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I want to go to Calgary, it is about 16 hour drive away.A big undertaking for us.

We could fly but the hassle of driving 90 minutes to the airport, checking in with luggage  then the same at the other end is putting me off.

We could go on a bus, it actually stops at the corner of our street but I am not sure how I would do on a bus for so long.

I am not sure if there is a train anymore and there would be changes,

If we took any of the above options we would have to hire a car at the other end and while John is still able ti drive It would take him a while to get used to a new car.

I have only driven a couple of times since we came back but I can drive fine . John is still OK driving but gets a bit stressed in strange areas so I would have to help.

My son owns a restaurant there and I haven`t seen him for some years, it is difficult for him to get here so we hope to go there.

He wants us to fly bu I am not sure.

I figure if we take our time, maybe make three overnight stops in interesting places we should be OK.

Any tips for two old wrinklies on a very long drive would be appreciated.

XX Jeannine

Coaches are great, reclining seats, toilets, telly, ten green bottles etc. If it gets a bit stressful take one of those chemical smoking aids.

Hey up dear wrinkly.. ;D Have you enquired about couches..they might make several breaks during that journey..could you cope with that..?..or perharps doing it with over night stay?
See what bus company can come up with...you never know, they might have some hotel deals for these kind of 'cases'.. ;D
Flying there don't sound any easier...driving-flying-driving and same again coming back.. ::)
Going that far..even I'm not that wrinkly yet..couch sounds most comfortable way of going about it..there is no pressure for driver and you can both sit back in comfort and  do what ever you fancy together (well, within decent limits.. ::) :-X) to make time go by..sing, drink or snooze..what ever takes your fancy.. ;D

Three days travelling sounds an awful strain to me.   And then another three days getting home.   I need a whole day to recover from one 5 hour drive.

In my youth I went by coach from London to Marseille, not sure I could face it now. Depends on the bus and whether you can manage to get to the loo.  Went across Turkey a few year ago but that was only 12 hours overnight managed to sleep most of the way.   Was very tiring.  

Have you considered being 'disabled'.  I have a friend who gets very confused and tired at airports though she can actually walk quite well.  There was no support system available apart from with a wheelchair.  All or nothing.   So she was booked in as disabled.   Was met at the car with the wheelchair taken with her luggage through the whole process and all she needed to do was stagger up the steps of the plane.   For her it made all the difference and she was able to go and visit her parents.

   Is the coach a possability. personally I would hate to drive for that long. Especially Somewhere I dont know.
 
   mind you I would get lost!!!

  I think it might be very stressfull for you both. If you went on the plane is it at all possible to either get a coach from

   the airport or could your son perhaps meet you?

X Chas

 

Thanks for the help.

I need to talk to the bus lot and then to the train folk.

Didge I am regustered disabled so no problems on that score.

The bus is a coach, it has loos etc, I am not sure what else. I think you can break your journey with a couple of stop overs for a small fee.

Thing is, all the years we ave lived in Canada we have never gone East and seen the sights and there is some wonderful country. We have been part of the way but always on a mission for whatever reason and not as a tourist. It seems a shame to miss the chance.

I can take my mobility scooter on the bus/coach .

Just not sure what to do. My son would pick us up at the airport/bus depot if we chose that route but we would still need a car for trips out while there.

I am very determined old gal so might be able to manage it.

Looking into it though..

My sons business is in Drumheller where the dinasaur place is si thet would be great to see.

http://traveldrumheller.com/


XX Jeannine

Perhaps you need to talk to the hire car peeps as well.  Though driving a strange car not easy.  Hired one in Italy and I could not drive it at all.  Daughter had to do it all.

Wow! Road trip through Canada.  ;D

I'm far from wrinkly but that's the way I'd do it. You can stop and stretch when you want, take whatever detours you like and enjoy it. A long drive doesn't have to be stressful as long as you take plenty breaks and have someone to share the driving with. Just pack plenty of sooky sweeties!

Train is out, the joiurney involved part way on a coach!!

Car rental..they cannot guarantee specific cars only size of cars.

Coach/bus, scooter goes free and so can a companion if I couldn't make the journey on my own. Also can prebook specific seat and preboard. Limited to luggage though andf I will probabkly be carrying quite a lot of stuff

XX Jeannine

Jeannine, when I flew to the USA I had no problems at all being a disabled person.  I was taken from the waiting area to the plane in a buggy.  At the other end I was met by a porter with a wheelchair.  We skipped through all the queues as we were taken to a separate passport control area.  Your son could meet you at the airport and maybe he will have some time off to show you around the area.  

I think John could get very confused if he had to drive somewhere different.  My Dad drove the wrong way down a motorway slip road with my son as a passenger when he started having memory problems and that was in an area that he had lived in for over 35 years!  

