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Fighting Motion Sickness

Sep 092024

For as long as I can remember, as an adult at least, I have easily gotten motion sickness whether in a car or on a boat. There are occasions when it hasn’t hit me much, but most of the time if I look down in a car or experience any kind of movement that is not stable, I start to get sick.

Usually, my physical response is to start yawning until eventually I fall asleep. It seems that my body/brain is rather adept at shutting me down to reset or escape the source of a problem.

The typical recommendation to watch the horizon while on a boat or try to get cool air work to some small degree, but not enough to remedy the oncoming discomfort. So, when it came to prepare for our Croatia and Adriatic Sea vacation, I wanted to do something to ensure that I could enjoy it as much as possible.

Since others may suffer in a similar way, I thought I’d share some of the things I did, and that worked, to avoid major motion sickness.

Puma Method

First, I read somewhere online about the Puma Method. This is a series of exercises that you do to basically make yourself dizzy and help train your brain to adjust to the motions to avoid sickness. It says it takes about two weeks to fully benefit, but I did it for four days and noticed results in the car straightaway. This was a major result as M’s driving often leaves me feeling nauseous.

You do have to pay for the video and PDF tracking sheet, but I would say it’s definitely worth it if you’re a sensitive sufferer like me. I will be continuing to do these exercises regularly as being car sick is a constant that I’d like to be free of.

Eye Exercises

A friend helped me out before we went with some herbal, natural remedies and these preventative eye excercises.

Start by thinking of your eyes as a perfect circle, a clock where every second, every minute and every hour counts.
Bring your focus to 12 o ‘clock, then using your eyes as a pencil, draw a line down to 6 o ‘clock. If the line wavers use your finger to guide your eyes. Do five repetitions, center your eyes, then close them.
Open your eyes directly at 3 o’ clock, then straight to nine o’clock and draw a line from three to nine. If the line is wavy or shaky, just work the line slowly until it feels smooth. Do five repetitions, center, then close eyes.
Open eyes and draw a line between 11 and five, then five and 11 again. Five reps. Center then close.
Draw a line between one and seven again, five reps. then center and close.
If there is a weak pattern just work through that line until it becomes a perfectly straight line.
Now, imagining your eyes as a perfect circle, start at 12 o’clock and go clockwise making every second, every minute and every hour count (a good life lesson in general.)
After five circles, center, then close your eyes.
Lastly, starting at 12 o clock go counterclockwise, five reps. When you end at 12, center and close your eyes.
Rub your hands together to create a good heat then cup your hands over your eyes and allow the heat to be absorbed.

I’m not sure how much they worked, but they definitely didn’t hurt anything.

Pressure Point Bands

These were amazingly helpful and almost instantaneous in smoothing out my stomach or dizziness on the ferry, the boat and in the car. Don’t wait until symptoms arise, just wear them. I did wear them on both wrists, then wore just one the day after we returned to land as I still felt I was moving on a boat…. I also wore just one on the ferry ride the following day, but then didn’t need them after that. I now keep one set in each of our cars.

Vagus Nerve Reset and Ear Pressure Points

My friend mentioned above also taught me how to reset my vagus nerve, which is super helpful for other aspects of our health and balance. She further showed me how to find the pressure points in my ear, which helped with any dizzy spells.

Vagus nerve reset – the easiest way to do this is to hum. Hum normally, then hum putting lower lip above upper lip, then move lower lip back and forth from normal to above upper lip, then hum normally again.
Ear pressure points – push firmly into ear canal just before the finger goes into the opening of your ear, move it around until saliva begins to increase in your mouth, repeat on the other side. Do the same for the upper inner lobe of your ear on both sides.

Other Helpful Aids

Homeopathic nausea pills (work well for a quick fix)
Ear patches (heard they work well though you have to wean yourself off of them, but didn’t use any)
Travel gum (made my tongue numb, so didn’t try again, but can distract!)
Ginger chews (everyone recommends, but couldn’t find them in our pharmacy)

So, perhaps this will help you, reader, if you suffer from motion sickness. It made all the difference for an enjoyable holiday on the water. I think the highest recommendation is for the pressure point bands as our friend on the boat also had some which seemed to work great for her as well!

~T 🔥🐉♋️

Croatia and the Adriatic

General, Meanderings Abroad No Responses »

Sep 062024

As promised, here’s a post about our trip to Croatia and time bobbing on a boat in the Adriatic Sea.

For some years now, Croatia has been a highly recommended destination for travel thanks to the Game of Thrones being filmed there and its latest entry into the European Union. Its clear waters and fairly untainted coast line is also a popular draw for the yacht and sail boat lovers.

Since M often muses about wanting to sail the Atlantic Ocean or spend life on a boat, we have gone back and forth about a sailing holiday. Unfortunately, I have a very low tolerance for motion causing me to get ill rather quickly when getting jostled about whether in a car or on water. However, things like a fast roller coaster or a speedboat do not seem to affect me at all, so we compromised on a motor boat (yacht) for our water-based vacation.

