The post Dog Food Issues when Travelling to EU with our Staffordshire Bull Terrier appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>Now Brexit has happened and the UK has left the EU, certain rules have changed regarding what food (including dog food) you can take with you. You are no longer allowed to take meat or milk-based dog food including treats unless your Vet has given you written confirmation that your pet requires a certain dog food for medical reasons. With written permission, you may take packs that weigh 2kg. This means that your pet food needs to be fish or plant-based dried products such as those in vegan dog food or treats would be allowed. No more than 10kg in weight and should be sealed in the original bag.
As you are probably aware we have a Staffie, Pepper. She is now 6 years old and we have been travelling with her for the last 3 years. Although she eats snails, rabbit droppings and fur cones and is seemingly ok, her dog food when travelling can and has caused issues in more ways than one.
We found that if we changing her food to another brand can make her stomach sore and she has ended up being ill, both ways badly in the RV which as you can imagine is horrific.
We have since found that if we are unable to get her current brand of food we have to buy a similar quality and content food and mix it with her current food for a good few weeks to ensure it does not make her tummy bad.
We have also had issues with food not keeping well due to the hot weather. We used to use wet and dry food, but you can’t store that much, wet food in the fridge in an RV and in hot weather it sweats. This makes the fat separate and food go off quicker and also makes it stink. Due to this, we changed onto dry only food.
Though we had issues with dry food in hot countries too. Turns out that dry food in hot countries is prone to get infested with flies in the warehouses. They then lag eggs in the food which hatch out into maggots in the bags. Unaware of this issue we bought a 15KG bag of dry food and a few weeks into using it we found maggots crawling around in the food and in the storage locker. Took a good while to get rid of all of them too which was not nice, but we managed to feed some to our poor Pepper and she ended up with a very poorly tummy.
We now only buy small bags of dry dog food each week.
We have also found that you have to be very careful with drinking water. If you wouldn’t drink it, then don’t give it to your dog!
Bowls left out for dogs in the streets and at cafés are a lovely gesture but can be there a while and have insects and bacteria in them. They are also visited by lots of other dogs, including strays and you have no idea if they carry any disease.
The best bet is always to bring water with you and give them clean fresh water you would be happy drinking wherever you’re staying.
I can highly recommend these travel bottles and bowls:
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]]>The post Must Have Dog Travel Accessories appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>Below are some of the items we would not be without. These items are all useful at home but have been picked so they can be used when traveling. All these items are easy to clean and lightweight, and have survived the wrath of Pepper!
Great for inside and outside use. Gives dogs their own space. Easy to clean/wipe down. Very lightweight at 3.5kg.
We use this as a liner in the dog carrier above. The waterproof element makes it much easier for us to clean if Pepper is ill or makes a mess.
It’s also nicely comfortable for her, as thinner mattresses have been rejected quickly!
Great for cleaning and drying your dog when you get back from a walk, or after you’ve given them a shower.
Machine washable – though we usually do it by hand.
This is a great non-spill water bowl. Easy to clean. It has never moved or spilled while driving. Perfect for motorhomes/RVs.
EzyDog Zero Shock lead is a wonderful lead that clips around your waist. Perfect for hiking, leaving your hands free.
Great harness, easy to clean. Comes with a great easy to use Seatbelt attachment.
A fantastic microfibre doormat. Extremely absorbent. Great for wet feet and dogs. Reduces muddy footprints inside.
Fantastic washable bag with air freshener. Pouch for empty bags and section for full bags. No more carrying poop in your hands until you find a bin. Great for long walks.
Ticks can be found in most countries in Europe. It’s recommended that you only use dedicated tools to remove ticks. These are small, easy to use, and proved invaluable multiple times.
Lightweight soft muzzle, easy to use, and small enough to carry in a bag.
Tough Natural Rubber chew toy. Space for stuffing treats. One of the few that last well with our strong chewer.
Tough Natural rubber bone. Space at each end for stuffing treats.
Perfect tasty treat to spray into the Kong toys. Keeps dogs happy and busy.
Great toss or tug of war toy. The family will enjoy playing with this as much as the dog. Tough material.
Durable High Bounce Rubber, easily visible, Launcher Compatible, don’t pop like tennis balls.
Durable, easy to pick up, float in water, random bounce, easily visible, and great for owner and pet.
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]]>The post Taking your Dog to the EU after Brexit appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>Pet passports issued in the UK including the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man are now invalid for any travel to any EU country or Northern Ireland. Even so, don’t throw away those passports just yet as for some of us they are the only proof of vaccinations so could be worth holding onto.
Pet Passports issued in an EU county or Northern Ireland are still valid for travel to another EU country. The passport must have been issued in one of the following places:
When travelling to and from the UK to the EU or Northern Ireland with your pet they will need:
Let’s look at each of those in a bit more detail.
Your pet needs to be microchipped to be able to travel. This also needs to be done before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If they are microchipped afterwards, they’ll need to be vaccinated again.
Microchipping for pet travel can only be done by:
Make sure the microchip number is put in your animal health certificate. The date must be before your pet’s vaccinations.
You must get your dog, cat or ferret vaccinated against rabies before they can travel.
Once your pet is 12 weeks old or older they can have the rabies vaccination. You will then need to wait 21 days after the primary vaccination before you can travel.
Your pet must be microchipped before, or at the same time as, their rabies vaccination. If they are microchipped afterwards, they’ll need to be vaccinated again.
If you are travelling with your pet regularly, you must ensure your pet gets regular boosters, especially rabies boosters to keep the vaccination up to date to be able to travel.
The details of the vaccine need to be put on the animal health certificate.
You will need to get your dog treated for tapeworm if you are travelling directly to:
The treatment must be administered by a vet and added to your pets animal health certificate.
The treatment must have been given no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours (5 days) before you arrive.
The treatment must:
An Animal Health Certificate is the replacement 12-page document for the previously used pet passport. It is a one-time use document that allows your pet entry into the EU and Northern Ireland for up to 5 pets. It allows onwards travel within the EU for up to 4 months and return to the UK. It is only for dogs, cats and ferrets. You will need a new certificate every time you travel.