You don't seem to have driven very much since you have been back in Canada.  Is there any reason for this?  Do you feel confident to drive such a long journey now, especially as you will have been used to driving on the left in GB?  

When we go to southern France, we take it in stages.  We drive for about two or three hours, take a rest and then drive for another couple of hours.  We have a couple of overnight stops to break the journey.  

You are right to consider all the options available, Jeannine.  I definitely think you should go and feel it will be good for you both to get away and see your son.  John will probably be disorientated in a strange place but I am sure you will enjoy the break considerably.  

Frequent long journeys spoken fluently here  ;D ;D ;D

I may be odd, but always consider the car as a bit of a 'home from home'.  Take it at my/our pace, comfy seat, stops where and when wanted.  Can stop at motels or whenever needed.  Is familiar - this was very important when the kids were young and they had their seats with toys and books and pillows etc.  Might be a big plus for John too.  And you can take all the 'clobber' you want too.  If you have a reliable car and a 'repair or get you there or home' insurance, then take the car and take your time.  I happily sleep whilst OH is driving and vice versa which is a big plus.

For MIL on the other hand it would be purgatory, she gets stiff on long car journeys, feels cramped and thinks the seats are so uncomfortable.  For her it is the plane with OAP VIP treatment, but they used to go on main airlines.  The budget airlines in Europe are mostly  a scrum and 'cattle class' only.  And if you need assistance, you may be limited because usually they will only admit 2 people per flight who need assistance.  Maybe this is different in Canada, but without booked seats and proper assistance flying might be difficult, quite apart from all the faff of getting to the airport and then not having a decent car at the other end.  You may need to ask carefully to get all the details if you are flying.

I also like long-distance coaches - seatbelt, aircon, films/television, often WIFI, toilet and (traffic permitting) half an hour break every two hours is easy for me, but if you find coach seats cramped and uncomfortable, then this option is torture.  I just go to sleep for a lot of the time and enjoy the drive.

Apart for your car where you know exactly what you are getting, all the other options need careful research and planning.  Sounds like a great trip  :)

Jeannine - fly if you can. I've done the road trip from Vancouver Island to Calgary (if you remember I lived in  Calgary for three years). I seem to recall we only overnighted once as my sister and I were sharing the driving, but it was very tiring - and I was thirteen years younger too! Also, it's a long and - for the most part - very boring drive from Calgary to Drumheller, much better for your son to pick you up from Calgary airport (which is easy to navigate) and do the driving. The dinosaur museum is interesting but I found it so very commercialised - so for me one visit was enough. If you want any more info. about driving, flying or taking the Greyhound let me know and I'll let you have my sister's phone number. She is disabled too and flew to Vancouver just a week or so ago for a grandson's graduation, so she is up-to-date on how it all works in Canada.

Tricia

Whatever, J, please look to the needs of your OH as 1st priority - anything which reduces anxiety levels so that he, too, can enjoy the experience - what price that? J, bless him, is doing so well on his meds to keep dementia from completely closing in but you surely know (and have written here) that they won't stem the tide completely. I beg you to cherish him while you've his mind as well as his empty shell body..... 

So picking up a coach from the end of your road  and taking breaks along the way will come at a financial price you don't want to make ???

Yr son is willing and able to meet you at both.

I'd love to read that you've chosen the best option for you both. And that does NOT include John driving in a strange place  anywhere

L XX

Galina, you have put it exactly, the car is a home from home and it is Johnd's choice to drive..take a slow jourmey, think of ot as a touring holiday.

Thanks Tricia, wneg we are a bit more sure I will take you up on that.

Lishka, John is mot taking any meds at all. not for anything, he doesn';t want to, they have been explained to him and he was given the choice, he said no and the Doctor and I respected that.

He is not keemn of flying and it is a dreadful hassle at this end so |it is lowest on the list right now.

We are waitibg for a call from the coachline as there are special arrangememnts we can make.


Actually right now I don;t feel like going anywhere. I have been very rough for the last few days and just don't feel right.

XX Jeannine

I've just seen this as we've only been back five days ourselves.

Without waffling too much, my advice to you both is don't do it.  We've just completed that journey in reverse - landing at Calgary and driving all the way across to Vancouver in three weeks.  Granted we went up to Jasper first which meant coming down via Clearwater and Kamloops but it's a really long journey, even with the breaks in between. Normally I'm quite happy to ride along (I don't drive) and watch the scenery, read a book, sing a long to CDs (husband may disagree on the latter) as I like 'road trips' but even I'd had enough after five hours or so every 2-3 days. The speed limits over there are slowish which adds quite a bit on to the journey and it just seemed to take forever on some days with the bendy, windy (and somewhat dodgy in places!) roads. 

I don't recommend it for John or you, to be honest, Jeannine. I think the only way it would be doable would be to turn it into a travelling holiday and make quite a few stops, I'm not sure three would be enough.

Hope you're feeling better now :)