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Today I am sharing with you my experiences of travelling abroad.
A
Dyspraxic Abroad 1
People tell me I’m
very brave to go on holiday on my own and think its brave for a non-Dyspraxic
single woman to be alone traveller. They also think its brave because I’m
dyspraxic. I’m not brave I’m getting on with my life but when I eat beetroot salad
at my work desk while wearing white trousers you have my consent to say I’m
brave, :-)
No one told me I had dyspraxia and that this label meant I
couldn’t be independent. I was left to get on with it. My Brother Robin (RIP) had a
severe type of dyspraxia and Tourette’s and needed a lot of input from various support
services. Mine wasn’t identified until I was 33 when I was having issues in my
workplace. If I have received appropriate support to improve my potential by
getting an early diagnosis I could have achieved more and be more financially successful
but that doesn’t mean I would be any less successful in a non-materialistic
way. However, if I’d been held back by my label and everyone had low
expectations and my mum had done everything for me and not let me learn life-skills
for myself I would have been worse off.
I have been a lone traveller on and off since I was 19. I
went on a camping bus tour to Spain, Portugal & Morocco and got lost in
Marakesh. I followed this the next year with a nine week camping trip in a
minibus with a group of mainly Australians & New Zealanders who didn’t like
my scattered braineness and quirkiness and cos I was a Pom. I lost my cabinbag
in LA airport (but got it back at Heathrow on the way back. and must have left something behind in every
campsite. I got lost in New York and ended up with the camping trip driver
collecting me in a police station. It reminded me of the Hill Street Blues
without someone crashing through the glass screens. I was disappointed that the
police station was so quiet.
For the last couple
of years My best friend Caroline hasn’t been able to go on holiday with me. I couldn’t
afford to go with a group like when I was younger so I really have gone on
holiday on my own without being in a group so I have help if something goes
wrong, but I have better coping strategies. But I did leave my headphones in
the hotel bedroom last year but anyone could do that. Oy! Gevalt! Shock ! horror! alert the British embassy! A
dyspraxic with no sense of direction & blurred vision travelling abroad
alone!
I went to Ovacik In Turkey in 2014 without any mishaps I mainly
got the Dolmus to Oludeniz and went to Hirossanu in the Evenings. I did feel a
bit self-conscious and like Billy nomates in the evening. Some night’s I stayed
at the hotel especially for Turkish
Night Where I showed the Belly Dancer the Dyspraxic Style of Belly dancing. I
went to the Night club the Talk of the Town which I enjoyed. but I was the only
person on my own there. I also went on the ubiquitous boat trip and took the
Dolmus to Fethiye one night and once during the day.
In 2015 I decided not trek to the beach every day so I
stayed on the Main Strip in Oludeneiz. There was a lot of noise at night so I
watched videos to drown out the noise so I could sleep. Its was more of a
resort for solo travellers and I got used to my own company.
I was less confident than the year before as I also have Keratoconus
and my vision is was blurred than the year before. I thought I would need
assistance to get on the right aeroplane but both Manchester Airport and the
Turkish airport have large signs and there where screens everywhere. I’m not
sure what Rhodes Airport will be like. When I went to Kos with Caroline the airport
was much smaller with less screens for departure announcements. It was all Greek
to us and we nearly got on a Plane to Siberia. This year I will ask or
assistance if it’s a similar type of airport. We both went in Gents toilet by
mistake in Santorni and she’s not dyspraxic. :-)
I could have just chilled out on the beach but it wasn’t as
hot as last year before as I’d gone a couple of weeks earlier. I discovered my vision is better in strong sunlight.
I got dolmuses to Fethiye, Kayakoy, Kidrak Beach and Kas. I never got round to
the ferry to Calias beach. I thought I
was getting the Ferry to Butterfly Island but realised I was being conned into
another boat trip, that had a stop at butterfly Island, but decided to stay on
the boat. A young single Finish woman was being mithered by the captain who was
old enough to be her farther. I got chatted up by the man who drove the motorboat
that pulled an inflatable banana and he was young enough to be my son, ;-). I enjoyed
my holiday time I will defiantly go back to Oludeneiz. But this year I’m going
Solo in Pefkos in Rhodes and Part 2 of a ‘Dyspraxic Abroad’ will be about my
holiday.
Here are the Coping
Strategies I shared on various Dyspraxia Facebook groups and in the dyspraxia
Foundation’s Magazine last year, with some additions.
- · Check on Facebook if there is a group about our resort for tip, you can also find out if the Facebook group arranges any meet up and if there are other solo travellers to go for a drink with at night. Check their profile to see if they have anything in common with you.
- · Make sure you have all the documents you need close to hand including your passport, boarding pass& transfer voucher., in a transparent plastic wallet
- · Pick a location you know well if possible. (although this year I’m going somewhere new).
- · Buy a very distinctive suitcase or tie a scarf to your old one to spot it easily on the carousel
- · Say somewhere central near all the amenities so you don't get lost finding your hotel/ apartment (not doing that this year either0.
- · Or budget or a taxi if you get disorientated and have an apartment up a hill.
- · Wear slip on shoes, no belt or jewellery for going through security (if you have dieted before your holiday make sure you don’t wear anything that is too loose and might fall down your ankles). J
- · All liquids not more than 100 mls in clear bottles in transparent small zip lock freezer bag
- · Make sure you phone is charged before going out especially in the evening.
- · Get a lightweight power bank to carry with you or emergencies for our mobile phone & make sure its charged up.
- · Medication with repeat prescription in another freezer bag
- · use hand luggage bag that doesn’t come open easily.
- · Sit near departure board to see flight announcements
- · Find out where gate is to give you time to find it without doing it at the last minute.
- · When at destination find holiday rep or look for airport transfer desk some have computer that tells you where our transfer bus is.
- · Avoid unlit areas at night.
- · Use Wi-Fi to text you have arrived safely or regularly update your Facebook Status.
- · & don’t forget to share with us your holiday photos.
- · Also a good way of telling people you are ok.
- · If exploring on own look for landmark to get off & on bus.
- · If lost get a taxi to your hotel.
- · When Packing for home use check list to make sure you don’t leave anything behind and look on floor near bedside table to see if anything has fallen on the floor.
- · If you intend to get really drunk, do it near your hotel or at your hotel or get a taxi back, or go on an evening excursion that takes you back to your Hotel/ Apartment.
Most importantly ENJOY YOUR HOLIDAY.