To obtain an Animal Health Certificate, you must take your pet to your vet. You need to do this no more than 10 days before you travel and your pet must be microchipped, be at least 12 weeks old and have had their rabies vaccine.
Your pet will need to be examined and the certificate signed by an “Official Veterinarian” (OV). You will need to provide proof of your pets’ microchipping date and vaccination history.
Once the health check and certificate is completed it will be valid after the date issued for:
Your pet will need a new animal health certificate for each trip to an EU country or Northern Ireland from the UK.
The certificate is valid for 10 days to enter the EU. Then the animal health certificate is valid for one trip of 4 months of travel within the EU. You will also need to travel back to the UK within that 4 month period before the certificate expires.
What do you do if you plan to travel in the EU and beyond for more than 4 months; say you’re going into Croatia to stop the Schengen clock? We wanted to know as we plan to do just that and to our surprise, we received the below email reply from the Animal and Plant Health Agency ([email protected]) stating that you need to get an EU pet passport.
The response from APHA stated “We advise that if you are travelling in the EU for longer than the 4 months validity period of the AHC, that you contact a vet in the EU and get an EU pet passport issued. This should allow you to travel around the EU and reenter Britain“.
We have not attempted this yet and believe it could be somewhat more difficult than some as we have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (classed as a dangerous dog in some countries) but we will update you when we know more.
The animal health certificate only covers your pet for one trip to the EU. You will require a new animal health certificate for each trip to an EU country or Northern Ireland you take with your pet.
Your pet will not need a repeat rabies vaccination so long as its rabies vaccinations are up to date.
Your dog will need tapeworm treatment for each trip if you’re travelling directly to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Northern Ireland or Norway.
On arrival in the EU, you will need to enter through a travellers’ point of entry. Before you can proceed with your travels you will need to show your pets animal health certificate, their microchip will probably need to be scanned and you may be asked to show proof of:
Your pet’s microchip will probably be scanned to ensure it matches the animal health certificate. Airlines, train and ferry companies in the EU can read microchips that meet International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards ISO 11784 and ISO 11785.
You may have to bring your own microchip reader when you travel if your pet’s microchip does not meet ISO standards. You should check with your travel company before you leave.
When you return to the UK, you will be required to show proof that your pet:
Your pet may be put into quarantine for up to 4 months if you do not follow these rules – or refused entry if you travelled by sea. You’re responsible for any fees or charges.
Dogs must also have a tapeworm treatment before returning to the UK. This must be done by a registered vet and recorded on the health certificate. The treatment must be given no more than 5 days (120 hours) and no less than 24 hours before you enter the UK.
You should research the laws around pets for the country you are travelling to as well as check if there are any parasites or diseases to be aware of or need to protect your pet against.
Make sure you ask your vet about any health risks and advice about protection against ticks, mosquitos and sandflies, which can spread diseases. There may also be other hazards, such as blisters to the feet from hot surfaces or poisonous snakes that you and your pet are not familiar with.
The laws on dog ownership in different countries vary, for instance, in some countries as well as aboard some ferries, dog owners can be asked to muzzle their pet in public and you should ensure your dog is not on the dangerous dog list and if it is what you need to do.
As we have a “Dangerous Dog” we carry all our papers with us in one wallet everywhere we go just in case we are stopped. Our pedigree papers, pet insurance document, UK passport with all our dog’s previous vaccines and will carry the new health certificate all in one wallet.
We have not yet travelled outside the UK since Brexit thanks to the pandemic. However, the above information is the research we have completed in preparation for our trips and is up to date at the time of writing.
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]]>The post Rebuilding a Basement Door appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>When we had disposed of every ant we could find inside, we started looking outside for the source of our sudden invasion. Some searching around the corner of the main slideout revealed them to be crawling around inside the front basement door.
As quickly as possible, we removed the end cap from the hanger rail and started sliding the door off the RV. In our rush, we didn’t release the driver’s side wheel arch and scraped it. But finally, the door, and its pile of ants, was released and safely away from the van.
Closer investigation of the ants showed that they were getting in and out of the basement door through a gap in the metal trim. We removed the trim and found more ants, burrowing their way through what we discovered to be damp and rotting wood that lay underneath. With the ruined wood and the new ant nest, there was nothing else to do but strip the whole door apart and see what we were left with.
Stripping down the door wasn’t as easy as we thought. Though the metal outer trims appear to be just bolted to the panel, they are also glued and sealed. Most of the screws came away easily enough, but a few of the bigger ones snapped. Once freed up, only leverage from screwdrivers and blades was able to pry the trim away from the door.
With the trims removed, we were left with the core of the locker door. The door appeared to be made of wood, with square aluminium tube along the top and bottom, then inner and outer fibreglass faces stuck to plywood and hardboard backing. The backings on both sides were damp and falling apart without the support of the outer trim, so we pushed into those, separating the outer faces from the inner core.
As we pried the door further apart, we found that the bulk of the inner door was made with polystyrene foam. Quite a dense one that presumably made the door a good chunk lighter. With the facing finally free, we surveyed the damage and the remaining door parts – this door was going to require a completely new core.
Of course, we’re only still here because of the Coronavirus pandemic, and local stores had not yet reopened. Here we were, on the east coast of Spain, with a hole in the side of the van and no parts to replace it.
Onto the internet we went. Stores were able to ship items as well as offer click and collect. But not everything was available to order online, and sizes were a problem. Our RV was made in the USA, with chunks of wood that were 2″ x 3/4″, and some that were 4″ x 3/4″, and a variety of other sizes. Here in the EU, those sizes don’t exist. The closest I could get to a 2″ x 3/4″ was 56mm x 18mm, that’s a bit too wide, and a bit too thin. Nevermind, we’re not going to do much better than that – we’ll just have to make do.
The final shopping list was:
While I went to the local Aki in order to get the parts, Karen set to work on the front and rear faces. The rear face had been attached to plywood, and she used her trusty scraper to peel off the layers until just a thin, single layer remained.
