tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87110326294162773442024-02-08T20:12:34.258+00:00Fire and IceThe musings that are too long for Twitter and far too fascinating to keep to myself!Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.comBlogger257125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-14810986348607289912023-09-26T16:39:00.001+01:002023-09-26T16:39:59.884+01:00WDW trip planning - the final countdown!<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">In a few days, I will finally get on that flight and land in WDW - and I can hardly wait!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNImIJMhmPscmVd9i7LVzWM4ySlMoib45u0fsa-nTN0jKcAPFzPxkW1tbDvySqn3OmMfv5fVHQLAFqGVwxmRe7tNQR0ziojP4JA--QrMubFdo_PnTEy5WTYTCdL_eRrRq-GTWyg3ZvHiWQLe6eGAk9ODF6f4I9Ood8qZH6Kl8UIB_X6XTHtYjzNjOMCYc/s2992/2023-02-10%2008.34.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1176" data-original-width="2992" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNImIJMhmPscmVd9i7LVzWM4ySlMoib45u0fsa-nTN0jKcAPFzPxkW1tbDvySqn3OmMfv5fVHQLAFqGVwxmRe7tNQR0ziojP4JA--QrMubFdo_PnTEy5WTYTCdL_eRrRq-GTWyg3ZvHiWQLe6eGAk9ODF6f4I9Ood8qZH6Kl8UIB_X6XTHtYjzNjOMCYc/w472-h186/2023-02-10%2008.34.39.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">By now, all my prep has been done: I've even started packing. The lists that I've been compiling for months have come in handy and everything has gone smoothly so far. I've also continued with my daily walks (although I've missed a few due to some very rainy days) but I do wonder if I should do as marathoners do and "taper" for a few days before the big race. Give my legs a break, that sort of thing...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On this trip, I will be doing a few things that I've never done in WDW before, like <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/09/wdw-trip-planning-tour-plans-and.html" target="_blank">tour planning</a>. I am quite curious to see how it all goes in reality if all the planning and data that I have available really does make a difference to my trip. So far, tour planning has been quite a fun activity but of course, the real test is out there, on the field as it were. I'll let you know.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm also doing a ticketed park event for the first time and while I was very sceptical at first, the more I read and learn about <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/09/wdw-trip-planning-tour-plans-and.html" target="_blank">Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween Party</a>, the more I am glad I'm doing it. I'm sure that this will be one of the highlights of my trip. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Grocery delivery to my resort is another thing I've never done and as I haven't got a rental car for this trip, I thought it would be a good idea. Fingers crossed this all works out well and I find a small bag of goodies waiting for me on arrival at my hotel. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The main thing I'm doing is travelling on my own, of course. I'm less worried about that than about anything else to do with this trip, including the weather (which looks pretty rainy). I've certainly travelled to other places alone before and I've even explored WDW on my own before, which I used to do a lot of when I was in the International Program. What I've never done at Disney before is spend all day on my own... and I'm really looking forward to it! My kids still haven't forgiven me for not bringing them but it is a whole week of school so no, it's not happening kids, sorry. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxdL_S2Vg8Gi4NLGWw8Twh43Iykn0JpuOZpmgh0Kqg192U4NDqLn2w6gXXIejBI6-a8XsLnrefbtNAr7xrK1s_ZhywBUs5JHZUPvnRS_R17JHLHyAKCqJkVa_rrfGeEzekugqkgyrcTQg5Dbe0hiaznKYP2oau2C3on3p88wcWtZxqg6e1h_RFl0cDF4/s2609/2023-02-10%2010.15.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2609" data-original-width="1868" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZxdL_S2Vg8Gi4NLGWw8Twh43Iykn0JpuOZpmgh0Kqg192U4NDqLn2w6gXXIejBI6-a8XsLnrefbtNAr7xrK1s_ZhywBUs5JHZUPvnRS_R17JHLHyAKCqJkVa_rrfGeEzekugqkgyrcTQg5Dbe0hiaznKYP2oau2C3on3p88wcWtZxqg6e1h_RFl0cDF4/s320/2023-02-10%2010.15.03.jpg" width="229" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am so much looking forward to this: the parks, <a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/retromagic/">RetroMagic</a>, the hotel and even the flight (a 787 Dreamliner, my favourite!) that I can barely focus on work.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But before I know it, I'll be at the airport and on my way!!</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-21564708090153047312023-09-15T15:15:00.001+01:002023-09-15T15:15:12.044+01:00WDW trip planning - tour plans and Halloween parties<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Time has flown by since the last time! <br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I am now about two weeks away from WDW and I can’t even tell you how much I’m looking forward to it all. I’ve been busily completing the last-minute admin but also keeping up with all the latest news, closures, menus and other fun things. <br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">One thing that I have found incredibly useful at this point of the planning is the <a href="http://www.touringplans.com" target="_blank">Touring Plans</a> app which, full disclosure, was a gift from Len Testa. However, they haven’t asked me to promote it at all and all opinions are my own. Having used both the app and the website for a few weeks now I will say that so far it is worth the money! I haven’t used it in the parks, which I guess is the true test, but so far it has been an invaluable planning tool.</span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIND27I2DrpOM4lOG8PdKzjM0li8tlr8Nb1oy0YXj00KzXZrcs2a50plJCdxkRxMXj2KGTyZ5hkI2uZjFCydAz_r5YNdh53Bx5Iha7BXor1Q7vvMs1EbQzpWc-571vbU1MavFquJ0UplABq_JiyKJY3XNnUyAR9NN_IH3v55HQS6_vs_twQwte0CSXlA8" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="1492" height="171" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhIND27I2DrpOM4lOG8PdKzjM0li8tlr8Nb1oy0YXj00KzXZrcs2a50plJCdxkRxMXj2KGTyZ5hkI2uZjFCydAz_r5YNdh53Bx5Iha7BXor1Q7vvMs1EbQzpWc-571vbU1MavFquJ0UplABq_JiyKJY3XNnUyAR9NN_IH3v55HQS6_vs_twQwte0CSXlA8" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Touring plans in general have never really been my thing, as <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-making-park.html">I’ve mentioned before</a>. I just can’t face all the planning and lack of spontaneity that these things entail so I’ve never really been down this road before. This time though I feel so pressured for time (I only have a week!) and yet so free (I’m on my own!) that maybe a touring plan is a good idea. But where to start?<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the time I was pondering all of this, I also noticed that on one of my Magic Kingdom days, the park was shutting early, at 6 PM. I realized that this is because on that day the park is hosting <a href="https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/events/mickeys-not-so-scary-halloween-party" target="_blank">Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween party</a>. This is a separate ticketed event that goes on into the small hours at the Magic Kingdom, with special parades, treats and other things. I’d never considered attending this sort of thing but paying for the extra ticket did mean more hours in the park that day. I wasn’t sure though as I don’t know much about the value that this party offered, so I reached out to Len Testa and he kindly answered my question on <a href="https://podcasts.jimhillmedia.com/show/the-disney-dish-with-jim-hill/" target="_blank">The Disney Dish podcast. <br /></a><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">To make a long story short - the answer was YES it was worth it. </span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I had my answer so I booked a ticket for the party and now that I’ve done it, I’m actually pretty glad. The event does look really good and although I am not planning to dress up or anything, I am looking forward to the additional park hours as well as all the candy one supposedly gets! <br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGE29j73rKPoSTHdkF7D3mu5cilAAmbY8R8YeNNTiYkVZz3HKeNUUum18cKuZPQX5HlU3XOMIFwtA7qFqVsHgQAjJ5Oqbxxr4nF8rWOBJarwhqmSdoIhXEPFEKKj4uSU3jXV-L3FBiIBc3eJpx_QC95OAVVyI0tfjFo3snEP1EROXyOqj6yZOXxKZwyZ4" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1474" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhGE29j73rKPoSTHdkF7D3mu5cilAAmbY8R8YeNNTiYkVZz3HKeNUUum18cKuZPQX5HlU3XOMIFwtA7qFqVsHgQAjJ5Oqbxxr4nF8rWOBJarwhqmSdoIhXEPFEKKj4uSU3jXV-L3FBiIBc3eJpx_QC95OAVVyI0tfjFo3snEP1EROXyOqj6yZOXxKZwyZ4" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I was getting in touch with Len anyway, while I asked him about the party I also asked about touring plans and this is where I was gifted a subscription. So that gave me a place to start the research on these things… and boy, I was blown away by the level of detail! I had no idea just how powerful this tool was and how flexible, so once I entered all the required info I pretty much stood back and watched while it did its thing.<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The personalized plans generated look pretty solid but as I’ve mentioned before, the real test will be when I’m in the park. However, even at this stage, it’s a great way to think about what attractions I want to prioritize, which ones I can skip and even how to plan my day. This is especially important on the day I will be attending MNSSHP because it will be a LONG day: I plan to get there as early as I can (jetlag working in my favor) and if I can survive the entire day, we are talking about a 16-hour day, so a nap will have to be considered, especially as my hotel is realistically too far for me to pop back during the day. <br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Using the Touring Plan tools has forced me to make a few decisions which don’t feel like they will kill all spontaneity but will help me make the most of my time. I shall report back and see how it goes!<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Other than that, I’ve been preparing for RetroMagic: they helpfully sent out a <a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/blogs/retromagic-resourceguide/" target="_blank">list of resources</a> (podcast episodes, videos, even books) and being the completist that I am, I’ve already started working my way through that list. I feel like I am studying for a very exciting test in a subject I love! It has been fantastic to listen again to those old podcast episodes and even buy a few new books for my collection. Some of these are written by people that will be at RetroMagic so there is a chance to even get them signed! This poses another thing to think about: how many books can I carry within my limited baggage allowance? I may have to think creatively about a solution...<br /><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Not long to go now!</span></p><div><br /></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-36533896140397367522023-08-11T16:55:00.003+01:002023-08-11T16:55:47.696+01:00WDW trip planning - walking and thinking<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">It’s been a few months but the WDW trip planning continues with great excitement!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">So what have I been doing these last few months?</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">While I am still very much not convinced about the need to pay for Genie+, I have been using the time by playing around with the WDW mobile app and learning as much as I can about touring plans.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-making-park.html" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I have never been the spreadsheet-toting person</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that just simply has to visit everything in every single Disney park, eat all the snacks and try all the trendy restaurants. Most of my vacations include some research but I do want to HAVE a vacation so I don’t like planning things so much in advance. Things like spreadsheets and touring plans are really not my thing, even though I have seen so many cute templates online (and I DO like a notebook!). Sometimes even just reading the articles about those makes me click away immediately - too boring.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When researching Genie+ I forced myself to read some of those articles and still, I remain unconvinced. I want this trip to be memorable, sure, but I want to have the flexibility to make choices according to how I feel on the day and not because some spreadsheet tells me where to go. I especially don’t like the idea of booking meals so far in advance, and let me explain why.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I feel, like many others, that I don’t want to be a slave to those reservations, which could be the case especially if it is a very hard to get one. Planning my day around a meal doesn’t appeal and, most importantly on this trip, I am traveling alone so I have ultimate flexibility. Also, </span><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/search?q=dysphagia" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I still take a long time to eat meals</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and I do better with many smaller snacks throughout the day rather than a large-ish meal. I discovered this on our last trip to Disneyland Paris where stopping to eat was a rather large time investment, and I felt a bit rushed which isn’t great for my </span><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/search?q=dysphagia" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">swallowing anxiety</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">For these reasons, I think it’s pretty clear that I’ll have to eat flexibly; maybe carry a few snacks, maybe treat myself to a small item during the day when I need it. I feel that this is what will work better for me, which has the added advantages of not having to make any advanced dining reservations and make me save some money. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Having made the decision on eating, I also had to consider the other thing that I’ll be doing that week: walking. A lot. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">On that front, I’m less concerned as I usually walk almost every day, especially if the weather is good. It helps me take a break from work and I can catch up with my podcasts and audiobooks, so I have a good base. However, in the last few months, I’ve been more conscious about my walking and making sure that I do make sure that I get out there. Walking has the additional benefit that I can use the time as planning time and I tend to think through things while increasing my step count. While I’ve been out walking I’ve thought about what to include in my<a href="https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/hiking-backpack-16l-nh-escape-150-square/_/R-p-334486?mc=8649501" target="_blank"> park backpack</a> and have been making a note of which shoes are the best for the WDW walking challenge. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">With this in mind, and also considering the Florida weather in October, I’ve also used my walking time to think a bit about packing. Here in the UK, we may get a day or two of hot, humid weather a year - if any at all. So I tend not to own too many suitable items of clothing because I just would never wear them. I’ve purchased a few pieces that may come in handy - and all are thrifted which is keeping in with my New Year’s resolution. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">During my stay in Florida, I will not be renting a car and I plan to get around using mostly my hotel shuttle and Disney transportation. I may also have to use Uber/Lyft and have worked out that this is still considerably cheaper than hiring a car, especially with all those parking charges. It may make things a little trickier if I want to, for example, pop to Target to get some of those park snacks but I think my hotel’s location is pretty good for that. I’ve been studying maps of the local area and also my memories as I’ve been there before (albeit a few years ago so things have changed). From what I have learned, I think the area where I am staying has lots of options for me within a short walking distance and I can always rideshare if needed. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I write this I am less than 50 days away from my trip, so I’ve been also taking care of important admin like completing my passenger info online, choosing seats on my flight and, of course, paying the balance on the holiday. Useful information like park opening hours and special events are now available online, making planning which parks to visit when easier. I’ve made another set of changes to my park reservations (all done very easily) and have even made other arrangements for one particular day…</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Next time I will share what that day is, and the one incredibly useful tool that I’ve found that may really be a game-changer...</span></span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-74339489118803781042023-05-19T14:21:00.002+01:002023-06-20T14:32:53.288+01:00WDW trip planning - Genie+ (power in my corner?)<p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">It’s been about a month since I booked my trip and I’ve <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-back-on-saddle-again.html">sorted flights and hotel</a>, <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-making-park.html">made park reservations</a> and <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-mobile-app.html">reacquainted myself with the mobile app</a>. I’ve even started to have some thoughts as to what I need to pack and especially, what shoes to wear! Additionally, the <a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/retromagic/" target="_blank">RetroMagic website</a> has started adding details of the </span><a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/retromagic/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">special guests</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> that will attend and I am really excited!<br /></span></span></p><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxJqVbGdnIsHIj6Vdqpr1haM31F0QRpEPHRG6Nx_IVVxJ_ZhzOuxTC0H6eyV4tufDAX9f-ZDoUZAoGuT-cGitN8f8aw_oPJbcDx6RGUGuQDDgrKiFA10Y17CyxHVtfM-oImw4x6_U6EgGSdeuFU8FbP2NWjALxA0K3cFIlyJvMQ9pzyUYR6gvQcvOJFY/s1200/image(41).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUxJqVbGdnIsHIj6Vdqpr1haM31F0QRpEPHRG6Nx_IVVxJ_ZhzOuxTC0H6eyV4tufDAX9f-ZDoUZAoGuT-cGitN8f8aw_oPJbcDx6RGUGuQDDgrKiFA10Y17CyxHVtfM-oImw4x6_U6EgGSdeuFU8FbP2NWjALxA0K3cFIlyJvMQ9pzyUYR6gvQcvOJFY/s320/image(41).png" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">During my daily walks, I’ve also spent some time thinking about what to do about <a href="https://touringplans.com/walt-disney-world/genie-plus" target="_blank">Genie+</a>. I’ve been doing a LOT of research, because this is the part that I’m most apprehensive about. This is an entirely new thing that I have never experienced in WDW and that has the potential to make a big difference to how I plan my days and navigate the parks, but also apparently, on how much sleep I get and how many battery packs I need to bring.<br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Coming into this, all I knew about Genie+ was academic: I heard about it when it launched and have been following this with interest in the months (years?) since. I have read <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=genie%2B&rlz=1C1CHBF_en-gbGB908GB908&oq=genie%2B&aqs=chrome.0.0i512l5j69i61l3.1759j0j4&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8" target="_blank">countless articles and blogs</a> written by those that have or have not used it in their last park visit and listened to a number of podcasts where this feature is discussed. There seem to be some pros, a bunch of cons and a 3-mile-long list of considerations where the answer is “Well, it depends.” <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">But all my reading and listening about Genie+ was hypothetical - I’d already cancelled plans to visit the parks in the near future so I wasn’t really paying attention to the detail and the nuance of how it all works and what it is good for. <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve also <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Ck3974BoJJA/" target="_blank">been to Disneyland Paris relatively recently</a> and, while there is no Genie+ in that park, I have seen firsthand how some of those priority queues work, and just how much they cost. But I don’t know if the DLP experience is totally different from the one in WDW, and not just because they are called different things. <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I had to do some research, that’s for sure. I found a lot of </span><a href="https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/disney-genie/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">really good articles</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><a href="https://allears.net/2021/08/20/breaking-down-disney-genie-as-simply-as-possible/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">explaining Genie+</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><a href="https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/disney-genie-tips-disney-world" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lots of tips</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> and even articles helping me to work out if it is </span><a href="https://allears.net/2023/02/27/is-genie-plus-worth-it-and-when/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">worth it and when</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I learned so much about </span><a href="https://www.undercovertourist.com/blog/virtual-queues-disney-world/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">virtual queues</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’ve also gone through </span><a href="https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/genie/information/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Disney’s official guide to Genie, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes</span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. I’ve read everything I could find that seemed remotely helpful in this area. The internet was my restaurant and Google my maitre d' and it certainly took my order!