Are we not good here?!

And suddenly Dexi and I were no longer going on our adventures alone, but were in the best company of Clementine and her dog Rio. It was cool to have a "feeling at home" again for a few days on Clementine's beautiful farm and I was able to swap my tent for a small trailer on the edge of the farm - camping deluxe, so to speak. It's crazy to think about how much has changed in both of our lives since we last met, but the vibes between us are still exactly the same.

It was good that I was able to breathe a little at Clem and I didn't have to constantly think about all the organizational things like finding a place to sleep, travel routes, dog regulations, etc.

Clem's Lassezfair and easy-going attitude really forced me to relax. I love this attitude, but I also have to admit to myself that it's a bit against my nature. So my urge to constantly have to do something didn't really calm down at first. In the end it was exactly the right thing after what had been quite a demanding week.

So we started the day relaxed every day with a delicious breakfast and Clem and her friend Quintin used the time to show me many beautiful places in the area. The cool thing was that I felt like I was part of everyday life. So I was always there: karaoke evenings with friends, walnut harvesting, small jobs on the farm or in the AirBnB, campfires or Disney evenings - real quality time. And the best thing about it was that you only know Clementine in connection with Rio, which means that Dexter was also welcome everywhere and could romp around with the other dogs without anyone complaining. That was a real relief for me in France, which is rather dog-unfriendly.

My French and the English of many French people leave a bit to be desired, but at least it's better than my Spanish and not a complete disaster. So I was able to at least take part in the conversations a little.

And then there was the joint road trip through the French and Spanish Basque Country. 1 car, 2 tents, 2 girls, 2 dogs. The tour group was perfect. We stopped at many places and (once again) were super lucky with the weather. If you want to know exactly where we were, just take a look at the captions above. In any case, we were able to swim in the Atlantic almost every day and used our noses to find some completely empty sandy bays. Like in paradise.

Dexter and Rio have completely different personalities, but in the end we all complemented each other really well and were a well-coordinated team. It would have been nice if the bandits had also copied each other's positive things and not kept doing double nonsense together. Compared to other dogs, we really had model dogs with us, and I'm not just saying that because Dex is my baby (at least I think so). I definitely learned a lot during the week about my needs for happiness, but also about Dexter's needs.

A pretty big injury to Dexter caused a bit of a crisis mood at times, but we got over that too. Of course the stinker rips a huge hole in his thigh in the middle of the night at Nowhere on the weekend. Quick treatment at the vet was therefore impossible. Well, take a deep breath, give first aid and just try not to pass on panic to the dog. There wasn't much more left for me at that moment. Luckily, the vet was able to give the all-clear on Monday morning. Even if it was of course too late for stitches, the wound could at least be cleaned properly and an antibiotic could prevent inflammation. And so it wasn't just a previously torn claw that kept me busy, but also the daily wound care. It caused regular arguments between Dexter and me, but he handled it well and is on the mend.

From now on it would be really nice if Dexter didn't worry me anymore. Because of course the antibiotic also gave the princess a lot of diarrhea. So there you are, lying on the already broken air mattress on the hard, cold floor in the tent and being so gassed by dog fart that you question your whole life. But it doesn't matter, at least it was still raining heavily - wow. Thanks Dexter.

But seriously - even if such unforeseeable things are super annoying and make you despair, at the latest when you are woken up by the sound of the sea, open the tent, look at the ocean and see Dexi jumping into the air with sheer joy at the new day, It's worth every effort and forgotten.

And besides, I wouldn't be Tanja if I didn't have an entire medicine cabinet for the dog and a spare air mattress in my luggage. Sometimes my structured head, which is prepared for all disasters, also has advantages - sometimes.

Overall, our road trip as a foursome was a complete success and there was more than enough food, wine, quality time and beautiful places. And even though we only saw a small part of Spain, I kept my promise and brought Dexter back to his roots in Spain. Goal achieved, little street mutt.

I used the weekend again at Clementine's to prepare for the last part of our European trip - a road trip through France, Belgium and Holland back home. Everything has been washed, everything has been stowed away (my inner order monk is jumping for air) and my Flitzi has been checked again - we're ready to go.

The weather is slowly becoming a real challenge when it comes to camping, but I'm really noticing how energetic I am and how I need my own rhythm again. So Dexi and I can spend the last part according to our needs. And as much as I enjoy being in company and have enjoyed it, my me time is just as important to me. I am happy. Let's go.

PS: It's not about the destination, it's about the way, Sweety! Love you heaps