The front face, on the other hand, was stuck to hardboard. This board had rotted and pulled apart in a particularly terrible state. Again, with the scraper and a knife, she tried to level out the remaining hardboard to a consistent layer. It wasn’t entirely possible, as sometimes the hardboard broke away down to the original face. In some areas, the resin from the fibreglass had seeped into the hardboard making it completely solid and almost impossible to remove.
After a couple of hours, the front face was down to a reasonable level and we sanded the remaining high spots. We left some of the resin-filled section around the lock mechanism in order to provide additional strength.
With our array of parts, we worked out that we’d get about the same thickness as the original core by using the 18mm timber at the sides, filling the centre with the coroplast and plywood, and laying the 3mm hardboard across the entire outer face.
Once we’d worked out how the layers could go together, it was just a question of cutting everything up and putting it all together. We made plenty of markings on each piece to ensure that we knew how they should be orientated. The most difficult part was making appropriate holes in the aluminium tube to attach the wood with a nice, flush edge.
After an initial assembly without glue or sealant, we test fit the door to see if everything was going to line up. We were overjoyed when we slid the door into place, and it closed nicely. The latch went straight in and locked the door shut. You could barely tell that we’d rebuilt it all.
After the test fit, we took the door back apart so that we could glue and seal the door.
We did each face one at a time, using our one g-clamp and a couple of adjustable spanners for clamping. Boxes helped hold everything in place while the glue set.
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]]>The post RV Lock Review – How To Add Keyless Entry To Your RV appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>Most RVs, or at least, the older ones came with regular door locks. They’ve got two key holes, one locks the door, the other locks the handle. It’s good enough, but given the giant stack of keys our RV came with, carrying less of them around is better.
The RV Lock changes that. It’s a direct replacement lock mechanism that adds a wireless remote fob, as well as a keypad that can be used for locking and unlocking the door.
As well as the main entry doors, RV Lock also offers baggage door locks which also support pin entry and the wireless remote fob and can be keyed the same so one key does everything. If you want to go that far…
It’s been a brilliant upgrade. The ability to pop out without dragging a whole bunch of keys has meant that we secure our RV far more often than we would otherwise. Going to the showers? Press the lock button on your way out. Going to the site office? Press the lock button on your way out. The simple ease of doing it means that whoever is last to leave the RV, locks the door.
The opposite works too. Already in the car and remembered you need something in the RV? Send someone for it and unlock with the fob. If it’s out of range then that person can unlock it with the pin.
It’s been especially helpful with our daughter Olivia, as we can all be outside with the door locked. If she then wants to go back in, she can do – without keys or the remote. She’s so used to operating the lock herself that she does it even if the door is stiff – she just assumes it’s locked.
Of course, the best parts of this lock are powered by the batteries. There are 4 AAA batteries mounted under the cover in the lock. So far, having fresh batteries at first install, we’ve changed them twice in just under 2 years. That’s a lot of operations and better battery life than we expected.
One of the few things we didn’t realise when we bought the lock, was that the only the deadbolt is operated by the lock motor. The handle lock is still purely key operated, and it would be a great upgrade if they offer this functionality in future.
So far, it’s held up really well. It looks as new as it did when we fitted it, and we haven’t had any build quality issues.
Some of the reviews have said that there are issues with the handles and lock internals, but we haven’t experienced any yet.
Before you go ahead and order an RV Lock, check that it will fit first. For us, the class A/C lock was the correct fit, but you might need an alternative size.
You will also need to make sure you get the right opening direction and check that you are able to move/replace the striker in the door frame.
Once we’d identified the lock would fit, we placed our order and waited.
When our lock arrived, we were slightly disappointed to find that one of the internal lock handles was broken. We think this was because of the way it was packaged for shipping, as the lock and faceplate were free to move against each other. The supplied batteries were also rather corroded. RV Lock sent us out new internal handles after a quick email though, and even a refund for the batteries!
The initial fitting was very simple, our existing lock was already destroyed, but would have only needed unscrewed anyway. The old lock was slipped out of the door, leaving a nice big squarish hole.
When the new RV Lock is bolted into the door, there are two parts. The outer part contains the lock, keypad etc, and goes on from outside. The inner handle holds the battery and secures the lock to the door. When the two parts are put together, there’s a small ribbon cable that needs to be connected – make sure not to pinch the cable when the lock is bolted in!
Finally, the red inner lock handles will need to be pushed onto their spindles on the lock. These are easy to place because they have a flat keyed edge on the spindle that matches with the handle. Once pushed on, they shouldn’t come off easily.
Before you close the door for the first time – make sure the handle works!
The tricky part is getting good alignment of the lock. A new striker is provided as part of the kit, but it wasn’t possible to replace ours without removing the door frame. Getting the alignment correct was all about constantly adjusting the mounting of the lock itself, as well as the two bolts that go either side of the striker.
After about 20 minutes of fiddling, we were happy with how the door opened and closed. The bolts were tightened for the last time, and new batteries were added. Now it was just time for configuration.
The lock arrives with a default pin of 1234. It’s a good idea to change it.
The process to change the pin is simple enough. Here, we’ll change the default pin to 5678:
If you have forgotten the pin for your RV Lock, open the door (using the keys or wireless remote), and press the ‘code reset’ button using a pen or similar for 10 seconds. You should hear a long beep, and the code will be reset to 1234.
The wireless remote is easy to sync up.
A lot of people don’t seem to like the beeps that the RV Lock uses, but personally, I like having them. If you want to stop the beeping, press and hold 1 until you hear a short double beep. Now you can press all the buttons without any sounds.
To enable the beeping, press and hold 1 until you hear a long confirmation beep.
RV Lock has also provided videos to set up their locks. There isn’t one for the class A/C lock that we have, but everything in this video is applicable:
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]]>The post Seeing the Light – New LED Headlights and Taillights for the RV – Updated August 2020 appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>A common issue with RVs is that the cables lose too much voltage on the way to the headlights, so new bulbs wouldn’t necessarily improve things. So like many others, we opted to go for LEDs. We chose to install the Phillips Luxeon LED headlight kit. We chose this kit for several reasons:
It’s a name brand bulb kit. I don’t mind looking for off-brand kit for the most part, but we don’t want the headlights to fail due to poor build quality when we’re abroad.
