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My trip to Italy
I've posted some photos of my trip. From the photos you can tell that my trip was nothing short of spectacular. I love Sicily and Sicilians! I made some attempt with communicating with them in Italian and they bent over backwards with their kindness. What wonderful people . . . and what a beautiful country! Wow! I'll have lots of awesome memories.
Having now traveled abroad with MS, my fears have reduced and would do things differently in other big trips. I found that I could do very little traveling about and site seeing. However, this didn't spoil my trip at all because I got to know the culture and people really well of one area and made friends that I wouldn't have made traveling around and staying just an hour in one town.
I spent the hot hours of the day inside in my father's home and enjoyed the view from his terrace. Then, we'd venture out when it was cooler. The weather was beautiful for the most part--much cooler than Texas weather. In fact, I needed a sweater for most evenings. However, very few places had air conditioning when the weather decided to climb to near 90.
There was only one time when I got overheated and it was very scary. One of the few trips that I took outside of Taormina was on a day tour of the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily with a friend. I overestimated my heat tolerance being a Texas girl who is used to 100 degree heat (in air conditioning). I started out on a bad foot. It was about 8:00 a.m. and took off rather quickly to get on the bus that would take us to our tour boat. I immediately got overheated and never was able to cool off on the bus. I asked the bus driver if he could turn up the air conditioner, which he did on full (freezing the other passengers I'm sure) but I still never cooled down. My body thermostat is broken--I simply cannot get cool when I'm overheated or warm up when I'm cold!
By the time I got on the boat I was extremely hot! I poured water all over me, ate ice, and did what I could to cool down. I just never did and the rocking boat really didn't help. When I reached the island of Paneria, I was in bad shape. I could barely get off the boat (and we had to--no choice). I immediately found a cafe in which to sit in the shade. I tried to drink something cold, but I was on the verge of collapsing.
I was so nauseous and sick! I couldn't lift my arms and I collapsed in the cafe. The girls called for medical assistance and I was carted up the mountain in a little golf cart thingy. I could barely stay on the thing as I was so weak and my head was spinning! Anyway, my friend who spoke Italian found me (she took all the beautiful photos I've posted of Paneria) told the doctor I had MS and an IV was started and they placed cool, wet towels on me. I finally cooled down--this was just in time to get back on the boat (the last one). I made it just in time!
The doctor bill and IV was only 27 euro and the rest of the boat tour was wonderful. I swam and refreshed myself in the crystal clear blue-green waters of Stromboli. The black beach sand that contrasted with the blue-green water was something to behold. Anyway, one of the pictures shows me with plate pasta that I enjoyed after my trip to Stromboli. We took pictures of Stromboli erupting and had a blast for the remainder of the trip.
I learned something important on this trip. I shouldn't let MS stop me from traveling, but I must not overdo or get overheated! Nor can I overestimate what I can do. However, I will never again pass up opportunities for making big trips! I have some really sweet memories, and I plan on going back to Italy next year!
I have more interesting stories about the aftermath of the trip and the airport mess on the way back home, but I’ll save that for another time . . .
Deb
For the remainder of my trip, once I started
Having now traveled abroad with MS, my fears have reduced and would do things differently in other big trips. I found that I could do very little traveling about and site seeing. However, this didn't spoil my trip at all because I got to know the culture and people really well of one area and made friends that I wouldn't have made traveling around and staying just an hour in one town.
I spent the hot hours of the day inside in my father's home and enjoyed the view from his terrace. Then, we'd venture out when it was cooler. The weather was beautiful for the most part--much cooler than Texas weather. In fact, I needed a sweater for most evenings. However, very few places had air conditioning when the weather decided to climb to near 90.
There was only one time when I got overheated and it was very scary. One of the few trips that I took outside of Taormina was on a day tour of the Aeolian Islands off the coast of Sicily with a friend. I overestimated my heat tolerance being a Texas girl who is used to 100 degree heat (in air conditioning). I started out on a bad foot. It was about 8:00 a.m. and took off rather quickly to get on the bus that would take us to our tour boat. I immediately got overheated and never was able to cool off on the bus. I asked the bus driver if he could turn up the air conditioner, which he did on full (freezing the other passengers I'm sure) but I still never cooled down. My body thermostat is broken--I simply cannot get cool when I'm overheated or warm up when I'm cold!
By the time I got on the boat I was extremely hot! I poured water all over me, ate ice, and did what I could to cool down. I just never did and the rocking boat really didn't help. When I reached the island of Paneria, I was in bad shape. I could barely get off the boat (and we had to--no choice). I immediately found a cafe in which to sit in the shade. I tried to drink something cold, but I was on the verge of collapsing.
