20 May 2010

Summer Plans

We have come to a decision to spend our holidays in Poland this year. We are going to jump on our car and head to the unknown... or rather well-known... :) I know it would be so much easier to just book a flight and be with our families within a couple of hours. We do not want, however, to leave Angie with strangers and have decided to take her with us and travel by car.

It is going to be a long journey involving 1500km on the road. We would normally make it in about 16-17 hours but considering the time we have to spend crossing the Channel, all the stops we have to make to exercise the dog and the state of Polish roads, I think we are going to make in about 20 hours.

We have just booked a ferry from Dover to Dunkirk in France. The prices for the end of August and mid September cruises are not that bad, actually. There is one thing that has really surprised me.

In order to board a ferry with a dog, we have to pay for the pet’s ticket, £15 each way. Now, because a pet is like any other passenger (!), charging for a dog seems like a fair enough idea. Once on board, we cannot stay in the car and have to go on lower or upper decks. We cannot take the dog with us and have to leave her locked in the car. Ok, these are the rules we have to acknowledge and agree to.

Nevertheless, there is one thing that I do not quite understand. If I travelled without a car and wanted to board a ferry to France or back to England on foot and with a dog, I would be allowed to take my dog with me and would not have to leave her anywhere. The only rule that applies to this situation is that a dog must be on a lead and must stay on the lower deck for the duration of a cruise.

So how come am I not allowed taking my dog on a lower deck when I travel by car? I feel that since I pay more money because of the car and since I am charged a ferry ticket for my dog, I should have some privileges, wouldn’t you agree?

Well, apparently bosses who are in charge of this ferry business do not agree at all. It is just unfair and a bit disappointing... that’s all...