The LEDs are angled and shielded. Many LED upgrades scatter light all over the place, but this kit has separate high and low beam circuits, which are angled in different directions. This means that the regular beam pattern is maintained and we shouldn’t blind oncoming drivers.
Left and Right Hand Drive compatibility. As well as the shielding, the bulb has several mounting positions within the holder. It’s possible to rotate the bulb between positions so that we can adapt the lights for driving in Britain and Europe.
Access to the headlights isn’t great on the RV. However, we are able to use the levelling jacks to raise the front of the RV. Once we’ve done that, Karen can climb under the front bumper and access the lights.
Removing the existing bulbs was easy enough, but assembling the new bulbs was a little difficult. As the old bulbs had rain covers, and the new LEDs have a separate ballast, we couldn’t reinstall the covers and had to find a place to attach them. However, once both were installed, the lights started working immediately.
When we got the chance to perform a headlight alignment, we found that our headlights were not working properly! When we put the dipped beam on, the lights shone brightly, but with a scattered pattern. If we switched over to main beam, then a nice cut-off appeared. Our headlights were reversed!
After a little research, we found that the 9007 headlight kit we’d purchased was also the same kit as for a 9004. The 9004 uses the same socket but with different wiring. Out came Olivia’s electronics kit to work out whether we had the wrong wiring
After rigging up a 12v source, the lights were definitely using the 9004 wiring pattern. This meant that the lights worked, but not at full brightness and obviously not switched correctly.
To fix the issue, we took the headlights back out. We scraped out the rubber sealant that was originally there and swapped the low beam/ground wires as per this image. Then we resealed the socket using a tube of Stixall which came highly recommended for the purpose.
With the wiring fixed, the headlights went back into place and worked properly – yay!
They’ve been fantastic overall. We’ve driven through the British winter with them and been caught out in the dark on multiple occasions. Now that we have the new LEDs, we can see further along the road and feel a lot more confident.
While LED upgrades can be bad for other drivers, we’ve not had anyone flash us or complain. We’ve also used our two vehicles to simulate both being followed and being an oncoming car driver, and the lights haven’t dazzled either of us.
We’d considered replacing the taillights already as they weren’t very bright. However, we’d dismissed the idea of changing them because we had so much else to do and there wasn’t really anything wrong. Unfortunately, while we were washing the RV we discovered that the stop/tail lights had started to melt!
We’re not sure exactly what caused it, but the bulbs inside were probably too hot for the enclosures. If we left them the way they were, then we’d have ended up with a fire. So the hunt for replacements was on.
In the USA, where our RV came from, it would have had two stop/tail/turn lights at the rear. Unfortunately, both of these lights were red, and so weren’t any use in the UK. When the RV was converted to UK rules, one of the red lights was changed to be just a stop and tail. The other was swapped to a permanent amber indicator. This reduced the number of signal lights at the back of the van.
We’d thought about installing LED combination taillights, where they act as stop, tail and indicator lights. This is achievable because LEDs are so compact and bright, that both amber indicators and red stop/tail lights can be incorporated into one unit. This would restore the original number of signal lights on the back of the van, and hopefully increase our visibility.
Our RV uses 110mm (4.25″) round taillights, mounted in rubber grommets. There are lots of high quality LED replacements in the UK but most are too large to fit the holes. We managed to find a set of lights which came with chrome outers on Amazon though and decided to try them.
The lights are mounted in rubber grommets, so in theory, all we needed to do was lever out the existing lamp. However, they’re a very tight fit! We used plenty of WD40 to lubricate the rubber grommets and a combination of screwdrivers and trim removal tools to extract the lamps.
With the age of the lights causing brittle plastic, all of the lamps got slightly damaged as we removed them. Though the melted taillights were useless anyway. At this point, we just had to hope that the new lights would work OK!
Of course, nothings straight forward. Not only are American standard wire colours different to the UK, but there were also a lot of changes to the cables for when they were converted for UK lights.
We decided that for the moment, the best thing to do was add to the existing wiring. That way, if everything went wrong, we could just strip back to the existing wiring and new, regular lamps. Finding out which wires did what was fun though, as we still don’t have a working multimeter! Unlike bulbs, LEDs only work when wired with the correct polarity, and the UK lamp conversion had a common ground wired to one lamps positive input and another lamps ground!
Still, we changed the wiring on one side of the van, and Karen verified that the lights worked while I operated the controls at the front of the van. After that, we wrapped everything up to create a pseudo loom and keep everything protected, then repeated the process on the other side.
We did have to add some resistors in order to keep the flash rate correct. We could change the relay to an LED compatible one, but that might cause other issues in the lengthy wiring run.
Another issue we had was that we didn’t have enough of the correct colour wiring. For the moment we’ve wired them up with suitable cable along with tape to identify the appropriate colour. However, we’re going to experiment with different resistors, and then we’ll replace the cabling and improve the connections too.
The new lights weren’t a perfect fit, and the holes in the rear cap of the RV weren’t all the same size. This meant that some of the lights fit easily, and others didn’t. We ended up using a small file to enlarge and smooth a couple of the holes in order to get the lamps to fit.
Pretty good. The indicators flash well, though a couple of the individual LEDs stay on longer than the rest.
The taillights are very directional. The LEDs sit at the bottom of quite deep cones which focus the light backwards. If you’re directly behind or just to the side, then they are nice and bright. But if you’re a bit further off then they aren’t as bright, though they are still visible. We also have marker lights on the top and sides of the RV, so those are the lights that people should see if they’re at steeper angles.
When we had a proper drive with Karen following, she was most impressed by the new indicators. Previously the indicators were a single lamp, but now with double the number of lights and the concentrated brightness, it was much easier to see when I was signalling than it had been before.
Once we’d had these installed for a few weeks, one of the lights started to get condensation in it. We checked it over and all of the rubber seals were in place, but we didn’t have much luck getting a return with the seller.
Once the winter arrived, this light started to let in water and eventually some of the LEDs started failing. We found a different seller offering the same lights, and ordered a replacement pair.
