Get Out There and Practice Travel

Practice travel

If you’re apprehensive about taking that solo trip to Europe or you're not sure how your service dog will handle the 6-hour flight across the country, take a practice trip! Regardless of where you live, there a local places you have access to that are beautiful and interesting. If you want to plan a big trip, whatever the reason, it might be a good idea to practice travel.

Short excursions are some of the best ways to learn what you're made of when you travel. My mother and I practice traveled several times when she was initially confined to her wheelchair. At this time in my life, my mother went to the hospital for a simple procedure. She was sitting in the waiting room. When her name was called, she attempted to stand. Both of her knee implants simultaneously failed. She cried out in pain and a family friend and I had to pick her up and carry her into a wheelchair. She had the initial procedure, but wound up enduring four more surgeries and months of rehabilitation.

During the same time, my maternal grandmother was dying from esophageal cancer. I moved in with my grandfather and the two of us cared for my grandmother until she passed away. All this was happening while my mother was in the hospital recovering. Needless to say, when my mother was released from the hospital, both of us were emotionally and physically exhausted. The two of us were in desperate need of a change in scenery.

I had just purchased a Chevy Blazer, my pride and joy. I drove that car every chance I got. I suggested we go on a trip, but my mother was unsure of how successful a road trip would be in her wheelchair. After some consideration, we decided to take a practice trip. We agreed Crater Lake National Park in Oregon state would be a good start. Crater Lake was a place my mother drove through on road trips as a child, but never stayed more than a couple of hours. Crater Lake was about a seven hour drive, so it seemed to be a good fit.

We drove but had no plan, not even a change of clothes. The two of us enjoyed our drive to Crater Lake and spent all day at the park once we got there. It was getting late and we needed to find lodging. Trouble was, a room at the Crater Lake Lodge was too expensive. A friendly clerk at the lodge advised me to try cabins that were about 10 miles away.

Mom and I were a bit nervous and contemplated driving home, but we took the risk. We drove down a dark, lonely two lane road with no lights anywhere to guide us. Although it was only a seven mile drive, it seemed like an eternity before we found our destination. If I had driven any faster, I would have missed it. The Wilson's Cottages sign was illuminated by one not so bright light and we weren't even sure if they were open for business.

But they were. I went to the small wooden building marked ‘Lobby’ and I rang the bell. A tall, thin man with a full, long beard came in through the back door. He was kind and accommodating. The man instructed me to follow him. He got on his bike and we drove behind him as he pedaled to the little wooden cabin.

It was a quaint little place. Everything from the walls to the furniture was made of wood. It was outfitted with a long table bench and chairs. The small kitchen had a two burner stove and a refrigerator. Each of the two bedrooms were spacious and the 40's style bed frames held spring mattresses that were surprisingly comfortable. It even had a garage!

After a good night's sleep, we explored the property. Mom and I had a great conversation with the owners and we found the cottages had an interesting history. Next to the Annie river, these cabins were situated perfectly for anyone who wanted to have a rustic experience. It fit our needs perfectly for future getaways as well. Our practice trip paid off big time!

For many years we vacationed at Wilson’s Cottages. My mother and I looked forward to our yearly trips to Crater Lake. My niece and my mom's service dog, Teddy tagged along too. Teddy especially appreciated Wilson's Cottages because we went during the 4th of July. He hated fireworks and loud noises. The cottages were situated in the woods; therefore, fireworks were restricted in Fort Klamath.

Unfortunately, Wilson's Cottages is now permanently closed. But since my mom and Teddy have now passed, my niece and I have some of the best memories of our cabin in the woods. It was all because of our practice travel vacation.

My mother and I took a few more practice vacations until we were confident enough to take the plunge for a big Wild West trip. That trip was amazing because our shorter excursions enabled us to address issues with long distance road travel. We learned how to efficiently pack and what our preferences were while on the road. Most importantly, we were better prepared for how to deal with my mother's mobility issues on the road and how it affected us both. Practice travel is a great way to get you prepared for that big trip you dream of taking. Get out there and practice travel!

Take Away

Practice travel helps you:

1. Step out of your comfort zone by getting out there and getting more comfortable traveling

2. Build confidence from taking longer trips

3. Embrace apprehensive feelings you may have about travel whether it's solo travel, traveling with illnesses, budgeting travel Etc.

4. Learn how to travel better - reserving places to visit, effectively packing, learning your travel style

5. Traveling in general is good for your mental health

6. Traveling is fun!

My mom and niece at our cabin at Wilson's Cottages, Fort Klamath, OR