<br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boy, there is a LOT of information out there.</span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial; font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">I still don’t know what to do, though.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">My main thinking point is that this is a solo trip, which is an entirely different concept from travelling with a family. Also, I can probably make the most of being quick and nimble, of single rider queues and being able to make quick decisions. All of these things just don’t happen with a larger group, so maybe spending money on Genie+ is not worth it. <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">However, I am also going for only a week. (</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Only</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> a week?! I hear you snort - well, yes. Ideally, I’d spend at least two full weeks there but I realise the privilege that comes from being able to take lots of paid time off.) I need to make the most of it, so perhaps paying to save time is a good plan! Also, paying for it for one person is of course cheaper. <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">There are still a couple of things that bother me, though. One of them is having to rely so much on my phone while in the parks. I may feel differently about this at the time, but right now it just bothers me. I know I won’t have travel companions around to talk to anyway, so having to stay buggy-eyed on my phone may be a good idea but I feel like it will also take me away from the experience. On a practical note, I’ve read that Disney WiFi is good but not great so for better results, they recommend turning off the WiFi and using data in the parks. This may be quite costly, as I’d have to roam to do so (although, full disclosure: I am on </span><a href="https://www.o2.co.uk/" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">O2 </span></a><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">and my data plan does include USA roaming so it may not be so expensive). <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">The other thing that troubles me is having to wake up so early to make the most of Genie+. I’m on vacation! Here too, I may have a slight advantage though, as I’ll be jetlagged and at least the first few days I will be awake at stupid o’clock, so I may as well spend some of that time booking attractions. <br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzFOAbhvx3asN6cv8LPrD7Vws_c3LHejCKu5HCsIt82c5CYsTxdi97DcNQXVA0dC2rimA2f4-Yoyxi90fO3-GrWllCd6Quvh7PQJIslywJynIJWdVEhR-WzR4Ez7RhkMqV375_ZfpCRgp0Jk3KRyoBr7LjsyZeUrmU7UFt0e4LBnI5cM0dZfSPHcds" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjzFOAbhvx3asN6cv8LPrD7Vws_c3LHejCKu5HCsIt82c5CYsTxdi97DcNQXVA0dC2rimA2f4-Yoyxi90fO3-GrWllCd6Quvh7PQJIslywJynIJWdVEhR-WzR4Ez7RhkMqV375_ZfpCRgp0Jk3KRyoBr7LjsyZeUrmU7UFt0e4LBnI5cM0dZfSPHcds" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtCOjf2P_FXekA0OJLPT-TmxPwATtYn0Pdlpwex-v_NG3QbdA6HHKSiC4JlN0eIBAalTNZjEXLg-4hbDAlq_JyeBN4vPic6JikqMFH0F65_ayPt3QCN7X23i4SP1rjqH3nfEcFbmTGh0cz21JPTbboGs7p0h84i8VixmEDAqYdHGNZqwxDjpMarvQmUQ/s624/image(42).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="352" data-original-width="624" height="181" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPtCOjf2P_FXekA0OJLPT-TmxPwATtYn0Pdlpwex-v_NG3QbdA6HHKSiC4JlN0eIBAalTNZjEXLg-4hbDAlq_JyeBN4vPic6JikqMFH0F65_ayPt3QCN7X23i4SP1rjqH3nfEcFbmTGh0cz21JPTbboGs7p0h84i8VixmEDAqYdHGNZqwxDjpMarvQmUQ/s320/image(42).png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Very recently, <a href="https://allears.net/2023/05/08/news-genie-will-get-easier-with-these-updates-in-disney-world/">Disney announced some changes to Genie+</a> and I got very excited… but then realised that these will come into effect early in 2024 so my plans wouldn’t be affected. In any case, details are not yet available so I can’t comment on how this would have helped me make my decision but it does indicate that WDW is aware that Genie+ could do with some changes. It is very easy to find comments from people that have recently visited WDW where they say how much they dislike having to pay for everything, having to do so much homework and how the joy seems to have been taken out of a visit to a Disney park. However, I am determined to keep an open mind here and anyway... they pride themselves on service so hopefully things improve soon.</span></p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I last was at Disneyland Paris, I didn't go on my own but we did try single-rider queues sometimes and wow, what a time saver! More than once, we would go through the queue even quicker than the people on Premier Access and we'd have saved some money in the process. I wonder if this strategy would continue to play out in WDW? After all, the money could go towards souvenirs or park snacks which I'm much happier to splurge on!<br /><br />After going through column A (and all of column B) I am still on the fence on this one, I admit. It may be worth it for a few days, or none at all but I think I won’t be able to really discover this until I get there. So my decision, for now, is to go without. In any case, there is nothing I can do at this point anyway, so there is no harm in continuing the research and the consideration period.</span>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-92228731487796411082023-04-27T16:49:00.004+01:002023-06-20T14:34:44.558+01:00WDW trip planning - the mobile app<span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-making-park.html">Last time</a> I started the serious planning and allocated parks to days so that I could make reservations. It was all pretty smooth at this time, to be honest, but I hadn’t yet looked at the mobile app so this was my next step.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeqpEzFOgpX4cLDH8yw05-35X8U_rnYMCF66w18dvL_vyvgNXLGPDXVFZZIm8dpi5GH_ng6YVcuhhYwFaiLx4ClNa2B7IgAdW3T9i5tJrVCOiqZ6aeEPUPPe7vdwjpmmRV9WKs2lgPFEpPjfxpf5YvyElM7qKRLz46yQA03wNgJKxvXyC5W3iiX2q/s1147/app.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVeqpEzFOgpX4cLDH8yw05-35X8U_rnYMCF66w18dvL_vyvgNXLGPDXVFZZIm8dpi5GH_ng6YVcuhhYwFaiLx4ClNa2B7IgAdW3T9i5tJrVCOiqZ6aeEPUPPe7vdwjpmmRV9WKs2lgPFEpPjfxpf5YvyElM7qKRLz46yQA03wNgJKxvXyC5W3iiX2q/s1147/app.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpS6TyYJ234Fqn2XBOcw9LJca_36GKbiYGSeD4xGrVX56qV9rmHwJxMm94TnkcBw55BIvDhF_vs6ZnT6dJV8d34VA2LNJVj8mMuPOI1PpWtM7i7-RwQmOmd-jYJBKy1ONNW27Pi6dy3T6E0psMRHLFBC2jfF9Z4yEW-roN9DiQelKBp7zUjI4qyvOk1Tg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="387" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjpS6TyYJ234Fqn2XBOcw9LJca_36GKbiYGSeD4xGrVX56qV9rmHwJxMm94TnkcBw55BIvDhF_vs6ZnT6dJV8d34VA2LNJVj8mMuPOI1PpWtM7i7-RwQmOmd-jYJBKy1ONNW27Pi6dy3T6E0psMRHLFBC2jfF9Z4yEW-roN9DiQelKBp7zUjI4qyvOk1Tg" width="183" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaQSusB4D3jFD5ic9YqehPyOhBWuvTyJhCgaIUbapL4gmq_RYlXnDxBWmOhuyKOSk4nXLcaFl8anNHgANz0Yv8CYtoYzAAwQ5VmN0nq-PVqXLC13ZpsFRkXQ9lf9Yk44Eottin_Z9DOFlf5Vu980qALHoHBnD3MxSs6CroZvsULhcToAGPjbzksVeWvQs" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="817" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjaQSusB4D3jFD5ic9YqehPyOhBWuvTyJhCgaIUbapL4gmq_RYlXnDxBWmOhuyKOSk4nXLcaFl8anNHgANz0Yv8CYtoYzAAwQ5VmN0nq-PVqXLC13ZpsFRkXQ9lf9Yk44Eottin_Z9DOFlf5Vu980qALHoHBnD3MxSs6CroZvsULhcToAGPjbzksVeWvQs" width="123" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">As I alluded to before, I have had the WDW park app on my phone since at least 2016 even though I’ve not been to the parks since. I kind of felt that deleting the app would be admitting defeat, so it’s lived on my phone, unused, for seven years. I even migrated it from phone to phone as I upgraded my device over all that time.</span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I believe it’s changed name too - at the moment I think it’s officially called My Disney Experience but I can’t see that either on the app icon or the app home page. Anyway, I clicked on the app and (after a slight update) it was ready to go. It was also pretty easy to log in and confirm my park reservations. At this point, I was still having second thoughts about which parks I’d allocated to some days so thought I’d make some changes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8tMxqRLU32GgKHhHTWihc4jvNth7Z_eSfavleyYnrFG6TrkrOoGKR_ONS_nVR0my70gUqvNCLKpt8KHsx5vqZvANWBCpbo64jpojnLc86i2PgKAUeM5irG5JJhwlBcAH9YBdmLtLtxerqok2kYF-s_RCnsxgv91kglHuvxU3R_LfvN8cU80S-MPT/s1392/travel.jpeg" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP8tMxqRLU32GgKHhHTWihc4jvNth7Z_eSfavleyYnrFG6TrkrOoGKR_ONS_nVR0my70gUqvNCLKpt8KHsx5vqZvANWBCpbo64jpojnLc86i2PgKAUeM5irG5JJhwlBcAH9YBdmLtLtxerqok2kYF-s_RCnsxgv91kglHuvxU3R_LfvN8cU80S-MPT/s1392/travel.jpeg" style="font-family: arial; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCAg209LiEm4280ufnxXUVXIGKzr5xdK2q1kU1nq4rChOrAdwhRVRHMtnG-jLUXgfpC4gzQUcQPbr1JWJgqt7n-9XCtuyzxnGd5-arg8ZFusR70tpNh08_CnoT-lTry0wK8prJHSHlMsM8-41W9-8bw-q4qTqtgvCBHylcnWZYurHy4MNi14YzumBz4Jo" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="508" data-original-width="387" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiCAg209LiEm4280ufnxXUVXIGKzr5xdK2q1kU1nq4rChOrAdwhRVRHMtnG-jLUXgfpC4gzQUcQPbr1JWJgqt7n-9XCtuyzxnGd5-arg8ZFusR70tpNh08_CnoT-lTry0wK8prJHSHlMsM8-41W9-8bw-q4qTqtgvCBHylcnWZYurHy4MNi14YzumBz4Jo" width="183" /></a></div><br /></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />For various reasons, this was best done on my laptop so I did that and yeah, pretty easy too. I got revised confirmation emails and everything so well done, WDW. So far it’s all been fairly painless and stress-free.<br /><br />With the main elements laid down, I set aside some time to play with the app, click all the buttons and see what it could do. Sure, I could read one of the several thousand articles written to help or watch one of the various millions of videos but I’m old-school so I just logged in and started clicking things.</span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;">The first impression is that it was intuitive, familiar and full of information. I have more recently been to <a href="https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-gb/" target="_blank">Disneyland Paris</a> and have been using that app for all those vacations so more than a few things were very familiar in the way they work: park maps, events, hours, tip boards, etc. The main difference is that this app has a lot more content - it is after all a much larger resort than Paris! - but in the main, it was similar enough for me to feel it was familiar.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB6HG4BDiHZhZ4zZ-1EddOVF52dTRtTa8TVq0eY0GT06DEjkWeV8zZVxw9MmLCNDuWh-Dg7KoBxDKxHh2qXgBHne7an7B2PlVQBsdtlySXsTLU0vXwgc7Imi2y7ZzQQuzoFLjLmpZqhQOfH7QZ7qbIy3aMacfkyZRezti-2PJJYTV_ex_S8JktEj6/s1969/phone.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOB6HG4BDiHZhZ4zZ-1EddOVF52dTRtTa8TVq0eY0GT06DEjkWeV8zZVxw9MmLCNDuWh-Dg7KoBxDKxHh2qXgBHne7an7B2PlVQBsdtlySXsTLU0vXwgc7Imi2y7ZzQQuzoFLjLmpZqhQOfH7QZ7qbIy3aMacfkyZRezti-2PJJYTV_ex_S8JktEj6/s1969/phone.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv6N5BlF1mKSngS-q61JN1050oLakWZPpjpEWtdVNiLZ1KYJO08L2G9db1hso2MsF873Oc0OcprY5qp9lDtOsA4sJnjhaB8bciuIwJwVyDJ7tDf5tT2Amn65nxruMl5llk4zUCO3SHt5f4nfhJQELrBZu_CmgpBBeU52Kt3EDya08Pj_19ffAr8kGjsEc" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="1969" data-original-width="950" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjv6N5BlF1mKSngS-q61JN1050oLakWZPpjpEWtdVNiLZ1KYJO08L2G9db1hso2MsF873Oc0OcprY5qp9lDtOsA4sJnjhaB8bciuIwJwVyDJ7tDf5tT2Amn65nxruMl5llk4zUCO3SHt5f4nfhJQELrBZu_CmgpBBeU52Kt3EDya08Pj_19ffAr8kGjsEc" width="116" /></a></div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />Having said that, this app has SO much more content, I really need to explore where things are and how to use it, so that I can be ready to go when in the parks. It won’t be a problem though - I have been known to spend far too long reviewing the queue situation in <a href="https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-gb/attractions/disneyland-park/phantom-manor/" target="_blank">Phantom Manor over at DLP</a> when I’m in a boring waiting room so I can see myself doing the same with this one!<br /><br />Of course, I can’t actually complete any of these transactions until I’m in the parks (and hope that the WiFi is good enough) but at least having the app now gives me a good chance to practice. I can already see how things like virtual queues, Genie+ and Lightning Lanes are offered, how mobile ordering works and what I need to do to view my Genie day. <br /><br />At this point, other than making sure I spend some more time clicking around the app, I need to learn more about <a href="https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/genie/information/" target="_blank">Genie+</a>, I think. There are a lot of things to consider and think about before I make any decisions here…</span><br /></div></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-43873156863983274612023-04-21T14:05:00.001+01:002023-06-20T14:36:46.464+01:00WDW trip planning - making park reservations<span style="font-family: arial;">Once I’d decided <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-back-on-saddle-again.html">I was going to Disneyworld</a> and had organized my <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2023/04/wdw-trip-planning-where-to-start.html">flights plus accommodation</a>, the next step was to procure some of those park tickets I’d heard so much about. I was getting pretty excited about this trip, so now that the more familiar admin was taken care of, I could focus on the exciting, Disney-specific elements. This was something I was looking forward to, of course, but also strangely apprehensive.<br /><br />A bit of context may help: as mentioned previously, I was a pretty confident WDW vacation planner and I also love the vacation planning part of any trip. At the very least I use <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/">Google Travel</a> to record all the various elements but when things get a little more complex, I also use my own documents like spreadsheets and such. It really does depend on the trip but one of my more complicated trips was a two-week Caribbean cruise plus a stay in Texas before and after the cruise, during the latter part of the C19 pandemic. There were a lot of elements to keep track of, including various covid tests before and during travel, so I had a very long document detailing almost every day of the trip.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNEYUWR_KHErimytl6U68v78JQuyquiAtRBBFn4ne6HYthKxGLORYOP8mhLQYvQySFnJNdnzOFeMAg6oGY17cODdMRslANYUdUQr_t5Mw8ojZHpO09l8ldiYgb0snwhZAHBdvmfAc4ZTXPsMQ0BMhB7NQOWC1xY7o0Luiuw_gyyfNhb0OrX7EhJ6SN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiNEYUWR_KHErimytl6U68v78JQuyquiAtRBBFn4ne6HYthKxGLORYOP8mhLQYvQySFnJNdnzOFeMAg6oGY17cODdMRslANYUdUQr_t5Mw8ojZHpO09l8ldiYgb0snwhZAHBdvmfAc4ZTXPsMQ0BMhB7NQOWC1xY7o0Luiuw_gyyfNhb0OrX7EhJ6SN" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFWrkSj8rsUdIxrx2SzVETPzBzZU20XYwcNykEhKmVvVxnaAusngv34lLTEcU80dMkNiHIzl9ohXzR71EBQY50SvwKMfe3bmmEvtjt6fCm47FP_BmLLCMs-2ZcUbx6W6-rsdNyjnzp1-wTPie2Jhv4FG2Nc04IoJmO-zZxZBIMpfP9PDSxj42eChzV7w/s1261/image(31).png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="688" data-original-width="1261" height="175" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkFWrkSj8rsUdIxrx2SzVETPzBzZU20XYwcNykEhKmVvVxnaAusngv34lLTEcU80dMkNiHIzl9ohXzR71EBQY50SvwKMfe3bmmEvtjt6fCm47FP_BmLLCMs-2ZcUbx6W6-rsdNyjnzp1-wTPie2Jhv4FG2Nc04IoJmO-zZxZBIMpfP9PDSxj42eChzV7w/s320/image(31).png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /></div>This particular trip actually started being planned a few years before anyone had even heard of covid, so as flights were cancelled and things were moved, this document came in very handy. But even before all of that, I really enjoyed putting it together. I liked having one place that I could refer to if I had a query on pretty much anything to do with my trip. All details were saved there and as it was saved on the cloud, I could access it from all my devices. <br /><br />However, my previous Disney trips haven’t seen this level of planning, for some reason. On the last trip we took in 2016 I had of course booked flights and hotels, car hire and park tickets but I hadn’t gone as far as to decide which parks we’d do on every day, much less worried about making any advanced dinner reservations (ADRs) or was much bothered about trying to book FastPasses as soon as I was able. <br /><br />Sure, I did try to get a few things nailed down but I just couldn’t figure out how others do it: how do they work out so much detail, so many months in advance? I can’t even make a meal plan for the next few days! My family also seemed cool with that approach, so we were super relaxed about it all. We all chose one thing we absolutely wanted to do and we’d make sure that it would happen - everything else would be a bonus. <br /><br />We had a great time with this approach - we may not have ridden every single attraction but we didn’t really want to do that. I did secure a few FastPasses but we never got to go on Frozen Ever After but that didn’t really bother anyone. Some days we even decided what park to visit on the next day late in the evening before and that was fine, or we’d decide to spend some time in the pool or even split up and have some of us do one thing and the rest, another. <br /><br />It seems to help that we know the parks well and having done some of the attractions many times while we were living there, it was fine to miss out if needed. Many, many years ago when my son was a baby, we flew to Orlando and didn’t even plan to visit any parks. Some friends gave us a free ticket to visit Epcot after 2 PM and we gladly took it, and mostly what we did was walk around World Showcase with the baby asleep in his stroller. It was a lovely visit. So yeah, we are not the typical park visitors, I guess. <br /><br />This time though, things have surely changed. At the most basic level, I need to decide what parks I’ll be visiting, to make reservations and I’m only going for a week. So how many park days will I have? I was thinking that maybe I could save money and only buy the tickets I would use, so I started the research: how much are park tickets, anyway?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br />A quick visit to the <a href="https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/">Disneyworld UK</a> site immediately offers me the 7-day ticket where you really get 14 days to visit the parks. It seemed a bit much, but this was the only option I could find on that site… so I fired up the VPN and checked the <a href="http://www.disneyworld.com/">US WDW</a> site for a comparison. <br /><br />WOW. Suddenly those UK-only tickets looked very, very attractive. Not only did they come out much more reasonable than the US ones, these already included Memory Maker and other perks so it was a no-brainer. I would sadly be wasting the 7 “free days” but the cost was still overall a much better deal. Sorry, non-UK peeps. <br /><br />I bought the ticket (and, incidentally, got about 7 different kinds of confirmation email, transaction email, email with invoice, email with forms…) and once I had this, I could make my park reservations.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br />I checked my dates on the calendar and everything looked good, but I wanted to nail this bit of admin before too late. I now had to choose: which park on which day? I thought it would be hard to choose but I made a somewhat random selection and proceeded to book the days. I had to first link my ticket which initially stumped me, as the page wanted my "annual pass reference" even though I'd clicked on the right button (several times!) I figured it out in the end, and I went on to make the reservations for each day. </span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">It was pretty easy and the confirmation emails I received were useful, so this bit was less painful than I thought it would be. Having said that, I’m writing this a few days later and already wondering if I should make some changes…</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Also, I only made reservations for one person, with one ticket and for seven days. I would like to think that it is not much more complex for those doing this for several people over 14 days but of course, I can't test this. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;">So far, so good. The next bit I wanted to take care of was getting to grips with the app, My Disney Experience. I already have a WDW app on my phone (yup, since 2016 and ported across the two phones I’ve owned since!) but of course, haven’t used it much. <br /><br />I’ll tell you how I got on with it next post!