When the new rear lights arrived, we took all of the lights out, and cleaned up and wrapped the wiring. Then we tightly wrapped the edge of the lights where the back meets the lens with outdoor rated duct tape. We also wrapped the cable entry point with tape. Hopefully this will prevent the new lights from admitting water, and we haven’t seen any condensation yet.
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]]>The post Staffies in Spain appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>As far as we are aware Spanish law classifies Staffordshire Bull Terriers and American Staffordshire Terriers as potentially dangerous. However, they are not banned from entering Spain, but they must be registered within 3 months of entry and must wear a muzzle to pass security. For further information on travelling with dangerous dogs in Europe please check out our previous blog.
Despite the rules, most people have said to just go to Spain and see if you have any issues. So we did, and this is how we’ve found it:
We entered Spain in our RV with Pepper, our English Staffordshire Bull Terrier via France so we were not stopped and there were no checks. Even entering France there were no passport or microchip checks. So far Peppers passport has only been checked when entering the UK, at which point she was scanned for her microchip so they could see it matched.
Update 2022: Brexit has changed the entry requirements for pets, see some of the details on our post about Animal Health Certificates and new requirements.
So far we’ve only stayed on two sites in Spain (due to lockdown). But neither site has had any issue with Pepper being with us. Neither site has asked to see her details or even asked what breed she is. We regularly sit outside with her on a lead connected to the van with no muzzle without any issue.
We have seen many Staffordshire Bull Terriers and Staffie/cross being walked around Spain. Unlike us, most don’t even have their dogs muzzled.
Due to the time of year, it’s very hot. So we do not take Pepper with us on all our adventures. She would much sooner stay in the nice air-conditioned RV with her toys than be out in the sun or risking burnt feet. But when we do take her out we have had no issues, in fact, we have had many Spanish people stop and give her a fuss. We tend to take her for an hours walk around 7:30 am before it gets too hot.
We can’t really take her on public transport as only small dogs that can be carried or fit in a bag are allowed but for us, that’s not an issue as we have a car.
There are lovely areas for dogs in Spain, they have dedicated dog areas with dog bags where you can take your dogs to exercise. Most sandy beaches do not allow dogs but they have dedicated rocky beaches where you can take them. Most beachside restaurants allow dogs on the terrace. Some outdoor tourist locations are happy for dogs to accompany their owner.
Like a lot of EU countries, you do need to keep an eye out for ticks and processionary caterpillars and of course in Spain be aware of the sand flies.
We always try to make sure Pepper is on a short lead and muzzled when around the general public and in busy areas. But we’ve found Spain to be welcoming and happy for her to join us on our adventures.
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]]>The post De-escalation of Covid19 Lockdown in Spain appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>We have been on many beach walks as the de-escalation of the lockdown has happened. The first phase of de-escalation (phase 0) allowed walks within a 1km radius of home, within certain time slots. The beach was one of the first places Olivia could go after 6 weeks of not being allowed out.
We were so grateful and lucky to be able to get out to the beach, to allow Olivia to run off some energy. Although it was quite stressful to start with, trying to ensure we stuck to our designated time slots for walks and exercise of 12noon – 7 pm, that we were only out for an hour and ventured no more than 1km from the site. Only one adult was allowed out with a child at a time meaning George and I varied who took her out, plus all the worry about what Olivia was touching and my constant need to clean her hands and move her away from anyone we saw.
The beach here is a beautiful, sandy, large and clean blue flag beach just 10 minutes from the campsite. If you go there, you will find plenty of seagrass balls, although it is cleaned every morning. There are foot washes and lifeguards in the summer. Being the Mediterranean the tide does not move so you can sit close to the sea in full knowledge your stuff shouldn’t get wet.
There is a lovely promenade you can walk along, next to the tram line which is lined with wonderful palm trees.
There are many play areas for children but they are taped off, making for such a sad sight.
The 18th of May marked our first day of phase 1 of Spain’s release from lockdown. Our region lagged behind the rest of Valencia for a week, but now all of Valencia was finally united in the same phase, so we were able to get out and about a lot more.
There was some confusion in the rules, but we interpreted them in a way that allowed us to get out of El Campello for a while.
Having been taunted by a nearby mountain for most of our stay, we headed in that direction and soon found El Salt. A little oasis in the middle of mountains and canyons that wouldn’t be out of place in Colorado.
A stream flows down from the mountain and across the road here. It then forms some pools before cascading down into a little swimming area. We couldn’t get close as there were still barriers. Once we’d seen the waterfall, Olivia played in the stream crossing the road, and the pools next to it, while Karen explored further upstream.
Getting back in the car, we carried on along the road, which soon became a gravel track before finally linking us up with a major road again. We headed back to El Campello via Busot where there are caves and shapes in the rock that we can see from our pitch. Again, the caves were still closed.
As phase 2 approached, we finally took ourselves out into the town of El Campello, and grabbed ourselves some genuine tapas for lunch!
I was a little nervous about going out, as it was our first restaurant meal since lockdown, but it was great. The tables and chairs were all wiped down between customers, each customer was asked to use sanitiser before sitting down and the waiting staff wore masks and gloves. Tapas was brought out in bowls and individual pinchos were placed on your plate with tongs.
While we did leave it a bit late, as it was a much longer walk than expected, we really enjoyed sitting out on the terrace while little dishes were brought out and devoured by the waiting customers.
The walk down was long but nice, with a breeze keeping us cool, and some interesting local wildlife. Though that breeze became a hurricane on the way back causing the temporary loss of several hats!
With phase 2 in full effect from 1 June, and the subsequent ability to go hiking anywhere in Alicante, we took a morning drive to the Amadorio reservoir in hopes of experiencing some countryside walking.
Embalse de Amadorio is a beautiful reservoir that was created in 1957, by building a 318m long, 63m high dam on the Amadorio river. The reservoir provides irrigation and drinking water for Benidorm and Villajoyosa.
The waters can be difficult to get down to, but are crystal clear and filled with fish. There is a path that goes around the entire reservoir, though we limited ourselves to the area around the dam because of the heat. After a nice walk around, enjoying our new found freedom and the (mostly) quiet, we drove around the lake to get more views, eventually following a single track road through the hills before it snaked back down towards El Campello.
