Dogs n Dracula: A Road Trip Through Romania

Adventure Caravanning with Dogs #3

by Jacqueline Lambert

“Laugh-out loud funny and a great travel guide.” *

Romania Insider Awards Finalist

Have you ever thought about giving up work to escape into the wide, blue yonder?

Jackie and Mark Lambert did just that. They rented out their house and took off in a caravan with their four dogs. With windsurf boards strapped to their roof, they struck south for Spain and Portugal, but decided to turn left…

According to The Spectator, Romania is “Europe’s most overlooked holiday destination”.

According to everyone else, it was somewhere where they would be robbed, scammed, kidnapped by gypsies, eaten by bears or attacked by wild dogs and wolves – if they managed to avoid the floods and riots.

This is the story of how they towed their caravan through the largest untouched wilderness in Europe, crossing the Carpathian Mountains via one of the world’s most dangerous roads, guided by a satnav haunted by a revenge complex more pathological than Vlad the Impaler’s.

With a good few surprises on the way, Dogs ‘n’ Dracula is a tale of adventure, packed with history, humour and the exploration of lesser-known parts of one of Europe’s more obscure destinations.

* Reviews of Jacqueline’s previous books, Fur Babies in France and Dog on the Rhine;

“Great book, a lovely insight into how you can give up the daily grind and head off into the sunset.”

“Makes you want to leap out of your armchair/bed/sofa etc and go see the world. I love these informative and funny books.”

“Lively and galvanic, with excellent reference material for armchair travelers wishing to convert to reality.”

Genres: Travel, Nonfiction, Adventure, Memoir, Humor

276 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 15, 2019

About the author

Jacqueline Lambert is a multi-award-winning travel writer, who has authored a series of light-hearted travelogues.

These follow her journey A.D. (After Dog) when she quit work to embark on a permanent road trip around Europe with her husband and four Cavapoo pups.

A dedicated adventurer, B.C. (Before Canines) she rafted, rock climbed, and backpacked around six of the seven continents.

A passionate windsurfer and skier, she can fly a plane, has been bitten by a lion, and appeared as a fire eater on Japanese TV.

Reviews

[Valerie Poore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having been to Romania a couple of times myself, I was very curious to read Jackie Lambert's Dogs n Dracula for two reasons: they drove where I travelled by train, and they took their dogs with them in a caravan. I am an unashamed dog lover and a wannabe camper, so I found the blurb of the book very appealing.

However, what I hadn't expected was how funny and interesting it would be. Dogs n Dracula is a mix of personal travelogue, hair-raising adventures, and fascinating history. The scrapes they got into travelling through rural Romania with what I can only describe as their 'rig' had me on the edge of my seat. As for the dogs, well, that's a story in itself – a charming, heart-warming one as well. The descriptions of their journey are lovely and of the towns the couple visited there were several I didn't know and now want to visit. There are castles, monasteries, traditional villages and fortified churches, and after reading this book I want to see them all.

Added to that, Jackie Lambert is clearly interested in the background stories of everywhere she goes and her take on Romania's past was both refreshingly honest and very informative. Romania is a country steeped in the history of invasions from the Romans on and she offers heaps of 'did you know?' type facts, which of course I didn't and enjoyed reading about.

This is a very well-written and lovely book. I laughed, gasped, gazed and sighed with them throughout. It's definitely made me want to go back to Romania, but I think I've learnt from this intrepid couple – a four-wheel drive camper sounds like the best bet, plus space for the few stray dogs I'd probably be unable to resist.

[Carla Francis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who writes books about travelling with pets, the title of this series caught my attention. I love how the author manages to weave historical facts into the book together with her personal life - and of course dogs!

A particularly liked it when she writes lines like: 'a satnav with a revenge complex' and 'a type of happiness you'd like bottle'.

The book is definitely humourous in parts and you feel like you are on the journey with them.

Bill Bryson-esque in tone, it's 5 stars from me.

