Shopping Alpaca Trekker Style

My introduction to alpacas and subsequent life changing decisions to give up my career in social work was completely unplanned and very much ‘in the moment’. Having gone to the glamping show looking for pods/yurts I came home with alpacas and a fab new life plan. Well nearly, but not quite!

Browsing the seasonal aisle in Morrisons

Six months passed between my chance encounter with alpacas to welcoming my new herd of five boys. I attended courses and picked alpacas that, come delivery day, didn’t arrive! Fortunately, I then met the lovely Debbie and Paul, who helped me achieve my hair brained plan. I visited their wonderful alpaca farm several times and completed a great course learning all the basics, as well as a few quirks relating to alpacas. They kindly agreed to deliver Tenzing, Graffiti, Sam, Yehudi and Monty to us. Keen to look efficient, I made my first of many newbie mistakes. I’d created a temporary pen in the field, with access to the barn. Tenzing took one look at my hours and hours of fence prep work and walked straight through it. He was nine and at that point herd leader, so off he went with four wee newly weaned alpacas in tow. Here lies the next problem. How to catch them and bring them back.

It was that day I was given my first of many opportunities to run a marathon, mainly up hill in wellies. Best fitness training ever - hills, sprints and sharp turns. I did not know my body could move in as many directions! In case you are wondering how I got them back – I didn’t. Instead, we let Tenzing & Co go where they wanted when they wanted and that is pretty much how life remains today! So, with five boys and a great new small business as an alpaca trekker, life was good. But you know I needed more alpacas. Having met David at the Scottish Alpaca Show I learned he lived fairly close by. He and Angela invited me for coffee when I was next in town shopping. So, off I went to Morrisons for the groceries and returned with another three boys. As I said to hubby at the time they were in the seasonal aisle, next to the gnomes. Caesar, Daniel and Diego joined us and what a trio they were. Today we have nineteen alpacas. A mix of boys and girls and a couple of youngsters who make us smile most days. Oh, and sadly due to this horrible pandemic, my invitation for coffee and my planned wee browse in the seasonal aisle of Morrisons may have to be postponed slightly. Hubby will never notice if I stick another couple in the field…