</span><span id="docs-internal-guid-ccf71637-7fff-ccf4-2e5a-fb6f5ad42740"><div><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></div></span></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-70189783584084697002023-04-18T14:47:00.001+01:002023-06-20T14:38:31.087+01:00 WDW trip planning - where to start?<span style="font-family: arial;">Pretty much all of my trip planning starts by looking at flights - and this was no exception. To be honest, I look at flights so much that <a href="https://www.google.com/travel/flights">Google Flights</a> must hate me. I like to dream about travel and sometimes I’ll look at flights just because I’m bored! Other times I do have some sort of a plan but I may abandon the search because of cost, logistics or other reasons.<br /><br />This time the trigger was an email to let me know that <a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/retromagic/">RetroMagic </a>was happening, in early October. So I did what I would automatically do and started searching for flights to Orlando and quickly realised that they were expensive. I tried various strategies for keeping costs down (stopovers, weird airlines, arriving in other airports rather than MCO, etc) and the math really wasn’t working. I looked at flying on unusual days, of staying only a few days… I even tried the incredibly unrealistic booking where I’m not allowed any sensible luggage, but even then it was coming up pricey.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAJeplfmJLYlIJlinKkjYf9DiM4yK89tptTvk8_RArV-Llv-_pHFq6YIgKVIXAuUPY6_L0Ea0t6tYWqcqWJwGBw50F3W7ERDchouFAG-NNRTis4ClTTXwyKewataPrZZfCI1dA93iwZCxiAusRubQoKNzZjerNc4b-XR8rBPRV-be_Znvj4qq_kKc/s1046/flights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCAJeplfmJLYlIJlinKkjYf9DiM4yK89tptTvk8_RArV-Llv-_pHFq6YIgKVIXAuUPY6_L0Ea0t6tYWqcqWJwGBw50F3W7ERDchouFAG-NNRTis4ClTTXwyKewataPrZZfCI1dA93iwZCxiAusRubQoKNzZjerNc4b-XR8rBPRV-be_Znvj4qq_kKc/s1046/flights.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx2jpOUccHJ2QE08WAnof4MoJZc3am7S51DrHKDkeSwYFgNGU56rBSLHqhABbFnUge99nrhUTRNRRnNwGkxtV_9Kyg55VtHvS3yB34kTKmYfn9KPMaYLcWgwbX8pKHWH3nDSoAuVXNY8htOfn-szNp-wKd2UQb3QMDTt6gyhh4eqUGKb0FhoVjKlBWyU/s1046/flights.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="389" data-original-width="1046" height="119" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPx2jpOUccHJ2QE08WAnof4MoJZc3am7S51DrHKDkeSwYFgNGU56rBSLHqhABbFnUge99nrhUTRNRRnNwGkxtV_9Kyg55VtHvS3yB34kTKmYfn9KPMaYLcWgwbX8pKHWH3nDSoAuVXNY8htOfn-szNp-wKd2UQb3QMDTt6gyhh4eqUGKb0FhoVjKlBWyU/s320/flights.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></span><div><span style="font-family: arial;">Especially when added to the hotel - and of course my super-low budget would not allow for anything fancy so Disney hotels were 100% out. I quickly checked some hotel prices for those dates and indeed, the trip was increasingly looking like it wasn’t going to happen. I resigned myself to missing out on RetroMagic again, just because the costs were too much just for flights and accommodation. <br /><br />The next day, I was looking at something completely different and I noticed an ad for <a href="https://www.tui.co.uk/">TUI</a>. It wasn’t even for Florida or the USA but it reminded me that indeed, these guys do fly to Orlando - and use lovely Dreamliners for these routes, too. As soon as I had a chance, I quickly jumped onto the TUI website and… was pleasantly surprised. There were several, very affordable, options and this time including a direct flight (on a lovely aircraft) with reasonable bag allowances and staying for a whole week.</span><div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We were ON.</div></div></div></div><br />Not only did I have a chance to get on a fantastic 787 but I discovered that TUI no longer seems to be using SFB for their base in Orlando. I’ve never liked Sanford, I don’t know why so it was good to know that I wouldn’t have to suffer through it. TUI fly into Melbourne (<a href="https://goo.gl/maps/TQt63vkdvAV1K8xy9">MLB</a>) which I didn’t even know existed. To be fair, this is quite the way out of Orlando so I don’t know how they get away with including this in their official name, but with the hotel transfer included, I wasn’t that bothered. Will be good to discover a new airport, although I will miss not arriving at <a href="https://twitter.com/MCO">MCO </a>which is one of my favorite airports of all time (and I was hoping to get a chance to buy the <a href="https://twitter.com/MCO/status/1560604424220815367?lang=en-GB">carpet socks</a>!)<br /><br />I began to look at the accommodation options more carefully, thinking about where I wanted to stay. Disney hotels were still out (too expensive) but this is where my area knowledge came in handy. I am not a huge fan of the I-Drive area so kind of ruled this one out straight away. LBV is my favorite but nothing there was within my budget, so my option here was Kissimmee, along the 192. We’ve stayed in this area before and it was fine, so it would do the job nicely for this trip too.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbht04JXSO06x65UnAoDGUEyyudyzs58ttsizCaJB9aeBhWG7CNNyl6NWuHo3gBPSeMYewno07fk149eeJe44exkaXSvUqFHkaJg3B0NnpHFQSGQOWQ4uKeA88wUCIq-aE6qfGb7E2O4ZtIdkwZ_okmmv9wRIOSxJuk-t1QcgN4kS7VZPhHPSUYc0/s1113/fla.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqbht04JXSO06x65UnAoDGUEyyudyzs58ttsizCaJB9aeBhWG7CNNyl6NWuHo3gBPSeMYewno07fk149eeJe44exkaXSvUqFHkaJg3B0NnpHFQSGQOWQ4uKeA88wUCIq-aE6qfGb7E2O4ZtIdkwZ_okmmv9wRIOSxJuk-t1QcgN4kS7VZPhHPSUYc0/s1113/fla.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeDDI54QQPEuE27BPzpem9iLFq92tVcRXHQk7www-IGEDGj6VI0P6Y-S-xYngzITJncHQHbUdRWlqrcF4tbsuqS_aA6JBJyMtML3hCAsTxlMKTA3QqHvmg9WDSuPrOYlzldzu0fJSZ85jsZm_E3oL4aUdv7ON9SzK5uLCtXVY3KV5seHOO6807oa_y8s/s1113/fla(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="707" data-original-width="1113" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQeDDI54QQPEuE27BPzpem9iLFq92tVcRXHQk7www-IGEDGj6VI0P6Y-S-xYngzITJncHQHbUdRWlqrcF4tbsuqS_aA6JBJyMtML3hCAsTxlMKTA3QqHvmg9WDSuPrOYlzldzu0fJSZ85jsZm_E3oL4aUdv7ON9SzK5uLCtXVY3KV5seHOO6807oa_y8s/s320/fla(1).jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I found a place that wasn’t too expensive, not too fancy but not a total dump and that provides shuttle transfers. This meant I wouldn’t really need to rent a car although I know that shuttle transfers can be a little crazy. In any case, I can Uber from this location and it would be a reasonable cost, as it is not too far. <br /><br />The issue about car hire did make me think. I’ve never gone to Florida and NOT hired a car, but usually, we’d go for 2 or 3 weeks, as a family and we wouldn’t be spending the entire vacation just visiting Disney parks. This trip was just me, only for a week, and the only driving I’d be doing would be mainly to the parks where I’d have to pay for parking so I just couldn’t see the benefit. It would add cost and be mostly sitting in a parking lot somewhere. <br /><br />Once I had researched the 3 or 4 potential hotels (using mostly <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/">TripAdvisor </a>although <a href="https://www.google.co.uk/">Google reviews</a> are handy too, taken with a massive pinch of salt) I had a pretty good idea of what I wanted to book. So I booked it! <br /><br />So far, planning for this trip was pretty much the same as I do for all others: lots and lots of research, little hacks to try to keep costs down and then narrowing down to a few choices that I research further. But a Disney vacation is not like others - and I was about to move into the travel elements that I know less about…</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />In my next blog post, I’ll continue the story and let you know how I got on with booking park tickets, park reservations and that famous <a href="https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/plan/my-disney-experience/mobile-apps/">My Disney Experience app</a>!</span></div></div></div></div></div></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-15900849242971133712023-04-17T14:25:00.003+01:002023-06-20T15:00:29.759+01:00WDW trip planning - back on the saddle again!<span style="font-family: arial;">The last time I went to Disney World was in August 2016. It was a world where the most annoying thing that we had to do before entering the theme parks was to go through security. It certainly was a different world.<br /><br />t was a time of FastPass, of unlimited park hopping and when there were absolutely zero construction walls in Epcot. Nobody had heard about park reservations and most sightlines in Epcot were pretty clean. The most complex technical thing that we had to achieve before our visit (and even then, it was entirely optional) was to link our Magic Bands to our park tickets so that we could use them.</span><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2sqDnW_Cn3ITC-08M_11ZZmwMJAyw1xRla9w4XGCMtVhZuKE2u3JUDiARJDSFeJPEy6Wi3Ltw88PObRE6jLLhE4VKW7BJSRu2UQZGW_WvRAhZY0Gqj26Lg6-BcoRGW7auonfRFVkYbvt3EnTfWDa4bCsyE9m8Gdw9hDHcbo5ldPPOtDoo8ciEDaHn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi2sqDnW_Cn3ITC-08M_11ZZmwMJAyw1xRla9w4XGCMtVhZuKE2u3JUDiARJDSFeJPEy6Wi3Ltw88PObRE6jLLhE4VKW7BJSRu2UQZGW_WvRAhZY0Gqj26Lg6-BcoRGW7auonfRFVkYbvt3EnTfWDa4bCsyE9m8Gdw9hDHcbo5ldPPOtDoo8ciEDaHn" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kLFm1uCFunHiyyTLZhwvHMCey3zh4bSEVQTquU8qhCK1es4SPpd_G5B97_y-RQz98V6jnAj7Q3F_Tmxqt-GaSWM6T3BVt4_AH0sGPmHF9YFKioA56U4FpP3Ujk5tj_4MEHkWtBLMW4aSZ2ZYRWfAFJl0tHhFzX4dkjcW8i1q8FAGChrJTmob3sB64_s/s6000/EPCOT_BACKSIDE1_20160816_7774182955.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="6000" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1kLFm1uCFunHiyyTLZhwvHMCey3zh4bSEVQTquU8qhCK1es4SPpd_G5B97_y-RQz98V6jnAj7Q3F_Tmxqt-GaSWM6T3BVt4_AH0sGPmHF9YFKioA56U4FpP3Ujk5tj_4MEHkWtBLMW4aSZ2ZYRWfAFJl0tHhFzX4dkjcW8i1q8FAGChrJTmob3sB64_s/s320/EPCOT_BACKSIDE1_20160816_7774182955.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /></div><br /><br /><br />Needless to say, things have changed quite a bit since then. It’s amazing to think just how much things have changed in under a decade and just how much I’ve fallen behind. <br /><br />As you may know, I’ve been a Disney fan for a long time now: going back way, way back, to perhaps the early 80s if not earlier. I remember going to Disney World when I was very little and having a wonderful time but the memories are vague and broken. Although I do know that there were Disney characters on the walls in my bedroom when I was a baby, and I had a Mickey Mouse pinata when I was around 4 or 5 years old. <br /><br />I have better memories of the 80s when I would watch the Disney Channel compulsively and record (on a Betamax!) any special that had anything to do with the Disney parks, but especially Disney World. OH, how I wish I had that tape now… I would dream of Disney holidays and convince my parents to take us there. I was lucky enough to do this several times in the late 80s and early 90s. It was a long way to go - my dad wouldn’t fly (too expensive) so we drove and it took 3 whole days to get there and 3 whole days to return but it was totally worth it. <br /><br />As I got older, my interest in Disney parks only grew and eventually I learned about the <a href="https://jobs.disneycareers.com/international-programs-opt-in" target="_blank">International Program</a>, which I successfully entered in 1995. By then, I knew the parks like the back of my hand and there were only three: Magic Kingdom, EPCOT Center and Disney-MGM studios. I also knew the surrounding area like a local so when I did my Disney Traditions training I even knew where all the bathrooms were. I was THAT much of an expert.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrFta4BqqU-wB7I5YNKViXAzR4_kcgy9bsYEqzSfV7XWsPGXpimFKNYzSJFSXv50BHR0l5RmVa9SznqOYuxlrJxSsQUhd_l1UekTAN1LxxmoELOk2-92x8LE8LWYc8DDe4XedT4H-puaojvWj3bPFUcisDE0j_rVcGBlsSWQmFkAWG4o0vVO_41nOT40/s1744/Untitled-Scanned-17.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1744" data-original-width="1192" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqrFta4BqqU-wB7I5YNKViXAzR4_kcgy9bsYEqzSfV7XWsPGXpimFKNYzSJFSXv50BHR0l5RmVa9SznqOYuxlrJxSsQUhd_l1UekTAN1LxxmoELOk2-92x8LE8LWYc8DDe4XedT4H-puaojvWj3bPFUcisDE0j_rVcGBlsSWQmFkAWG4o0vVO_41nOT40/s320/Untitled-Scanned-17.jpg" width="219" /></a></div><br /><br /></div><br />After a year of working there, my knowledge levels were off the charts - or at least I thought so. Not only did I know the parks perfectly but I also had visited all the hotels and knew them pretty well - what restaurants they had, the decor, the vibes… everything. I even knew which Disney transportation was the best choice between any two points on property, and how long it would take to get there. I was the person you wanted near you when booking a Disney vacation. <br /><br />Eventually, I could use this knowledge by working as a travel agent in the UK - but living further away did mean that my chances to visit the parks were more limited. At first, we did go reasonably often (maybe every 2 or 3 years) but after a while, this was not practical for various reasons and I had to get used to the fact that I was more likely to visit <a href="https://www.disneylandparis.com/en-gb/" target="_blank">Disneyland Paris</a> (which we did!) than WDW in Florida. However, I kept up the knowledge with the internet and I was still pretty good at my Disney smarts, even though there was a whole new park (Animal Kingdom) and a bunch of new hotels that I’d never visited. <br /><br />However, since that visit in 2016, I’ve had one of the longest gaps between WDW trips and I have the pandemic to thank, among other things. I had planned to visit in 2021 for the 50th anniversary as it would also be my 50th birthday and that would be my birthday gift. We of course know that this was not to be as travel to the US was essentially forbidden for non-citizens and entry to Disney parks was very restricted. So I had to postpone those plans.<br /><br />As the world slowly started to get back to normal, I had hopes of planning that trip to Disney World again yet the news coming out from there was not great: new restrictions around park reservations and park hopping were discouraging, as were the news of the replacement of FastPass with something called <a href="https://www.disneyworld.co.uk/genie/information/" target="_blank">Genie </a>which seemed to basically just cost more money. I also heard about price rises in most areas, including extortionate fees just to park, at the same time as it seemed that most Disney hotels were scaling back on what they offered. <br /><br />Even daily housekeeping couldn’t be taken for granted!<br /><br />I hoped that these troubling new developments would go away as pandemic restrictions eased but it sure didn’t seem to be the case. For me, the most concerning news was of these Genie and Genie+ services: it seemed to be a way for the Disney company to make more money out of people that were already shelling out a lot just to be in the parks, with the additional inconvenience of having to get up incredibly early on my vacation just to be sure I could get on the more popular attractions. <br /><br />I must admit that all I was learning was a serious detractor and I gave up my WDW plans. It just seemed to me that everything was more expensive than I could afford, but also offering less than previous trips to WDW had offered. I also fell way behind in my knowledge and still struggle to understand exactly how Genie and Genie+ work, what happens if I don’t want to get up at 7 AM to book things, why do I have to plan which park to visit every day of my trip months in advance and how to get around the park without having to be glued to my phone all day. <br /><br />As much as I wanted to go to WDW, I also didn’t want to find it so annoying that I would be disappointed with the experience - or end up paying over the odds just to experience some of the magic we’d taken for granted before. So I made the rational decision to indefinitely postpone my 50th birthday trip to WDW, for another time when things wouldn’t be so annoying.<br /><br />But then, something changed. I got the news that <a href="https://www.retrowdw.com/retromagic/" target="_blank">RetroMagic</a> was happening in Oct 2023 and I really wanted to go. The timings meant that it should be less expensive as it’s not during school holidays and also that I could go on my own which would also keep costs down. I also have always felt that I was cheated out of my 50th birthday so this was a good opportunity. To make a long story short, I did some research and found a relatively inexpensive way to get there. <br /><br />With flights, hotel and RetroMagic ticket all booked - next came the rest of it. I now have to purchase tickets and finally have to get acquainted with all the incredibly complex technical details and all the other stuff that I would now need to know to be able to plan a WDW trip. It all seems still super daunting (and remember: I used to be an expert at this!) but it will be interesting to see how the reality stacks up to the image in my mind about this process. <br /><br />I've decided to blog about this, as it may be interesting and/or useful for anyone in the same situation as me. It will also be cool to read this back in the future!</span><br /></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-64010362785065140792022-05-24T16:26:00.000+01:002022-05-24T16:26:16.201+01:00Reflections<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4K47zxByVWrsJv5KFVrgbiSRpi1Oqu6_sS5gzfXczy-1f-trOI7C8VXANYcbWalrnIuVzfc48HBgXwQIBJmCq1hr1UlYWhD8bvyuGCe7TYMSt2vKYF5srGw4vwX1NifRWJV46kcCpysBeuMi7G1HuJqbzPEcYPQvpRVBuseMXPIF6QhiJDOeJI7mx" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="183" data-original-width="275" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh4K47zxByVWrsJv5KFVrgbiSRpi1Oqu6_sS5gzfXczy-1f-trOI7C8VXANYcbWalrnIuVzfc48HBgXwQIBJmCq1hr1UlYWhD8bvyuGCe7TYMSt2vKYF5srGw4vwX1NifRWJV46kcCpysBeuMi7G1HuJqbzPEcYPQvpRVBuseMXPIF6QhiJDOeJI7mx" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In the last few weeks the miracle continued: I've been able to eat most meals, most things. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've been able to join the family again for mealtimes and go out with friends for food.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've cooked some nice meals and then was able to enjoy the fruits of my hard work.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Over my birthday weekend, I was able to eat cake, have a few drinks and feel pretty normal.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Starbucks have once again seen me darken their doorstep and I've been able to enjoy some nice drinks (and get back on track with my Gold status). </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Mealtimes are no longer something I dread or that make me anxious - I can now sit down and enjoy food like most people do.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">In short: things are fairly back to normal. I still think that my stomach has shrunk and most of the time I'm having much smaller portions than I used to but this is probably a good thing. I'm sure I was having large portions before so it's not a bad idea to reduce those! I also struggle with some very specific textures but they are mostly in foods that I don't much like anyway so avoiding them is not a huge hassle. Even the nightly sorbet doesn't feel so much like a prescribed treatment but more like a yummy treat. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I do feel like I've learned an awful lot in this experience, with the main takeaway being that our minds are incredibly powerful and mental health shouldn't be taken for granted. In my specific case an anxiety was wrapped around swallowing for some reason (not yet sure why) with the net result being months of thinking I was unable to eat, which in turn led to more anxiety which then fed back perfectly into more dificulty eating and so on. The cycle was broken and I'm better for it - but still don't know why the anxiety was triggered (although there are many good theories, of course) and why it attached itself to a very particular reflex. I have become very aware of mental issues and how everyone is at risk, even those that seem like they are ok or have no issues. One never knows what lurks inside their minds... so it's important to always, always be kind and non-judgemental. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">During all those months when I was barely eating enough, not only did my weight drop (albeit not as quickly as I would have thought it would do, given that I was eating practically nothing) but my body seemed to adapt to this. I have NEVER said that this is any sort of great diet - and I am definitely not recomending it - but I now know that my body doesn't actually need as much as I was eating to keep going. Reducing my portion size, in this case, is perfectly reasonable and will not make me feel like I'm depriving myself. Much the opposite, these days I will eat anything I want but in serious moderation.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Speaking of deprivation, I now know what it feels like to be truly, seriously hungry. Not just the callous "I'm starving!" that we all throw out when we're only just hungry: but a real feeling of emptiness inside that you know can't be fulfilled for a reason. In my case it was medical but for other people, being hungry like that is their baseline: they simply can't afford to eat. In a very small way I now how that feels and how that colors every aspect of life. I have therefore become much more considerate and giving when it comes to food banks and donations. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is possible that this whole stupid episode is helping me become a slightly better person - and I am just SO grateful that things seem to be moving forward in a positive way! </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com1Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-68555838655636433682022-04-29T17:01:00.002+01:002022-04-29T17:01:45.065+01:00A new dawn<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIBtwj09MqUU1BuAtFdMu04N-pU-9-oFcHBX9R4fu876tYpNT8I12adKiXuaZBtaxwWsB_111Vl8q4gfdZGPzNnS8B-1SxGdu-cp5pjz95LerMvnULlGRZrNK3R3ORUB-lAUVah_eUcVwCySq2cGqAAHFtvztXK9cScMBCJGZAcAmrGyeNZvRMOLx2" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="512" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjIBtwj09MqUU1BuAtFdMu04N-pU-9-oFcHBX9R4fu876tYpNT8I12adKiXuaZBtaxwWsB_111Vl8q4gfdZGPzNnS8B-1SxGdu-cp5pjz95LerMvnULlGRZrNK3R3ORUB-lAUVah_eUcVwCySq2cGqAAHFtvztXK9cScMBCJGZAcAmrGyeNZvRMOLx2" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Our minds are certainly powerful and capable of so much. They are also weird and work in baffling ways, or at least mine does.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">After some waiting, I finally had a meeting with a Speech-Language Therapist and BOY was this the most useful hour of my life! (well, at least as it relates to my swallowing issues). After reviewing my medical history and tests, we had a chat about what I was experiencing and how was I coping. My SLT was very straight and direct and basically said that I had nothing wrong, physically, but had somehow developed a form of eating disorder with an anxiety overlay. And that was all fine, she could help.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I then got an anatomy lesson to show me how swallowing works and also to reassure me that this is something that happens automatically...but when it doesn't, I've been over-thinking it. This causes a self-fulfilling prophecy that if I think I might choke, my body will start to agree and protect me against this fictional danger. This has also meant that my brain and swallowing connection has been lost and I essentially need to start to learn to eat all over again like we all do when we are babies. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">She's given me some exercises, some foods to try and some routines. I don't want to go into too much detail because another thing I must do is basically stop giving this so much importance: eat with distractions (so much for mindful eating for me!), stop worrying about it, talking about it and making it so much the center of my life. In her words "if you want something to eat, eat it. You can.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is these last few words that seem to have had the most effect on me: I literally went home after the appointment feeling like I've been given permission to eat again. And my brain agreed so I sat down for some food, using the techniques and suggestions she made, and as you may have guessed, I was fine. This has extended to other meals and although this is very, very early days, I can already feel a difference in how I approach eating. Instead of thinking that I would love to eat something but it's just not going to work, I just tell myself that I CAN eat it, there is nothing wrong with me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The more I challenge myself, the more I can help to restore that brain-swallowing connection and hopefully make it more automatic, more natural. This in turn gives me confidence that I can indeed eat less of the soft stuff and more tacos or whatever it is I really want. I've already managed peanut butter and jelly on toast, and not just survived but actually quite enjoyed the experience! I've been able to join others at lunchtime and no longer feel like a weirdo - I was so engrossed in the conversation I was eating LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE DO. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Again, this is very early days but I can feel that this will work - because it is already working. There are a few other things I need to do, just like anyone in therapy would, but they are very enjoyable: facial steaming, sipping iced water and lemon sorbet at the end of the day. They are prescribed tasks but to be honest, they feel more like self-care so I have no trouble doing those. I also have to keep a food diary and this particularly appeals to the OCD part of my brain: it may be a chore to some but to me, it's actually a fun thing to add to my bullet journal and I really enjoy completing it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For the first time in months, I feel hopeful - I may not be entirely broken. I was physically fine all the time, I just needed reassurance and permission to challenge myself, it seems, as well as letting go of that anxiety that has done nothing but hold me back. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I really hope this continues - and I need to be careful not to start going the other way and over-eating! </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One interesting postscript is that my SLT (who I'm seeing privately) mentioned that she's seen my name on the NHS waitlist and that it is taking around 2 years to see people at the moment! They are getting better at tackling the list and I may not have to wait as long but it will be interesting to see how long it actually takes. I can't imagine waiting that long but I also am lucky enough to be able to access private care. </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-30395898227735110072022-04-22T14:49:00.000+01:002022-04-22T14:49:23.317+01:00Empty, hopeless and lonely<p><br /></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV3uqo2djEA1WEOKWO12N8iq3n_QKLpo2RsOVk5NS-MHAz1qMkVDxXBFBFV_Z30jpNaia8wcgbJPHBumhOWGXM8rmgCeaLheOnJdzCC7eTaEYYFmlr6P3G0-4M52UUql1anRvEK2OLUkU7Sjf7r4YrAPKxsQrfuLgHdW96F3FtNKu8Jw9sX1MtAfCL" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="812" data-original-width="1200" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgV3uqo2djEA1WEOKWO12N8iq3n_QKLpo2RsOVk5NS-MHAz1qMkVDxXBFBFV_Z30jpNaia8wcgbJPHBumhOWGXM8rmgCeaLheOnJdzCC7eTaEYYFmlr6P3G0-4M52UUql1anRvEK2OLUkU7Sjf7r4YrAPKxsQrfuLgHdW96F3FtNKu8Jw9sX1MtAfCL" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's been six months since I first noticed that I was having trouble eating.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Since then I've had a handful of doctor's appointments, hospital visits, peculiar tests, bits of advice, good days, bad days...and very, very little to eat. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I know that the medical establishment is trying to help, with all the limits and struggles that it also has because of the pandemic and all sorts of other circumstances. I know (or want to believe) that every person I've met wants to help but the fact remains that we still don't really know why this is happening AND that I also eat less than a picky toddler during a trip to a foreign country where they don't like any of the food. My weight keeps dropping and I'm sure my nutrition is absolutely awful. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">My body does seem to be adapting though - I don't get as many hunger pangs as I used to, even when eating one Babybel all day. I also don't get so many headaches even though I'm barely drinking a glass of water a day. I'm sure neither of these things leads to a full and healthy life but right now food is more of a fuel for me, so I'll take calories where I can find them, and liquid when I can manage it. First thing in the morning seems a good time to drink water so often, this is the only time when I can take more than one swallow. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm still missing out on countless other things though - I've been on a few holidays where I was barely able to sample the local cuisine which used to be one of my favourite things when travelling. I've missed out on amazing looking foods just because I also knew that there was no way I would be able to swallow those, which is a real shame. I've also been to restaurants and cafes where I've had to turn down the food even though I really, really wanted to eat some of it because it looked or smelled delicious. I've been on a couple of all-inclusive holidays where I definitely didn't make the most of what I'd paid to be there!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm still waiting on an appointment with the speech therapist, and I hope this happens soon. I also hope that whatever they recommend works because I'm not sure how much longer I can carry on like this. I also feel so very alone, because I don't know anyone else that has this or has even heard of anyone else experiencing this. Sure, I have heard anecdotes from some people that know a friend, a relative or someone that has something like this, but when I dig deeper, it isn't exactly what I've got. I have no one to relate to, nobody that has raised their hand and said "yes, I also can't swallow foods and I know how it feels."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Do you know anyone? Please let me know - I would love to just find someone to sympathise with and, maybe, share some tips on coping. Because I feel pretty hopeless about ever being able to eat another full meal, ever again. </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-77035750438606216882022-03-31T16:26:00.001+01:002022-03-31T16:26:09.269+01:00Bad to worse<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWt7F1Gsq6LRVGAXo8_XQ-5spjE2OI5SlQArGYB_lazrA2LkbBmqAYvLRub10Keb8R8KY0VLZ_OZ4Lep0NN8eL6R29qiy6vb0gpEc_2GtHcDGueN0AEcCg4Bs997SOIBd_41qggD58filUqwZAoaY25-S1cFCzT8WOwdR-pRZejump-dqj2WuRPv4P" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="668" data-original-width="1000" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhWt7F1Gsq6LRVGAXo8_XQ-5spjE2OI5SlQArGYB_lazrA2LkbBmqAYvLRub10Keb8R8KY0VLZ_OZ4Lep0NN8eL6R29qiy6vb0gpEc_2GtHcDGueN0AEcCg4Bs997SOIBd_41qggD58filUqwZAoaY25-S1cFCzT8WOwdR-pRZejump-dqj2WuRPv4P" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Things were sort of ok - in that way that it was almost possible to forget that I had any issue at all - and just when I thought I could almost live that way, they got bad.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">THEN they got worse.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Since yesterday evening I've not been able to eat or drink anything - not even water. Every sip of water I take (because that is all I've dared try today) is a massive undertaking and makes me feel like I'm going to absolutely choke. I even spat out one of those tiny sips because I wasn't confident that it would not kill me. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So yeah, got the <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank">old headache back</a> and I am 100% thirsty. I am also slowly losing my focus and I can see that my legs will start to wobble very soon. This will also inevitably trigger my anxiety and perhaps even keep me up at night, further making me tired, grumpy and a nightmare. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Previous bad days have eventually turned into good ones so I'm hoping that this does, too. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The struggle continues. </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-84216856695150112692022-03-24T16:47:00.007+00:002022-03-24T16:53:43.676+00:00Not the greatest smoothie I've ever had<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVyucvaU1cSUj_pEImeWSJJCHttWZ0FS-mpLuJyerLpev1drNPt9LsiQ5Q0Sr08cvPVSBO0cs4S7MdjVqSaWqRGuknOinvLORyYv0QMKrVloYEZQN58cRAxTbWbShLGkMGIOx3gbFsIEM5f-o6qvzlKNazbsVULN17qgbkS6Vls1E1CFml-9fbBdgU" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="618" data-original-width="1100" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhVyucvaU1cSUj_pEImeWSJJCHttWZ0FS-mpLuJyerLpev1drNPt9LsiQ5Q0Sr08cvPVSBO0cs4S7MdjVqSaWqRGuknOinvLORyYv0QMKrVloYEZQN58cRAxTbWbShLGkMGIOx3gbFsIEM5f-o6qvzlKNazbsVULN17qgbkS6Vls1E1CFml-9fbBdgU" width="320" /></a></span></div><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A week ago I spent around 30 minutes swallowing the thickest, chalkiest, heaviest smoothie I've ever had. It tasted sort of like strawberry but a very small cup of it (the size of a shot glass) weighed way more than its size would suggest. It also had the texture of plaster and was about as hard to swallow.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I mean, I know that this is <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/02/while-i-continue-to-waste-away.html" target="_blank">not the easiest thing</a> for me to do right now, but I bet that even people without a swallowing challenge would struggle.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Why was I doing this? As a medical test, of course. This has many names (videofluoroscopy was the name on my letter) but most people referred to it as the <a href="https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/oesophageal-cancer/getting-diagnosed/tests-diagnose/barium-swallow" target="_blank">Barium swallow test</a>. The idea here is that you swallow this heavy, thick smoothie while professionals watch your insides with X-rays and see what happens. There are several different kinds of swallows that I had to do: small ones, quick ones, facing sideways, facing the other ways, and even - God forbid - lying down. I even had to chew a marshmallow coated in the stuff, all in the interest of trying to find out what is going on with my body</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Because this thing was SO thick, it was incredibly hard to actually swallow. The doctor guiding the procedure wanted me to swallow larger amounts but I just simply couldn't and had to take tiny little sips. I did try to have a larger swallow once but really did feel like I was going to choke. Only the thought that I was already in a hospital (and therefore somebody in there had to know how to save my life) helped me to persevere in the act.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, also being watched closely - and on the inside - puts one under certain pressure and while I wanted to "do well" I also knew that it was probably best if I didn't, as this would mean getting closer to solving this thing.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Anyway, it was certainly an interesting way to spend an afternoon and the results have now come in: nothing unusual, serious or even faulty was found. There seem to be some minor issues with the way food makes its way down my oesophagus but apparently, nothing more than a nuisance. Generally, all this is good news.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But still, the issue persists! I don't know if I'm getting better at coping or have simply stopped trying and am sticking with what I know is sort of ok: smoothies, crisps, veggie nuggets, chocolate and some kinds of cheese. Yup, my <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/02/tempting-fate.html" target="_blank">nutrition is absolutely terrible</a> but at least I get some calories to <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/running-low-on-fuel.html" target="_blank">see me through the day</a>. I still get good days and bad days (currently having a bad week, incidentally) and there seems to be no pattern that I can work out: there are too many variables.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The next steps are a referral to a speech therapist and I really, truly hope that this helps. While I'm getting better at the <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/food-for-mind.html" target="_blank">more emotional side of food</a> it is still hard to sit at a table with others and not be able to eat or to look at all the lovely Easter eggs available and know that I won't be able to have most of them (although chocolate is one of my more reliable foods... so maybe...) I still find that swallowing is slightly easier in the mornings than the evenings and now plan accordingly. I have even started cooking more frequently and in most cases, these are meals that I barely taste <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/at-start-of-this-pandemic-lot-of-us.html" target="_blank">which totally sucks</a>. But at least now I don't cry so often.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I also realize that in a world so full of terrible news all the time, my issues are barely important. As several medical professionals have reassured me, this is nothing even remotely serious. I keep trying to maintain a <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/what-is-this-going-to-teach-me.html" target="_blank">mostly positive outlook</a> and focus on the things I can do (chocolate, again!) and hope for better days. </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-69491228522102764552022-02-23T16:24:00.001+00:002022-02-23T16:24:36.305+00:00Tempting fate...<p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh_dXhtmrdiNuSOqAw9y8njqv3uklMTwi95dGP1rF5c5TaETcj-XFlAWsVgp38bgwwh3GwvGsWo4BJBy85OulADGYsP8fh535usXoHTELLD4wFbWhn7_tUp_YfJmlGx8pLq5MnghT-s8nAyTvyol3SZOb1aa1Uat-MKDmu2lmD_6swttWqz5EsEiW5" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="320" data-original-width="500" height="205" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEgh_dXhtmrdiNuSOqAw9y8njqv3uklMTwi95dGP1rF5c5TaETcj-XFlAWsVgp38bgwwh3GwvGsWo4BJBy85OulADGYsP8fh535usXoHTELLD4wFbWhn7_tUp_YfJmlGx8pLq5MnghT-s8nAyTvyol3SZOb1aa1Uat-MKDmu2lmD_6swttWqz5EsEiW5" width="320" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: arial;">Over the last couple of weeks things have been up and down - and to be honest, mostly up. I didn't want to jinx it so I stayed away from the blog, knowing that the moment I wrote that things were "pretty much ok" it would all come crashing down.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Or maybe I'm getting better at coping? If that is the case then it is true that we can get used to anything.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have noticed that I am more successful with foods like chicken or veggie nuggets (like Quorn or similar chicken substitutes), mozzarella fingers as long as they are not too melty, very buttery scrambled egg with tomato sauce (no lumps), creamy or tomato-y pasta, Pringles, Doritos and Cheez-its. I'm also good with smoothies, milkshakes and other thick drinks - and on very good days, even a latte as long as it is not too hot.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Nutritionally, this is a disaster: mostly junk food, barely any veggies and the only fruit is whatever I tip into the breakfast smoothie. I tried making a smooth-but-thick roasted vegetable soup (thinking it was sort of the same texture as a smoothie) but that was a big no-no. So I had some Pringles instead which delivered on the need to eat something but not any real nutritional value. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">However, these days I will take calories from wherever I can take them so if it means that some days my entire fuel consists of smoothie, Doritos and chocolate then I will take it and move on. At least I don't feel so weak all the time and have started going for walks again. But I am under no illusion that this is sustainable (although toddlers do seem to survive on similar poor diets so yeah, there's that.)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I've also seen a specialist a couple of times and they've poked my throat and even chucked a small camera down my nose to take a look but so far the good news is that nothing seems abnormal. The bad news is that nothing seems abnormal. <i>Further tests required</i> is becoming their catchphrase.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So while I continue to learn to live with being unable to swallow like most other people do, I think I've slowly learned how to live with this challenge while at the same time enjoying a period of things being "pretty much ok". </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Now that I wrote it, I'm sure I've jinxed it and tomorrow will be another awful day!</span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-64988393118362092652022-02-11T15:02:00.000+00:002022-02-11T15:02:10.506+00:00While I continue to waste away...<p><span style="font-family: arial;">So, what does a <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/today-im-okay.html" target="_blank">"good" day</a> look like?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Well, it would mean that, in addition to a small smoothie for breakfast, I would have this much pasta for lunch:</span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPZx95ZJXgKH2bMooQd1juvCBS5lWinXdztIFJPxMX6Zu3c2JlIFoVewCnJx0-i_K8S4SYThXFgbN-SzVZClMWVj14tQzBD25hdP9V0zmuMs5rXPJms0muHuCOao4YG2OK6dpDVmMeccp_G8lCmRkGN_aRkub8OtwQ204Y3qELKWxEZB39aryRnmVh=s3024" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhPZx95ZJXgKH2bMooQd1juvCBS5lWinXdztIFJPxMX6Zu3c2JlIFoVewCnJx0-i_K8S4SYThXFgbN-SzVZClMWVj14tQzBD25hdP9V0zmuMs5rXPJms0muHuCOao4YG2OK6dpDVmMeccp_G8lCmRkGN_aRkub8OtwQ204Y3qELKWxEZB39aryRnmVh=s320" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p>It would start out warm but by the time I finish it (literally hours later), it's pretty cold. If it was a particularly good day, I would have about half of that for dinner and this would take a long time too.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Throughout the day I would aim to drink as much water as possible, and on a good day it would be about a glass of water through the day. In tiny little sips. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I repeat - this is on a good day.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">On a bad day, I would probably have none of this and on a very bad day, even my own saliva is a challenge.