Travel Limitations

I've been traveling a lot over the last couple of years, since I was diagnosed. Travel, whether by road or air or boat, is something I have always loved to do. Given that I have been given a rough bill of goods to handle lately, I've been doing what I love most, travel. I like to see new places, to revisit old places, to experience life differently. It also allows me to run away from home for a bit, to pretend that ALS really doesn't matter to me all that much.

This trip is different. I am here in Waterloo, Ontario for a purpose, for the funeral of a friend, Marianne, mother to Anisa, one of the close friends in my inner circle. As such, certain parts of this trip are proscribed and other are prescribed. Today I am to attend at the funeral home for the "visitation". Tomorrow will be the funeral mass at a local Catholic church. After these required events, Dan, the fellow I am traveling with, and I have an open schedule until Wednesday evening, the nearest time we could get a flight back to Calgary.

Dan will want to spend as much time as possible with Anisa; they are a couple. That leaves me with a lot of free time here in Waterloo, or possibly up in Mississauga. Once the funeral is over, there is really no need for me to stay here; I can get a hotel closer to Toronto, perhaps even in Toronto. One the other hand, if Dan and Anisa have time and want to explore the local area, I am all for that too. It's one of the great things about free time, be it traveling or at home; I can do something unexpected.

There is one small fly in this ointment. Transportation. Dan and I have rented a car, one with standard controls. We tried to rent one with hand controls but there was nothing available on short notice, that short notice being demanded by the timing of Marianne's funeral. While I am certain I can depend on Dan to be good and polite about driving me from place to place, he is here for Anisa, not for me. There will almost certainly be moments of compromise and crossed purposes.

This morning was a great example. He was up and ready to go while I had not yet written or had a cup of coffee. I need both of these things to start my day properly. It's more want than need, more habit than necessity, yet they are important to me. By way of compromise, he went on ahead to the funeral home and will come get me afterwards. I am sure there will be other things.

I hate to be a nuisance like this, especially at a time like this. Those who travel with me understand, and get to see, the challenges for me these days. I try not to let them get in the way. I am going to try harder over the next few days. It will still be a good trip, if started for a sad reason.