When my friend Al left Liverpool in January to work in Greece I blogged about it, also about how I intended to visit him if I could muster up the courage. Speaking about travelling is something that I felt might encourage me to actually bring it about. I have to date not done much in the way of travelling, the thought of all that is entailed would generally put me into a bit of a spin. Finding the right routes, accommodation, people to go with, not to mention the cost, has made for way too many hurdles for myself to muster the energy to jump over. On the few occasions in which I have travelled to far-flung destinations I have not done any of the planning. I have generally relied on others, of late my partner Gillian, to sort all that out. With my last visit to Canada about five years ago to see relations I nearly didn’t go at all. In the run up to the departure date I even sent an email to my globetrotting uncle Ken to say I didn’t think I would make it. He knows me really well and was able to send a very patient and encouraging email back. The trip itself was really good, lots of lovely family moments but the actual journey to get there remains a bit of a blur.
Over several decades now, I have been many times overwhelmed with the symptoms of stress when I take on unfamiliar stuff. In recounting a number of these incidents within the blog I have found the process really quite cathartic-a useful way of encouraging some reflection and learning out of difficult and challenging experiences.
One useful technique I have used a lot is distraction. By focusing intently on something outside of the thoughts racing round my brain, I have found that the rising panic sensations can be quelled.
For about ten years or more I went everywhere with a drawing pad and pencil, that I would have ready to use if and when I felt the panic rising. I have literally hundreds of drawings of the inside of buses, trains, cafes, even airport lounges, that I have made during this time. It can look a bit odd and when I have spoken to other people about it in the past, usually people who are searching in the same way for techniques to control anxiety what I say is this; yeah, you can get some funny looks but for me these were never as bad as the feeling I had about been frightened to go out the house. There were also occasions when people came up to me and struck up a conversation with me about drawing or just general stuff that made me feel more connected to the wider world.
The best decision I have made though is in asking for help from those who have experience of panic. Putting our heads together and swapping tips helped me try new approaches and to find what works best for me,. it remains a work in progress with people around who are interested in how I am getting on.
So.... I have in recent years taken to planning short trips, day trips, over nighters, that kind of thing. They have all involved the costings, searching and enjoying or not the various activities. In doing so I have become more familiar with the internet, with phoning hoteliers, reccying maps and also puersuading people to come with me. It has meant that the tasks to do the Athens trip are not so unfamiliar to me-as they would have been several years ago. I have a few friends who are seasoned travellors who I have been greatful to their support, gentle prods to not leave things till the last minute.
I have signed up with Skype and every few weeks Al and I have been speaking about how things are going in each-others worlds. It was a big day when I said that I had booked the flight and I saw the expression on his little face on my computer screen and as I write this I am actually on his computer in Athens. We have just come back to his apartment following a walk up one of the hills surrounding the city and seen a fantastic panoramic view of the whole city. The Acropolis like some lego-land building amongst the sea of paleness that is the spread of this beautiful urban landscape.
I had an unexpected adventure on the journey to get here to report; although I set off from Manchester airport on Saturday afternoon I did not arrive till Sunday evening in Athens. The ticket I had for the second leg of the journey was on an overbooked flight so I was required to stay overnight at a hotel in Amsterdam. The KLM staff were very apologetic and also generous in terms of recompenses-I was put up in a swanky hotel fifteen minutes from the air-port and also given compensation in the form of €350 in cash or €500 worth of flights. I thought the offer calmly, weighed up the variables…calmly, before decided on the latter course. I figured it would give me a good motive to continue with my travelling lifestyle. Either that or allow me to guest it to others. Bon Voyage and all that.
Over several decades now, I have been many times overwhelmed with the symptoms of stress when I take on unfamiliar stuff. In recounting a number of these incidents within the blog I have found the process really quite cathartic-a useful way of encouraging some reflection and learning out of difficult and challenging experiences.
One useful technique I have used a lot is distraction. By focusing intently on something outside of the thoughts racing round my brain, I have found that the rising panic sensations can be quelled.
For about ten years or more I went everywhere with a drawing pad and pencil, that I would have ready to use if and when I felt the panic rising. I have literally hundreds of drawings of the inside of buses, trains, cafes, even airport lounges, that I have made during this time. It can look a bit odd and when I have spoken to other people about it in the past, usually people who are searching in the same way for techniques to control anxiety what I say is this; yeah, you can get some funny looks but for me these were never as bad as the feeling I had about been frightened to go out the house. There were also occasions when people came up to me and struck up a conversation with me about drawing or just general stuff that made me feel more connected to the wider world.
The best decision I have made though is in asking for help from those who have experience of panic. Putting our heads together and swapping tips helped me try new approaches and to find what works best for me,. it remains a work in progress with people around who are interested in how I am getting on.
So.... I have in recent years taken to planning short trips, day trips, over nighters, that kind of thing. They have all involved the costings, searching and enjoying or not the various activities. In doing so I have become more familiar with the internet, with phoning hoteliers, reccying maps and also puersuading people to come with me. It has meant that the tasks to do the Athens trip are not so unfamiliar to me-as they would have been several years ago. I have a few friends who are seasoned travellors who I have been greatful to their support, gentle prods to not leave things till the last minute.
I have signed up with Skype and every few weeks Al and I have been speaking about how things are going in each-others worlds. It was a big day when I said that I had booked the flight and I saw the expression on his little face on my computer screen and as I write this I am actually on his computer in Athens. We have just come back to his apartment following a walk up one of the hills surrounding the city and seen a fantastic panoramic view of the whole city. The Acropolis like some lego-land building amongst the sea of paleness that is the spread of this beautiful urban landscape.
I had an unexpected adventure on the journey to get here to report; although I set off from Manchester airport on Saturday afternoon I did not arrive till Sunday evening in Athens. The ticket I had for the second leg of the journey was on an overbooked flight so I was required to stay overnight at a hotel in Amsterdam. The KLM staff were very apologetic and also generous in terms of recompenses-I was put up in a swanky hotel fifteen minutes from the air-port and also given compensation in the form of €350 in cash or €500 worth of flights. I thought the offer calmly, weighed up the variables…calmly, before decided on the latter course. I figured it would give me a good motive to continue with my travelling lifestyle. Either that or allow me to guest it to others. Bon Voyage and all that.