To be able to read books in a foreign language about the breed is one thing. It is always very educating and interesting, but it is completely different when you can travel and see for yourself what you have been read and be able to feel and touch "the theory".
 
The International Collie Society was initiated and founded by Mrs. Audrey F. Chatfield who also became president of the society. Chairman for many years was Dr. Per Frey (Norway), and these two persons has done tremendous lot of work to bring the collielovers from al over the world together. As a member of, for example Norwegian Collie Club, you are automatically a member of the ICS, as it is he club that is a member of the society. Unfortunately, I did not attend any of the meetings before 1995 of different reasons, but the meetings are highly recommendable. It's absolutely wonderful to be able to meet "colliepeople", discuss, talk, listen to speeches and just be friends. I have never experienced any kind of unfriendliness, jealousy or intrigues to come to the surface. But that has been the idea right from the start, and those things are not welcomed or tolerated at all.
 
My first Collie holiday however, was a private holiday.It was in 1994. My beloved Aimee and Ana had just left me, and lovely Dimi failed to have a litter after having travelled more than 200 Norwegian miles all together. I was devastated and disapointed, and my partner and I went on a holiday in England. We did agree before we went that I would visit 4 or 5 kennels during our stay to look around for a new bitch puppy.
 

The two first days we walked around in London, and as we both were bookworms, we went to Foyles, at least at that time,Europe's biggest bookstore, and I asked for books abot Collies. I was looking for a book in particular, and asked for it. A lady led me to the shelves and I was overwhelmed of what I found . I could go crazy in there, but money put effectively a stop to it. My particular book became 7 books and I had to leave. Otherwise, they could have put me on the next plane home, broke.
 
After 2 days in London, we went to Ashford in Kent. There was a breeder there that I had been writing letters to for years. Could they please, find us a cheap B&B? Oh yes, just come, was the answer. We had never met before, so this was exiting. Having arrived at their place, we were shown a bedroom and asked if this was good enough. I just could not believe this kind of hosptality! You will not find it very often in this country. We took a lot of photos and video as we had bought a camcorder in London. We talked as if we'd known each other for life. These people were Chris & Jill Jewell of Moorland Collies, now tibbies. Jill called another kennel in the area, Trenley Collies, Mrs. Pixie Simmons, and a new unplanned visit was arranged. More photos and video, more cups of tea and coffee, and more friends for life.
 
As we left Kent, Chris told us f a chain of hotels, Drive In Hotels, to reasonable price and standard with meals served at Beefeethers. Very good indeed. From Kent we headed toward Leeds and the Hareford Championship Show where I should meet Mrs. Rene Cozens, Bhyllsacre, at the show. I knew how she looked like, but she didn't have a clue about me, apart from having been in touch by letters for years. We were welcomed to stay with her and her husband , late Michael, and we did. It was a tremendous experience to stand ringside to watch dogs that were just names in a pedigree to me, and it was incredible to have arms around my shoulder being asked if I was Astri from Norway? That was how I come to meet a lot of those kennels I had been writing to. Placed with Rene and Mike, collietalking went on as an everflowing stream. Rene is a well of knowledge and experience, and I could just open up and let it sink in. She was to pick up a mated bitch from a kennel, and we went along to Kesbury Collies and Janet & Alex. Then we went to see the Brynacre Collies, that was all founded on Bhyllsacre stock. Unfortunately, this kennel does not exist any longer as the owner moved to USA. Then Rene was going to mate Ritzie, Ria'ly a Love At Bhyllsacre (Ingledene lines) to Gwendale Triple Trouble At Steelhurst, a well known star and stud at the time. New contacts made, new ties of friendship tied up.
 

From Midlands, which is my favourite part of England, we headed southwards to see Mrs. Hazel Hunt and the Riffleseas. She had invited friends with Rifflesea Collies to come and show them. Of the dogs with her I will never forget is CH. Rifflesea Romantasy, a son of CH.Brilyn Supertramp, Rifflesea Raven Flawless, a son of CH. Percheron Benjamin Black At Amalie, and an old bitch she called Heidi that was carrying the bloodlines of the Myberns.We were also shown Rifflesea Rain Sweet Rain with a wonderful blue colour. I was indeed close to have a daughter of Romantasy, but I regrettably did not.
 
We crossed the country and went to see a kennel that had presented som wonderful photos. Photos are photos, but real conditions is somehing else.After just a couple of hours we went away wanting to bring all the collies with us just to let them have some sort of freedom. They were all stuck in their kennels and obviously not exercised. Fortunately, this kennel does not longer exist.
 

From there we went to see Ann &Brian Hollywood and Amalie Collies. Here we were presented to Brettonpark Ambassasor at 13 years and the 10 year old CH Percheron Benjamin Black At Amalie, a well known stud in Norwgian pedigrees. At Amalie's we also met Randi when she picked up her first Amalie dog, Amalie Just After Dark. We spent some lovely days with Ann and Brian. Time was out for us and we had to go back to Norway. My partner who had had more than enough of Collies for quite some time, took Randi's daughter and her friend back with to the hotel at Heathrow while Randi and I popped in at Coppi Collies with Mary & Ken Farnes. More video taken, and a lovely lunch. The promised 4-5 kennels promised had become 14-15 in 2 weeks, but we returned without a puppy. Later I bought Olivia from Sweden, all English bred, but that's another story.
I am left with lovely memories, loads of experience and wonderful lifetime friends.
 
Full of inspiration I suggested to Mr. Per Frey to bring ICS to Norway in conjunction to the main club's 60th anniversary.- They had been in Sweden, Finland and Denmark, but not here. Having spent my holiday in England, there was no room for me to join in Portugal, but Per called me from the meeting and said:" You had it, start working. That was the start of the ICS meeting in Bergen, 1995.