with a bottle of the local rose. Then back to the chalet on the train from a tiny station down yet another hill, deep in the forest (and we got away without paying.....). And back to a birthday tea party. I think all that rose had gone to their heads, and together with the bottle of pink champagne and chocolate birthday cake we all had a laugh. They are all mad and played the parts from the Sound of Music – Daddy Ant, being the birthday boy was the Captain (I did enjoy trying on his Captain’s hat), Uncle John W was the Mother Superior and the others were the children with blond plaits and headscarves. Daddy Ant did well as he knew all the words.....

Alfie and I had to play along and wear the outfits too – but we did demand treats to do it so it was worth looking like a couple of prats. I can’t believe we allowed ourselves to be photographed looking so daft – what will my sophisticated friends say back in Clapham? God, I hope they don’t read this blog..... Then to top it all, the boys get into the hot tub, I must say it looked nice to be able to soak there and look up at the snowy mountains, but it was a bit too full of chlorine for me and Alfie – as you know our bodies are our temples and we are very careful what we put into them (yeah, right....) so thought the chlorine might not be good for us, and also I don’t want to change the colour of my lovely coat.....

Alfie and I decided to stay in tonight and have another blissful evening on the sofa, whilst the grown up’s go off into town for a birthday tea. They had a good meal by the river (but they were a bit chilly as the glacial water rushing through really cools down the air) and the waitress brought Daddy Ant’s pudding with a huge firework sparkler in it. There was then a magnificent fireworks display over Chamonix that Alfie’s daddies’ said they had organised for Daddy Ant’s birthday – don’t tell him but Alfie told me they didn’t really do it – it was just the French celebrations for Bastille day – but bless him, Daddy Ant fell for it.......... or so he said.

Walkies! (Monday 12 July 2010)

These lift things are a bit odd.........

I was so excited this morning – my first walk into the French Alps. I don’t think the grown ups are very intelligent, they seemed to pore (or should that be “paw”....) over the map for ages but when we set out they still weren’t very sure where we were going. We walked through Chamonix, a nice level walk along a rather raging river, until we arrived at Lea Praz and a ski lift up to Flegere (1877 metres). As they allowed Alfie and I on this lift, we decided to go up. I was a bit scared to start with but soon got used to it – at least I didn’t have to close my eyes like silly Aunty Allsort’s! From there, we walked over to the Planpraz ski lift (2000 metres). We thought it was a levelish walk but no, we were up hill and down dale, lots of narrow paths with stones and boulders and some lovely flowers. Some of the edges were a bit scary though, but I loved the freedom of just going where I wanted. Allfie was the same but we were quite good – if we went a bit too far ahead, we would always make sure we turned back to make sure no one had fallen off the mountain – I think I may apply for a job here and be one of those mountain rescue dogs with a barrel of brandy round my neck – but being with this lot it wouldn’t last long – one broken fingernail and they’d be reaching for that brandy.....

 

Me and my mate Alfie find a cool pool in the mountains

Even though we were so high, it was still very hot, but as I crested a hill I spotted a stone bath full of cold spring water and invited Alfie in for a cooling splash. After cooling down there we carried on walking – Alfie and I loved it – we kept going on forward and then coming back in our roles of mountain security, so I think we walked twice as far as the grown ups. And then in the distance we spotted snow! How odd – it was really hot but we could roll around in snow..... The grown ups were all a bit daft and had had snow fights but Alfie and I were a lot more sensible and just rolled around in it to cool down – I really was quite excited to see it but pretended I was being really “cool”. Finally (even Alfie and I were getting a bit tired by now) we spotted the cafe at the Planpraz ski lift. Yet again more booze (well for the Daddies’ – Aunty Allsorts was much more sensible and stuck to water), and a record I gather at 9.50 Euro’s for one half litre of beer! And then on to the ski lift down. I wasn’t sure about these lifts to start with – they go up quite high and rather fast, but I soon learned to enjoy them.

Knackered!

Alfie and I were a bit tired tonight, so the grown ups went out without us – we loved it – we had a good old goss about them all and then snoozed for England on the comfy sofas. I had a bit of a panic though at one stage – there was a thunderstorm and Alfie was a bit spooked, but I am so brave, I calmed him down. They were full of it when they got back, they had sat at a local Savoy restaurant and eaten loads of cheese – fondues and tartiflettes and they also discovered the local rose wine – no change there then!