As we started phase 3 we headed to the local discount outlet for some much-needed summer clothes and shoes. We hadn’t packed for this much heat (and neither had many of our neighbours). With non-essential shops now open, we had to go.
I was a bit nervous about going, worried it would be really busy. I had no need to fear, it was not very busy and those in the store kept their distance. Everyone was required to wear masks and before entering the centre use sanitiser. Once inside the use of masks was compulsory throughout as well as ensuring you kept two metres apart.
On entering each store you were required to sanitise your hands, sometimes put on fresh gloves provided by the store and even at times had our temperature taken.
The toilets had an attendant who was washing the toilets, doors and sinks in between each person using them.
The Illeta dels Banyets is an archaeological dig site next to the marina in El Campello with a history.
This small peninsula has been occupied since the third millennium BC. That’s 5,000 years of on/off usage! The majority of the findings there date back to the Bronze Age and follow through Iberian, Roman and finally Islamic occupation ending around the 11th century.
The website for the dig site had shown ‘temporarily closed’ throughout the pandemic, but the banner was removed so we headed down to check it out. Where it turned out to still be very much closed! The security guard informing us that they had no idea when it would reopen.
Thankfully, as well as the pretty marina we could see, there’s also a 17th-century lookout tower to climb and see, and you can clamber around the perimeter of the dig site, which is what we decided to do. The waters were calm, with little wind and some shelter in the natural bays. The incredibly clear sea allowed us to see deep to the sand and rock floor. It was disconcerting enough that when we saw someone diving in from a nearby rock we thought they would surely hurt themselves! But there were several metres of water for him to dive into, and others soon followed in other spots.
Karen and Olivia explored some of the shallows and got their feet wet. The small rock pools tapping small fish and other sea life. The remains of ancient fish traps carved into the rock are still obvious, their sharp lines, though now eroding, contrast too much with the natural shape of the surrounding rocks.
As you make your way around, you can see into some of the dig sites too, which was a little disappointing in person, but at least we saw some of what we came for.
We followed up our trip with a visit to some local statues and monuments, and a little lunch at a local cafe. The peninsula is in constant use, several people visited by foot and by the sea while we were there. Photos show plenty of sunbathers and divers from busier times too. It feels like this 5 millennia old spit into the warm sea will continue for a few more years yet.
One of the hardest parts which i am sure everyone has struggled with during lockdown has been socalising. Thank goodness we have internet!
We have been able to stay in touch with people via text, messenger, phone and video chat. This has helped us all I am sure, but on top of that, one of the biggest things we have done is let Olivia play games online with her friends back home most afternoons. I was unsure about it to start with and wow has she spent a lot of time online, but to hear her laugh, get excited and make up wonderful stories with her friends has been wonderful. Although at times she gets so excited and loud we end up with headaches.
In the end I said to myself, I do not let terrorism stop me going places, I am not going to let this stop me going out. Plus the numbers in Spain are back down to what they were before the outbreak and we were happy to go out then, but places are much cleaner and people are being much more careful now so I feel safer to go out.
We are very much still taking precautions, wearing masks when we feel too close to people, sanitising our hands regularly when out and washing them once back home. But it is nice to be back out in the world doing things we love.
For us as adults as lockdown started easing we were able to sit out with newly made friends on the site with our own drinks and food and chat. Even play Yahtzee where each family used their own dice. We’ve made some lovely lockdown buddies.
As borders reopened on 21 June and people have started to come to Spain, we are officially in the New Normality.
Throughout ALL of Spain, face masks continue to be obligatory for all persons over the age of 6 years old, in open and closed spaces where it’s not possible to maintain 1.5m of social distance. If you are in a bar consuming drinks or food, you may remove the mask. If you’re on the beach too, as long as the 1.5-metre distance is being maintained. Fines can be given out to those not wearing masks when they should be.
The maximum capacity in closed spaces (shops, restaurants, cinemas etc) is 75%.
Removable walkways have been installed on the beaches, some for entry and some for exiting the beach. Only the exits have foot showers.
Hopefully, the new normal and the larger capacity of businesses means more of the local places will open and we will be able to explore more.
I was very anxious about going out and about. I have asthma and know that although it is well controlled I am at slightly higher risk of complications should I get Coronavirus. George has done all the shopping and during the last three months I have only been out to walk Pepper and take Olivia out. So venturing further afield, going to shops, restaurants and anywhere there would be people was very concerning and I was happy staying in my bubble. But something I needed to overcome mentally for everyone.
I think being in Spain with the gradual unlock has made it easier for me. We had time slots to walk in, which meant fewer people were generally around when we went out. Then only outdoor tables could be used at restaurants and they are well spaced out. Also seeing everyone using masks and using hand sanitiser helps you feel like everyone is taking it seriously and being careful.
We really like Spain!
When we arrived here at El Campello I was not sure about Spain and certainly we not keen on the wasteland and tall flats. Even the mostly flat drive from Aranjuez had left me feeling quite down about the place.
Now I have lived here (albeit with restrictions) I have fallen in love with this town and its way of life. There are loads of playgrounds for kids dotted around, the beach is just a 10-minute walk away, mountains a 20-minute drive and the people are so friendly.
What can I say about the weather? I have not worn shorts for so many days in a row in my entire life! Although it is starting to get a tad hot. If it does rain its heavy and over with quickly. Who could not love this place?
There are drawbacks of course. Insects are annoying, and we keep having to spray our pitch with chemicals which we don’t like doing. The fresh food in supermarkets isn’t as high quality as that in Britain and of course, we can’t get some of our favourite things.
I needed to find things to do for myself when Olivia and George are busy, I was finding myself getting frustrated that I had nothing to do. So I have done the odd bit of drawing, reading, watching TV, playing Xbox for myself, taking Pepper on walks and even yoga. I have not settled on one thing as yet but it has been nice to occasionally do something for me.
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]]>The post A Month on Lockdown Due to Covid19 in an RV in Spain appeared first on Seeking Sights.
