Moving On

After the first couple of days, Peppa travelled well.  During our trek across Australia, we noted two differences from normal: Peppa ate less enthusiastically than normal.  Also, she was less bite-y and scratchy than normal. 

As soon as we arrived in Broome, her enthusiasm for eating returned.  Maybe she is a coastal cat and prefers the feel of being near the coast.

Our first travel away from Broome was a month later – we drove 400km to Fitzroy Crossing to attend the Yajilarra Festival from 14-16 July.  As soon as we got in the car and started driving, Peppa started drooling.  And it worsened.  We had never seen anything like this, so were quite worried and took her to a vet.  Blood tests showed no problems, so they put it down to nausea (car-sickness) or possibly stress and gave her some anti-nausea and anti-anxiety drugs.  We left with two bags of tablets and a pill-popper, with instructions for her to take them 2 hours before travel. 

Peppa was fine for that trip.  Using the pill-popper was a new experience and the first attempt failed leading to a tablet spit.  Attempts 2 and 3 were successful and we had no drooling on the return trip.

Fast forward 2 weeks to the 2nd of August and we had to move from our water-view site near Town Beach at the east end of the caravan park to a different site at the west end.  During the 300m slow car journey Peppa drooled again!  This did not bode well for future travel, or for getting back to Melbourne.

On 8 August our booking ended.  We had made another booking from 17 Aug-12 Sept, but the caravan park had no cancellations in between so we had to leave for 9 nights.  We made plans for three nights on the Dampier Peninsula, three nights at a caravan park at Cable Beach (west side of Broome Peninsula) and three nights at Barn Hill Station (a place that everybody seemed to recommend). 

These plans involved lots of changes and driving.  How would Peppa be?

A few days before the 8th, we decided to prepare Peppa for changes with some walks around the caravan park.  During the first short walk, Peppa drooled again in the cat carrier.  This didn’t look good.

During the second walk, we took more time.  We stopped from time to time in places she might find interesting and let her out for a wander.  This was much better.

By the fourth time, Peppa jumped into the cat carrier herself as if she was keen for a wander.  This was looking more positive.  We gave her morning and afternoon walks for a few days.  We managed to get one extra night at our caravan park, but at a different site.  This time Antigone walked Peppa to the new site (in the cat carrier on Antigone’s walker) and there was no problem with the move.

I discussed things with the vet and they said not to bother with the anti-nausea tablets, but to give her the anxiety capsules daily.  She also suggested mixing the contents of the capsule with Peppa’s wet food in order to avoid the pill-popper ordeal which in itself can cause stress.

The night before our 9 August departure we planned a BBQ at the camp kitchen area; as it was about 250m from our beach-front site and we had lots of food items to prepare, we drove there.  Antigone suggested bringing Peppa with us; Peppa travelled there in the car with no problem and had a lovely time in the gardens beside the camp kitchen while we cooked and ate.

9 August started early for me.  Being at an eastern beach-front site, we had a good view of the dawn and I rose early for a dawn run.  If I run while Antigone sleeps, I typically run five 1km laps, checking in on Antigone between each one.  From our site, running to the end of the Town Beach jetty and back made a nice 1km run.  I left Peppa outside while I ran.  After two 1km laps, Peppa was keen to go out for a walk.  Today, Peppa was key, so I stopped my run and walked Peppa instead.  I made a lovely video of Peppa during this walk, with a great surprise at the end.  (Watch the video to see.)

After that, it was about 6:15am and Antigone was keen to join me to watch the sunrise (at about 6:20).  There wasn’t time to dress so we took off with me in my running gear and Antigone in her pajamas.

On our travels, I feed Peppa any time after 6.  Earlier than that and she’s likely to wake me too early asking for a feed.  On the morning of our departure, Peppa’s breakfast was a bit later than normal due to my run, my walk with her, and my sunrise walk with Antigone.  As suggested by the vet, I emptied the capsule contents onto Peppa’s meat and mixed it in.  Peppa would have none of that.  So it was back to the pill-popper.  Fortunately, I had cleaned Peppa’s bowl between the adulterated meat and her second spoon of roo; she scrutinised the food thoroughly and wasn’t going to eat anything other than her normal roo. 

(At one stage in Broome, we had been unable to buy roo mince so we’d given Peppa beef mince instead.  She would have none of it.  She wanted roo like she’s been eating all her life.  She is an enthusiastic eater, but she knows what she likes and what she doesn’t.)

Two hours later we were packed and ready to leave.  Peppa had to be dragged out from under the bed (not unusual on driving days) but she was fine.

Once through Broome and on the highway, I suggested Antigone could open the zip in Peppa’s bag and maybe let her out.  ‘What do you mean?’ she asked.  ‘Peppa’s been stretched out on the back seat for ages.’

Whew.  It looked as though our few days of careful preparation of Peppa with walks and interesting new places to explore had been a success.  There was no drooling and no problem with the travel.

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3 Responses

  1. Wendy Carr says:

    Fabulous posts.

  2. Julie Anderson says:

    G’day Antigone and Bob. You’re both looking very relaxed and happy on your big adventure. Ahhh…. Broome such a magnificent place. Peter and I are on the opposite side of our great wide land. We’re in Sandgate, the northern reaches of Brisbane and staying with Feliciity (daughter), Mikey and their four children. We’re a block from the tidal beach which has an extensive foreshore and paved walk. It’s very picturesque with many lovely Queenslander homes as well as several new double story builds.
    So far the weather has been fabulous with bright sunny days and almost no rain (unlike the flooding rains when I was here last year). Peter rides his bike and also goes to his Keiser gym a couple of times a week although he is a bit restricted because he has a frozen shoulder which will need treatment when we return to Melbs.
    Felicity had open heart surgery on Aug 11 to repair the mitral valve and for a complete ablation so she is in recuperation mode and slowly improving every day. So there’s quite a lot to do here including walking Dean the doggie. He is a magnificent blue staffy and they acquired him when I was here in February. He is six years old and absolutely adorable. It’s no wonder they call them the “Nanny” dogs, he is so so gentle with Felicity while she is recovering.
    Mary Sinclair rang me last night, it was so good to hear from her and to know that choir rehearsals are moving along well. Gosh I do miss it.
    Well, enjoy the next stage of your journey, I’m not sure when we’re returning to Melbs, Felicity will need our assistance for at least three more weeks.
    Other news is, our third child, Bronwyn, is getting married to Jamie in November. They’ve been together about 12 years now and have 3 year old Fox and 4 month old Stevie, the most chilled baby girl ever. Only us and Jamie’s parents are attending the ceremony but they will have a party for pals afterwards.
    Bye for now, love, Julie

    • Bob Cumming says:

      Nice to hear from you. Bob is familiar with Sandgate and the waterfront there. Great place! Best wishes for Felicity’s recovery.