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Yet doctors continue to treat me as if none of this is urgent. </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-71761093109707987002022-02-08T14:03:00.000+00:002022-02-08T14:03:00.691+00:00Coping and frustration<p><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeGUk-M2VF5vFpKq-3TGAmayhbAY-nmUknulhk9bM8Uo2x2cKhY-4RoSlhgaAxcEI47vlAWLOiFHkm_XkmLDg5tpZeMJXzIqCmlHqVlFfW0cRdfbV3muA6HWTiu4OQecrhOpo8kbr2jYjhINyr1p5eqYM_jgjOLqI9nfyKteSUYvo3SraFJbBTlaT/s798/food.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="482" data-original-width="798" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjeGUk-M2VF5vFpKq-3TGAmayhbAY-nmUknulhk9bM8Uo2x2cKhY-4RoSlhgaAxcEI47vlAWLOiFHkm_XkmLDg5tpZeMJXzIqCmlHqVlFfW0cRdfbV3muA6HWTiu4OQecrhOpo8kbr2jYjhINyr1p5eqYM_jgjOLqI9nfyKteSUYvo3SraFJbBTlaT/w531-h320/food.jpg" width="531" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div></div></div><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It's amazing how many things seem to pivot around food. I've m<a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/food-for-mind.html" target="_blank">entioned some before</a> but it seems that every day I discover something new... truly a case of "you don't know what you've got until it's gone."</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For a start, you know those days when you are tired, perhaps from a poor night's sleep and having to work the next day? Typically on those days, I would definitely have a few coffees and then something like eggs for breakfast. Then I'd try to stay awake by snacking and grazing all day. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">These days, as you know by now, these are not options available to me right now so pulling through on a tiring day is much, much harder. I hadn't realised just how much I would depend on food and especially drinks to get me through the tiredness. Without these strategies, it was very, very hard to get through a long Monday after a not-so-great night. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Another surprising food situation I've recently experienced is visiting a Disney park - the snacks and treats are <a href="https://insidethemagic.net/2019/04/10-disneyland-paris-snacks-hd1/" target="_blank">so much a part of the adventure</a>! Missing out on this feels like missing out on a big part of the Disney experience and at times I was so upset at having to miss out I felt like crying with frustration. I realise that this is one of the more minor irritations I'll experience (as I have no further plans for Disney parks in the near future) but whenever I recall the memories, I'm afraid I'll keep remembering the snacks I DIDN'T have, rather than the lovely moments I DID. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">These two situations have in common the fact that they are ones I hadn't quite appreciated just how important food was, but also how frustrating that felt. In both cases the fact that I wasn't able to eat or drink was frustrating and at times took over the moment. At other times, I probably wouldn't even have really noticed the fact that the food and/or drink was enhancing and helping with the experience. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">The latest from the doctor is that, unsurprisingly, further tests are required. I keep getting reassurance from medical consultants that this is probably just an annoyance but of course, one that does keep getting in the way with daily life. While it is good to know that this doesn't seem to be an indicator of something more serious, it is also continually frustrating to not get an answer and have to wait and wait and wait, while all the time I can't get any real advice on what to do while I continue to wait.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm working very hard to <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/what-is-this-going-to-teach-me.html" target="_blank">stick to the positive focus</a>, but on some days this can be very difficult. I just want to wave a magic wand and have things go back to normal so that I can sit and enjoy a coffee and cake just like everyone else.</span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-26389733702011160302022-02-03T14:44:00.006+00:002022-02-08T13:51:18.386+00:00Bad days are here again<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrcPBwRJD3S_09HkprUqe3LPNH_rg4E_Z_QAoVwVNjb4Pa15YX19lwhvbpZBsqi41rLGlFsuKQyJFjHlphszHbpkPzPXWjo-yJ8UQRuB72q56cb0_lwfH22tDmpMyCFy50-KdH88iRU-xF4r5gOEJ2UgEA_etqxF-SnO3nebqnOWUlPz_jW7MO4fus" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="410" data-original-width="728" height="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEhrcPBwRJD3S_09HkprUqe3LPNH_rg4E_Z_QAoVwVNjb4Pa15YX19lwhvbpZBsqi41rLGlFsuKQyJFjHlphszHbpkPzPXWjo-yJ8UQRuB72q56cb0_lwfH22tDmpMyCFy50-KdH88iRU-xF4r5gOEJ2UgEA_etqxF-SnO3nebqnOWUlPz_jW7MO4fus=w550-h310" width="550" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">As I thought, <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/today-im-okay.html" target="_blank">good days</a> are followed by not-so-good ones.</span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Once again I'm <a href="https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/8711032629416277344/2705986682793492740?hl=en-GB" target="_blank">struggling to eat almost anything</a>, not even the tiny pasta servings I was ok with a few days ago. Definitely frustrating and annoying as I always have the hope that bad days won't return, until they do. It is also a worry of course because I don't know how long this will last and the longer I go without actual food, the worse the health impacts.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I think I'm making some progress on how I handle this mentally, though. I may be speaking too soon but I'm trying to shift my thoughts to refocus the anxiety into something else - to try and make this dysphagia something that is here, rather than something I "have". This mental distance between me and my issue does seem to give me some relief from the constant worries.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I don't have any evidence but I sometimes think that when I have bad days, I will of course worry. This worry then turns to anxiety which in turn makes swallowing worse. While I can't stop the difficulty with eating, I can have a good try at stopping the anxious thoughts that tend to follow. Maybe I can break the cycle this way and at the very least, not make things worse. It's worth a try.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">However, I am also very much looking forward to my consultant appointment next week. While I feel that I can help myself by being very mindful, very aware and refocusing my dysphagia, I strongly feel that the underlying issue is a mechanical one: i.e. there is something going on in my throat that sometimes doesn't let me eat. It's not an eating disorder, it's not just anxiety, it's not some other thing... there's something broken in there. Not letting me swallow is my body's way of protecting me - as otherwise I could aspirate food and end up somewhere far, far worse. It would just be good for an actual medical professional to confirm this!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So the wait continues. I still miss all sorts of food (especially anything crunchy) but lately, my main craving has been coffee. I knew that I liked coffee but didn't quite realize just HOW much I depended on it: from the morning pick-me-up to the mid-afternoon comfort and the reward at the end of a long task. I'm also in danger of losing my Starbucks VIP status and that, for sure, would break my heart.</span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-57158863908248741242022-01-28T16:05:00.008+00:002022-01-28T16:08:13.220+00:00Today I'm okay<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjht5Jw76EDeUtoQMpXH0OVlzAJSz6FrFnE1cqWX8xOPg_xWZ0amKat-YN582FAb5azw51aeVYWnq4arT5lymSCzoAtcYj33hMJFwb0roluHDsMwKQAfgSJHldrZTtxtFrM39t1MlTlwlGf9dcKcEoNJdLqTvY-LoOk4s1DQwGFF-EAKQSZhIhG2JUI" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="800" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjht5Jw76EDeUtoQMpXH0OVlzAJSz6FrFnE1cqWX8xOPg_xWZ0amKat-YN582FAb5azw51aeVYWnq4arT5lymSCzoAtcYj33hMJFwb0roluHDsMwKQAfgSJHldrZTtxtFrM39t1MlTlwlGf9dcKcEoNJdLqTvY-LoOk4s1DQwGFF-EAKQSZhIhG2JUI=w515-h213" width="515" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It seems like we can get used to anything. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">For another week <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank">my struggles continue</a>, except that this week I seem to be in the "good" part of the cycle. These days, good means that I can eat something, often very small meals that can take me hours. But at least it's something and it also means I'm not quite so tired or dizzy all the time.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This part of the apparent cycle can also be falsely reassuring: I may manage a little plate of pasta (plain sauce, no cheese) and think I can have a bit more... only to find that actually, no I can't. Or I'll absentmindedly grab a morsel of cake and immediately regret it, as I've also discovered that crumbs are a big NO-NO.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But otherwise, at least on good days, I can carry on with my life as mostly normal. I can go for walks without feeling faint, complete a full working day without feeling exhausted and can sit and join people while I eat my tiny, slow meals. All this leads to better mental health, less anxiety and even better sleep. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">However, past experience has taught me that these good days don't last forever and eventually I will have another bunch of very bad days. Instead of dreading those, I am trying my best to make the most of these good ones while I make efforts to learn as much as I can about what could possibly be causing good or bad days. I am making notes in my journal that I think may help and basically try to remain positive.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This week I have also seen (another) doctor who advised that, given my test results, this thing is more of a nuisance than a serious concern. This is of course immensely reassuring, however, the fact remains that I still can't drink an entire cup of coffee. I am due to meet with a specialist consultant in a couple of weeks and I hope that this means that we start to really get to the bottom of what is going on, and what to do about it.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">So I'll continue to enjoy these good days while they last... </span></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com1Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-3805465871898958202022-01-24T12:35:00.001+00:002022-01-24T12:35:48.123+00:00What is this going to teach me?<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bF7m_YbY-kg/YerW-lqa3tI/AAAAAAAAxeY/zPT2OfqS4u42FXYEi7rOMrDIZPOvjpzoQCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="225" data-original-width="225" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bF7m_YbY-kg/YerW-lqa3tI/AAAAAAAAxeY/zPT2OfqS4u42FXYEi7rOMrDIZPOvjpzoQCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="240" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">A few days ago, a friend of mine posted a meme similar to this one on Twitter and it made me stop and think. I don't normally spend much time on these sorts of things, but given what I'm going through, this really resonated.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">I have certainly been trying to work out "why is this happening to me", all the time. I have also spent so much time trying to get it fixed.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">But when I saw the image, I decided that it was worth shifting the perspective and spending some time figuring out what this is teaching me instead. It was an interesting thought experiment, at the very least! I spent a few minutes that day just pondering the learnings and came up with a few but the interesting thing is that I've not really stopped thinking about learnings since. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Sure, it is still <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/food-for-mind.html" target="_blank">annoying, infuriating, worrying, depressing and concerning</a> that, I can't really swallow food. I'm not going to say that just by changing my thinking everything else just magically resolved itself. On the contrary, things are pretty much the same although at the moment I'm going through what I consider a "good" phase when I can eat one or two bites of something before having to leave it. In my world, ANY food is better than NO food so I'll take it. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: arial;">There are still things I think I've learned and are worth recording, even if just for interest's sake. Some are good learning, some not quite so positive but here is what I've learned, so far.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">1. I will never hit my target weight while remaining healthy.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank">I've mentioned before</a> that this situation is NOT AT ALL what I'd recommend as part of a healthy life. Essentially, what is going on is that I'm starving and dehydrating myself which is never a good thing. Yet, in spite of all that, I am not that near to what most online calculators tell me that I should weigh to be a healthy size. Absolutely rubbish. Even on the days when I can eat absolutely nothing, I seem to plateau and not lose that much. Sure, if this goes on for longer I may find that weight does fall off, but right now I'm happy to hang on to those extra pockets of energy. But the thing that I've learned is that no matter how much I'd watched what I eat, I would have never dropped to that number. Those calculators are plain wrong and I will never aim for that number in my life, ever again.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">2. Social occasions are almost always about food.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">Think about it: how do we meet friends when we want to catch up? We go for coffee or make arrangements to meet over drinks or dinner. What about celebrations like birthdays? There is always at least cake. Got good news at work? It's only right to celebrate with some adult beverages if you like those or some indulgent treat. You get the picture: our social lives revolve around food and, when it is hard to swallow, then social lives become awkward. <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/at-start-of-this-pandemic-lot-of-us.html" target="_blank">As I've mentioned before</a>, it is hard to work out which is worse: to be there and have to face others eating, or to miss out entirely and feel deeply lonely. I am making progress with this one and have met some friends over lunch but I did have to explain what is going on, which I think helps. Also, the more I talk about it the easier it gets. Still, this is something I'd not really noticed until now.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">3. Food shopping is boring when you can't eat.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">You know how they say, don't go grocery shopping on a hungry stomach or you'll spend a fortune? Well, this is me right now, pretty much all the time. I have always enjoyed food shopping and didn't even go online during the most locked-down part of lockdown because I like it so much. But the difference this time is that it is more of a mechanical thing. I am not cooking much right now and sometimes part of the fun of food shopping was to discover new ingredients or get new ideas while shopping. I find that these ideas are not surprisingly less frequent these days. I still go grocery shopping as before, but take much less pleasure in it. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">4. Chocolate is a miracle food.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">One of the very, very few foods that I can manage almost all the time is plain chocolate. Once it goes in your mouth, it really just melts so there is not much of an issue when swallowing. On those days when I haven't eaten at all, a small square of chocolate gives me the energy I need. Sure, there is also fat and whatever in there but let's face it, I need everything I can get. I have not found any other food that is quite so dependable so yes, chocolate is absolutely a blessing. If it is really good quality chocolate, even better!</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">5. Portion control really is out of control. </span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">When I do manage to eat something, it is generally a very tiny portion, like one-third or even one-quarter of what I'd be used to. These mini-meals do seem to satisfy my hunger though - especially as I'm eating so slowly. Sure, if I had my way I'd have a lot more of that food BUT being forced to eat tiny meals so slowly does seem to satisfy some requirements. I am now convinced that portion sizes are crazy - and yes, we all know that but nothing makes you pay attention so much as to having to survive on mini-meals. During our recent vacation to the USA and Caribbean cruise, it was all the more evident: it took me 3 days to eat a single slice of cheesecake, I could never finish my breakfast pancakes and every bowl of pasta was about twice as big as it needed to be. I hope that when things go back to normal, I remember this learning as it has the potential to be life-changing.</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">6. Lunch breaks are hard to take when no food is involved.</span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">It is, of course, good practice to take breaks during the working day and lunchtime is one of them. But when I can't eat, it is sometimes better to try to ignore that and continue to work as a distraction. This then means that I've had some very, very long days - and always running on low energy as I can't even drink coffee to keep me awake! I've tried making sure I get a break by going on a walk but on some days either the weather is terrible or I just don't have the energy to do that. </span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">7. Food is everywhere. </span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">This is a bit of a follow-on from no. 2 above, but it merits its own entry. Things are possibly worse now that it is January and every single restaurant I've ever visited has sent me an email asking me to come and see them, or there are countless stories about how to go vegan or alcohol-free or even go on diets. It seems that everywhere I look, there is a vegan entree looking at me, or someone is talking about food yet again. This can be demoralising when I'm already thinking about food - but more of a focus on the fact that I'd love some, thanks, but I'm currently unable to eat what I'd like!</span></p><h4 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">8. Eating slowly can be very mindful. </span></h4><p><span style="font-family: arial;">As mentioned previously, on those days when I'm able to process a tiny meal, I do have to eat it so, so slowly. Every mouthful is also tiny and chewed thoughtfully in preparation for the moment when I've got to take that inevitable swallow. Then I have to pause, breathe, pause again and maybe even wait a few minutes before I can take a tiny sip of water or even another small bite. This does mean that meals can take literally hours but it also does work as a mindful exercise if I can do it right. I find that eating while distracted is not great right now, as I really do need to be sitting right, holding my head straight and placing 100% focus on the action of swallowing. No longer do I eat an entire bag of something crisp and cheesy without noticing because I'm watching TV! Every. Single. Bite. takes all my focus, all my energy and all my thoughts. Surely this is the very definition of mindful eating!</span></p><p><br /></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-11993547547944139032022-01-12T15:48:00.002+00:002022-01-12T15:51:29.335+00:00Cooking up a storm (of emotions)<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XFkvWYBqq8o/Yd73E2pZkjI/AAAAAAAAxeE/CqCrc2tNY1s9VF8sOktK87BtjF1YbGZrgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="483" data-original-width="600" height="240" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-XFkvWYBqq8o/Yd73E2pZkjI/AAAAAAAAxeE/CqCrc2tNY1s9VF8sOktK87BtjF1YbGZrgCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" width="298" /></a></div><br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">At the start of this pandemic, a lot of us tried to find new ways to amuse ourselves at home. I remember people knitting, tie-dying, reading more, getting into yoga, doing puzzles, binge-watching TV and a bunch of other stuff. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I wasn't very original: I really got into cooking. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have always liked cooking but didn't particularly have much time when I worked full-time in the office and sometimes I had to come home from work, throw some food on the table so that the kids could then go out and do their other activities in the evening (football practice, Scouts, swimming, that sort of thing). These weren't necessarily the best circumstances to try and get more adventurous with my cooking so when lockdown changed all of that, once I got over the shock of feeling generally a prisoner in my own home, I pivoted to cooking.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Now I had time to prepare better meals, to experiment more, to try those recipes that I'd collected through the years but had never had the chance to try. I found myself cooking most days and, quite frankly, loving it. I made all sorts of great foods and even enjoyed the process of discovering new recipes and techniques: I even made the <a href="https://www.delish.com/uk/cooking/recipes/a35426947/baked-feta-pasta-tiktok/" target="_blank">Tiktok feta pasta</a> that was doing the rounds (it was amazing). The children got into the act and they were in charge of a few meals a week too, which was wonderful. Every evening we all sat down and ate together, sharing bits from our day. Heck, I may even have had a glass of wine during a school night!