Seeing the World

Well, Santiago to be precise.

The final section of the Chile trip in August is unplanned.  My idea is to head south to the Lake District and drive round for a week in the winter rain.  Some fabulous scenery and volcanoes.

But Chile is a long, thin country.   This place is a ten hour drive from Santiago.  There is the option of a two hour flight but the locals like their buses in Chile and the services run overnight.

Seats look good enough to sleep in.  Luggage allowance is big enough.  A small breakfast is supplied and, from what I can gather, the service is safe and crime free.

One to ponder over the next few days.

Sunday sees me head to Malta with the help of a bargain basement Ryanair flight.

Most of my air travel has involved hold luggage.  I remember being particularly offended by Thomas Cook only allowing 15kg for one Canarian adventure.

i have done hand luggage only a year or so ago.  But that was for a single night in Barcelona.  Three nights might be a little more challenging.

So far things are going well.  Electrical cables.  Sat nav.  A selection of snacks to avoid the need to buy an overpriced Ryanair breakfast and mitigate the risk of an island wide food shortage (do they even do shops there?!).  Swimming trunks.  Three pairs of socks and undies.  An additional tee shirt.  Sun hat!  Toothbrush, toothpaste and mini deoderant in the clear bag.  Two of the books my stepson got me for Christmas.  Painkillers just in case my pain returns.

Important things to remember are iPad, reading glasses, driving glasses and afitinib anti-cancer drug.  I do hope the hospital gets them to me before I depart!  Oh, and my file of travel documents neatly printed off together with passport, frequent flyer gold card for Al Italia (I’ve never flown with them but got a status match) just in case I need an emergency flight home via Italy (!) and of course my credit cards.

I travel heavily with plastic.  Fear of system failure means I have at least one Mastercard, one Visa and one American Express.  Across bank brands Halifax, Santander, Barclaycard and Amex are in play.  Along with a Travelex Supercard linked to a cashback credit card.  I’m comfortable only having €12 in cash because at least one of these things must work!

What could possibly go wrong?

i wonder if I can take my tiny pair of nail scissors that I use to cut the surgical tape that I tie down my eyelid at night with (ongoing Bell’s palsy issue)?

As I’m now a gentleman of leisure, I need to ensure I see a bit more of this country.  I live within half an hour of a station that runs into the Settle to Carlisle line.  With the help of a railcard I can turn up on a clear day and do this for less than £20.

At the start of January Oldham’s exit from the FA Cup created a chance to see London zoo.  I’ve always wanted to do it.  First class on virgin trains, a short Uber ride from Euston and a day out was sorted!  The zoo was bang average, but it’s done.

Swindon v Oldham on the 18th February.  This one is huge as both sides do their best to get relegated.  But a £39 hotel room gives an opportunity to do Stonehenge the following morning.  I was young when I last did this and have few memories of it.

I’d hoped to climb Snowden last summer.  It’s just not going to happen though.  But I can get to the top by train, so I will.  No idea when.  If anybody fancies fish and chips in Whitby give me a shout.  I’ve no idea why, but it’s just something that appeals!  Highland rail travel in the summer may be a fun idea too.

I anticipate more inspiration leaping into my head and just getting up and doing things on the hoof.  And bigger trips to see stuff like the Giant’s Causeway, Isle of Man or just spend a couple of days in Devon recalling family holidays.

Hi there.  I’m Dave.

I hit 50 years old in January 2018 and intend to travel while I’m able to do so.  This blog documents some of the thinking, planning and doing that goes into things, as well as sharing other events that may happen in my life.  At present, my treatment restricts me to the uk.

In November 2016, despite never having smoked, I was diagnosed with incurable lung cancer – stage four, it’s spread to the bone.  The initial treatment was a pill a day and gives a prognosis that would get me through to the middle of 2019, but it became resistant well before the end of 2017.  My chances of being among the 14% of us get to five years are probably well below that 14%.

