My New Home Range

Hi Guys I have not been out travelling as much as I used to in Europe, well not yet anyway. Mainly because we are still getting our new house in order and settling in to our new country.

A little about our local area though. It’s a beautiful suburb of Perth near the Indian Ocean port of Fremantle and very close to the Swan River which runs through the centre of Perth. The Swan River is named after its unique black swans. I am still working on a cunning plan to catch one…

 

My Humans have located a nice “off leash” dog walking area. It’s beautiful shared sports park, overlooking the Swan River. Today I was there with about 6 other dogs all off our leaches playing together, stealing each other’s balls and just having a great time. Dare I say it, maybe even better fun than with my German hund pals in the forest!

 

  A spot of ballet anyone?

We have a dog friendly beach close by too so more on that soon. The only real negative so far is that us dogs are not allowed in any shops or restaurants! Really surprising since it was no problem in most of Europe, oh well must get used to change eh?

R

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My First Walk in Perth, Western Australia

 

Just a short blog showing a few pictures of my first walk down to Perth’s Swan River which turns out to be 10 minutes (well for my lazy Humans that is, really a couple of minutes trot) from my new home.

 

See I haven’t lost any of me ball catching skills eh… Just as sharp as ever!

 

I’m settling in well now although the heat still gets to me but nothing a splash in the river can’t cure… I have had a bit of an upset tummy and a cough that seems to be fading now, much to my anxious Humans relief.

No sign of any nasty critters (I’m keeping a beady eye out for those moving stick things). The local bird life make some crazy noises like nothing you have heard. More screeches than the forest bird songs of Germany.

R

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Nostalgia

Running in the grasses of my old airfield near Haddenham, England. The pure joy! I didn’t think I would remember this place so well. I was just a puppy when I was last here.

 

 

Worth the trip in the car and boat and wild weather? Hell yeah!

R

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Snow White, A Wolf and a Big Cat

I woke up this morning, well I was woken up by those noisy Humans of mine, and peered out the window…

White, white everywhere, it snowed last night! Winter came early. I just love snow, I love catching it as it falls, I love my Humans throwing snow balls and me catching em, I love snow ball fights too!

Come on guys we gotta go into the forest, this is real snow. You won’t be getting this back in ya really really hot Western Australia my Human family and you know it!

Hey, Grumpy-Humans Jag is out! Ha Hah, just in time to be snowed on… That’s what he gets for not letting me ride in it, so what if I shed a few hairs on the seats eh? He says he is bringing it to Australia, what a contrasting picture that will make.

 

I’m a wolf, well I share the same genes you know. Look I blend in rather well in my black and white colours.

   I can just see myself stalking my prey… waiting hidden to the last minute while some unsuspecting deer wanders by, me leaping out ready for the chase!

Nah…, on second thoughts stalking balls is way more fun and they don’t kick and bite back.

Enjoy!

 

R

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Its Still A ball Alright!

What?  Is there a problem? Its still a ball alright! Just throw it for me will ya!

R

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The Rhine Continues – Lorch

The Rhine at Lorch, about 12 km upstream from Rüdesheim (my last Rhine blog)  is the start of the steep valleys and the impossible vineyards perched on their slopes. Castles start appearing at each twist of the river now.

Check out the cool steam train! But man picking those vines must be tricky…

The Rheinsteig trail is the walk to follow if as I previously mentioned you don’t want to use The Car, the train, a steam train, the bicycle or the boat. The Germans cater for all forms of transport and don’t miss a trick.  The Rheinsteig trail continues for over three hundred kilometers along the Rhine but at Lorch it is quite special, winding up to tremendous views over the river and village. For more info on the Rheinsteig trail check out their English web site here.

  Come on you lazy Humans, the trail is this way.Ya just follow the blue and white squiggly thing!

Me and Curley catching a breather, overlooking the Rhine and Lorch.

Lorch with a view

Princess and me taking it all in

We weren’t the only ones enjoying the view.

Now if we keep on the track we will end up in Kaub where I blogged about crossing the river last week. I’m assuming we are not doing that eh? Lets take The Car? Did I just say that?

Back in Lorch ready for the obligatory afternoon coffee and cake, well water and cake for me.

Next blog I think it will be Kaub and beyond…

R

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OMG Its Autumn!

Or Fall for my American friends… I have no idea why this year’s colours are so much better than last year but even my jaded dog perspective is wowed! One morning I took my bleary eyed early morning self outside to do my business and all was green, three days later this! Here are a few pictures taken on the local walk out our front door near Frankfurt Germany, enjoy!

Don’t throw me ball, it will get lost in the leaves!

R

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A Walk On The Wild Side

Well we have been out walking in an area we don’t go to very much but it was great as the whole family, all five of us came along. Curly-Human as usual was the most reluctant. The call of the Internet & TV on these last days of summer and school holidays far outweighed the call of the wild! In compensation we walked she rode her bike! For me it’s just so good to have my flock… er… pack back together again.

  Come on Curley-Human, get off the bike there’s a Meces to be had down there…

  You Humans are so slow. Will ya chuck me ball already!

  Come on Princess-Human you can do it, just a little kick now. You’re getting close… Yes I know it’s a bit slobbery and ghizzy but that the best part!

 Ahhh, there’s our little village coming into view. Nearly home. Can we do it again?

 What! You guys got ice-creams? That’s mine that one, hand it over Curly…

R

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Up A Hill In Eppstein

We went on a family test drive outing in the new car last Sunday.

  Eppstein is a nice little town in the Main-Taunus-Kries region near Frankfurt.

  Grumpy-Human moans about it because he has to drive through it every day on his way to work and there is a speed camera there set to go off if you go 0.0001 km/h over the 50 km/h limit (he says) and he has had 7 tickets already to prove it!

   But as Grumpy-Human puts it: “It’s a bloody toll collection scheme! Just like in the robber-baron days when Eppstein Castle was built”

Did you know (and this is from my Humans cos I’m a dog and don’t know about such things) that the guy who wrote “The Count of Monte Cristo”, Alexandre Dumas also wrote a book set here? It was of course called Castle Eppstein. Grumpy-human says it was rubbish, but hey I’m just a dog what do I know eh?

  Anyway back to Eppstein. look up at the hill will you, that’s our destination, the Kaiser Temple and restaurant.

We went up this one track road on a very steep hill with rather large drops down the side of the mountain. I was not amused, in fact I was praying we wouldn’t meet a car coming the other way as there was no room to pass, someone would have to reverse…

  But we made it to the top as Princess-human will attest.

  At the top is a brilliant view over the town of Eppstein and surrounding Taunus region,

   and a small monument, the Kaiser Temple, to Prussia / Germany wining the Franco-Prussian war of 1870 and

  a yummy little Italian restaurant with views to die for mark the top.

Many walk tracks through the forest cut past here too, come on guys we should do these…

  Now this is a stick mate, this is what I’m talking about. Ok balls are great and all but a pretty big stick, this is primeval stuff.

It’s mine, you Humans can all bugger off, I’m not even interested in ball throwing today. It was a great day out. I’m actually looking forward to more in our new Car now.

R

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