<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Out of the entire lockdown, my biggest happy memory is the cooking and all those things I tried: some were great and they became part of the routine rotation, some didn't work so well and are regarded as valuable experiments. The main thing is that I felt useful, productive and I was taking care of my family in the best way I could. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Fast forward to now: when <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank">you can't eat</a>, it isn't that exciting to cook. In fact, it can be quite a triggering experience. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Thankfully my husband is quite happy to take care of the food requirements for the family these days, but it does make me feel disoriented like I am no longer useful. Or I feel bad for letting him have all the burden of cooking, and of course, I offer to help. But being around food in such an intimate way really doesn't make things better for me, at least not emotionally. I am preparing a meal that looks and smells delicious, but I can't confirm if it is and I can't join the family in enjoying it. Sure, I can sit at the table with them but sometimes all it does is make it even more obvious how things aren't right, and how not eating affects so many other things. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I'm stuck between the metaphorical rock and a hard place: if I cook I find it emotionally charged and potentially very upsetting; if I don't, I feel guilty about not helping out and taking care of my loved ones. Here again is another situation where I'm not sure what to do for the best: for me and those around me. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even if I decide that cooking is probably not a good idea right now, just the simple question of sitting down with others that are eating is full of anxieties. If I join, I am acutely aware that they are all doing something I can't right now, and it makes me angry and upset (not to mention hungry and thirsty). I am probably not great company as I try so hard to mask my true feelings with friendly conversation. But if I don't join... well, I miss out on family life entirely and that won't do.<br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometimes when I do sit down for meals, I will get myself a tiny portion and attempt to get through it as well as I can. More than once I've thought that I was doing ok but then something goes slightly wrong and I panic: I'm choking. My heart starts beating and I can feel the adrenaline coursing through my body. I manage to get rid of the bit that was possibly stuck (and believe me, these are absolutely molecular bits, so small I'm sure there is no energy in them at all) and the thought of going through that experience again is entirely off-putting so I stop. Of course, this entire routine has been witnessed by those around me so now I'm embarrassed, on top of worried that this is all something the children will be telling a therapist in a few years' time when they develop an eating disorder. <br /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">This constant "should I? shouldn't I?" is exhausting. I still don't know what the right answer is, but I will keep exploring and trying in the hope that someday soon I will be able to get pleasure out of cooking again.</span></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-47037535895449272932022-01-11T15:56:00.000+00:002022-01-11T15:56:42.353+00:00Food for the mind<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZNEfZaQEbtdra6hYlmevNZKBWfmEd5uftZ34DpUyjIxGhAJBNqEvGi_rzCEiBa85tUq9bCvNg7QBlu7AwlKPWLJCCiu8JwEMSd-re42_xXuoFYcfhHlfg0mINiUbcGJkMtBA6U8MceK22xTRMC9512e1LO3XIcDRvCe3yj2pL1hRSCSsI1bxFfc7V=s831" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="211" data-original-width="831" height="139" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjZNEfZaQEbtdra6hYlmevNZKBWfmEd5uftZ34DpUyjIxGhAJBNqEvGi_rzCEiBa85tUq9bCvNg7QBlu7AwlKPWLJCCiu8JwEMSd-re42_xXuoFYcfhHlfg0mINiUbcGJkMtBA6U8MceK22xTRMC9512e1LO3XIcDRvCe3yj2pL1hRSCSsI1bxFfc7V=w551-h139" width="551" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;">Anyone that has been on any sort of restrictive diet probably already knows this: starving yourself drives you mad. </div></span></div></div></div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: left;">I kinda knew this already, and not necessarily from dieting experience, but from knowing how I feel when I haven't eaten for a few hours. You know the drill: hunger makes you cross, grumpy and terrible company. Some people call this "hangry" which is probably pretty apt.</div></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;">However, now that I <a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank">go various days without eating very much</a>, "hangry" doesn't even begin to cover it. Besides being moody, irritable and grouchy, I have also been anxious, on edge and depressed. Not surprising given that I don't really know when this is getting better, worse or when I'll be able to have a normal meal again. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />The worst part is that food is everywhere, which means that it is very difficult to distract myself with something else. I may start watching a great Disney+ series and find that it is entertaining... until the characters then decide to sit down and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAXws0T35IQ" target="_blank">eat macaroni cheese</a>. Or I'll be scrolling through a news site when I'm suddenly faced with the inevitable stories that fill newspapers in January: diets, cravings, going vegan. Recipes and restaurant suggestions fill my inbox. Even my Pinterest, which is usually a good rabbit hole to crawl into if I want to mindlessly wander around the internet. There is nowhere to hide and it is torture. I fully sympathize with anyone that has an eating disorder: avoiding food is basically impossible. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />Also, as humans, we do a lot of our socialising around food and drink and missing out on those means missing out on experiences. You know, "let's go for coffee", "Hey, how about going out to dinner" or "fancy a drink?" But, at the same time, sitting down at the table to watch other people eat something that smells delicious is also incredibly triggering. What to do for the best? I have tried both strategies and have ended in tears either way. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />I have been doing yoga and meditation for a while now (especially since we've been in this pandemic) and it is helpful - but more recently, I find that it is harder to clear my mind and not think about food, or about how thirsty I am, or worry endlessly about why this is all happening. So my meditation sessions can sometimes be worse because when there is nothing to think about, my physiological needs seem so much louder: my body needs food and water and needs them now. But my body also doesn't cooperate and doesn't let me swallow what I so desperately need. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br />This apparent disconnect between different parts of my body (or teams as I like to think of them) seems so frustrating: if my brain knows that we have a problem in the throat area that is severely limiting energy intake, why doesn't it also tell the digestive team to stop grumbling? Why doesn't it do something about the moods? It feels like everyone is shouting, all at once, at me to eat something and get over it, while I shout back: "I would love to but I CA</span><span style="font-family: arial;">N'T!" I'm having a fight with myself and in the current mood I'm in, that is not a great thing.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The one place I seem to get some respite is when I'm asleep. At least I'm not having to wake up in the middle of the night for a pee. </span></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-27059866827934927402022-01-09T17:23:00.001+00:002022-01-10T12:03:38.713+00:00Running low on fuel<p><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="217" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiZl_rKK1ef34janVUa9YHCBI9nIXBJ-aLVucQP6fDyA3LGWVFg14iP-MQrVE-Tm-yCsiTsS9k5xhgFJv7yYWSYNRWMQ3d_8ItozLQIpUg3NaAa5l53y2SK7aRuymdNkZDXDEkKQd5_Qg8-vAJ6157p3a6s8oaZqAH-N4jw4HHGSoQO357lZmu2YESW=w144-h200" width="144" /></p><p><br /></p><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://claudia-fireandice.blogspot.com/2022/01/be-careful-what-you-wish-for.html" target="_blank"><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;">I </span>mentioned before</a> some of the physical effects that not being able to eat has had on me. I’m obviously hungry and thirsty but there are some other things that are worth talking about a bit more.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Even before any of this started, I was already having a slightly different relationship to food than most: my low blood sugar meant that I was prone to fainting spells if I, for example, skipped breakfast. So I am pretty religious about eating when I wake up, if I want to be able to make it through without passing out. This has also meant that I can function better when I have a series of smaller meals throughout the day and have always ensured I have a couple of snacks to hand.</span></div><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Of course, this doesn’t mean that I was 100% healthy in all my choices - and more often than not, my snack of choice was a sweet coffee. But in terms of blood sugar, this was fine although it wasn’t great for my weight. Having said that, I did try to make these snacks at least not terrible, and I’d made great friends with nuts and dried fruits (as well as cookies because who doesn’t like cookies?)</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Having a more stable energy intake meant that I was less likely to have a blood sugar drop and for years this has been my routine. Every once in a while (stupid early mornings to catch flights, for example) eating was a bit more haphazard but I would then feel shaky and weak: telltale signs that I’m in serious need of fuel. When this happens, I literally will eat ANYTHING, and if it has lots of sugar, better. Usually, I’d stuff this down my face, sit down and feel better in a few minutes then get on with my day.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As you may have worked out by now, this is REALLY difficult lately. I think my body is at least cutting me some slack, as it knows that food for fuel is more of a struggle. So I haven’t yet fainted but I do feel very light-headed and dizzy pretty much all the time. As mentioned before, it seems that I’m slightly better at swallowing in the mornings so I’ve made sure that I have a breakfast smoothie. I’ve been doing this for a few years and it’s my favourite weekday breakfast - but lately, I’ve been making sure that it is as packed with calories as I can bear.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Yup - I’m doing pretty much the opposite of what I’ve always done and stuffed all sorts of calorie-dense foods in there. Sometimes I even add a couple of spoonfuls of sugar to the peanut butter, banana, syrup and nut milk mix. I remember reading somewhere that smoothies are sometimes not as healthy as they seem, even though they have lots of fruit, because of those extra things and I was careful when putting them together. These days, I’m trying to do the opposite because it’s become the one near-reliable source of energy for my body.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’ve tried to repeat the smoothies later in the day but I found I struggled to swallow them so I’ve stopped trying. This means that the mornings are almost my one chance to get some energy in me so that I can continue to function all day.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">The other thing that I love is coffee. I am a firm believer in “no coffee, no workee” and would always have one sometime mid-morning. These days I really struggle with it so I’ve had to give it up. While this may seem a great thing, it of course isn’t as I’ve developed some pretty rough headaches that I think are linked to some sort of coffee withdrawal. Additionally, I don’t have that extra energy push that I get from the caffeine.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Unsurprisingly, my energy levels are somewhere around the floor. Some days I’m so tired that I can barely move around the house, never mind going outside for a walk or something. It can be a struggle to focus at work, to think straight or to even show enthusiasm for, well, anything.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">When I drag myself outside for a (relatively slow) walk, I have noticed that my heart is beating way too fast. Like someone seriously out of shape, I am huffing and puffing after only a few minutes which is incredibly frustrating. I’ve never been a great runner but I was definitely a great walker and it is depressing to only be able to go for a few minutes before I have to go back home because I’m afraid of passing out.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Other physical effects are the expected ones: I’ve definitely lost weight and my clothes are looser. I don’t think it is very obvious to others though so it’s probably not a dangerous amount (and goodness knows there were a few extra sources of fuel stockpiled around my butt!) if it keeps falling then it will certainly be a concern.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I’m also almost always thirsty and after my morning smoothie, I’ve prioritised drinking water. I can achieve this in tiny sips during most of the day but for anyone that knows the fantastic feeling you have after drinking a large glass of water when you’re really, really thirsty, you’ll know that little sips aren’t really what I am looking for. But it’s better than nothing.</span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></p><p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Spending my days hungry, thirsty, light-headed, tired and dizzy definitely has had some effect on my emotions and my mental health. I’ll explore those in another post. </span></p><p></p><p></p><p></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-52608640645650090812022-01-07T14:55:00.002+00:002022-01-07T14:55:35.679+00:00Be careful what you wish for<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">During the summer of 2021, it became obvious that the
extended pandemic lockdown wasn’t doing me any good. I’d spent a lot of time
cooking, baking, and working out mostly in a “casual” way – certainly not doing
the hard workouts I had done before 2020. So, a bit of extra weight was
beginning to show and some of my jeans were a little too tight.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I have never been a great fan of diets, having tried several
and found them unrealistic, unsustainable, or just dangerous. Plus, I love food
too much so that wouldn’t be the option. Instead, I made a plan to eat smaller
portions and try to increase the strenuousness of my workouts. I only had 5 or
6 kilos to lose, so done in a safe way I should be back to my baseline weight
in a few months. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">But little did I know that much like <i>that pandemic</i>,
the universe had other plans for me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Sometime in early October 2021, I noticed that sometimes I
struggled to eat certain foods. I would sit down to eat some pasta, for
example, and was having issues with swallowing even small bites of it. I would
then have to abandon the meal, as I became increasingly anxious that I would
choke. It was a weird sensation, that crept up on me slowly and it may have
been getting worse for far longer than I recognize now. But in October, this
inability to swallow was not just for one meal but carried over several days
and was worrying enough for me to get in touch with a GP.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><o:p></o:p></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yXX5grKhqJ0/YdhSd4TzxII/AAAAAAAAxdA/sej7L7MwQdsU5Ztvd2ArAxtk7Fyzgz02wCNcBGAsYHQ/image.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="780" height="229" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-yXX5grKhqJ0/YdhSd4TzxII/AAAAAAAAxdA/sej7L7MwQdsU5Ztvd2ArAxtk7Fyzgz02wCNcBGAsYHQ/w521-h229/image.png" width="521" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /><br /></span></div><p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I will spare you the boring medical appointments and admin
but suffice to say that getting seen during a pandemic was not easy and it took
some tears in the walk-in clinic for someone to finally speak to me, give me
some medicine and recommend some tests. I’ve also got a name for the condition:
“dysphagia”. Is it a symptom of
something else, an illness, something to do with my mental health? I don’t
know. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Things got a little better but even now (three months later)
I’m still struggling to eat. The issue seems to be cyclical as there have been
times when I have finished my entire meal but then there are other days when I
am barely able to even swallow my own spit. This can go on for about 5 or 6
days in a row and I have found that I am better in the mornings than in the
evenings meaning that I can sometimes drink my smoothie in the mornings (but it
does take me forever) but the same smoothie will not go down that evening. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Similarly, it seems to affect different kinds of foods with
some days being ok for solids but awful for liquids, and then the other way
around. During one of these “episodes” I was able to eat peanut butter on thins
but nothing else! Surely a sticky, thick substance like PB wasn’t ideal? Well,
on those days this basically kept me alive by providing needed calories. But
then other times I can’t swallow those foods.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Medically, the tests continue, and I still don’t know what
is causing this or how to fix it. It is incredibly frustrating as it is
horrible when I can’t eat anything for days. On top of everything else, I’ve
always had naturally low blood sugar so eating small meals throughout the day
is the best way to keep me from fainting. As you can imagine, this is
impossible to do when I can’t swallow much of anything at all. I worry about what
this is doing to my heart and if there will be long-term consequences of these
unwanted fasting periods. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Physically, this means I’m often on the verge of being
dehydrated (I try my best to have small sips of water on the worst days) and of
course, I’m always hungry. I get terrible headaches and I’m not sure if they are
from the dehydration, the anxiety, or the fact that I’m unable to have coffee
and I’m going through withdrawal. I’m also often light-headed and of course, my
moods are all over the place. I can feel my stomach growling from hunger and
when I try to have the tiniest bite of whatever it is I think I can eat (like
half an almond) I will chew it for like 10 minutes and then attempt to swallow.
It either goes down sort of ok, or I nearly choke which means I am certainly
not going to try and eat the other half of the nut. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">I hope that with further tests we can find out what is going
on here and recover. There are SO MANY things that are impacted by the inability
to swallow that I will cover in other blog posts. I think I am starting to spot
patterns so I thought that blogging about this would help me try to help figure
out what is wrong. At the very least, this should help my mental health which
is being severely tested by this issue. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As for my weight, let’s just say that this has been both the
best and the worst “diet” I’ve ever been on. It has definitely helped to lose
those pandemic kilos, but I certainly wouldn’t recommend.</span> <o:p></o:p></p>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com1Milton Keynes, UK52.0406224 -0.759417123.730388563821151 -35.9156671 80.350856236178842 34.3968329tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-4550493319456022322020-10-25T11:30:00.004+00:002020-10-25T11:42:26.204+00:00Monkston Park - paying tribute to a world's first in London<span><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">After the last topic which isn’t anything I know much about, I decided to go for one that I am a bit more interested in - and Monkston Park also has relatively few street names so choosing this one next was a no-brainer! It would also give me a chance to go outside Wikipedia for the research, as I have far too many books on the London Underground, Tube stations and the like. I will also take this opportunity to plug the <a href="https://www.ltmuseum.co.uk/">London Transport Museum</a>, which has possibly the <a href="https://www.ltmuseumshop.co.uk/">greatest shop in all museums</a>, ever! <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Before we jump into the Underground stations, a bit about Monkston Park. This is one of the newer developments, originating in the late 90s or early 2000. Interestingly, the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milton_Keynes_Hoard">Milton Keynes hoard</a> was found here, which is a series of items made of gold, from the Bronze Ages and now in the British Museum. I wonder why they didn’t go with a related theme for the street names? However, I’m pleased they went with London Underground Stations.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: arial;">As I was compiling the list of street names from Monkston Park I immediately noticed that, with very few exceptions, the stations chosen were fairly obscure: no Baker Street or Leicester Square or nearly anything in central London. Also, most of the stations were in North London and a fair few on the Bakerloo line. I wonder if this reflects where those in charge lived? I marked the stations used on the tube map below (look for the pink crosses):</span></p><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div>