So far I’ve visited Malta, Slovakia, Iceland, Slovenia, Montenegro and Northern Ireland.  Then New England, Chile and the USA South West.  Currently on a medical flight ban!

THE LATEST CHARITY BIT:

Roy Castle Lung Foundation in Liverpool.  People who go the extra mile to answer the questions the oncologist doesn’t know.  Well worth a donation.

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/david-stringer2

—

2016 – An Extraordinary Year

It all happened.

I became the healthiest I’ve been as an adult. A health kick I’d started a year before saw my weight loss total 100lbs. I was walking ten miles a day in the spring months. I felt really good.

My divorce came through. While there’s a sadness about that, I felt happy within myself.

My employer of thirty years put me at risk of redundancy. I managed to cling onto a role by dropping a level to cover a maternity leave. But I knew I’d have a battle to remain employed after May 2017.

I travelled solo to Madrid which became my favourite city. I’m not really a fan of metropolis, natural wonders is more my thing, but the transport, the historic buildings and the two football stadia made me a fan. It was also where I learned the benefit of starting a city break with a free walking tour. That €10 tip was well worth it and helped me fill the time for the following days.

My son Chris joined me on a trip to Yellowstone. What a wonderful place that is. We took a loop route out of Denver through Colorado Springs, the wonderful Pagosa Springs (a place to enjoy natural hot springs), Chris slept through the magnificent Ouray and Silverton but we both got a kick out of white water rafting the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs before heading to Grand Teton, Yellowstone in all its splendour and a drive over the extraordinary Beartooth Pass.

My good health at the start of the year did take a couple of knock backs. I injured my shoulder in January after playing badminton rather enthusiastically after a thirty year break. The middle of my back suffered excruciating pain in April (the doctor prescribed Cocodamol) and my lower back gave me real grief, including sciatic leg pain, which nearly cut the Yellowstone drive short.

i utilised my employer’s BUPA and was referred for physio. While I enjoyed the Lycra clad ladies giving me some attention it didn’t work and three months later I was referred to a neurosurgeon.  It was now September.

This guy looked at my scan and said he thought I had myeloma – a form of blood cancer. This was a shock, more so the bit when I checked online and saw an average five year life expectancy. Whatever it was had eaten away at three of my verterbra, T7, L4 and L5. He recommended verterbroplasty on the L4. Basically pumping in cement to stabilise my back and hopefully reduce pain.

It did reduce pain, although I found walking over the next six weeks uncomfortable and slow. A half hour walk was now taking forty minutes. My multiple pains had, however, reduced to a single trapped nerve in my buttock. Painful, but so much better than things had been. At the same time I developed Bell’s palsy, one side of my face dropped and my eye refused to shut, even at night.  That’s a curse that has been with me over a year.

The day after my operation came another shock. A CT scan had shown up something small in my lungs. Google told me that if I had lung cancer and it had spread to the bone I had six months to live. The private oncologist I saw a week later didn’t put a time on it, but he confirmed the myeloma thought was wrong. I did have lung cancer and he referred me back to the NHS. My employer’s BUPA doesn’t cover secondary cancer. He didn’t tell me that as well as my spine my pelvis, ribs, sternum and lymph nodes were under attack too.

While the NHS might not have wifi on the wards like the private hospital did, they do seem to have a relatively efficient cancer programme. A biopsy of my lymph node revealed a genetic mutation in my cancer and my new oncologist prescribed afatinib. The joyous side effects of diarrhoea, rash and acne remained a few weeks later, albeit less severe, seemed a small price to pay for an extra couple of years life.

Indeed, six days into this treatment, I became pain free. That last pinched nerve had been driving me mad but it just disappeared. I’d been taking a mix of four pain relief drugs which were suddenly not needed. My forty minute walk became half an hour again. I was still less stable than I had been, but felt quite excited. Maybe coincidence, maybe the afatinib had zapped something unpleasant. Sooner or later the drug will stop working but, at that point in time, I like it.

