We’re still in the UK escaping Schengen, but have booked our ferries to France and Morocco. Our application for a Schengen-busting French Long Stay Visa was successful, so we now have 180 days in France, with 90 days in Schengen either side. We depart these fair shores on the 7th August, so watch out for trip updates.
Originally, our plan was to wander down through France and Spain, although when heading to Spain, we have a strange tendency to turn left. Once, that took us to Romania. This time, we’re toying with the idea of Drenmark… We will probably decide when we land, so watch this space!
- The Truth About Book Promotion!
- Posts You Might Have Missed on WorldWideWalkies.com
- Most Viewed from the Archive on WorldWideWalkies.com
- Posts You Might Have Missed on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
- Most Viewed from the Archive on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
- Posts I’ve Enjoyed on Other Blogs
- What I’ve Been Reading
The Beast has been plagued with water leaks. The first one was finally diagnosed as ‘pear drops’ and was fixed by Robinson’s of Bolton. The last thing we wanted to see on MOT day was a pool of water under her engine… By then, we’d gone south and phoned Crouch, our saviours in the Midlands. In an unconventional approach, they suggested we asked the MOT man to see if he could spot anything while he was under the truck for the test! He couldn’t see anything untoward. The Beast passed her MOT with flying colours, giving us a whole year before we need to return to Blighty. A quick visit to Crouch’s diagnosed a leaking drain valve, which was quickly remedied.
Our two rear tyres were looking a little worn and one had a few cracks that worried us. A quick swing by JB Rubber in Corby, seemingly the only company in the UK who know how to change tyres on our Trilex rims, gave us two new tyres. They said the old ones would probably be okay for a good few miles yet, but we don’t take chances with safety – or sanity. You can guarantee that any puncture will happen at midnight in the middle of the desert!
We moved the less damaged tyre one onto our spare wheel, which gives us peace of mind that the spare is now under 35-years old.
Our final stop with Roadtrip Industries will see The Beast fitted with a new roof rack – then we will be expedition ready!
Writing-wise, I restarted my WIP AT LAST – at the beginning of July, on what would have been my Dad’s 90th birthday. Writing has stalled due to caring for Mark after his accident, and the frantic journey around the UK catching up with friends and inter-trip admin. I was able to meet up with one of my oldest schoolfriends, Sue, who is getting married in September. We can’t make the wedding as we’re away, but I’ve promised to provide some honeymoon reading, so I have a very real deadline! I’m not sure the final version of my next book, More Manchester than Mongolia will be fully ready, but it’s at the editing, rewriting, and formatting stage.
The Truth About Book Promotion!
I’ve been busy with marketing.
Amazon A+ Content is something I’ve been toying with for a while, but didn’t know how to progress. A tip from a fellow author, Beth Haslam, recommended Kathleen Harryman. Kathleen produced four slides and a couple of banners for Building The Beast for the very reasonable sum of £15, along with instructions to upload – without which I wouldn’t have had a clue. Hopefully it will enhance my Amazon profile and help sales. Do tell me what you think. You can see it here on Building The Beast‘s Amazon page.
Since it was Prime Day on Amazon, which promised lots of bargain-hungry shoppers, I ran a stacked 99p/99c price drop promotion on three of my books, the two first-in-series Fur Babies in France and Building The Beast, and the two award-winners, Building The Beast and Dogs ‘n’ Dracula. I also ran a Bargain Booksy promotion, which emailed Building The Beast to thousands more bargain hungry consumers of travel books.
Note Dogs ‘n’ Dracula chronicles what happened last time we set out for Spain and turned left. We ended up in Romania!
This is what success looks like.
I sold 5 copies of Building The Beast, and NONE of the other two discounted books, despite hours of effort promoting the offer on my blogs and social media. My Bargain Booksy promotion cost me $25 to sell one book for 99c.
I’m going to quit book marketing!
Posts You Might Have Missed on WorldWideWalkies.com
Most Viewed from the Archive on WorldWideWalkies.com
Posts You Might Have Missed on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
I have also been posting on my author website. If you’re interested in book news, publishing and author advice, why not pop over to my author website, JacquelineLambert.co.uk?
Most Viewed from the Archive on JacquelineLambert.co.uk
- Does Everyone Have A Book In Them?
- How Long Does It Take To Write A Book?
- Publish and Be Damned: How I Got Scammed, Learned My Lesson, and Came Out Fighting: A Guest Post by Author Peter Barber
Posts I’ve Enjoyed on Other Blogs
- Behind the Pages: Writing Echoes of a Season. I found this very interesting – a beautifully written, heartfelt piece from Wesley Baker’s website, where he talks about his memoir, and the writing process as he worked in it. Looking forward to reading his book. Here’s the universal link for Wesley’s memoir: mybook.to/EchoesofaSeason
- The travel blog, Wet and Dusty Roads, has been chronicling their trip to Namibia, a country I long to visit. I’ve very much enjoyed their wonderful posts and beautiful photographs.