I was so nauseous and sick! I couldn't lift my arms and I collapsed in the cafe. The girls called for medical assistance and I was carted up the mountain in a little golf cart thingy. I could barely stay on the thing as I was so weak and my head was spinning! Anyway, my friend who spoke Italian found me (she took all the beautiful photos I've posted of Paneria) told the doctor I had MS and an IV was started and they placed cool, wet towels on me. I finally cooled down--this was just in time to get back on the boat (the last one). I made it just in time!
The doctor bill and IV was only 27 euro and the rest of the boat tour was wonderful. I swam and refreshed myself in the crystal clear blue-green waters of Stromboli. The black beach sand that contrasted with the blue-green water was something to behold. Anyway, one of the pictures shows me with plate pasta that I enjoyed after my trip to Stromboli. We took pictures of Stromboli erupting and had a blast for the remainder of the trip.
I learned something important on this trip. I shouldn't let MS stop me from traveling, but I must not overdo or get overheated! Nor can I overestimate what I can do. However, I will never again pass up opportunities for making big trips! I have some really sweet memories, and I plan on going back to Italy next year!
I have more interesting stories about the aftermath of the trip and the airport mess on the way back home, but I’ll save that for another time . . .
Deb
For the remainder of my trip, once I started
Hi Deb,
Thank you for sharing your trip with us. Though gorgeous, it must be nice to be home.
Looking forward to having you back around.
You've been missed!!!!!!
((hugs)))
shell
Thank you for sharing your trip with us. Though gorgeous, it must be nice to be home.
Looking forward to having you back around.
You've been missed!!!!!!
((hugs)))
shell
Wow, wow and wow, the pictures are amazing, we love Italy. We have been to Lake Garda, Verona and Genoa and loved the scenery, the people and the food so much we were thinking about traveling further south next year as we are celebrating our 25 year anniversary and looking for a special romantic trip.
So I am definitely going to be showing your photos to my other half, thank you so much for sharing.
When we visited Lake Garda 3 years there was a heat wave going on and I can relate to your comments. I love traveling to but like you have learned that once there best to stay in a particular locale rather than pushing it.
Glad you had a great time and got back safe.
Pat
So I am definitely going to be showing your photos to my other half, thank you so much for sharing.
When we visited Lake Garda 3 years there was a heat wave going on and I can relate to your comments. I love traveling to but like you have learned that once there best to stay in a particular locale rather than pushing it.
Glad you had a great time and got back safe.
Pat
What beautiful pictures! What a beautiful country! Thanks so much for sharing them with us.
Glad your medical adventures were limited and received good care.
Ren
Glad your medical adventures were limited and received good care.
Ren
I was waiting to hear how your trip went. And as soon as I am done responding to your post, I'm headed over to your profile to see the pics. I am such a travel picture junkie just ask anyone.
You learned a very valuable lesson. Fortunately, you did not get worse off. Did you try to explain the MS to the people who helped you or just let them think you were just dehydrated? It is interesting to see how much kindness comes from stranges when you are traveling.
OK, I happy you are back safe and sound and that you have wonderful memories to share. Now that you have traveled and know your limits, you are going to get the travel bug. That bug is not something intestinal of course. Nope, you are just going to be thinking of where you want to go next.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience with us.
Julie
You learned a very valuable lesson. Fortunately, you did not get worse off. Did you try to explain the MS to the people who helped you or just let them think you were just dehydrated? It is interesting to see how much kindness comes from stranges when you are traveling.
OK, I happy you are back safe and sound and that you have wonderful memories to share. Now that you have traveled and know your limits, you are going to get the travel bug. That bug is not something intestinal of course. Nope, you are just going to be thinking of where you want to go next.
Thanks for sharing this wonderful experience with us.
Julie
P.S. your photos are wonderful too. I didn't go to Sicily - I was in Rome, Florence etc and then to the Italian coast near France. The trip I took was wonderful and it wasn't hot there but reminded me so much of CA where I live.
I love Italy and the people were so wonderful and the food so good. It sounded like you had a wonderful trip even though a bit overheated.
Mercy
Mercy
Deb,
Welcome home - for those who might not remember, Deb had written a bon voyage before departing on this adventure. You might want to click on her name and go back and read that post.
What a trip, especially for someone who was wheelchair bound just recently.
I love to travel too!
Lulu
Welcome home - for those who might not remember, Deb had written a bon voyage before departing on this adventure. You might want to click on her name and go back and read that post.
What a trip, especially for someone who was wheelchair bound just recently.
I love to travel too!
Lulu
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