]]>As many of you are aware we are in Spain in our RV on lockdown due to Covid19. We made the decision to stay for many reasons. Not everyone will agree we made the right decision but for us, I still think it was the right thing to do.
A few days before Spain started shutting down we arrived at Camper Area 7 in El Campello near Alicante. The owner of the site shut the door to newcomers a couple of days before the official lockdown and felt that he was obliged to stay open as long as he could to ensure people already on the site had a safe harbour.
When news spread that campsites around Spain were shutting we were slightly concerned that we would be sent packing. Our concern was that with things changing almost hourly if we left the site for the UK, we might not find anywhere to overnight or be allowed to cross into France. So we decided to stay here until we were told to leave. We felt we were in a safe place, we had water, electric, a place to empty our tanks and were on a site with a fence and locked gate so nobody new can enter.
If we had travelled home we would not be able to see them or help them out. As recent arrivals from Europe, we would need to self-isolate, and as I am high risk I should not be going out anyway. Plus, as we are pretty much full-timers staying on campsites most of the year, campsites in the UK closing would pose a massive problem. When we are not in the RV we live with George’s parents, but they are elderly and we could not risk infecting them. Meaning we would have to sit in the driveway anyway and not go inside.
After a week things got more serious and more of Spain was shut down. The police even turned up and shut the communal toilets, showers and washing up sinks. Though they did leave us access to the washing machines, freshwater and emptying point. We were told we could stay if we could cater for ourselves and followed local guidelines. With things getting worse in the UK we were happy with that after all we at least could sit this out in nice weather.
Here in Spain, we can leave the site/home to access medicine, petrol and natural gas, but only one person can go and is allowed in the vehicle unless you can sit a metre apart. We can go shopping once a week to the nearest supermarket, but again only one family member may go, gloves and hand sanitizer is supplied and you must stay 1-2metres apart. At first, some stores implemented a rule where you had to buy anything you touched, but that has been relaxed. One person can walk the dog up to 50 metres or until the dog has completed its business. We can also travel home to the UK, but we would need proof of onward travel to get past security checkpoints, borders etc.
For all of these activities, we must carry our passport and proof of where we are staying/living. If you go out for none of the above reasons and your journey is deemed non-essential you will be fined at least €600.
Thankfully shopping here has been easy, there has not been crazy panic buying. Yes, getting hand sanitizer, flour and sweets have been slightly harder to get. But everything else has been in good supply and after a couple of weeks, even the harder to find things have become easier to get.
We always know when it is 8 pm, every night everyone in the local area is out clapping and making noise in appreciation of medical staff, key workers and police. On occasions, the police and ambulances do a parade with sirens sounding and lights flashing and we all go out to clap and thank them for doing everything they can. It’s very emotional.
For us on the site, we go outside or sound our horns. For the people in the houses and apartments around us, they lean out of windows or use their balconies.
Like most people, it’s not been an easy month, but I think compared to a lot of people we are kind of lucky and really it’s been quite easy.
We already homeschool and have done for many years. So although it’s very, very hard not being able to go out like we normally do. We can’t learn hands-on, explore new exciting places or socialise. The fact that we know how to educate at home, have resources and know-how to get more resources makes it easier for us. Personally I think what we are currently all panic schooling, not homeschooling. But for us, we are just taking this opportunity to get ahead in all our structured learning. If anything this has made our days in lockdown easier as we have something we can focus on. I have told Olivia if she cracks on and completes all her work while we are on lockdown, then when we are free from lockdown we can take time off for pure fun and exploration.
We also travel a lot so we regularly spend 3/4 months away from friends and family. So we are used to not seeing them, we’re used to video chats. We obviously still miss them very much but it’s not a new thing for us.
The hardest part is knowing that our parents are at risk as they are over 70 and we are not able to help with food shopping and other needs. Thankfully family and neighbours have been a great help to them.
We ring and video chat with our friends and family on a regular basis which is wonderful. Seeing faces is better than just hearing voices. We have managed to play several games with them on video chat which has been great and meant Olivia gets a bit of socialisation with children her age.
To start with we were almost obsessed with finding out what was happening around the world, how badly it was spreading etc. We were regularly talking about what was going on. Then Olivia asked us to stop. She was finding it hard and we were always distracted and anxious and depressed. So we reduced our constant need to know what was going on and started paying more attention to what was happening here and now in our lives in the van. This made things a lot better for all of us. We still listened to the English updates in the evenings and checked the local news twice a day. But making sure it was not what ruled our day. The lockdown made it easier in some ways, as all we could do was sit it out.
I think generally George and Olivia are doing well. They are kind of built for social distancing and isolation as long as they have things to do. Give them videos, tv, movies, their laptops and Xbox games and they are happy. They don’t mind staying home, spending time doing what they want in their own little worlds.
On the other hand, I need people to talk to, need nature to feel calm and need to be able to walk and move. I have no hobbies, other than photography and fishing. I don’t take time for myself very often and haven’t since I became a mum. I’m not complaining, this has been my choice. All my time is spent making sure George and Olivia are happy and have what they need.
I do the cleaning and (a lot of the – George) cooking. I plan Olivia’s lessons and teach her, keep her occupied and busy. That’s what I do, so when that’s all done, they are happy and doing something they want to do but what do I do? I don’t know!!! I get fidgety and fed up. Before this trip, I’d started trying to take time to read a book or watch a tv show just for me. But doing so is also hard as I feel guilty that I am not doing something. I love George and Olivia and spending my time with them, but I am very glad I have people on the campsite to chat too.
I get out of the site occasionally to walk Pepper, our dog. George and I normally take turns but as I like to be outside I’m doing the majority now. Even so, walking her we can’t go too far or spend too long out. Thankfully we have some grassland next to the site. It’s not particularly pretty, has rubbish dumped in it and George would call it more of an overgrown wasteland. But it has a path through it and while walking I am able to see wildlife and get a moment of peace. It is one thing that I look forward to every day and really need.
