on the road with Animalcouriers

It was rather wet and snowy when Animalcouriers met up with Céline in the French town of Pontarlier, near the border with Switzerland, to deliver young Savannah cat Aragon to her. Within about an hour, Céline was in touch to say Aragon was already walking on a lead and had been out and about, exploring his new surroundings!

We then headed on south and spent the night just outside Narbonne. The next day, we continued into Spain, where our first stop was near Tarragona to reunite cute rabbit Cigrunet with Miriam, who was very pleased to see him.

Then it was on to Valencia to reunite beautiful silver tabby Bonnie with Sophie. Sophie has moved from Dorchester, having completed her training to teach English, and is very excited about entering this profession.

Our final delivery in Spain was lively Spaniel Charlie, whose owners have moved to a countryside idyll in Murcia. Charlie had stayed in kennels while Heather and her husband got their new home ready, and everyone was very pleased to be back together. Their new home is sandwiched between a goat farm, a pig farm and a turkey farm. There’s miles of lovely countryside for Charlie to run in — and no-one has far to go for goat’s cheese, milk, pork or a Christmas turkey! Heather wrote to say:

“Thank you for delivering Charlie safely to us, he seems really pleased to see us again, and loves the garden!”

Last night we stayed at the Parador in Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca — a secure hotel with good parking, panoramic views and quiet dog-walking areas, and one that offers good deals at this time of year. Today we’re continuing our journey into Portugal, where Borat, Yuna and Ruas, and Faith, will be reunited with their owners; and new passengers will board the bus.

Very happy Céline with her handsome Aragon

 

Aragon out exploring his new surroundings

Miriam delighted to have Cigrunet back in her arms

A joyful reunion for Sophie and her cat Bonnie

A rapturous welcome home for Charlie from his owners

Cuddles for Charlie from Heather

Charlie all settled in on his favourite rug

Courier M enjoyed one of his favourite Spanish dishes at dinner last night — morcilla (a kind of black pudding)

Courier J preferred a different sort of pudding — ‘chocolate in three textures’

View over Ciudad Rodrigo from the parador parapet

Borat seemed pretty taken with the outlook, too!

Faith too busy trying out for ‘longest tongue’ to admire the scenery

Lookout tower on the city wall — somewhere for a watchman to shelter. Little windows, so he could keep an eye out without losing one to an enemy arrow. And a hole in the floor — some kind of ancient sanitary fitting perhaps?

Courier M in a former life, perhaps?

Orchids spotted on our morning walk

In for a closer look

Fabulously bright spring colours

Charming daisy types

Almond trees in full blossom, despite the biting cold winds…

…and angry black-and-blue skies