Today’s post comes from Mary – Sheila’s sister in law (brother Robbie’s wife). Thanks so much for supporting us with this Mary. Do let us know if you anyone else out tbere fancies doing a guest post – we’ve had some brilliant ones and there’s only six and a half weeks before we go now. Eek! Over to you Mary…
I’ve tried very hard to come up with something witty or profound to write for the 3GKili blog but with little success!
So, here goes – as those of you who have read previous blogs (like this one) will know, Sheila’s brother, Robbie, and I are definitely very doggie people.
Whilst on holiday in Argentina two years ago, we were staying on an estancia near Bariloche and decided to go on a hike through the surrounding mountains. The owners said we didn’t need a map because the dogs would come with us and show us the way. Sure enough, these two wonderful golden retrievers came with us on the boat for the start of the walk and then escorted us for 4 hours – stopping at every junction in the path where we could possibly have got lost and at every waterfall or stream, where they watched their pathetic humans negotiate the rocks until we were safely on the other side and they could set off again. When we were almost back, about half a mile from the hotel, they obviously felt their job was done and ran down to the beach for a well – deserved swim.
The next day a Canadian couple who were staying at the same place decided to do the same hike. They looked like professional hikers with sturdy boots, poles, rucksacks with drink bottles and straws attached etc. We asked them if they were going to take the dogs and they answered very dismissively that there was no need as they knew what they were doing.
So, early morning off they went – lunchtime came and went with no sign of them, afternoon teatime came and went too. Eventually they reappeared in time for dinner, having taken 9 hours to do the same walk. “Didn’t you take the dogs with you?” we asked. The reply was a very grumpy ‘no, we thought we didn’t need them’!
I would offer Rhuari, Finlay or Mungo as guide dogs for the Kilmanjaro climb, but unfortunately I know that they would lead you, not to the top of the mountain, but to the nearest food source!
Note from Jae: I love your post and images Mary! We know just how useful a dog with local knowledge can be; you may have read about the dog who came up Vesuvius with us, and on one of the famous “girls holidays” (I think to Fuerteventura, but that may be the wrong Canary Island!) we went for a desert walk and had a lovely little dog follow us and bark when we went too far off track.