With a sick note issued to the end of January I saw the likelihood of finding a new role with my employer before redundancy kicked in at the end of May diminish. The desire to put myself through the interview process wasn’t there. And then it struck me. I could travel once I’m not working. Indeed, I should start the travel pretty soon because if I’ve only got a couple of years and some of that time will see me deteriorate then the sooner the better.

I decided to embrace the idea of redundancy, which would include a substantial pay-off. The idea of travelling on a sick note didn’t sit comfortably with me. So I emailed my union leader to enquire about the likelihood of garden leave for my three month notice period March to May. He made enquiries and said I’d hear from my line manager after Christmas.

Suddenly I’ve gone from wanting to get back to work to wanting to get on a plane to wherever. 2017 is now a year of opportunity. Perhaps my only opportunity to see more of the planet.

It all happened.

I became the healthiest I’ve been as an adult.  A health kick I’d started a year before saw my weight loss total 100lbs. I was walking ten miles a day in the spring months.  I felt really good.

My divorce came through.  While there’s a sadness about that, I felt happy within myself.

My employer of thirty years put me at risk of redundancy.  I managed to cling onto a role by dropping a level to cover a maternity leave.  But I knew I’d have a battle to remain employed after May 2017.

I travelled solo to Madrid (see image) which is possibly now my favourite city.   I’m not really a fan of metropolis, natural wonders is more my thing, but the transport, the historic buildings and the two football stadia made me a fan.  It was also where I learned the benefit of starting a city break with a free walking tour.  That €10 tip was well worth it and helped me fill the time for the following days.

My son Chris joined me on a trip to Yellowstone.  What a wonderful place that is.  We took a loop route out of Denver through Colorado Springs, the wonderful Pagosa Springs (a place to enjoy natural hot springs), Chris slept through the magnificent Ouray and Silverton but we both got a kick out of white water rafting the Colorado River at Glenwood Springs before heading to Grand Teton, Yellowstone in all its splendour and a drive over the extraordinary Beartooth Pass.

My good health at the start of the year did take a couple of knock backs.  I injured my shoulder in January after playing badminton rather enthusiastically after a thirty year break.  The middle of my back suffered excruciating pain in April (the doctor prescribed Cocodamol)and my lower back  gave me real grief, including sciatic leg pain, which nearly cut the Yellowstone drive short.

i utilised my employer’s BUPA and was referred for physio.  While I enjoyed the Lycra clad ladies giving me some attention it didn’t work and I was referred to a neurosurgeon in September.

This guy looked at my scan and said he thought I had myeloma – a form of blood cancer.  This was a shock, more so the bit when I checked online and saw an average five year life expectancy.  Whatever it was had eaten away at three of my verterbra, T7, L4 and L5.  He recommended verterbroplasty on the L4.  Basically pumping in cement to stabilise my back and hopefully reduce pain.

It did reduce pain, although I found walking over the next six weeks uncomfortable and slow.  A half hour walk was now taking forty minutes.  My multiple pains had, however, reduced to a single trapped nerve in my buttock.  Painful, but so much getter than things had been.  At the same time I developed Bell’s palsy, one side of my face dropped and my eye refused to shut, even at night.  Three months later I was still cursed!

The day after my operation came another shock.  A CT scan had shown up something small in my lungs.  Google told me that if I had lung cancer and it had spread to the bone I had six months to live.  The private oncologist I saw a week later didn’t put a time on it, but he confirmed the myeloma thought was wrong.   I did have lung cancer and he referred me back to the NHS.  My employer’s BUPA doesn’t cover secondary cancer.  He didn’t tell me that as well as my spine my pelvis, ribs, sternum and lymph nodes were under attack too.

While the NHS might not have wifi on the wards like the private hospital did, they do seem to have a relatively efficient cancer programme.  A biopsy of my lymph node revealed a genetic mutation in my cancer and my new oncologist prescribed afatinib.  The joyous side effects of diarrhoea, rash and acne remained a few weeks later, albeit less severe, seemed a small price to pay for an extra couple of years life.

