1. You need to allow lots more time<\/h2>\n
I\u2019ve had decades of travel experience \u2013 Mum has not and moves at a decidedly slower pace. Having only one lung, a knee replacement and accounting for her age, I\u2019ve learned to allow lots more time.<\/p>\n
While I happily time things down to the wire, that doesn\u2019t work for Mum. We need to arrive way earlier to allow Mum time to get wherever we\u2019re going (we make lots of stops), I need to condense Mum\u2019s myriad of bags (I call her the bag lady) into something manageable and we need lots of time going through airport security \ud83d\udc6e She sets off the metal detectors every time with her metal knee!<\/p>\n
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2. You need to ask for and accept help<\/h2>\n
Mum could independently get to the plane and up stairs for many years but that window is fast closing. Sometimes we need to organise a wheelchair at airports, especially where there\u2019s a big distance between the check-in counters and the gate or where there\u2019s no aerobridge.<\/p>\n
You can ask for assistance when booking flights or at the airport. I learned this the time we flew from Sydney Airport to Norfolk Island. We had Air New Zealand lounge passes to use before the flight, but the lounge was on one side of the airport and the boarding gate at the other.<\/p>\n
Mum was exhausted just getting to the lounge. In a heartbeat staff had organised a wheelchair \u267f to whisk her to the gate and we were able to board first. Travelling with Mum has its perks.<\/p>\n
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3. I\u2019ve learned to see things through her eyes<\/h2>\n
When you travel as much as I do you can lose that wide-eyed wonder, whereas Mum is often seeing things for the first time. I\u2019ve watched the awe on her face as we flew into Lord Howe Island, I\u2019ve seen her eyes grow moist seeing Uluru for the first time and a blazing sunset over Cable Beach \ud83c\udf05 It makes me appreciate travel so much more.<\/p>\n
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4. She ain\u2019t heavy, she\u2019s my mother<\/h2>\n
My mum can\u2019t lift her bag in and out of a car boot (or overhead bin), she can\u2019t drive a rental car, she doesn\u2019t know how to check in online. She doesn\u2019t have a credit card nor a smart phone.<\/p>\n
When I travel with Mum, I\u2019ve learned to accept that I\u2019m responsible for almost everything: booking flights, getting us to the airport, lifting, driving, finding somewhere to eat and organising skim milk for her endless cups of tea. Sure, most things fall on my shoulders but the joy of having her along far outweighs that.<\/p>\n
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5. Being in the moment<\/h2>\n
Chatting with strangers, pausing to admire a beautiful tree or scene and slowing down are some of the things Mum has taught me on our travels. We don\u2019t need to be doing anything special. In fact, high-end restaurants and hip hotels can make her uncomfortable. The time I have with her is limited. I know each moment is special and I know, for her, nothing beats spending time together wherever we happen to be. And that, for me, is the greatest gift travel has given us \ud83d\udc99<\/p>\n
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