General
Im Back From Traveling!!!
Wow. After a lovely time in San Diego; attending the Alport Connect event with the Alport Syndrome Foundation, I am back home with lots of new knowledge and new friends in the community.
Since this was my first time traveling on a plane/ in an airport in 3 years, I learned a lot about myself and what I need to make long travel days successful.
Did you know you can claim that your water is for medical needs and all they do is test it for fumes?
One big thing that I wanted to share is how traveling can make us feel ungrounded. We are literally moving around and going through a bunch of different processes, theres a lot of different energy around us and within us. We are out of our usual routine and schedule. And with new places, we are constantly being stimulated with new information, new sights, smells, new faces, new sounds, everything is being processed.
What do you do to make traveling easier for you? What practices do you use to remain centered and calm and grounded while traveling?
1 - 11 of 11 Replies
Transplant Patient
I love being away and seeing new places, hate the experience of travelling. Airports are just hard for me to navigate. I haven’t flown too frequently, but when I do I usually try to pop my headphones in, listen to something calming and drink something warm. Focusing on my senses helps bring me back to the present moment
Fern22 and AliEm14
You 2 amaze me being able to travel like that. I’ve never flown anywhere, I’m a small town country girl, but the thought of those busy airports and all of those people terrify me not to mention the lack of energy to go. My sister in law flies all over and I’ve mentioned I’d love to fly to New York for Christmas sometime but the older I get the more fear sets in. You all enjoy all you can. Keep traveling!!!
Being able to carry water is so important for me. I have said its for medical for years now. it was easier to say that when I was also carrying insulin, insulin pump, glucose meter, CGM, test strips, glucose meter, fast acting glucose, and ALL THE other items that go with it. Now, I just have a huge back of pills, which also support the case. I have only had one plane ride since transplant. I went to Dallas Texas. I was so glad that my husband and son were with me to keep me grounded, and my husband can help calm me down when I am over stimulated in crowded places. I have zero (ZERO) sense of direction, so I read all the signs and I am the slow person navigating the airport. I was recently asked to go to London and Trevoux for work, and declined due to some home commitments. Everyone that was on that trip came home with both Flu and COVID. I was glad I didn't go! I agree with @AliEm14 , I need a warm beverage when I am traveling. It really helps to calm me down. If I get nervous, I get cold, and I get tremors. Having a warm beverage helps keep me calm, and warm. I also will research everything.
I am traveling in Italy now. Talk about ungrounded! So far an amazing and unique experience for me. I do take a water bottle everywhere while traveling. You can take it empty and almost every airport I've been in has water bottle fill stations.
I would love to take a trip . I was wondering if anyone could recommend a peaceful place to go and heal …
Jeanmarie Have a wonderful trip.
Hi Jay, I would look for a mountain trip in a nice cabin. I have gone several times and throughly enjoyed, especially since fall has begun.🍁🍁🌻
Transplant Patient
@Jay personally I did a cabin in Banff, which is a gorgeous little town nestled into the Rockies here in Alberta, and I recently did a trip to Vancouver island and found the ocean incredibly healing
@fern22 You have made every one of my future airport experiences so much better with that nugget of knowledge about water!
Every trip I wear sweatpants and earplugs, I am one of those and proud! I also make it a point to browse the airport stores for a good plane book. It keeps me in the mindset of a positive/rewarding and comfortable experience, despite all the bits of airports and travel that can be stressful if you focus on them.
I fully listened to binaural beats on the entire flight back home.
Personally, Im a driver. Ive driven across the country and into Canada multiple times and I just love it compared to flying. But if I have to fly, I will. Usually its not my first choice though! Haha
OOO love how you mentioned its about the positive/ rewarding experiences; thats so true. Also, the water tip is so helpful- worst case they make me dump it but when I found out that they really just test for fumes it made me feel so much more confident in just claiming its for medical purposes.