We bought The Beast to escape Brexit and travel to Mongolia. Since that trip requires us to drive through Russia, which had just started its ‘Special Operation’ (war) in Ukraine, we opted for a Plan B… The Balkans, which is conveniently outside Schengen to facilitate our 90-day Shengen Shuffle.

Beasting It – From Newhaven to Briare
All that worry about pet passports, bacon, and a bottle of milk lurking in the back of our fridge was unnecessary.

No Frites at Trièves – Briare to Savines-le-Lac
On our morning walk, our little black pooch, Lani, rolled in a dead fish. It wasn’t the best start to the day!

We Join The Mile High Club Twice In One Day – Savines-le-Lac to Staffal
We are all pilgrims who seek Italy. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe As we passed the sign, I had a strange sinking feeling. It felt odd coming back, because the last time we’d been in Tschaval – Staffal, we were absolutely desperate to get away.

How Many Adapters Do You Need To Fill An LPG Tank? Ivrea to Casele Monferrato, Italy
In Ivrea, our mission was to get pet food, find a vet to administer rabies boosters to The Fab Four, and score an Italian data SIM card.