[S. Bavey]

In ‘Dogs ‘n’ Dracula’, Jackie, Mark and the doggy pack tackle rocky tracks, mountainous roads and the occasional field as they traverse Eastern Europe in this warm-hearted travelogue. Along the way they have near misses with their caravan, fail to find campsites, have problems with a rebellious sat nav that Jackie calls Naffsat and in Transylvania they even end up increasing their family of pups temporarily from the Fab Four to the Famous Five with the addition of a stray dog, which they name Blade, after the vampire hunter movie. Blade is the well-behaved star of the show once he settles in and even starts writing his own travel blog: ‘Eat, Play, Love – A Letter from Blade’ which was adorable and very funny:

“I got told off for jumping on the bed while they were all in there. It was after 6am – everyone is up by then! I thought that they were all dead, so I bounced on them. They got a bit cross, then they all died again. I got worried, so I bounced on them again. Then they all died again…”

As usual Jackie is observant on her travels and relays historical and political information about the places they visit, along with anecdotes about their personal trials and tribulations looking for food, parking that will accommodate their oversized vehicle and often easy to miss roads and campsites. The economic situation in the countries they visit is a far cry from home:

“The poverty that we saw en route was humbling. In one village, a horse and cart waited outside a hovel, afloat in a sea of mud, with a bed sheet for a front door.”

Jackie’s sense of humour shines through in her wonderfully descriptive writing:

“On our way back to the car park, we had passed a tiny, skeletal old lady dressed in black. Her stretched, waxen face was framed by a headscarf. She backed away from us, retreating into her yard. Raising her hand against the dogs, she had mouthed something, as if uttering an incantation to ward off the evil that is Man’s Best Friend. For us, this summed up Brașov.”

This is another lovely book from the Adventure Caravanning With Dogs series and I highly recommend it!

[Redfox5 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was the only travel writing book I could see when I put 'Romania' into the amazon book section. I like travel writing as it gets you excited for a place and sometimes the authors really bring the location to life for you.

While Dogs 'n' Dracula was a pleasant read, I don't feel like I came away knowing that much more about Romania, except that it's hard to get served in shops and difficult to navigate the roads while towing a caravan.

However I did like the parts about the authors dogs, especially the parts about Blade who I'm pleased now has a new home in the UK and is no longer a stray. There is also some humour in the book, I like the comments about the town that started with C, rhymed with 'flit' and the surprise that men were able to find it. That did make me chuckle!

I think this book would sit better with people who are more into caravanning or into van life. Like I said above, a pleasant enough read but not really what I was looking for.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an adventure for Jacquie & Mark who boldly go with a caravan and four pups in tow to discover the wonders of Slovenia and Romania. They follow the directions of their Satnav soon renamed Naffsat at it sends them through fields, narrow tracks and a whole variety of roads unsuitable for a car towing a caravan! At some points I found I was actually holding my breath. Yet this intrepd couple take it (mostly) all in their stride. Lesser people (me) would have been heading home.
I love the interest Jacquie takes in the places they visit, giving us beautiful descriptions and historical details as well as describing in her own quirky style the less than salubrious campsites they visited. Along the way their furbaby family of four become a furry family of five! Blade was a very fortunate dog indeed. You have to read this to find out what was next for him. It's an entertaining, informative and thoroughly enjoyable travelogue. I'm very happy to read Jacquie's travel tales from the comfort of my armchair and take my hat off to them for making their dreams of travel come true. Somehow I managed to read this book out of sequence but that didn't really matter. I have enjoyed them all.

[Carrie Riseley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to go to Romania now! Jacqueline Lambert brings the country, the people and the dogs of Romania to life. It sounds an enchanting place. What a great adventure. Their caravan had lots of great adventures too, including being driven along a footpath and being propped up by an apricot tin. As can be expected from Lambert, a very entertaining book.