In the late afternoon around 4 pm I head out for a walk with Pepper, passport in hand. It’s only for about 20 mins but it’s my time. I walk slowly, taking in the smells of flowers, watch the insects, watch and listen to the beautiful birds. I have seen glow worms, giant ants, beetles, butterflies, rabbits and lots of different types of birds. My favourite being the Hoopoe bird and the swallows. Nature and good walks are the biggest things I miss. From the window of the RV, I am taunted daily by a beautiful, ever-changing mountain that I cannot climb. It will be one of the first places we go once we are allowed.
Being that I am asthmatic George very kindly is the one that does the shopping each week. He uses a scarf as a mask and takes gloves and hand sanitizer. He says trying to keep everything as hygienic as possible can be hard, you make mistakes. How you do things is really something you really have to think about to reduce contamination risks.
We’re not allowed outside to exercise, so it has been hard helping Olivia use up her energy. We try to do the Joe Wick work out every day and she regularly rides her bike around. There is also a swing on the site we allow her to use. There are no other children on the site and the adults don’t use it. If we see one of the regularly passing police cars we quickly go inside as although we are keeping our distance we are not meant to be outside.
Some days we can’t be bothered to do anything and we just veg. Watch the tv, play Xbox and have cuddles but they are the hardest days. The days we lose our temper with each other or wind each other up. Some days we do jobs, washing, cleaning, tidying, jobs we just wanted to get done. It’s much better when we have a plan.
Generally, we are up around 8/8:30 am, breakfast and dressed by 9:30 am. The breadman comes and we get our fresh bread for the day. One of us walks Pepper and then we start some homeschooling, for an hour or two, then PE with Joe, lunch, project work or an online lesson. Then free time for games, playing with toys, video chats with family and friends, tv, Xbox, whatever we all fancy. My dog walks with Pepper at 4 pm are 20 mins to myself with whatever nature I can get. Dinner is normally around 7 pm, tv, movies, games or Xbox then bed for Olivia around 9:30 pm. Then there’s time for George and me to relax on the sofa, chat, watch tv or play Xbox for ourselves.
It sounds like quite a bit of work but it keeps our minds busy. We try and make the work fun, interesting and follow our interests and for us, it is working. On days we have plans we argue less, sleep better at night and feel better in ourselves, it’s good to have a purpose, to have a reason to get up.
Something that I think is helping Olivia get through is learning about viruses and germs. How they spread and how staying in and social distancing helps, and that soap is the best way to clean our hands and protect ourselves and others from becoming ill. It’s always better to know and understand your enemies in order to defeat them.
George and I regularly talk about what impact this might have on our lives and the world long term. One thing that gives me hope for the future is seeing the positive impact this is having on the environment. I hope that the people and governments of the world see how things can improve and find a way for this to continue. Maybe prioritising internet coverage and speeds, along with companies allowing more people to work from home will reduce the number of cars on the roads and flights across the world.
We have no idea how long it will be before we are allowed to return to the world. What that world will look like, how safe it will be. I have made Olivia a mask using good quality cotton. We have no idea if we will have to wear masks but I want to be prepared.
I am scared about how safe it will be after the lockdown ends. I cannot risk catching it, I am high risk, I don’t want to catch it and pass it to family, I don’t want to die and leave my husband and child alone. But at the same time, I don’t want to be a hostage to this disease.
I want my daughter to live a normal life, see the world, be able to hug and play with friends and family. I know life is not going to be normal for a long while, but I want to make it as normal as possible and still be able to do stuff. If it means we need to wear gloves and masks every day to do it then so be it – that will be the new norm.
There are now 14 vans left at the site. Everyone has been here for over 5 weeks and all appear to be healthy.
It feels like a real sense of community spirit is starting to form. Everyone is friendly, asking each other if we need anything from the shops.
We chat while hanging washing or putting washing on. People exercise by walking around the site while keeping a safe distance from each other.
People ask if Olivia wants to borrow games and puzzles and go on bug hunts with them. We get to do some activities and then when we enter our van we wash our hands with soap and water.
As time has gone on and we have started to get to know people we have started occasionally sitting outside in groups, with our chairs 2 metres apart, our own drinks and snacks, chatting. These moments are wonderful and I think George has been surprised by how much he likes that human contact, even if he can then go straight back to his laptop.
I look forward to the onsite party when this is all over.
While my words seem bad, we are truly grateful and in awe of all those key workers out there. They are being true hero’s, working so hard and helping others even while putting their own lives at risk.
We send love to those that have lost loved ones.
And we thank everyone who has stayed in, to help stop the spread and to protect others. Those that have helped their neighbours and the vulnerable, those that are doing anything to help make this situation better in any way.
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]]>This castle, initially designed and built in the 15th century by order of Don Juan Pacheco, first Marquis de Villena, stands out from many others we have visited in that it was designed to resist attacks from cannons and ballista from the outset.
These new requirements led to a remarkably different design, with a lower, much thicker outer wall that contains many towers, each of which has multiple gun points and plenty of space to move them around. As well as many additional points built into the walls elsewhere. There are actually fewer archer points than cannon points, such is the change in priority.
Similarly, the castles extra, sacrificial front tower, and curiously angled walls are all designed to resist incoming fire while allowing the residents to flee or wait it out.
The fortress was practically abandoned between the 17th and 18th centuries and was more or less ruinous by the early 19th century. A restoration project took place in 1857, keeping the exterior in the original style but updating the interior to modern tastes.
The interior design is equally distinctive, with a large triangular courtyard, and large open galleries providing multiple access routes to the generous rooms. Many of which are decorated with incredibly elaborate ceilings and door decorations.
Down the hill from the castle, but still within the grounds, lie several areas for events, most of which were closed, but the trebuchet park was what we came to see, with many full-scale replicas of siege weapons from over the years. It was amazing to see the size of these machines and so many in one place.
This was an amazing castle, beautiful and very interesting. The audio guide included in the price was brilliant and gave lots of information. Unfortunately, they did not give Olivia an audio device so we had to share. They closed at 2 pm for a siesta but we were able to re-enter using our tickets in the afternoon when they re-opened.
We were able to wild camp in the car park overnight which was quiet and beautiful watching the sunset. It is certainly well worth a visit.
It was a very reasonable price to visit the site. Something we are finding in Spain.
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