Author Archives: John Humphreys

The driver-guide combo is a key part of the whole group travel experience, and for some reason I’ve been able to find a connection and resonance with every driver I’ve worked with… so far.  It’s a case of knowing what you’re good at and your limitations, respecting what they have to offer and what theyContinue reading “Travels with(out) Jackson – 5.5, Drivers and Shepherds, May 2026”

For tourists, especially seniors, toilet breaks are of course a necessity.  I’ve managed to avoid roadside forays behind bushes, but finding a clean and free loo, in terms of cost as well as accessibility and availability, is no mean feat on a long bus journey across rural Scotland or Ireland.  Buses at times come withContinue reading “Travels with(out) Jackson – 5.4, Toilets and Tourist Traps, May 2026”

To the ‘average’ American, travel outside the fifty states is perhaps a rare thing, maybe stretching to the Americas, central, south and norther than North to Canada, perhaps even Greenland while it’s still in Danish hands. Some stay state-bound nearer home, but then you can count the number of states bigger than the United KingdomContinue reading “Travels With(out) Jackson – 5.3 Firsts and the Familiar, May 2026”

So, a little background.  I used to work as a manager in the leisure industry, then poacher-turned game-keeper I started a career teaching undergraduates how to manage leisure and tourism. I gave it a year and it took 25 before I rolled up my scroll and turned back to poaching.  Nowadays I spend the summerContinue reading “Travels with(out) Jackson – 5.2, Me and Hospitality, May 2026”

The past month or so I’d spent still working, so there was no free rein to explore too far afield. The time difference meant European evening teaching was now morning or afternoon where I was, so that at least left evenings free to socialise a bit. A conference in Lithuania, in my final week, offeredContinue reading “Travels with Jackson – 5.1, Confusion and Change, May 2026”

The garden, or yard as I had to get used to calling it, was plenty big enough for all four to have a riot. It took a while for Jackson to pick when to pick up or leave the frisbee (or catch it and run off). His gymnastic exploits catching it were all very wellContinue reading “Travels with Jackson – 4.3 Friends, Frisbees and Finding Our Feet”

April 1st, Becky and I found ourselves sitting in a hotel room looking out at the New York skyline, anxiously tracking Jackson’s progress through the blue skies over the Atlantic. Due to arrive at 1pm we’d been updated by PetAir (often with accompanying photos) each time he took another step forward – arriving at Windsor,Continue reading “Travels with Jackson – 4.2 New Place, New Pack, April 2026”

Given that this vacation was immediately before Jackson’s impending trip, there was still a lot to do and to distract me while I was away – final arrangements and invoices to pay, mentally rehearsing the packing up and packing off I still needed to finish on my return to Scotland. And inevitably I kept meetingContinue reading “Travels with Jackson – 4.1 Flying Time, April 2026”

Plans were in place, as I’ve already said, for his flight stateside. The wonderful PetAir people made all the arrangements, I provided the details and documents with my new partner in the states making sure it all went seamlessly. Personal service, pickup from Perth was possible, but Cheshire seemed better to shorten his journey inContinue reading “Travels with Jackson – 3.1 Separation Anxiety, March 2026”

The return to Scotland was uneventful, Jackson as relaxed as ever in the car, even starting to check out the cars behind when he’d run out of z’s, and taking the motorway services and miles on the road in his stride. And soon enough he was back on familiar territory, in the house he’d spentContinue reading “Travels with Jackson – 2.1 Returning and Responsibility, February 2026”