[Jonathan Lipman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this slightly quirky account of a road trip through Romania. The author covers much of the country, with a hair-raising speciality in towing her caravan across vertiginous Romanian mountain passes, and ghoulish castles (of the many to choose from in the country). Her offbeat sense of humour shines through, along with her ability to connect with the Romanian people, whom she ends up appreciating despite their less than exemplary customer service. She’s not so enamoured of the Swiss who come in for a somewhat bizarre hatchet job - I think in essence because they weren’t dog friendly. Talking of which, the oddity is the focus on dogs: and I mean FOCUS. To be fair to the author the clue is in the title, so if you’re not interested in dogs (and caravanning) don’t read the book is, I suppose, the message. Thing is I did want to read about Romania. The author is a skilled writer so she makes it all work - but a health warning that if you read the book you will get to know about dogs pooing, weeing, and puking - lots of puking - so be prepared! It does I’m sure give the book a realistic air, and no doubt dog lovers will empathise with the scatology and also touching desire to rescue some of Romania’s many strays. All in all a good read - the author apparently has written many more like this - and any wrinkles on my part are probably only because I’m a cat lover. Here, kitty kitty!

[Wulfwyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was the first caravanning travel book I have read. Actually other “travel” type books I read were walking trips on mountain trails. I haven’t been to Europe and certainly not to Romania. This book made me want to go. I love the writing style Ms Lambert has. It is almost as if you are sitting, enjoying coffee, while you listen to her vacation stories. It was interesting and fun. She didn’t just tell the fun parts though. She told everything. The scary roads. The trouble finding a place to stay. Even the issue of getting decent sandals in a foreign country. You could imagine it all unfolding while you read. I would definitely recommend this book if you are planning a road trip to Romania. There are plenty of tips in it. I would also recommend it to armchair travelers like me. I think I would actually enjoy this more on audio.
*I received an ecopy of this book, through BookSprout, for review consideration. I voluntarily reviewed it.*

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hadn't read the previous books in the series (though I remedied that!) and it didn't matter, this books works well as a stand alone. I didn't know much about Romania when I started this book, but thanks to Jackie and Google I've learned a lot. She writes with such enthusiasm and knowledge about all the interesting places they visit, that I just had to look them up. There is a lot of humor in the book - the dreaded Satnav and the terrible roads feature a lot! - and you learn all about the trials and tribulations of traveling with four? dogs. Definitely a recommended read.

[Linda Hawkswell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Traveling with Pets

Want a life traveling but have four fur babies, no problem. Hitch your caravan upto your trusty steed Big Blue and you can go anywhere you like. This is just what Jackie and her husband Mark did, oh and they acquired another dog on their travels.
This is the first one of Jackie's books that I have read and I will be sure to look out the others. Traveling through Romania the road trip is wonderfully described. Combining her love of travel and her fur babies Jackie creates a feel-good narrative highlighting their trials, tribulations and fun. It had me laughing out loud, especially in relation to 'NaffSat' and at other times holding my breath in relation to the hair raising road conditions with their 1.5 ton 7.2m caravan towed by a 5m van, it does make you wonder how they navigated the narrow roads without total disaster. Experiencing good and bad camp sites and some that were just downright inaccessible.
Thank you Jackie for a brilliant read and I had better look some of your other books out x

I received a free copy of this book and am leaving a voluntary review.

[Christine Karren · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read Dogs and Dracula (of the Adventure Caravanning with Dogs Series) over the Christmas holiday. At first I was unsure if I would finish it before the school break ended and my teaching term resumed, but it turned out to be such an absolute pleasure to read that it ended in just a few days, with me wishing for more.

Having lived in Romania for 16 months during the 1990s, revisiting it in book form was already predestined to be walk down memory lane for me. As I read, I tasted the irresistible cheese donuts called papanasi, hiked mountains of staggering beauty, haggled with shop-keepers, and snacked on those oh-so nostalgic choco-croissants. It all took me back, with a knowing smile on my face and an occasional chortle of recognition.

But the charm didn't end with the nostalgia. Jackie and Mark actually spent most of their time in places I've never been. Their touring preferences definitely tended more toward the ancient, natural and medieval--citadels of the original Dacians, stunning alpine passes and the medieval ruins of castles like Rupea and Poenari. I was especially intrigued by Jackie's descriptions of Prejmer, the fortress castle outside Brasov that survived 50 sieges in 500 years, and the idyllic villages of Maramures with their wooden churches and traditionally-clad locals.

Every new camp location brought together fellow campers from all over the world who interacted with Jackie and Mark in hilarious and often surprising ways. Having doubled my bucket list by the end of the book, I will definitely keep it as a reference for future trips east.