What I’ve Been Reading
I’ve managed a bit more reading than usual, I’m pleased to say!
- The Parthenon Paradox: Rivers of Redemption by Peter Barber – A wonderful read to transport you to sunny Greece and discover what it’s really like to be welcomed into a Greek family, the local community, and become embroiled in real, Greek vendetta! Here’s the full review of The Parthenon Paradox: Rivers of Redemption by Peter Barber
- The Wild Guide to Morocco, by Lola Culsán, John and Danny Weller. A useful guide for planning a trip to Morocco, but lacking information on travelling with dogs.
- Burning Braincells in Cambodia by Richard John Currie – Cambodia through a haze of beer & bars: One man’s mission to drink Cambodia dry. This was quite a laddish memoir but had some genuine sparks of insight.
- Where Do I Belong – A Memoir by Sarah Carrington – an unflinching account of what happens when idealism collides with harsh reality. Aged only 13, Sarah is cast out by a religious community to fend for herself in a world she is completely unprepared to navigate. It’s a story of survival and strength, which deserves to be read.
You can find other books I’ve read and reviewed on my Goodreads profile and find my Year in Books 2024 HERE.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoy my content and find it useful. If you’d like to see more, don’t forget to subscribe, and I wish you a spiffing month! Find Me On:
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World Wide Walkies 
What a life, made so special with the dogs.
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We are very fortunate, and the dogs really are the icing on the cake! They are so adorable 🙂
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Woohoo, on the road again…almost! Safe travels.
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Thank you!
We’ve made it to Denmark, and I need to get blogging again! I’m trying to finish my much delayed book… I completed the first draft of the manuscript yesterday, so it’s just re-writes, edits and beta reading to go…!
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There’s nothing like biting off more than you can chew 🤣🤣 Safe travels.
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Reading about their road trip challenges really makes me think about the realities of travel—both the joys and the unexpected hurdles. Just like maintaining a vehicle, planning visas, and balancing personal commitments on the road, trekking in Nepal’s Himalayas comes with its own set of preparations and considerations. In Pokhara, the gateway to the mountains, trails are breathtaking but require careful planning—guides, maps, and awareness of altitude changes are essential. Walking these trails, surrounded by lush greenery, rivers, and cascading streams, reminds travelers how preparation meets adventure, just like the careful planning for long trips abroad.
In Chitwan, trekking through jungle trails and visiting Tharu villages presents a different kind of challenge—navigating forest paths safely, respecting wildlife, and connecting with local communities. These experiences, like a carefully managed road trip, require awareness, flexibility, and patience. And then there’s Manaslu Circuit Trek, one of Nepal’s most challenging treks, often called the Everest alternative. Its rugged trails, high altitudes, and unpredictable terrain push travelers physically and mentally, yet every step gives a sense of renewal, energy, and accomplishment.
Just as travelers on the road must adapt to unexpected detours, maintenance issues, or promotional frustrations, Himalayan treks teach resilience, humility, and the joy of overcoming challenges. Both experiences show that adventure isn’t just about reaching the destination—it’s about embracing every difficulty and finding inspiration along the way.
https://www.himalayaheart.com/trip/manaslu-circuit-trek
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I visited Nepal way back in 1996 and was stunned by the beautiful country and lovely people. I was fortunate to raft the gnarly Karnali river, and spend some time in Kathmandu.
I would love to return – it is just not possible at the moment with four dogs.
However, thank you for reading and commenting, and I wish you and your business every success. I shall certainly look you up if I get the chance to return to wonderful Nepal.
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Thank you so much, Jacqueline! 🙏 Your words truly mean a lot to us. We completely understand your situation with your four dogs, but we hope someday you’ll get the chance to return and experience Nepal again—it will be even more magical than you remember.
If it’s not too much to ask, we would be incredibly grateful if you could help us spread the word about our Annapurna Base Camp Trek. This trek includes a cozy stay at the Pokhara Mountain Lodge, where travelers can enjoy the serenity of the Himalayas and lush surroundings.
No matter the distance between us, your support brings us closer, and we truly appreciate any way you can share our package within your network. Thank you sincerely for your kindness, and we hope Nepal welcomes you back soon!
https://www.himalayaheart.com/trip/annapurna-base-camp-trek
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Certainly, I will do what I can to spread the word, and I hope to join you one day 🙂
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