12 Sept 2014

An update on the next trip

I thought I would give you readers an update on the big trip as it is getting quite near now. All the flights and hotels are booked, although there has been a slight change from Auckland to Cairns, seems that there is no longer a direct flight on the day I want to travel. It seems so wrong that they can just do this at short notice, but it just means I have an extra flight to cope with.
I have now sorted out mine and sons visas for US, application is in for trip to Oz and I am waiting to find out if I need a Chinese visa as will be there for just over the 72 hours that I would not need one.
Have booked sons flights from Ireland now and need to sort out train to London for us both and for my return at the end of the trip back home. We have decided to spend a little time in London on the first day as son has not visited there other than when working.
An extra issue now is with son, that he needs to carry equipment on board for his sleep apnoea, so I need to contact the airlines to make sure what we are best doing about the fact he needs to carry this in the cabin.
I am trying to organise all the paperwork for the trip and create a diary to remind me of things I need to do along the trip such as reminding self to contact airlines 48 hours in advance to re confirm flights, this seems a rather strange practice, surely once we have booked and paid for tickets that should be it.
Have a series of links to different websites to help with exploring the different cities along the way. With so many places its hard to know just what I can fit in given the limited time I have in each place, plus there is jetlag  and my ongoing health issues to cope with.
If you have read my last blog you will be aware that besides my son in US I now have an extra travelling companion namely Gulliver Chico Glasser, he seems to be a great success with people so far, in the groups of friends and family he has been introduced to as well as bringing a smile to people along the way, my problem may be keeping up with the Facebook profile I have created. I have not yet worked out how best to use him for fundraising for our Bury Bolton ME CFS group but I am sure in the weeks to come everything will fall in place and for me personally he will act as an icebreaker as I travel on my own.
At present it seems that I will be travelling by plane over a period of 30 days up to 70 hours in planes and waiting in airports for at least 30 hours, just as eell I have my lounge pass to gove me a chance to relax whilst waiting for flights. I have asked for assistance at airports due to my mobility issues do I am hoping this will make it easier for me getting from check in to the plane. It has only just occurred to me that I need to find out about the best way to obtain my boarding card for the various flights as I will not have access to a printer.
Well still lots to do I think son is excited about it but for me I am still working on the practicalities of the trip and it is getting quite near now, so will close but give an update nearer to the time of departure.