From Marielyst to Dollar

On Saturday (August 2nd) we set off towards Germany. We took the ferry from Rødby to Puttgarden. From there, it took us about four hours. Our destination was Wardenburg, a village near Oldenburg, in the state of Niedersachsen. Our accommodation was a modernly furnished small apartment at the edge of the forest. We stayed here twice. We (Ida and Matilda) slept together in one room while Mama and Papa slept on a sofa bed in the living room. The landscape is very suitable for walking the dog. There is Tillysee, a large forest, and vast meadows with sheep and goats.

On Monday morning, we set out for Amsterdam. There, the ferry was waiting for us. It would take us in sixteen hours from there to Newcastle Upon Tyne in England. First, we searched for our sleeping cabin. Inside, it was very cramped and warm since the window obviously cannot be opened. After a brief settling in, we explored the dog deck with Gina. Here, dogs can move around in the fresh air, as they are not allowed anywhere else. Additionally, the dogs can relieve themselves on a small area with artificial grass and bushes. Since it stank there, Gina and the other dogs wanted nothing to do with that place. We stayed on the dog deck and watched as the ship departed around half past five. Unfortunately, the weather was not good; it was raining, windy, and cold. The sea swell was extremely strong, which we especially felt during the evening buffet. We had to be very careful not to fall off our chairs or stumble into a neighboring table while getting food. But we were lucky in our misfortune: due to a severe storm in Scotland, many ferry connections were canceled. Luckily, we didn't know about this at that time (except for Mama), or we would probably have panicked out of fear. Later in the evening, the weather improved and the waves calmed down. Mama and I (Matilda) were on the top deck, from where we had a breathtaking view. The sunset was beautiful, and even a rainbow appeared!

The next morning, we were woken up by an announcement over the loudspeaker, informing us that we would soon be in England. There was an English breakfast buffet with baked beans, sausages, hash browns, scrambled eggs, porridge, and other delicious food. After we were full, we briefly went outside on the deck, but the wind almost blew us away as it was so strong!

Upon arriving in Newcastle, we faced another four-hour drive. This time, we were heading to Dollar, a village in Scotland near Stirling. Driving was unusual since all of Great Britain drives on the left. After an hour, we took a break at a café. We were all inside when a staff member pointed out that dogs were not allowed in the café, but we should sit in a special area for dogs. This “special area” turned out to be a small wooden hut surrounded by a fence. We felt a bit silly sitting there all alone while everyone stared in. After a delicious jacket potato, we reached Dollar after another two hours of driving.

Our house is among many other holiday cottages. Each cottage has a small sign with a name. Our house is called “Squirrel Lodge.” Inside, it is very modern and has light colors. We especially like the living room with the electric fireplace and the colored ambient light. We (Ida and Matilda) are sharing a rather small room with two narrow beds. Unfortunately, the mattresses are very uncomfortable. But it’s only three nights; we can manage that.

So far, we like Scotland very much, especially because of the climate and the beautiful landscape. We are looking forward to getting to know the country and the culture better!

(From Matilda and Ida)