Travelling…

It is Tuesday today and in three days time, 1/5/26 we will be jetting off on our UK and Europe adventures. We have been over maybe three or four times to see relatives and friends and also to have some adventures just the two of us. We have to space out our trips and usually go every four years. This time though, we only had three years in between. This is largely due to my health and especially my Parkinson’s. Three years with Parkinson’s could make a significant difference in my functional levels, cognitive and speech also. At the moment I am not too bad, but we approach this trip – like the previous one three years ago – as a ‘bucket list’ trip. It may well be our last to the UK and that’s a bit sad. But, to be realistic I don’t have the job that I had that certainly gave me more disposable income. I have been heard to say that ‘my finances are more effluent than affluent!’ Especially now that I am officially a pensioner.

I have been packing this morning – a task which always stresses me out. Over the last week or so, I have been getting things together that I think I might pack. Today, I decided I needed to pack, so I actually have done a lot of my packing. However, the piles of clothing I thought I might take have been whittled down quite a bit as I try to do my best to not overpack, something I usually do! I have certainly not fully mastered the art of minimalist packing! I have, however, taken quite a bit out as I try to rationalise my packing. My husband can’t understand why I get stressed and there is probably little reason but it’s just the way I am built.

One hint I can highly recommend is to get yourself some packing cells. There are lots of them on the market and they make a huge difference. Having your various items of clothing all together in one cell is such a game changer. You always know where to find your underwear or t-shirts or pants because they are all together. Because of using the cells, you just open the relevant cell and take what you need and close up again. Repacking if you are moving on is so simple and takes a fraction of the time, because you hardly disturb anything and in a few short minutes you are packed and ready to go.

I am so fortunate to have my husband as my travelling companion, he is very patient with me – most of the time – and I do my best to accommodate his needs, which is predominantly his need to be out and doing long walks. I can undertake some walks with him, but may not be up to a four hour stretch, but we will see what I can manage when we get to the UK. I am happy though to spend a bit of time reading and relaxing, because sometimes I think when you are on holiday you expect it to be go, go, go all the time but forget we need time to rest up sometimes too! Looking forward to catching up with friends and relations and revisiting some of our favourite places.

I will keep posting as we are away and also will be doing a bit of podcasting if you want to catch up with our wanderings. ‘My journey with Parkinson’s’ is on Spotify and other platforms such as Youtube, so check it out!