Making plans (in a good way)
Had lunch with a friend today. One of those things where we've been saying for months 'we must get together' and never managing it so about six weeks ago we put a date in the diary and today was the day. Great company, lovely lunch and a thought provoking comment. Those of you who know me or who have been following this story will know that holidays are my passion and planning them is my hobby. I've been thinking about the need to get away in the winter and said that I was thinking about Spain just because it was easy. Also said that I'd thought about Florida as it would be great fun but a little more work. S said 'why don't you aim for Florida while you can as there will come a time when Ash won't be able to manage the journey'. Considered this all the way home and it seemed so obvious I couldn't believe I hadn't thought of it for myself. Some people (maybe lots) will think I'm mad but stick with me while I explain:
Ash really is used to travelling. We've been to so many amazing places over the years and when we went away in May against all the odds he was relaxed from the minute we left the house.
He's used to new and different. In 2009 we went ski-ing in Alberta, Canada. We flew to Calgary, picked up a hire car and drove out into a snow storm at 9 o'clock in the evening. At that point Ash turned to me and said 'you do bring us on some adventures'! There have been lots of those adventures along the way.
Last November we went to Florida. We flew to Fort Lauderdale, picked up a car and drove to the Keys. We stayed on Marathon Key and drove around seeing the aftermath of the recent hurricane and travelling down to Key West to see the sunset. After a week there we drove 6 hours in the other direction and headed up to West Palm Beach where we spent all our time either at the pool or heading through the gate of the resort on to the beach. I noticed at the time that Ash was far more relaxed the second week when he didn't have to drive anywhere than he was the first and, in fact, was more like his old self than he'd been for ages. He even started laughing and joking again. The trick then is to find a destination where we don't need a car so am thinking just fly to Fort Lauderdale and stay at a resort there. It's a small airport, we'll only take hand luggage (it's going to be hot remember) and we'll get a taxi at the airport. Simples! Remembering Lanzarote it will also be somewhere new so no pressure on him to remember places or events. We'll be discovering together.
Currently that's the plan. However I'm not completely blinkered so am not going to book it but will just research it and plan for it. If he's well enough we'll go. If not we'll go somewhere nearer but less sunny. Sometimes you just need something to look forward to.
memoryfortwo@gmail.com
Ash really is used to travelling. We've been to so many amazing places over the years and when we went away in May against all the odds he was relaxed from the minute we left the house.
He's used to new and different. In 2009 we went ski-ing in Alberta, Canada. We flew to Calgary, picked up a hire car and drove out into a snow storm at 9 o'clock in the evening. At that point Ash turned to me and said 'you do bring us on some adventures'! There have been lots of those adventures along the way.
Last November we went to Florida. We flew to Fort Lauderdale, picked up a car and drove to the Keys. We stayed on Marathon Key and drove around seeing the aftermath of the recent hurricane and travelling down to Key West to see the sunset. After a week there we drove 6 hours in the other direction and headed up to West Palm Beach where we spent all our time either at the pool or heading through the gate of the resort on to the beach. I noticed at the time that Ash was far more relaxed the second week when he didn't have to drive anywhere than he was the first and, in fact, was more like his old self than he'd been for ages. He even started laughing and joking again. The trick then is to find a destination where we don't need a car so am thinking just fly to Fort Lauderdale and stay at a resort there. It's a small airport, we'll only take hand luggage (it's going to be hot remember) and we'll get a taxi at the airport. Simples! Remembering Lanzarote it will also be somewhere new so no pressure on him to remember places or events. We'll be discovering together.
Currently that's the plan. However I'm not completely blinkered so am not going to book it but will just research it and plan for it. If he's well enough we'll go. If not we'll go somewhere nearer but less sunny. Sometimes you just need something to look forward to.
memoryfortwo@gmail.com
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