All of this valuable information was packaged in a very easy-to-digest form: fun humor without being crass, a cheerful take-life-as-it-comes attitude with only one meltdown (for a very good reason), and plenty of heart-melting dog stories. Mark and Jackie have a love of furry friends that's beyond anything I've ever seen, but if the world held more people with such kind hearts with regards to their fellow creatures, it would be a better place indeed!

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie and her husband Mark take an ambitious road trip with a caravan in tow to the culturally rich Romania. Passing through Hungary on the way, visiting campsites with their 4 dogs and an unreliable SatNav!

The book details their exploits and Jackie points out not only the good parts but also the challenges they faced along the way. There were plenty of interesting snippets of history, spectacular scenery and Jackie and Mark's personal experiences interwoven throughout the book.

I was particularly interested in their adventures within Hungary and Romania as I live in Hungary and the descriptions were very accurate. Jackie described with ease the old fashioned ways of life, their cultural traditions, the foods they tried and their efforts at reading unpronounceable road names!

This humorous travelogue made me smile throughout and would recommend it to those who have "itchy feet" and want to try a country that is often underrated. An excellent read.

[Karen Inkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

After giving up work, Mark and Jackie embarked on their epic journey. With 4 dogs to keep them company, they travelled throughout Romania, towing their beloved caravan up mountainous paths that were more like rugged footpaths, over bridges that shouldn't take the weight, following a satnav that took them forever on roads to nowhere, but seeing some stunning sights. The 4 dogs became 5 and very nearly, on occasions, 6 but common sense prevailed.

A fantastic, heartwarming adventure with lots of witty and funny comments and observations. The book is flooded with facts and information about the different towns and villages they visited. Loved the part about the Lipazzina horses visit. A really enjoyable read.

[Sharon Hayhurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was attracted to this book largely because I was intrigued to learn a bit more about Romania, of which I knew very little, but also because I enjoyed reading another one of the author’s books. I learnt a lot about Romania’s history, historical sites, culture and cuisine (or sometimes lack of it). But what I enjoyed the most was the descriptions of such pretty scenes, I felt I was there. Each campsite was different, the characters they met on the way each added to the story as did the challenging roads and Naffsat the Satnav and of course the dogs. Clever and descriptive writing with a healthy dose of humor, made for a very good read indeed, kept me turning the pages with interest.

[Carol Rode]

Book 3

I just finished with book 3. They were all a great read. Exploring places that were hard to get to and no maps sure was a challenge. Even the narrow roads. It took a lot of courage to get thru some of those areas but they got to explore their part of the world. I can't wait to see next of where they plan to venture to. I never thought that some of these countries had set ups for camping. I hope they keep on traveling and write another book of themselves and their 4 dogs.

[Ronald Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Armed with very little knowledge about Romania, Jacqueline Lambert travels the length and breadth of the country. She discovers that this is a magnificent land with a long history, many myths, and a proud, welcoming people.

Every reader will find a little treasure in this book be they a dog-lover, a trailer-owner, a hands-on adventurer or simply a would-be traveller.

[Sally Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jackie and Mark take on travel with a difference with their family of four (or is that five?) dogs in a caravan. This story has everything: adventurous travel, charismatic canines, a few clever vampire references and, best of all, fascinating destination information - all packaged into a good read. And the heritage sites! Now I’m dreaming of a trip to Romania…

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have never been to Romania but it sounds like an amazing place to visit! Another great book, with lots of laughs, always an adventure, and on this one poor Kismet took some hard knocks! When naffsat dies it reminded me of the days where we only had paper maps to get to places, honestly I wouldn't want to have to do that again!

[Marcia Clayton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this heartwarming adventure, which is full of witty comments and amusing anecdotes gathered by Mark and Jackie on their epic journey. It was also good to learn a bit more about Romania, albeit guided by a dodgy satnav! A very enjoyable and well-written novel.

[W A Carruthers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great read! Romania had never been on my list of places to visit, but it certainly is now! (Although I’d rather not be towing a 7.5m caravan!)

