An Amazing Adventure
I recently traveled to Spain; the trip was a very special birthday gift from my sister and brother-in-law. Soley and Wick both know that I have always wanted to travel and see the world, and with the help of some of our wonderful friends and family, they gave me a priceless opportunity. It was an amazing trip, coming together with the perfect recipe for success. That does not mean, however, that it was without its mishaps, but what adventure is complete without a few rocky patches in the road?
Travel typically requires some flexibility and on the go modifications to what is expected to work and has been preplanned, particularly when one is in a situation similar to mine. There are numerous small medical issues that may arise. Because complex needs are often solved in very specific ways, it is easy for minor differences in routine and environment to create additional problems above and beyond one's baseline medical complications. The solution: plan for as many contingencies as possible, pack a surplus of supplies, including those that are not needed on a daily basis in order to be prepared for unforeseen circumstances, and maintain an open mindset that seeks creative solutions without getting hung up on the "fails" that occur. Sometimes it is the unexpected arisings that force you to alter your course of action which make for the best memories after all…
Ultimately, it is not really the places that you go, for there are many incredible places to travel and see in this world, but rather it is the people with whom you choose to share your adventures.
Many people asked me what my favorite memories and parts of the trip were, but how can one truly answer such a question? Every one of the cities we visited had its own unique features that made it special and memorable. Just getting onto another continent, looking out over the Mediterranean Sea, and even flying over France, were so far out of my daily norm, that they made for special memories despite being merely circumstantial. On top of this I saw a variety of Spanish landscapes, incredible architectural feats, stunning artwork, while enjoying Spanish and other Mediterranean cuisines. If that was the sum of my trip, one could certainly not complain, but our trip was so much more than merely traveling to a new place, as our social interactions and intellectual discourse were also highly memorable.
With some spare time after one of our tours, we decided to head to the beach and check off seeing the Mediterranean. We ended up parking in an underground garage and could see no visible elevator to get to the surface. Having parked right by the entrance, we figured it was easy enough to exit going up the entrance ramp. Alongside the driving path there was a narrow sidewalk that was without a curb-cut, and situated in such a manner that popping our usual manual wheelchair wheelie would not be as efficient as having a couple of people hoist the wheelchair, with Loa and ventilator in tow, up onto the sidewalk. Thinking smarter and not harder, Wick proposed that we tilt my wheelchair into the reclined position and simply push me underneath the gate. After agreeing to the somewhat silly idea, a police car came driving down the ramp, so we asked permission to walk up the driving ramp, and they gladly consented. Thus, we proceeded with what may be the most preposterous thing I have ever done. I was tilted so far back, that when combined with the ramp incline I think my feet may have been higher than my head. That is not to say that I was not laughing heartily, and so were the police officers who had stopped to offer their assistance. Seeing our shenanigans and that the situation was under control in a rather unconventional manner, it seems that the policemen simply enjoyed a laugh and likely went home with a good story to share with their families.
I would not consider the situation we ran into to be some sort of stressful or insurmountable obstacle, but it does illustrate how what might have been an annoyance in trying to find an accessible exit, turned into one of our favorite memories from the trip. Ultimately, it is not really the places that you go, for there are many incredible places to travel and see in this world, but rather it is the people with whom you choose to share your adventures. Although many of the sites we saw can be touted as spectacular in their own right, it was their majesty combined with Wick's snarky commentary, my friend Sophany's gentle caring, my cousin Runar's ability to turn everything into an epic adventure, and Soley's determination that I would be given an extraordinary vacation completely unhindered by any pesky ventilator dependent quadriplegic issue that might arise, which made the trip so special. And believe me there were enough obstacles to spoil the trip should one be inclined to allow it. Yet, in the end, all of the hindrances that arose were solved with the collective brainpower of my awesome travel entourage, leaving only memories of a far-off land, abundant laughter, and a perfectly imperfect holiday!