by Sunny
follow me on Twitter @Sunnylooksleaps
There are two members of our household that do not share our love of travel. They despise the beach, detest road trips, and loathe any change in routine.
Name: Tulip
Age: 3
Gender: Female
Species: Dog
Name: Tiger
Age: 1
Gender: Male
Species: Cat
Despite their cuddly, adorable exterior, these two become whiny and stressed-out when traveling.
Example A: We were so excited to take Tulip to the beach for the first time! Being a border collie, she has an endless amount of energy that we thought would be perfect for running the wide open beaches and frolicking in the waves. We chose to drive to Outer Banks, NC for her first beach adventure. The car ride should have been our first indication that this would be less than a fun vacation for Tulip. Her instinct upon getting into the car was that we were heading to the vet. Once her anxiousness over that subsided, she wouldn’t be quiet or still unless she was sitting in the front passenger’s seat. After 13 hours and multiple potty and food breaks, we reached our destination! The beach house was roomy, beautiful, and just steps from the beach. Tulip explored her surroundings and was happy to see the familiar faces of my parents, sisters, and nephew. However, Tulip decided that my brother-in-law, the biggest dog lover of the group, was evil and wouldn’t go near him without snarling and showing her teeth. *sigh* We figured it was just the long journey and she would get warmed up to him in the days to follow. The next day we started off at the pool at the house. We thought Tulip would love patrolling the pool deck and watching the kids jumping in the water. On the contrary, it made her a nervous wreck! She didn’t like that she couldn’t get to MJ without getting in the water, and when she accidentally fell in, the fun was officially over. We decided to try the beach the next day. The sand and ocean were both evil, and my brother-in-law who she still wasn’t happy with was down there, too! She basically spent the vacation in the house awaiting the looooong car ride home. Now when we travel, Tulip stays with Jimmy’s mom and we bring her back a souvenir scarf which makes everyone happier.
Enjoys a staycation and a souvenir.
Example B: Earlier this year, we had plans to visit Lake Barkley State Resort Park over a long weekend. Since all of our regular cat-sitters were busy and the cabin was pet-friendly, we decided to take Tiger with us.
We packed the truck including all of the necessary kitty gear and then gathered MJ and Tiger to take out in the freezing January weather. I had Tiger nestled firmly in my arms under my coat. As soon as that cold air hit that furry face he started squirming, scratching, and clawing the closest innocent victim (me). We got everyone tucked in the nice warm truck and started the three hour drive. Tiger was restless, but having a restless cat in the car was nothing compared to having a restless border collie on a 13 hour drive to the coast. He eventually settled, comforted by a sleeping MJ and her cozy blanket or curled up in my lap. When we reached the cabin, we took Tiger in first, putting him in our room until we could get all of the luggage in. We didn’t want him making a mad dash for the open front door as we unloaded the cars. He acclimated fairly quickly to the cabin. He explored and played with his toys. He wanted to watch the wildlife out the window, but unlike at home, there were no windowsills. It didn’t keep him from continuously attempting to sit on the absent windowsill though. Eventually, we pushed a couch against one of the windows so he could sit on the back of the couch and look out. So the trip with Tiger wasn’t quite as disastrous as the trip with Tulip, but I still can’t reason taking either pet on more vacations. It’s just not worth the effort. One thing is certain, humans and pets are all happy to see one another at the end of a long trip!
