Hungerford. Lockerbie. Dunblane.
Sleepy backwaters whose syllables might have languished in obscurity forever, had they not become intertwined irrevocably with tragedy.
I felt the same as we crossed into Kosovo. My knowledge of Europe’s newest country – a territory half the size of Wales, populated by fewer than two-million people – derived mostly from shocking news bulletins during the 1990s. In my mind, Kosovo and its capital, Pristina, were synonymous with atrocities. Tales of massacres, genocide and ethnic cleansing in the lead up to and during the Kosovo War of Independence of 1998-1999.
Marvellous Matka – Matka Canyon & Skopje Revisited, North Macedonia
Mark and I fled from Skopje first thing.
Riots in Skopje & The North Macedonian Name Game
In my last post, I asked, “What’s in a name?” when we discussed the City of Light. Little did we realise that we were about to discover the mother of all naming disputes – and get caught up in the news.
Once upon a time, in a land not-so-far away, there was a little country stuck in an almighty conflict over its cognomen.
When it declared its independence from Yugoslavia in 1991, it found itself in a pickle, because it chose to name itself Macedonia.
Can I Get My Dog an EU Pet Passport?
Updated with new information 15th May 2025
Since the Brexit transition period ended on 1st of January 2021, taking your pets abroad from Great Britain (not Northern Ireland!) involves much more expense and red tape.
From 1st January 2021, Britain, except Northern Ireland, has ‘Part 2’ listed status. Overnight, the British Pet Passport (except those issued in Northern Ireland) became invalid. Since then, British pets (dogs, cats, and ferrets) entering the EU require a 10-page, bilingual Animal Health Certificate (AHC) issued within 10 days of entry into the EU, and valid for four months from the date of issue. For more information on AHCs, see my blog Animal Health Certificates – What You Need To Know
Mark and I travel full time with four dogs. Before Brexit, we foresaw potential problems with pet travel, and put Le Quatre Fabuleux on French passports. This means that, so long as we keep their rabies vaccines up to date, they can travel freely within the EU. Unlike us.
Getting an EU pet passport is a bonus if you travel frequently – it is much easier and less costly than getting an AHC for every trip, or for long-term travel for periods longer than four months. However, getting one post-Brexit is a little more complicated. If you want to know how, read on!
Note: Following the UK/EU Summit in May 2025, UK-issued pet passports may be back on the table, although the timescale has not been confirmed. In the meantime, UK pets still need either an Animal Health Certificate or EU passport to travel. For more information, see my post Reintroduction of UK Pet Passports: A Gateway to Freedom for British Pets
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World Wide Walkies 