What type of vacation or break do you still manage to do?

[justy]

I agree that being in very close proximity to a lot of people is not a good idea - I don't want to go down with a virus while in a different country and not be able to just go home and go to my own bed. That's why I like independent travel so much and why I don't fly.

@brenda my hgusband and I were thinking of going on a catholic silent reatreat for the weekend as something nice to do together - there is a great retreat centre in North Wales, just a couple of hours drive for us, it is not expensive and looks quiet, calm and healing. We are not catholic, in fact we are not Christians so I wasn't sure if it was suitable, but it looks really great and would mean I could be away and have some independence from my husband but he would be around in case I needed him - I certainly couldn't go away alone, but I do feel the need to have some independence, and this seemed a good idea.

Another thing that is very important t me is temperature. I cant tolerate extremes - I get hot too easily and cold. So I need to make sure the place we stay has good heating if its cold and air con if its the summer and likely to be hot. I also always pack a hot water bottle, blanket and extra snuggly jumper and or course sunglasses, sun hat and floaty shirts in case its too hot

 

[brenda]

@justy I am sure that there will be a number of them within driving distance. The one I went to is open for anyone and I am sure that others will be too. Perhaps the silent ones might be a bit too extreme but they should hold 'speaking' retreats too.

There was a heater in my bedroom and it was part of a more modern addition to the building and very warm and not over warm. I took a hottie but it was not needed, and there was one supplied in the room and an extra blanket. If it is an old building it will have thick stone walls and be very comfortable at all temperatures and will most likely be facing south. I was very comfortable yet very sensitive to most things.

 

[taniaaust1]

Even if I had someone to go on holiday with, I couldnt do a cruise as they wouldnt have the saline IVs available I need at times.

I really want to learn how to do those myself

 

[Allyson]

I find cruises are a good option as well but the successful ones I have done were expensive and now out of my price range.

The cheaper ones I did all had problems - long queues for meals, being seated at large tables and having people wanting to speak to me (when physically all I wanted to do was eat and crash), no room service, large noisy, hot restaurants, buffets I find it too hard to carry food from, poor food options, long delays getting on an off the boat, only showers in the cabin, stuffy cabins with small window, long walks from the cabin to the lifts, overcrowded lifts, not enough chairs around the pool).

Would recommend a good cruise but watch out for all those elderly people who can do far more than we can. Really brings home how serious this disease is.

thanks - a friend had recommended cruise to but the she s well - she said lot of injured people take them for reasons above but I can see your downsides would affect me too - I need room service...hate sitting up for meals and yes with strangers you would need to talk too ....eek!

Plus I find lying down after meals helps lessen my post-prandial worsening of symptoms
Ally

 

[Allyson]

I agree that being in very close proximity to a lot of people is not a good idea - I don't want to go down with a virus while in a different country and not be able to just go home and go to my own bed. That's why I like independent travel so much and why I don't fly.


Another thing that is very important t me is temperature. I cant tolerate extremes - I get hot too easily and cold. So I need to make sure the place we stay has good heating if its cold and air con if its the summer and likely to be hot. I also always pack a hot water bottle, blanket and extra snuggly jumper and or course sunglasses, sun hat and floaty shirts in case its too hot

yes I am the same with temperatures Justy - so hard to regulate;

an yes carry bag of supplies like that even for a short trip - say to the cinema lol
Ally

 

[justy]

yes I am the same with temperatures Justy - so hard to regulate;

an yes carry bag of supplies like that even for a short trip - say to the cinema lol
Ally

OMG - that made me laugh - everywhere I go I take extra clothes, food, sunglasses, water etc, just for short trips even. Living here in Wales it is particularly important as its always bloody cold and most people live in old stone houses and tolerate cold living, which I do not. I have some friends I cannot even visit in the winter as it would be too cold even with hat, gloves and scarf on!

I have also learnt to ALWAYS have a banana in my bag, especially after going to a busy restaurant in Spain and waiting an hour and a half for food, when I was already extremely hungry. I felt really distressed as my blood sugar dropped lower and lower, even the basket of bread and glass of juice was not enough. When I have to eat I need to eat NOW!

 

[ukxmrv]

It seems to be the cruise liners with the mainly buffet meals that get the norovirus outbreaks and also at certain times of the years.

The more expensive ones with table service and room service in my opinion get the least outbreaks. I belonged to a cruise forum for a few years and followed the various lines looking at outbreaks. Also the expensive ones have larger bathrooms with a tub in many cases and balcony doors that open for air.

Sadly, now well and truly out of my price range.

 

[helen1]

Renting a house somewhere within driving distance works for me, as long as I pace the packing up to leave part. It's great having your own place for a week or two somewhere beautiful.

 

[Little Bluestem]

Any time you go out in public, even to the grocery store, you expose yourself to pathogens.

When I was still working, I had a vacation planned to visit my sister. I came down with a respiratory infection the week before. I called a health line to find out if I would be out of the infective stage by the time I was to leave. The nurse said that I would not, but that if I followed the guidelines she gave me, I would not sicken anyone else.

Since I was conscious of being careful myself, it made me notice how many of the people around me were not.