To state the obvious, it’s been a long time since I updated this blog. I didn’t even finish Uzbekistan, never mind covering South Korea and Japan, which is a pity because we visited Khiva after Bukhara and it was magical. Instead of thinking about travel I spent the last year or so dealing with medical issues, and made the depressing discovery that chronic pain leaves you with very little energy.
The good news is that I finally got a definite diagnosis (alas, a variant of rheumatoid arthritis) late last year and after some false starts am now on medication (Xeljanz) that has my symptoms under control. Yes! The bad news is that it works by suppressing my immune system, which makes me reluctant to travel.
But I am typing this while waiting to board a flight to London at the start of a six week trip. I’m planning to visit friends and family, and also take a look some new places, notably the Channel Islands. I am carrying a lot of antiseptic wipes, and a couple of small bottles of Purell. I’ve read that the most germ-ridden things you encounter when flying are the check-in screens and the TSA bins. Thanks to a friendly agent I avoided the first, and thanks to TSA Pre-check I avoided the latter. I have TSA Pre-check because I have Global Entry. It took a painful trip to DC last year for the ten minute interview, but I think it will be worth it.
For the DC trip, when I was taking OTC pills that didn’t help much, I had wheelchair assistance at both airports – the first time. This trip I can handle my departure airport, but I have asked for a wheel chair at Heathrow because it is usually such a long trek from the gate, not to memtion standing in line for immigration. I am also splurging for a car and driver to my first stop, as it is also a route march to the central bus station. I’ll be staying with my ekder sister for a few nights before taking the train to London for Open House.

Entrance to Khiva
Congrats on getting back in the game. Have a wonderful (and healthy) trip. Looking forward to your blog posts. JulieVikmanis
Thanks! Fingers crossed.
Have a good trip. Glad your pain is manageable.
Fanny
Thanks Fanny! Have made it to Heathrow – nice new plane with flat seats and I had three together!
Good to see you back on the road! Cheers! -john
Thanks. This will be a gentle trip, I hope!
I’ll be looking forward to your blog posts and cheering you on your way. I admire your determination to keep traveling!
Thanks! This is a test trip, we’ll see how it goes.
So good to see you are back in the saddle again. It was wonderful to see you again, and so good to know you are able to travel again. I know how much you love it. Have a wonderful and healthy trip.
So good to hear from you Erma. Hope to see you again sometime.
I´m glad you are able to travel again!!!! Keep on going!!
Enjoy and take it easy.
I’ll try! I used to be pretty bad at that…
I’m so pleased that you are feeling better!
Pat
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Thanks Pat! Hope you are doing well.
Have a great time. Sorry to be missing you again, but if you happen to be passing through the Cotswolds en route to Devon in early Oct we will be house and pet sitting in Nailsworth.
All the best,
Clive
Alas, I’m flying to Exeter from Guernsey. No Cotswolds this trip, but hope you enjoy your time there.
Glad your back traveling. My late wife was in the same boat as you with a very depressed immune system due to her illness. This never stopped her, she was just overly protective of herself. Enjoy the time that is given to you, it will be well worth it. She loved travel and refused to stop. Can not wait for more adventures.
Thanks Terry, your wife sounds like she was a trooper. I am trying to train myself to be more careful.
Hope you have a wonderful time. 🙂
I’m late to the party on this post Kathy, but am glad to hear that you squeezed in a trip to London. Are you still able to travel? And if so, have you had any good trips lately, or have trips planned? ~James
Thanks! The Xeljanz is still working (although my knees quit on me halfway through last year’s test trip), but i dedicated this year to getting my vision fixed. In February I had a cornea transplant that successfully replaced the inner layer of my cornea without improving my vision, so last month I had a procedure on the outer layer and now I am seeing very much better – it is as if I have been living behind a veil for years that has now gone. It hasn’t fixed the starbursts that make night driving a no-no, but you can’t have everything. Next we have to decide what to do with the other eye.
So, maybe a trip to the UK in the late fall, but I am considering South Africa, Greece or Sicily for next spring, plus Cornwall.
Hello i’ve always enjoyed reading your posts and do hope you are feeling better now as I know you had a few health issues.
Bless you and I hope you will be travelling and posting again soon. Look after yourself!
G.
Thanks! Unfortunately I am doubly high risk for Covid-19, so am staying put for the foreseeable future. I was planning a Cornwall (Scilly Isles) and Switzerland (trains and mountains) trip for this year. Maybe 2021 or 2022… And there are still places on the need-to-visit list. Hope you are doing well, stay safe.