[ChillwithabookAWARD With · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Road Trip Through Romania Adventure Caravanning with Dogs - Dogs n Dracula by Jacqueline Lambert has received a Chill With a Book Readers' PREMIER Award.
www.chillwithabook.com

[Fi Kidd · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring, entertaining and a total joy. A book that you just can’t put down.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read, informative and entertaining. Filled with valuable information about the challenges and rewards of travelling through eastern Europe in a caravan with four adventurous little dogs. Great if you are thinking about making a similar trip to Romania in a caravan, as Jackie gives a great deal of personal insight into the challenges of life on the road in a van, like coping with badly behaved sat nav. Lots of information on touristy highlights like the UNESCO world heritage sites including the the legenday Sarmizegetusa Regia and other Dacian sites. Accounts of great camp grounds and local shopping, all told with humour. Jackie recounts lots of history and is always entertaining in the telling. I had no idea that Prince Charles had ties to Romania and the Dracula mythology. Then there is the story of Blade, a little dog that became their rescue stray. Blade's Eat Play Love letters are a nice addition.
Romania had not really been on my list of must visit destinations but after reading this wonderful account, it is now! I thoroughly enjoyed this great read and can highly recommend.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was absolutely amazing to read! It was the first book of the author I've read but I definitely look forward to reading her other books. I didn't know much about Romania and it wasn't really on my bucketlist, but now it sure is! The author has a really fun style of writing. It's like she is talking to you and she makes some jokes along the way. She tells stories about the adventures they encounter together with their dogs while travelling to and in Romania. I really like that she includes some touristic information and some history. She also includes some tips about dogs. I don't have dogs, but it was still fun to read. For people who do have dogs and who want to travel with them, these books are recommended. I would also recommend it to people who like to travel or who would like to know more about Romania. After reading this, I know it's a fantastic country that has a lot to offer.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Texas · Rating 4 out of 5]

ADVENTURE CARAVANNING WITH DOGS: DOGS ’N’ DRACULA - This is my first read by this author and I enjoyed it. Romania grabbed my interest and I am glad I found this book on Booksprout.

Ms. Lambert did a good job with her descriptions about their travels, their pups and the beauty of Romania. Romania, her people and culture, her history through the ages, plus a bit about Vlad the Impaler. Personally, I would have tossed that natsat, but I am old school. Yes, it is a major player.

I appreciate the fact the author focused for most of the book on their travels, their pups and Romania, and just a bit on the personal side. After reading this I want to see Romania for their old ways of life and values, which is more difficult to find in my beautiful country the USA. 4*

[Suzanne Hare · Rating 5 out of 5]

A road trip with four dogs through Romania? Jackie and Mark Lambert did just that. Despite hearing from others that it was not safe, they decided to tour Europe’s most neglected holiday destination. What could possibly go wrong?

This is a wonderful read, funny yet informative. The descriptions are great and interesting, making you want to go to Romania. It is laugh-out-loud funny and a treat to read. It definately a different kind of travel guide. The dogs and the antics were wonderful and a great addition to the experience of the travellers and the readers. The sights described and the background stories interesting and informative. This book makes me want to travel through Europe.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Anne Targett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly you do not need to have read any other books by the author, you can jump right in with this one as there is a great intro so you know who is who.
The road trip is wonderfully described and I even took notes of some of the locations to add my ‘must visit’ list.
In places it made me laugh out loud, especially with the ‘Naffsat’ incidents, so familiar. At other tines, being the owner of a rescue dog I did shed a little tear.
I am definitely going to go and read Jacqueline’s other books as I throughly enjoyed this one and can not recommend it enough.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Meagie Moo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved hearing about all the places I didn't get to visit on my trip to Romania many years ago. It truly is a beautiful country, rich in culture and history, and this book has inspired me to plan another visit. I also loved the fact that the four legged family members were along for the ride as well, what an adventure!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Pat Eroh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A few years ago I met a woman online who lives in Romania. We have chatted occasionally but she has shared her pictures so I was not surprised by the beauty and wonder described in this book. Yet it added to my desire to visit this beautiful country. Great informational guide.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.