Like a Native New Yorker

Greetings to all my followers if I have any yet.

Well, the snow which came down heavy and furious was beautiful and now is all over.

Crossing the streets can be a drag because of the messy slush and filthy puddles.

Besides, people have put out ice melting salt, which is strewn everywhere, it can cut up and sting your feet so I hope you all have your pads well protected.

Even though I get plenty of walks all over town, sometimes when we are returning from a small vacation trip to Nyack, NY we take the subway from Grand Central Station back downtown.

I have actually begun to enjoy that infamous underground ride. They are super fast and screechy noisy.

Sometimes the subway cars are so jam packed I can barely even wag my tail!!

However, when the people traffic is light I manage to get a seat.

I have ridden many different lines and I prefer the newer trains on the IRT line, the numbers 1,2,3 or the 4,5,6 which go south-north-south-north all day and all night long.

SUBWAY TIP: It is very important to be polite and not to mind or react to the people pushing and shoving, or coughing and sneezing on top of you.

Take up as little space as possible. Let people pet you if they just can't help themselves, tell yourself 'it will be over quickly because chances are their stop is coming up soon'.

And most important......“watch the closing doors”.

Nam out-

When you've just “got to go” in that cold wet snow!

OK my fellow ratters...that snow event yesterday in Manhattan was a lot of fun and very messy.

I managed to have tons of fun AND stay warm and dry because I was properly dressed.

IMPORTANT DRESSING TIP: Before you head out into the cold, icy, wet winter wonderland, make sure you are wearing your toasty fleece long johns AND your insulated winter ski Parker, with removable hood!

If you have them, wear your Pawz booties, OR you can use 'Mushers Secret' on your pads to protect them from the nasty salt. http://www.musherssecret.net/faq.html

FINAL SNOW TIP: Tempting as it may be my friends, remember to avoid the “yellow” snow.

Now go play with your friends and enjoy in comfort!

Nam out-

travel in style my fellow ratties

OK, so you're in NYC, in the middle of winter, what to wear?

FASHION TIP. Well the best dressed will be sporting a fleece one piece union suit. This unit zips up the back, covering the legs and the hind quarters for warmth. It is available in several colors. I prefer the earth tones.

Then there are the snow storms and with that comes the nasty salting of the side walks!

FASHION TIP. Get some of those "Pawz" reusable, disposable rubber boots. They come in different sizes and colors, but most of us ratties will need the small. The small is available in red, and I found that this red really helps accessorize my winter look beautifully.
Besides feeling protected and warm, I get so many second looks, smiles and compliments from everyone who sees me on the street. I JUST LOVE IT!

Oh, and while you are in the big apple and when you need to, make sure you get to 'go pee' on one of those shinny brass hydrants! Now that is what I call "going in style".

ridin' the rails in style

Greetings fellow travel hounds. In todays blog I have a few special tips for ridin' the rails in style!
Posted here is yours truly on board the train which took us from the airport in Albuquerque to Santa Fe, NM. It is called the Rail Runner. It is a sweet ride too.
So here are more things to keep in mind whether you are riding on a train, or plane.

TRAVEL TIP NUMBER SIX
Be super well behaved, and obey your human. Remember you are along for the ride so enjoy it.
You will notice I am wearing my matching red winter parka in this photo.
Efforts like showing off your extremely good manners, having a calm demeanor, being friendly towards your fellow human passengers, no barking and looking cute as a button in adorable clothes like I did on this trip, will help earn you points with both the conductor and the ticket agents on board.

TRAVEL TIP NUMBER SEVEN
Also IMPORTANT, wear your harness or collar at all times, and KEEP YOUR ID TAGS ON YOU.
I don't need to tell you what a nightmare it could be without them.

TRAVEL TIP NUMBER EIGHT
Here is an easy tip to make your ride even more pleasurable. Inside your Sherpa travel bag there is a lovely washable faux sheep skin mat. So here's all you do. Ask your human to take your Sherpa mat from your case and use it as a protective cover on your public train seat. Believe me, it will make for a more comfortable ride AND will also put you in good favor with the other passengers who might take issue with a dog siting on 'their' seat.
If you don't have the sheep skin mat, then a towel, blanket or cloth will work just as nicely.
Look lady, no shedding here! By the way this is also works great for plane rides too.

