Planning My Next Adventure
I am going to Boston for 4 days in April…..You call that an adventure? YES I DO! But, The adventure I am speaking about now though is the PLANNING part. I am excited, nervous, and to be honest, a little bit scared. You see…. I know how to ride a horse, but not a subway, or even a bus for that matter….So there you have it….Country girl meets Big City? Not that I have never been to a Big City, but it is something I try to avoid since being diagnosed with MS. When I do go to Chicago now, it is only to see my “MS Specialist”, at the same place, taking the same route that I have taken numerous times a year for the last 7 years. I drive my own car, and use the valet parking at the hospital (yah discount because I have a handicap placard? …. If you call $13.25 for an hour a discount….smh) I have that routine down pat. But a new city where I don’t know my way around? The fact that I have continuously heard that Boston is the “Walking City” makes me a bit nervous.
Anyone up for a road trip?
On New Year’s Eve, Einstein and I had his best friend and his wife over to celebrate. Us girls, were making small talk in the kitchen while the guys played “Kung Fu Jenga” in the Living Room. “K” was telling me about a “you-tube” conference that her daughter wanted to go to in Boston during the month of April, but she was a bit nervous (also not liking big cities), and not knowing much about You-Tube. I told her, I thought it sounded like fun!!!! (I want to learn more about making videos for You-tube, I love meeting new people, and YAH ROAD TRIP!!!!) She asked me if I wanted to go……. UM HELL YAH!!!!!!!!!!!
As the excitement built in the kitchen, the guys came in to see what we were making such a fuss about. We told them that we were planning a road trip to Boston. Before the night was over, it was decided that we would take my car, they would pay for gas and the hotel. I just had to “get the girls there and back in one piece” .”D” (Einstein’s best friend even offered to throw in a lobster dinner) DEAL!!!!!!
Let the adventure begin.
I spent the next week trying to plan the best route and times to travel. If we drove 10 hours the first night, we could make it to Niagara Falls, New York, get a hotel, crash for the night, see the Falls in the morning, AND still make it to Boston Thursday evening in time to get rested for the big conference the next day. We could do the conference on Friday, lobster dinner that evening, and head home on Saturday morning. Easy peasy right? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA Who the hell was I kidding?
INTRODUCING LIFE WITH MS
Now the doubt, insecurity, and anxiety come in (another invisible symptom of MS). It’s NOT that I COULDN’T do it, it is more that I shouldn’t do it. I fucking HATE MS! If I spend that much time in a car, my body is going to be in SO much pain for at least a week afterwards. (How could I have forgotten this after last year’s 15 hour road trip to see my niece get married?!?!?) I ended up in the hospital on steroids for a flare up, and another new symptom…Sciatica.
Traveling with Multiple Sclerosis
What if the car breaks down? It’s not like I can WALK for help. What if I fall? Will my insurance cover me for an accident in Boston? and so on and so on…
Ok pity party over. Ok Grace you’re scared so what? MAKE IT HAPPEN!!! Did I mention I am not Dead yet? I also am NOT going to let MS make me feel like I am. I may have to make some adjustments, but this is going to happen!!!
Back to the drawing board. Yah determination!!!! Just for the hell of it, I decided to see what it would cost to fly in comparison to driving. After adjusting our dates and times a bit, I was able to find round-trip airfare for $136.00 a person. NOT bad at all! Obviously it isn’t first class, but sitting uncomfortably for a couple hours on a flight sure as hell beats 17 hours of it. First hurdle handled!
I have no clue how I am going to navigate my way around Boston without my car, but I’m up for it. I still have a few months before we leave, so plenty of time to research and you guessed it…..BLOG about it….. Challenge Accepted!
If anyone has any tips or tricks, or must see things in Boston please let me know!!!
Can you take a horse on a plane?
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Is that a dare?
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Hahaha! 😂
You’ll rent a car in Boston, right, from the airport? You’re going to have a blast. 🙂
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From everything I have heard, I do not want to rent a car. (I don’t want to end up in jail because of road rage) and I hear parking is horrible and impossible to find, not to mention way overpriced.
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Can you rent a horse?
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ah something else to investigate 🙂
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My only tip is to fly, not drive. That’s too much even for a healthy person. Once you’re there, you could rent a car for a few days, so as to avoid the crowds and subway.
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We are flying, so that’s off the decisions to make plate 🙂
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You ride a horse????? You know how envious this city girl is?!
What state did you say you live in again?
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I couldn’t imagine NOT riding!!!! So much in fact, if you look closely at the picture, my right foot is in a boot, (I had broken my foot) but that didn’t stop me Gives new meaning to the expression…RIDE OR DIE huh?
Northern Illinois
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What can I say?!
Good that you decided not to drive. It’s too far. You’d spend half the time in the car.
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I should buy a sandwich, not ride a horse in a Subway 😜🙄🤪
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Good call on not driving! Road trips are so alluring in the beginning. You know, you picture yourself singing along to Abba, drinking coffee and eating cheese buns in utter bliss. But the reality is, by the time you arrive all you want to do is go to bed or hit the bar to soothe your aching soul and tame the insanity that overtook your mind from staring blankly at the lines on the road for hours and fucking hours. You will find a way to get around Boston, and your body will thank you for not subjecting it to the torture of a road trip. And $136 return? What the hell? I can’t even take the ferry from Vancouver and back for that much. Nicely done! Can’t wait to read all about your trip!
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$136.00 round trip! I do think my body (at least my ass) will thank me for deciding to fly. My mind on the other hand is already doing the anxiety thing. I am beginning to write about that today as I try to calm that demon.
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Ooooooh! Boston! So jelly!!! Its been on my bucketlist since I was a teenager!
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If you could only visit one thing/place/ sight what would you choose?
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There are plenty of Ubers in Boston. If you like Italian food, go to the North End of Boston. Mike’s Pastry is pretty famous for their cannolis. Hop on one of those giant trolleys — they can take you all around the city, tell you interesting facts, and you can go back and revisit those areas that you want to know more about.
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TYSM teddy!!! I have never used an uber, but have recently heard of them. I love Italian food and have added Mike’s to my list. question about the trolley’s though… do they stop? or do you literally have to jump on them?
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They stop. There’s a booth right in front of the Aquarium where you can purchase tickets. The Uber app is simple and amazing once you get used to it. You might want to search Boston on Groupon for discounts on things to do here.
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Did I mention country girl?… lol Uber’s? trolleys? I have heard of both, but not tried either. Groupon I am familiar with but also wouldnt have thought of that. Thank you for the advice!!!!!!
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Seems like you’re going to do a lot of learning this trip 🙂
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I have only been to Boston once or twice but I was a little younger. It won’t be that bad in a big city and you can use an Uber or I think they have taxis as well. You should definitely check out the Aquarium! That is one thing I remember pretty well!! I do know that the attitudes in a big city, especially in the north are a lot different. I grew up in the north and was probably thought of as strange because I talk to everyone! I think you will have a great time and hopefully the snow will be gone in April!!!!
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crap
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yep still crap
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try this again
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