<p style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="border: none; display: inline-block; height: 423px; overflow: hidden; width: 602px;"><img height="423" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/aHYXrULI0UoMR1PrBeWPYATKxPFS90KxLD-BYsg5noh50_v5lRitsTLTlaBIUtEVob0A_p70FLZnsc5FpiqKcBZPNs9I_USSn3LiYU8l8D1RLlXRixP-eYuZNXtxcJUnSKDrv6_n" style="margin-left: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="602" /></span></span>
</p>
<br />
<p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Was this selection deliberate or accidental? It doesn’t seem random, that is all I can say. I also noticed that some of the stations chosen were a little strange, for reasons I will elaborate on below. I will also challenge that the theme of “London Underground Stations” may be best described as “Stations on the London Underground Map” which isn’t the same thing… but that may be too pedantic for some!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Anyway, here are some facts about the stations chosen as street names for Monkston Park.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arnos_Grove_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arnos Grove</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Starting off with a beauty - this is a stunning station on the Piccadilly line that was designed by architect Charles Holden and is Grade II* listed due to the distinctive modernist architecture. The station hall is circular and the double-height flat ceiling looks like it is being held up via a circular structure in the centre which used to be the ticket office. There are large windows at the top of the hall which flood the ticket hall with light and also look quite attractive from the outside, contrasting with the red brick of the drum-like building. The design of the station was inspired by the Stockholm Public Library.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beckton: This one is an interesting choice: it doesn’t really keep to the theme of “London Tube stations” as technically </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beckton_DLR_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Beckton</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is part of the DLR and not the Underground. However, there were plans for a</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beckton_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> tube station at Beckton</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> but it was never built. It would have been part of the Jubilee line but many changes of plans meant that the line eventually took a different route. These days Beckton is best known as one of the termini of the DLR, and also gives its name to the DLR Beckton depot nearby, the main depot for the DLR system.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canonbury_railway_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Canonbury</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Here is another station that is technically not a tube station, but rather a London Overground station (maybe the theme should be “stations on the London Underground Map”!) Canonbury is in Islington and, fun fact, this is the first borough where the speed limit is 20MPH on all streets. Nothing to do with Tube stations but I’ve recently driven through Islington and found it… well, slow.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colliers_Wood_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Colliers Wood</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This one is a “proper” tube station, on the Northern Line in South London and another one designed by Charles Holden. The modernist, three-sided, double-height building clad in Portland stone is Grade II listed. The front of the station has a large window with a glazed version of the roundel and is flanked by two columns that are topped by a 3D version of the same roundel. The pub opposite is named “The Charles Holden” in his honour.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colindale_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Colindale</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Another station on the Northern line, this one in the London borough of Barnet. The original station building was destroyed by a bomb during the Blitz, so the current structure dates from the 1960s. The Royal Air Force Museum London is a popular destination for travellers going to Colindale. Was frequently used by T.E. Lawrence (AKA Lawrence of Arabia), who used the pen name ‘Colin Dale’ during his journalistic career.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalston_Junction_railway_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dalston</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This one is a London Overground station in Hackney, as Dalston Junction. Although there has been a station on the site since 1865, the current station was opened in 2010. There is another station - </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalston_Kingsland_railway_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dalston Kingsland</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> - also in Hackney and not far from the other Dalston station. As part of plans for Crossrail 2, there is a proposal to build a third Dalston, which would provide an exchange to the other two stations.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farringdon_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Farringdon</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: One of the first stations on the Underground, this was part of the original first line built in 1863 and now Grade II listed. Originally designed to transport livestock to Smithfield market – there are still cattle ramps onto the street West Smithfield for this purpose. Today it is part of the Circle, Hammersmith & City, and Metropolitan lines. It is also undergoing extensive work to integrate it into the Crossrail network, where it will become one of the busiest stations in the country. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finsbury_Park_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Finsbury</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Finsbury Park is both an Underground and Rail station with a long history. The station is named after the nearby Finsbury Park, one of the oldest of London's Victorian parks. It currently sits on the Piccadilly and Victoria lines but has served the Northern and Metropolitan lines in the past. When the Victoria line was built in the 1960s the walls of Finsbury Park station were decorated with dueling pistols, due to an incorrect association with Finsbury Field, a popular dueling ground in the 18th century. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldhawk_Road_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Goldhawk</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Goldhawk Road is a London Underground station located in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham and serving the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines. The line here opened in 1864 but there was no station on the site until 1914. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harlesden_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Harlesden</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Underground station on the Bakerloo line that is also served by the London Overground service, located in northwest London. However, it is worth knowing that if you wish to go to Harlesden, it is actually better to get off at Willesden Junction which is closer to Harlesden town centre!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highbury_%26_Islington_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Islington</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Another curious choice by MK Council to use as a street name, as there is currently no Tube station called “Islington” but rather the Highbury & Islington station, which is served by the Underground (Victoria line) and Overground rail services. There was a station called Islington on this site, but this was renamed to the current name in 1872 (so way before Milton Keynes existed!) The station was damaged by a bomb in 1944 but the building remained in use until it was demolished in the 1960s to accommodate the Victoria line.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kensal_Green_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kensal Green</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Bakerloo station that also has London Overground connections to Watford. The original station building was replaced in the 1980s. In December 2006 the station was “hit” by a tornado (or perhaps just lightly grazed).</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladbroke_Grove_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ladbroke Grove</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Located on the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines, this underground station has had several names. It was opened in 1864 as “Notting Hill” but renamed to “Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove” in 1880 and then renamed again in 1919 to Ladbroke Grove (North Kensington). It gained its current name in 1938 yet the locals have campaigned to change its name to “Portobello Road” as this is the closest station to the famous market - however, the station is not on Portobello Road.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maida_Vale_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Maida Vale</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: A Grade II listed underground station on the Bakerloo line, which has won awards for the way that the station has been modernised while enhancing its historical and architectural value. The station opened in 1915 and was the first station entirely staffed by women. More recently interiors and exterior shots of this station have featured in a number of movies, TV shows and music videos, including Paddington in 2014.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwick_Park_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Northwick</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Metropolitan line station called Northwick Park, located in Kenton (North London). There is another station in the area, named Kenton, and the two are only 350m apart - the closest two stations outside of zone 1.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perivale_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Perivale</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Another stunning Grade II listed tube station in Northwest London, serving the Central line. The modernist station was designed in 1938 but completed by a different architect who modified the final design. The station is made of red bricks and features a curved frontage where the second story is almost fully glazed and flanked by roundels. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaistow_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Plaistow</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Underground station on the District and Hammersmith & City lines, in Newham, East London. It opened in 1858 as an overground rail station and then the District line was added in 1902. The station ticket hall was built in 1905 and while not officially listed, it does have local protection that encourages consideration when making changes to the building.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queensbury_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Queensbury</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Located in North London, Queensbury is on the Jubilee line although it used to also serve the Metropolitan and Bakerloo lines. Opened in 1934 and wasn’t named for anything local but rather as a counterpart to the adjacent Kingsbury station.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rayners_Lane_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rayners Lane</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Metropolitan and Piccadilly line underground station opened in 1904 when there was only one house in the area: a farm owned by Daniel Rayner where the name of the station comes from. Located in Middlesex, this eventually became part of a 1930s housing development known as the Harrow Garden Village, aimed at encouraging families to move out of central London. The current station building dates from the late 1930s and is another Grade II listed modernist hall designed by Charles Holden. This one, like others, features large areas of glazing among bricks in the cube-shaped building capped by a flat roof. </span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stonebridge_Park_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Stonebridge</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Located in North London, Stonebridge Park is an overground and underground station, on the Bakerloo line. The current station was built in the late 1940s as the previous structures were destroyed in WWII, however, the booking hall is believed to be an original feature. The station has suffered a couple of fires too.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sudbury_Hill_tube_station" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sudbury</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Another Grade II listed station on the Jubilee line, designed by Charles Holden. Sudbury Hill station opened in 1903 but the current building was built in 1931 and features, like other stations from this period, a block-shaped building fronted with brick and glass and capped by a flat roof. It is located on the border between the London Boroughs of Harrow and Ealing.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><b style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></b></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;">Tewkesbury: This street connects Monkston Park to Monkston so it takes the theme of the latter (monasteries and abbeys), which we’ll cover in an upcoming post!</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: white; font-family: arial;"><br /><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upminster_Bridge_tube_station" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upminster</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Underground station on the District line in East London. Opened in 1934, the art deco building is notable for its polygonal shape and high atrium. It was also notable for having a swastika tiled pattern on the floor (a popular decorative feature at the time) which was removed for… well, obvious reasons.</span></span></p><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-family: arial;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span></span></p></span>
Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8711032629416277344.post-83604254022709984642020-10-08T16:49:00.037+01:002020-10-09T09:35:35.279+01:00Oldbrook can bowl you over<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fjc4dNqTJB0/X3840zwKLWI/AAAAAAAAtlo/sUn37owYhxU9rhR0pIs6J_tNGG3TcdLFwCLcBGAsYHQ/s376/crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="203" data-original-width="376" height="330" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fjc4dNqTJB0/X3840zwKLWI/AAAAAAAAtlo/sUn37owYhxU9rhR0pIs6J_tNGG3TcdLFwCLcBGAsYHQ/w640-h330/crop.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Oldbrook is one of the estates near Central Milton Keynes and the streets are named after mostly famous cricketers or cricketing terms. Apparently, the street layout is based on the markings of a cricket pitch although having had a good look on <a href="https://www.blogger.com/#">Google maps</a>, I personally can’t see it. Let me know if you do!<br /><br />This was a challenging estate to tackle for two reasons: one, there are lots of streets here so it took a while to check all the terms. The second, and possibly more important reason, is that I know very, very little about cricket. I find the game confusing and slow so it doesn’t really grab my attention, and it also seems to have its own language which can be impenetrable to those of us outside the sphere of its influence. <br /><br />This post risked being a very long list of people that were all cricketers and I don’t think that is very interesting, so I tried to find little bits of information that were a little more unusual and made these men (because they are ALL men) come alive a little more. In some cases, I’m not 100% sure that the person I included is the person or place that the MKDC had in mind when they named the street so do please get in touch if you spot anything that could be wrong. I hope you find it interesting and that you learn something. I know I did!</span><br /><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: arial;"><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Les_Ames" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ames</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Leslie Ethelbert George Ames CBE (3 December 1905 – 27 February 1990) was a wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, Wisden described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time. He is the only wicketkeeper-batsman to score a hundred first-class centuries.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Appleyard: there are two possible people: </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Appleyard" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bob Appleyard</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (27 June 1924 – 17 March 2015) was a Yorkshire and England first-class cricketer. He was one of the best English bowlers of the 1950s, a decade which saw England develop its strongest bowling attack of the twentieth century. Able to bowl fast-medium swingers or seamers and off-spinners with almost exactly the same action, Appleyard's career was almost destroyed by injury and illness after his first full season in 1951. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Or it could be </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Appleyard" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Francis Appleyard</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (26 September 1905 – 12 October 1971) was an English first-class cricketer that played for Essex, Hertfordshire, Minor Counties and Marylebone. He was a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler. However, both of his sons (Peter and John) also played cricket for Hertfordshire.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Arlott" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Arlott</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Leslie Thomas John Arlott, OBE (25 February 1914 – 14 December 1991) was an English journalist, author and cricket commentator for the BBC's Test Match Special. He was also somewhat of a wine connoisseur and wrote on the subject. Additionally, he held strong liberal views which were not strongly supported in the mid-50s however he stood as the Liberal candidate for Epping in 1955 and 1959, coming third in both. He received an honorary degree from The Open University in 1981.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Barnes" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barnes</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Sydney Francis Barnes (19 April 1873 – 26 December 1967) was an English professional cricketer who is regarded as one of the greatest bowlers of all time.In his wider career from 1895 to 1934, he variously represented several clubs in each of the Bradford, Central Lancashire, Lancashire and North Staffordshire leagues. Outside of cricket, Barnes became very good at calligraphy and his work was sought after. In 1957, he was asked to present a handwritten scroll to Elizabeth II to commemorate her visit to Stafford.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Barrington" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Barrington</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Kenneth Frank Barrington (24 November 1930 – 14 March 1981) was an English international cricketer who played for the England cricket team and Surrey County Cricket Club in the 1950s and 1960s. He was a right-handed batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler, known for his jovial good humour and long, defensive innings. He spent some time in the army and, as a result, was always dressed neatly and took great care of his clothes, folding and ironing them.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jack_Blackham" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Blackham</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: John McCarthy Blackham (11 May 1854 – 28 December 1932) was a Test cricketer who played for Victoria and Australia. Such was his skill as a wicket-keeper that he was known as the "prince of wicket-keepers". Late in his career, he captained the Australian team. A possible connection to English cricket is that he was a member of the first eight Australian cricket teams to visit England.