We're staying in a very big kennel..... (Sunday 11 July 2010)

Today we take a leisurely drive down to Chamonix, stopping at a few French “Aires” (motorway stopover areas for you untravelled doggies out there – I am now so cosmopolitan!) We finally arrive at our fab chalet with the most amazing views of Mont Blanc, covered in snow. We also see loads of other snow covered peaks and our very own glacier snaking down towards the road. I can’t wait to get out in those mountains. It’s a lovely wooden chalet, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, laundry room, computer area, two wraparound balconies, Bose sound system, an outdoor hot tub, a sauna and a gym (though I can’t imagine that will get much use....). Poor Daddy Ant and I drew the short straw with the big but low attic room, it was ok for me apart from the steep wooden steps, but Daddy Ant couldn’t stand up properly!

Does your camera not have orange eye reduction?

The gang outside our very big kennel.....

And across the road is a big tub of freezing water which is continually filled with fresh glacial spring water – great for my poor paws after days in the mountains, but even better to drink. Alfie had the run of the house and garden where you can get out to the road but just because I am more adventurous (and I would have liked a little escape to see what was going on round there....), I had to stay behind the child gates upstairs, but it was ok, I could wander around the balcony, go up to my own room for a bit of peace and quiet and snooze happily on the sofa. And I could see the amazing view all the time, so I was very happy. But yet again, we hadn’t been there more than a few minutes when those grown ups had to get out again and wander down into Chamonix for yet more beer and wine.... But we shopped for a bit of French nosh and returned to the chalet for a nice tea and planning for the next week.

Give this dog a Beaune.... (Saturday 10 July 2010)

Today we drive on to Beaune to meet up with Alfie, I’m so excited. We get there early afternoon and again check into another nice hotel with another lift that I loved. I must say I could get used to this hotel life, but no time to relax on the bed (and they wouldn’t let me go in the hotel pool either, which annoyed me a bit as it was very hot) as yet again they had to go out and find food and wine straight away. I must say, Beaune is a lovely place, all very historical with old streets and bars and cafes everywhere, but I can’t get the name. I was expecting the streets to be paved with, if not real bones, at least Bonio’s but no, just a load of old cobbles. But I got over my disappointment in the excitement of Alfie and his Daddies’ arrival.
As was to become a habit on this trip, we all met up in a cafe late afternoon, and over yet another couple of yet even more expensive wines for them (these French poodles must earn a lot of money, everything costs a fortune.....) and just water for us, we spent a happy couple of hours catching up.

All together at last!

I love these hotel things....

Then of course more food was needed so the grown ups decide to stop and eat outdoors on the way back to the hotel – no thought for me of course, I normally have my tea at about 5.30, so apart from a few scraps of French nosh from their plates, I had to wait for ages for my own dinner – a couple of glasses of wine and they get very forgetful....

My mate Alfie with his "Fave" daddy

A woof woof on a chuff chuff... (Friday 9 July 2010)

Hello – for those of you who don’t know me, let me introduce myself. I’m Dylan often known as “The Dyl” and here is my contribution to Daddy Ant and Aunty Allsort’s blog all about my recent adventures in France – my first trip abroad! For the first time ever, I left the shores of Blighty (and very exciting it was too.....). It was a great trip to the French Alp’s based in Chamonix and I travelled with Daddy Ant and Aunty Allsorts – she was a bit of a pain as she took my seat in the Porsche and I had to sit on her very ample knee all the way - what a cheek! We met up there with my friend Alfie who was travelling with his daddies Colin and John and Uncle John W.


I left a couple of days earlier than Alfie and stayed at Auntie Allsort’s house for a barbie (the steak was good, thanks) before we set off for the Channel Tunnel (and I remembered my passport). It was a bit odd being in the car which was on a train, but I soon got used to it and in no time we were driving off on the wrong side of the road. We drove down to Epernay for the first night – of course Daddy Ant and Aunty Allsorts couldn’t go through the champagne region of France without stopping, and it was no time after we got to the posh hotel – all sparkly and I loved the lift – before they had to go straight out to the square for an emergency glass of champagne. The amounts are so small, they call them “copettes” , so of course they had to have two! Then out for dinner and yet more “copettes” – but at least the French restaurants and bars are nice to dogs here – they always give you water – no champagne though.....