Hey, take the train, It is so much fun. So many things to see, and very few stops.

That's it for today, Happy Trails, Nam out.

winter wonder landing

Well it was coming on winter brake and a trip to see the family in NY was on the December calendar.
Thinking it would be less crowded and crazy we booked to fly on Christmas day. Little did I know I was just about to experience my first white Christmas.
Travel tip number three. I suggest fasting the day you fly. This way you don’t need to go poo or pee too much. Even though I arrive ravenous, I recommend it.
We usually take early morning flights so I don’t think about my breakfast that much.
At the airport, we check our baggage, and go through security.
Travel tip number four, don’t let them put you through the xray scanner! insist on a pat down, or pet down preferred.
Flight and plane changes went without a hitch.
However, just as we were coming towards NY, the pilot announced that all three NY airports were closed down due to the heavy snow storm. We flew back to an airport in Raleigh Durham and waited. And waited.
We sat on that tarmac in Raleigh for 5 hours!
Naturally my companion was very concerned that I would need to go potty. She had the airport personal take me from the plane, because of 9/11 airport security, passengers were not allowed to deplane, so aiport personel walked me around the tarmac. I wouldn’t go because it wasn’t the right place for me. They felt so bad that they even bent the rules and let my companion take me around on the tarmac for a second try, but I just couldn’t pee there.
Finally, after 5 LONG hours they opened Kennedy airport and we arrived safely...a short cab ride later and we were in the city and at a patch of grass I knew was all mine. Whew.! Now that’s how I spell relief!
I held it for 16 hours!
All I could say was NEVER AGAIN! and of course, WHERE’S THE FOOD???
Travel tip number five. Make sure you get to go potty between flights BEFORE you board your next plane.
Fortunately, I am pleased to report there are several places where this is possible.
In Phoenix there is the ‘Bone Yard’, it's clean, well maintained, with several filled dog poop bag dispensers, and it is shaded from the hot sun. In Chicago, I recommend you go in front of the Hilton on their huge grassy lawn. It's also fun to have a run and stretch there before reboarding. Atlanta was a bit of a challenge. My companion had to scale a wall in a hot parking garage, and then all that was there for me was gravel pebbles. Better than nothing.
As soon as we arrive at Laguardia in NY and after baggage claim, we always go where the taxi stands are. Across from the cabs the airport just set up a new, safe, enclosed grassy area called 'Short Term Barking'.

Happy tails, Nam out.

First things first

Hello, My name is Namaste. My 2 legged companion and all her friends and family call me Nami.

I really like my name. I know the meaning comes from the sanskrit salutation, “I bow to the God that lives within you”. Hindus say that while their hands are together in prayer. Yogis say it too.

We changed it to, “I bow wow to the divine k-9 in you.”

My companion likes to say that I am a dog of pray, not prey....although I did kill a squirrel once.

I am a seven and a half year old Chocolate Rat Terrier. If you go to my profile page you will see a recent picture of me posted there.

I am starting this new year, 2010 off with a Free Travel Tips Blog for my fellow Rat Terriers.

While I am a professional traveler today, I actually started this business when I was only three months old. My companion saw my picture on the internet and wanted me so much that she flew out to NY, where I was living at the time, to get me and bring me back to where she lives in Santa Fe NM.

That was the farthest trip I had ever made.

I am originally from Rochester NY and my birth family brought me by car down to Nyack NY. After about a week of getting to know my new family in Nyack it was time to fly all the way to Santa Fe. Prairie Dogs and everything!

Travel tip number one. Get your papers in order. This is a must. A trip to the (holistic) vet to get any last minute pre flight check up and shots. With a clean bill of health you will be ready to go.

Travel tip number two. Get your people to buy you a very nice, easy to carry, completely ventilated and well cushioned travel bedroom aka "sherpa bag". We all know how important burrowing is to us Rats, so this is a serious must have.

From the very start I was brought into the cabin by my companion and was treated like any other passenger.

As a result, I felt like a princess being carried in my very own enclosed travel bedroom. I felt so safe inside there that I was able to go right to sleep. I barely remember a thing except it was a great trip. All the flight attendants made such a fuss over me. Why not?, After all I was as cute as any other three month old chocolate rat.

That’s all for now but please check back to read about of one of our most memorable Christmas travels.

Thanks for checking in...nam out.