Indeed, six days into this treatment, I became pain free.  That last pinched nerve had been driving me mad but it just disappeared.  I’d been taking a mix of four pain relief drugs which were suddenly not needed.  My forty minute walk became half an hour again.  I was still less stable than I had been, but felt quite excited.  Maybe coincidence, maybe the afatinib had zapped something unpleasant.  Sooner or later the drug will stop working but, for now, I like it.

With a sick note issued to the end of January I saw the likelihood of finding a new role with my employer before redundancy kicked in at the end of May diminish.  The desire to put myself through the interview process wasn’t there.  And then it struck me. I could travel once I’m not working.  Indeed, I should start the travel pretty soon because if I’ve only got a couple of years and some of that time will see me deteriorate then the sooner the better.

I decided to embrace the idea of redundancy, which would include a substantial pay-off.  The idea of travelling on a sick note didn’t sit comfortably with me.  So I emailed my union leader to enquire about the likelihood of garden leave for my three month notice period March to May.  He made enquiries and said I’d hear from my line manager after Christmas.

Suddenly I’ve gone from wanting to get back to work to wanting to get on a plane to wherever.  2017 is now a year of opportunity.  Perhaps my only opportunity to see more of the planet.

This is a little more challenging than you might think.  Other than seeing the Ashes in Australia I have very few “must do” thoughts in my mind.  Travelling east to Asia isn’t really on my hit list.  I must do the America south west again because it’s exceptional.

During the football season most Saturday’s are spent with Chris.  Precious moments.  Winter weather is also a concern right now, although apparently the drug I’m being treated with could leave me sunburned in better weather.

Indeed, only having 28 pills at a time is something I need to consider before jetting off at short notice.  Not a good idea to turn up in a foreign land without this particular pill me thinks.

Anyway, what’s planned in so far, and why …

MALTA – Feb 2017.  Reasons for booking – I’ve never been, it’s ridiculously cheap and I thought I’d dip my toe in gently with a three night break.  Ryanair (£40) will introduce me to Leeds Bradford Airport for the first time.  Avis will supply a car for £16.  This is insane!  The hotel has an indoor pool, hot tub and Irish bar.  Bed and breakfast is £54.  I’ve just spent £110 on the cheapest holiday ever.

ICELAND – Mar 2017.  This is one that I’ve always wanted to do.  It’s not cheap either, although some conveniently priced Icelandair flights helped out (they include luggage when Easyjet don’t).  No indoor pool at the hotel but the Blue Lagoon is only ten minutes drive away from the hotel.  Let’s just say the hire car is a little pricier than off peak Malta!  Five nights to investigate The Grand Circle, hopefully see the Northern Lights and if I’m feeling silly the Penis Museum may get a look in.

NEW ENGLAND – June 2017.  Yes, I know you’re meant to go in the fall but this will be my only opportunity to fly first class.  My Avios account has been emptied to pay for first class flights (I do like an expensive plane seat) .  The other options were Dubai, NYC, Washington and Phildelphia.  Flights to Boston are hooked.  Massage in the first class lounge to be booked.  More to build on here!

CHILE – July 2017.  A new continent.  Somewhere Chris really wants to go.  And the opportunity to do Easter Island, the Atacama and a drive around their volcano ridden Lake District.

AUSTRALIA – Nov/Dec 2017.  Another new continent.  Two test matches.  Great Barrier Reef and a couple of old friends to see.

I’ll be adding more detail in future posts.  Pompeii with probably get done in April.  The West Indies might be a good idea too.  And at some point the USA South West needs another look in.

With all of these trips there’s a risk I’ll be too ill to go.  Or even long gone!  But a bit of pain won’t stop me and the process of thinking, researching, booking and anticipation of the trip is a really powerful positive in my life.

Even if I only get three wet days in Malta!