Question of the Week: Coping With Travel

I get very nervous going to some place new.  If I have to drive it is white knuckle all the way.  I am always thinking, what if this goes wrong, or that goes wrong.  What if I'm in a accident?  What if I run out of gas?  What if I get lost?  It's like a loop running through I brain, and I can't stop it.  Even if I've done it a dozen times before...I find excuses just not to go.  In the long run, it just sets my depression off the scales.  And I just can't enjoy myself once I do arrive.  I even do it if my husband is going and doing all the driving.  When we get home, my husband goes...Aren't you glad we went?  Then I take a deep breath...and say yeah I guess so!  Because he had a great time, and I don't want to bring him down.  Now if we are going to Amusement parks, I can't wait to get there.  Bring on the rollercoasters.  I figure if my life is like a rollercoaster..I might as well get some enjoyment out of it

Traversing time zones is no easy task.  The greater the disparity, the more conflict with circadian rhythms that have become tuned with the places we reside.  Short trips can be more upsetting as one becomes adjusted to the new time zone and then must return and adjust again.

When flying, I like to be prepared to reduce stress.  I do not like long lay-overs and pick flights accordingly.  Being familiar with the airports you pass through also helps with transitioning to the next flight.  If the airport is unfamiliar, most often a map can be found online for a guide.  This also keeps you from expressing the 'where am I going look' that is often seen on the startled faces of deboarding passengers, when getting to the departing gate is a high priority.  I provide for ample time to make the next flight, taking into consideration a drink at a fountain, stop at the restroom and the very possible late arrival that can cut your passage time short.

Flights can be long and the air up there is dry and low on oxygen.  I can't do anything about the lack in oxygen but I can stay hydrated by drinking the complimentary juices, asking fo refills and nagging for water.  Avoid alchohol and caffeine, as they contribute to dehydration.  Yes, plane privies are small and not very accomodating and moving around the plane is not always easy but dehydration can add to the fatigue of flying.

When I get to a destination, I begin to get on schedule with the new time zone.  If I flew during the night or early morning hours, I took a nap onboard.  Arriving in the morning you should start your day, not check in and go to bed.  Also getting out in the sun will help to reset cyrcadian rhythms.  Melotonin supplementation before bedtime will also help to get your rhythms back in order and settle you in the new groove.

I have made several trips to Alaska, gaining only two hours to my day.  This does not seem too disruptive and there is only six hours sitting in the sardine can but during the summer travelers to the last frontier must contend with acclimating to the increase in daylight hours.  Going to bed, even at 11:00pm, is difficult unless you have a room without windows.  Naturally, melatonin is released due to decreased light, which coincides to our normal sleep routine.  Some people, mostly chechakos, Alaskan for newcomers, originating in the gold rush days, put tinfoil on their windows.  A tell tale for chechakos.  When you live there, you eventually adapt to the light or have an episode of mania, end up, in the dark of winter, going to a cabin fever clinic or decide this is not the place for you and fly south.

Wherever you travel find ways to reduce stress and make the journey a pleasant one and try to be aware of anything that might contribute to jet lag like hydration and procrastinating getting back on schedule.  This will help improve your outlook on travel which can contribute to the stress and the way you feel upon arrival.

We have had a trailer for over 20 years.  We drive slowly, see the sites. I have everything organized in the trailer, it's own set of dishes, towels, special place for meds, vitamins. We take the bikes along in the truck, canoe on top, and it is joyful.  We don't usually cross more than one time zone a week, so lots of time to adjust, and my own familiar home. Two years ago we upgraded trailers, and that was hard, but I just tried to focus on the good things, and plan around the limitations of the newer trailers - like no counter space in the kitchen.  Obviously; men who have never cooked a meal in a trailer in their lives design these spaces.  LOL

Winter is another issue. I live in northern Canada. We have started flying south.  My husband loves to drive, so we rent a car, tourng the area.  I have severe SAD, and going south cures it in a moment. We went to Texas, San Fransciso, Denver, Halifax and Vancouver this winter. I loved every minute of it.  That meant up to 3 hour time zone changes, but I just allow myself to sleep in - it is a holiday, after all. Lots of time to visit my children.  Anything to see the grass, flowers, and wake up warm, with lots of light. 

This summer we are going to Whistler, BC which is where the 2010 Olympics are being held.  We have been there many times. The beauty is awesome, the activities endless. The best part is my poor hubby has to work, so his company pays everything.  I can hardly wait to cycle the trails, and canoe on the lakes in those beautiful mountains.

I never knew holiday travel could be a trial. Having read the posts here, maybe living in a horrible, cold flat, place is a blessing, it makes you appreciate leaving.