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Boycott" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Boycott</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Sir Geoffrey Boycott, OBE (born 21 October 1940), is a retired Test cricketer, who played cricket for Yorkshire and England. In a prolific and sometimes controversial playing career from 1962 to 1986, Boycott established himself as one of England's most successful opening batsmen.[3] After retiring as a player, he pursued a successful career as a cricket commentator, before retiring in 2020 and was knighted in 2019.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mike_Brearley" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Brearley</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: John Michael Brearley OBE (born 28 April 1942) is a retired English first-class cricketer who captained Cambridge University, Middlesex, and England. While at the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne he focused on pursuing an academic career as a lecturer in philosophy a, which limited his cricketing activity in 1969 and 1970. This meant that Brearley was not selected for England until the age of 34. After retirement, he is now a psychoanalyst, psychotherapist, motivational speaker, and part-time cricket journalist for The Times.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bridgeford: This may be a stretch but </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Bridgford" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">West Bridgeford</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, Nottinghamshire is the town where </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trent_Bridge" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trent Bridge Cricket Ground is located</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. Trent Bridge is considered to be one of the best grounds in the world to watch cricket. (Do let me know if there is a better candidate for Bridgeford!)</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tom_Cartwright" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Cartwright</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Thomas William Cartwright MBE (22 July 1935 – 30 April 2007) was an English cricketer. He played in five Tests for England in 1964 and 1965. After he retired from professional cricket, he was cricket manager and then became the coach for the Welsh Cricket Association eventually becoming the first Welsh national coach.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_(cricket)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Century</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: A century in cricket is when a batter scores 100 or more runs in one innings.This is a landmark score and recorded in the player’s lifetime statistics. There are other variations like a half-century (50 runs), double century (200 runs), triple century (300 runs) and so on.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Dexter" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dexter</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Edward Ralph "Ted" Dexter, CBE (born 15 May 1935) is a former England international cricketer. He captained Sussex and England in the early 1960s and is known by the nickname Lord Ted. His cricket career was virtually ended by an accident in 1965. His Jaguar car ran out of petrol in west London, and he was pushing it to safety when it pinned him to a warehouse door, breaking his leg. Dexter retired from cricket to concentrate on other interests in 1968, remaining a journalist, becoming a broadcaster and founding a PR company. In 1987, Dexter had the idea of developing a ranking system for Test cricketers and this is still widely used today.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Douglas_Jardine" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Douglas</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Douglas Robert Jardine (23 October 1900 – 18 June 1958) was a cricketer who played 22 Test matches for England, captaining the side in 15 of those matches between 1931 and 1934. A controversial figure among cricketers, he was well known for his dislike of Australian players and crowds and was unpopular in Australia. After retirement, he did not pursue Law (he was qualified) but rather chose to work in banking and journalism. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Duckworth: There are two possible references - one is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Duckworth" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Frank Carter Duckworth</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> MBE (born 26 December 1939) a retired English statistician, and is one of the two statisticians who developed the Duckworth–Lewis method of resetting targets in interrupted one-day cricket matches. The second candidate is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Duckworth" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">George Duckworth</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (9 May 1901 – 5 January 1966) who was a professional cricketer who played first-class cricket for Lancashire and England as a wicket-keeper.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Edrich" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Edrich</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: John Hugh Edrich, MBE (born 21 June 1937) is a former English first-class cricketer who, during a career that ran from 1956 to 1978, was considered one of the best batsmen of his generation. His statistical achievements show that he was amongst the best players of his generation, playing a total of seventy-seven Test matches for England between 1963 and 1976, and scoring a triple-century in 1965 that is the fifth-highest Test score for England.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godfrey_Evans" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Evans</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE (18 August 1920 – 3 May 1999) was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England. Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen’. He was the first wicket-keeper to reach 200 Test dismissals and the first Englishman to reach both 1000 runs and 100 dismissals and 2000 runs and 200 dismissals in Test cricket. After his retirement from professional cricket, Evans ran the Jolly Drover pub at Hill Brow, Hampshire.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._G._Grace" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grace</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: William Gilbert "W. G." Grace MRCS LRCP (18 July 1848 – 23 October 1915) was an English amateur cricketer who was important in the development of the sport and is widely considered one of its greatest-ever players. An outstanding all-rounder, he excelled at all the essential skills of batting, bowling and fielding, but it is for his batting that he is most renowned. He was also a qualified medical practitioner and worked in this alongside his cricketing career.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearne_family" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hearne</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: This is a little different as the Hearne family was a notable family of cricketers! Thirteen members of this family played first-class cricket for various teams (and countries), with several receiving distinctions such as being named Player of the Year.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Len_Hutton" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hutton</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Sir Leonard Hutton (23 June 1916 – 6 September 1990) was an English cricketer who played as an opening batsman for Yorkshire County Cricket Club from 1934 to 1955 and for England in 79 Test matches between 1937 and 1955. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack described him as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. His son </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Hutton_(cricketer)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richard Hutton</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is also a renowned cricketer. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Illingworth" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Illingworth</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Raymond Illingworth CBE (born 8 June 1932) is a former English cricketer, cricket commentator and cricket administrator. As of 2015, he is one of only nine players to have taken 2,000 wickets and made 20,000 runs in first-class cricket.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Johnston" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Johnston</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Brian Alexander Johnston CBE MC (24 June 1912 – 5 January 1994), nicknamed Johnners, was a British cricket commentator, author, and television presenter. He was most prominently associated with the BBC during a career which lasted from 1946 until his death in January 1994. He was also part of the radio commentating team for major state occasions such as the funeral of King George VI in 1952, the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953, and several royal weddings. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Kirkstall: Kirkstall is a north-western suburb of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England. However, Kirkstall is also the name of the lane at the main entrance of the </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Headingley_Cricket_Ground" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Headingley Cricket Ground</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. This ground has seen a number of notable Test Cricket matches since 1899.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Laker" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Laker</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: James Charles Laker (9 February 1922 – 23 April 1986) was an English cricketer who played for Surrey County Cricket Club from 1946 to 1959 and represented the England cricket team in 46 Test matches. Laker is generally regarded as one of the greatest spin bowlers in cricket history. In 1956, he achieved a still-unequalled world record when he took nineteen (of a maximum twenty) wickets in a Test match at Old Trafford Cricket Ground (Old Trafford) in Manchester, enabling England to defeat Australia in what has become known as "Laker's Match". He was also the first cricketer to win "BBC Sports Personality of the Year". </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_Larwood" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Larwood</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Harold Larwood (14 November 1904 – 22 July 1995) was a professional cricketer for the England cricket team between 1924 and 1938. A right-arm fast bowler who combined unusual speed with great accuracy, he was considered by many commentators to be the finest bowler of his generation. After retirement, he and his family emigrated to Australia.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colin_Milburn" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Milburn</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Colin “Ollie” Milburn (23 October 1941 – 28 February 1990)[1] was an English cricketer, who played in nine Test matches for England before an accident led to the loss of much of his sight and prompted his retirement. Milburn continued in league cricket and went into the world of after-dinner speaking, public appearances and radio commentary.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rashleigh: Here again there are two possible choices. The first is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Rashleigh_(cricketer)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">William Rashleigh</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (7 March 1867 – 13 February 1937) was an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent County Cricket Club and Oxford University between 1885 and 1901. The second choice is </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Rashleigh_(cricketer)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Jonathan Rashleigh</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (7 January 1820 – 12 April 1905) was an English cricketer active in the early 1840s, making four appearances in first-class cricket. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilfred_Rhodes" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Rhodes</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Wilfred Rhodes (29 October 1877 – 8 July 1973) was an English professional cricketer who played 58 Test matches for England between 1899 and 1930. Rhodes became the first Englishman to complete the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test matches. He holds the world records both for the most appearances made in first-class cricket (1,110 matches), and for the most wickets taken (4,204). </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Richardson_(cricketer)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Richardson</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Peter Edward Richardson (4 July 1931 – 17 February 2017) was an English cricketer, who played in 34 Test matches for the England cricket team. Richardson's two brothers also played first-class cricket. </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dick_Richardson_(cricketer)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dick Richardson</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was a middle-order batsman who played one Test for England against the West Indies in 1957, playing alongside his brother. His other brother, </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bryan_Richardson" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Bryan</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, was an occasional player for Warwickshire.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Shackleton" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Shackleton</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Derek Shackleton (12 August 1924 – 28 September 2007) was a Hampshire and England bowler. He took over 100 wickets in 20 consecutive seasons of first-class cricket, but only played in seven Tests for England. Shackleton has the most first-class wickets of any player who played his whole career after World War II. His son </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julian_Shackleton" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Julian</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> was also an English cricketer.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brian_Statham" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Statham</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: John Brian Statham, CBE (17 June 1930 – 10 June 2000) was an English professional cricketer from Gorton, in Manchester, who played for Lancashire County Cricket Club from 1950 to 1968 and for England from 1951 to 1965. In 1963, he briefly held the world record for the most wickets taken in Test cricket. Lancashire's Old Trafford Cricket Ground was renamed Brian Statham Way in his honour and the south end of Old Trafford is called the Brian Statham End. </span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Strudwick" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Strudwick</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Herbert "Bert" Strudwick (28 January 1880 – 14 February 1970) was an English wicket-keeper. During his career, his record of 1493 dismissals is the third-highest by any wicket-keeper in the history of first-class cricket.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Sutcliffe" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sutcliffe</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Herbert Sutcliffe (24 November 1894 – 22 January 1978) was an English professional cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England as an opening batsman. He was the first cricketer to score 16 centuries in Test match cricket.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boundary_(cricket)" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Boundary</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: In cricket, the boundary is the perimeter of a playing field. It is also the term given to a scoring shot where the ball is hit to, or beyond, that perimeter. Traditionally it is a rope but could be cones, flags or other items.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Oval" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Oval</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: The Oval, known for sponsorship reasons as the Kia Oval, is an international cricket ground in Kennington, in south London. The Oval has been the home ground of Surrey County Cricket Club since it was opened in 1845. It was the first ground in England to host international Test cricket in September 1880. The final Test match of the English season is traditionally played there.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_Titchmarsh" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Titchmarsh</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Valentine Adolphus Titchmarsh (14 February 1853 – 11 October 1907) was a first-class cricketer and Test match umpire. Born in 1853, he played 8 matches for Marylebone Cricket Club and others between 1885 and 1891 as a right-arm quick bowler and left-handed batsman.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Trueman" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Trueman</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Frederick Sewards Trueman, OBE (6 February 1931 – 1 July 2006) was an English cricketer, mainly active from 1948 to 1968, who played for the England cricket team. He had professional status and later became a popular author and broadcaster. After he retired from playing, he became a media personality through his work in television and as an outspoken radio commentator for the BBC.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frank_Tyson" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Tyson</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Frank Holmes Tyson (6 June 1930 – 27 September 2015) was an England international cricketer of the 1950s, who also worked as a schoolmaster, journalist, cricket coach and cricket commentator after emigrating to Australia in 1960. Nicknamed "Typhoon Tyson" by the press, he was regarded by many commentators as one of the fastest bowlers ever seen in cricket. When he retired and emigrated he also wrote 20 books, mostly about cricket.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Ulyett" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Ulyett</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: George Ulyett (21 October 1851 – 18 June 1898) was an English all-round cricketer, noted particularly for his very aggressive batsmanship. A fine all-round sportsman, Ulyett played football for two seasons as the goalkeeper for Sheffield Wednesday.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derek_Underwood" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Underwood</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Derek Leslie Underwood MBE (born 8 June 1945) is an English former international cricketer. Underwood was regarded as one of the best bowlers in Test cricket. He also went on the rebel tour South Africa in 1981–82, bringing his England career to an end as it was in defiance of the sporting ban against the apartheid state. For this, he and the other rebels were banned from international cricket for three years.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedley_Verity" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Verity</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Hedley Verity (18 May 1905 – 31 July 1943) was a professional cricketer who played for England between 1930 and 1939. Verity continued to play for Yorkshire and England until 1939 when the outbreak of the Second World War ended his career. Verity joined the Green Howards in 1939, and after training was posted overseas to India, Persia and Egypt, achieving the rank of captain. During the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943, Verity was severely wounded and captured by the Germans. Taken to the Italian mainland, he died in Caserta from his injuries and was buried there.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnny_Wardle" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wardle</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Johnny Wardle (8 January 1923 – 23 July 1985) was an English spin bowling cricketer. Wardle was probably the most versatile of all the great spin bowlers and had an unusual style which enabled him to achieve the feat of taking 100 wickets in a season outside England.</span></p><br /><p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teddy_Wynyard" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; text-decoration-line: underline; text-decoration-skip-ink: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Wynyard</span></a><span style="font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">: Edward “Teddy” Wynyard, DSO, OBE (1 April 1861 – 30 October 1936) was a British Army officer and an English cricketer who played in 3 Tests from 1896 to 1906. He also played football and won the European international toboggan championship at Davos, Switzerland in 1894. It was while in the area he rescued someone from drowning in a lake, earning the award in 1895 of the medal of the Royal Humane Society.</span></p></span></div>Claudiahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08207562270814970409noreply@blogger.com2