Interview with Tia of Carpe Viam

By Aspen & Porter~

 

Next up in our interview series, we’re super excited to introduce Tia from Carpe Viam. Tia and parents Toby and Chloe have been on the road for quite a while now, making their way all the way down through Mexico and Central America, currently calling South America home.  Enjoy her tips and stories from the road!

Tell us a bit about yourself. Age? Who else is in your pack?

Hi, Aspen and Porter! I’m Tia! I’ve been told I’m a Chihuahua mix, but I’m a lot bigger than most Chihuahua’s I’ve met, and since I come from the streets of Puerto Rico, who knows what kind of mix I really am. I’m 12 years old, but that doesn’t stop me from much and I think I’m doing quite well for an old gal. My human parents, Toby and Chloe, picked me up from a shelter in Massachusetts after I was flown from Puerto Rico with a program called Save the Satos. I then grew up in Vermont with 3 cat siblings (although, unfortunately, 2 of them are no longer with us). We then spent several years in California with my remaining cat brother, Koopa, closer to some human family, which is fun because they love to spoil me.

1. Tell us a little bit about where you have traveled with your family. Have you traveled internationally? Within the US?

Our family has been on road trips across the US a few times, and though Koopa had to stay back in California this time, traveling with him would have been hard for us all. The rest of us are now traveling all the way down to the southern tip of the Americas: Ushuia, Argentina!!! First we spent two months driving around the US and a bit of Canada to test out our new home on wheels and get ready for the big trip south. After a quick return back to California, we headed south into Mexico. From there, we went to Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, drove through the corner of Honduras in a few hours on the way to Nicaragua, Costa Rica, then Panama. From there we put our home in a shipping container and shipped it across while we flew over to Colombia, and we’re now in Ecuador. Next we will head to Peru, then Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile.

2. What is your favorite place to travel? Do you like hiking the mountains? Running on the beach?

I love going to places where I can run off leash, both beaches and mountains. I loved all the beaches we visited in Costa Rica because we were often the only ones there and I could spend hours chasing crabs, my new favorite activity. It’s just so much fun when, after quietly watching their crab hold for a long while, they pop out and I get to chase them around the sand, either into the water or back into their hole. A few times I even managed to catch them, they’re quite crunchy and tasty! I also love going to places where I get to climb. I love to get on top of rocks or cliffs and check out the view from above, a whole new perspective for a little gal like me. I really just like being out in nature, running around, exploring, smelling new smells, rolling around in the grass or sand, finding new critters to chase… just being free to do what I like.

3. When you’re traveling do you camp? Stay at hotels? Rent houses?

Hahahaha… give me a second.. that is too funny..! Rent houses? Stay in hotels? That is awesome..no, my humans are WAY too cheap for any of that.. they say “we spent all this money on this rig” and “we have to make it to Argentina”, so now we’re bumming it around everywhere trying to park for free whenever we can. We live in a truck camper, which is a bit small from what we are used to, but it’s still pretty cool because it can take us almost anywhere and it’s still pretty comfortable, even though it is small. But man, I do miss sleeping on  couches and beds! Luckily, my parents love to try and get to remote places in nature, which of course, I love so I can’t complain too much. And, I do have a pretty comfortable bed all to myself in the truck, plus a comfy blanket to curl up on in the camper. Every now and then we do stay at campgrounds or hotel/hostel parking areas, but rarely in rooms. When we shipped our truck home from Panama to Colombia, we did get to stay in hotel rooms in both places, which was awesome! Air conditioning and lots of space with big beds to sleep in!

4. Do you have a hard time finding good quality food and water on the road?

No, my parents are always looking for good drinking for themselves and they share it with me. Plus, I’m a pretty tough gal.. maybe my start on the streets of Puerto Rico started my tough stomach off right since I’ve tried random streams and puddles here and there and have been fine. They’ve managed to find pretty good food for me all along the way, even special older dog food with extra vitamins and big names to help an old gal like me stay loose, limber, and pain free for as long as possible. Plus, now that we live in such a tiny house together, they treat me to more of their food from time to time.. I think I’ve refined my adorable begging face and, in such confined space, they can’t resist!

5. Have you had any problems with other dogs, either playing at dog parks, or street dogs when traveling?

I had no problems in the US but got into a few spats with some dogs in Mexico, random dogs at campgrounds we stayed at and a dog that lived on the property of someone my parents were volunteering for that had been really sweet to them. Luckily, none of the spats were serious enough to cause any wounds, though somehow one of the other dogs walked away from our bout with a bloody nose.. who knows, maybe I am tougher than I realize, although I think it could have been that she came into contact with the stone underneath me but don’t tell anyone, I’d like everyone to just think I’m tough! After strike three, my parents are much more cautious with me. If we are in places where there are more dogs to be concerned about, I unfortunately don’t get to get out and about as much and, when I do, my big tough dad takes me (my mom is way too nervous then and that doesn’t help anyone). Again, they luckily like to spend time in nature more than towns or cities so I get my time and freedom to run around then. I have made several new friends on the road, both random dogs we come across plus several other traveling pups like Olivia, Shea, Neli, Maya and Kaleb.

6. What don’t you like about traveling? A different bed? Strange water?

There’s not much I don’t like about traveling, it’s fun to see and explore new places, smell new smells, and try new foods and other things.  It took a bit of getting used to living in such a small space and I really do miss big comfy couches, but we do have it pretty good.  It is annoying that I don’t quite have the freedom to roam like I used to with so many street dogs around and campground dogs being territorial, but since I’m a bit slower these days anyway, I take that time to nap leisurely and know that in due time, my parents will drive off to some new interesting location for new adventures.  I suppose the one thing that really bothers me is that national parks often either don’t let me in (or my parents in because I am with them), or won’t let me get out of the car or parking lot.  I get that it is a rule to protect the other animals and nature around but they are often so nice and boy would I love to explore them too! Though it may have its challenges at times, I do enjoy it and highly recommend travel for dogs and humans, in fact, we’ve even heard of people traveling with cats!  Life is short so get out there and live it!  Too bad we won’t be able to meet up and play on the road together but thanks Aspen and Porter for the opportunity to share some of my travel tails, I mean tales, with your readers!  Happy travels all!

Thanks Tia, for sharing your insight from the road. Safe travels!

Aspen & Porter