Because we boarded the boat from Split, I decided it was a great chance to do a little bit of sightseeing if we added a day to either end of the trip.

Also, because it is easy enough to get a car ferry and driving is more convenient in some ways, we embraced a road trip!

So, from our home we drove about six hours to the southern side of Italy on the Adriatic Sea side where we caught the ferry from Bari to Dubrovnik. We stayed the night in Dubrovnik closer to the ferry port since it was a late arrival and we were tired from the long drive.

Knowing that we were coming back, we decided to get up early and head toward Split with some planned stops along the coast. So, we took the slightly longer coastal road stopping in Ston and Makarska Riviera, where we had lunch, to see a bit of the lesser known towns. Both were unique in their views, but equally interesting.

Finally, we arrived in Split where we had a hotel in the old town near the Diocletian’s Palace. It was an interesting old town area that bordered the harbor. There was a reasonable amount of activity along the shore as we people watched and took in the scene. Plus, we had to have a little Game of Thrones fun!

Then, it was a week of glorious weather on the water. Each day, we would anchor in a bay to relax and swim. Then, we would head towards a different coastal town on one of the 1200 plus islands for dinner and where we’d spend the night. It was indeed a luxurious way to spend the week.

Our friends joined us for five of the seven days, which added to the fun. There were only a couple of bumpy water moments, but we moved to calmer locations and I was well prepared with different methods of addressing these situations.

We returned back to Split, then drove the quicker highway route back to Dubrovnik, where we wandered around the fortified old town, saw the GoT stairs and then relaxed before our early ferry return ride and long drive home.

All in all, it was a lovely time. We relaxed, got sun, laughed a lot, and explored a tiny bit of a new country that wasn’t on our radar until recently. We agreed that we would likely do another boat trip, since I seem to have developed some sea legs, but we think we might try the Greek islands or somewhere different next time.

If you want to know more about the preparations I took for avoiding seasickness or where we stayed, etc., just let me know!

~T 🔥🐉♋️

September!

Going Mental No Responses »

Sep 022024

I know I’m due to write an update from our trip to Croatia, but I’m still catching up from it having just returned late-ish last night. So, will aim to get it posted for Friday.

In the meantime, can you believe it’s already September?

Funnily enough, M had said when we got back in February from Australia that we didn’t have much travel planned for the rest of the year. At the time, he was right. However, we are now on a pretty solid every two weeks or so travel schedule. At least we are home for about three weeks this month, so that’s nice.

Perhaps because we do travel so much, I struggle with a little bit of return home from travel blues. Part of it is because apart from our house, pets, and each other, I have little else that excites me to being in this location. Generally, I enjoy seeing the people we meet up with when that occurs, but even after nearly three years, I don’t feel that most are friends.

I feel as if I’m a fairly low-maintenance friend. In many of my friendships, I feel as if I am the one who initiates interaction and engagement. This has been the case most of my life. Some might say it is an adoptee-thing, while others might just attribute it to my nature of being quietly thoughtful of others. Whatever it is, I have become less enthusiastic playing that role as I get older. I want friendships that are mutually initiated and engaged.

The fact is that I do not need to hang out all of the time nor necessarily be in contact constantly. But, I do appreciate consistency in effort and agreement to get together. I don’t want to feel as if I am always the one reaching out to make plans or forcing presence on others.

So…I feel as if I am still trying to find my tribe. I suppose it’s just the nature of my chosen and preferred lifestyle. Perhaps, it is my age. Maybe, it’s just me.

In any case, September is here and cooler weather is on its way. That alone makes me very happy!

~T 🔥🐉♋️

We’re on a boat!

Going Mental, Meanderings Abroad No Responses »

Aug 262024

This might be the only post until next week as we are currently on vacation on a boat in the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia.

We drove from our house to Bari on the east coast of Italy, which is about six hours away, caught an 8-hr ferry to Dubrovnik and stayed one night there. We didn’t see anything as we will visit again on the way back and wanted to do a leisurely drive up the coast toward Split.

Mostly taking the coast road, we broke up the four-hour trip with stops in Ston and the Makarska Riviera.

Eventually, we arrived in Split, which is a cute old town. Our hotel was nicely located near the Diocletian Palace square.

We explored the marina and old town for a day, then headed off for the main event of our holiday – the yacht. We are on the boat for a week with friends joining us this evening (after two days with just us).

So far, we have been swimming in the bays, relaxing and soaking up the sun during the day. Then, we either dock or moor in the evenings with dinner somewhere on shore. Just so days in and I’m loving it!

Thankfully, I prepared for the potential sea sickness and am using pressure point bands and did some training beforehand. I’ll write more on that in another post when we are back. In any event, I feel alright even after one bumpy ride last night. So, fingers crossed 🤞🏽, it remains this way for the rest of the week.

More when we return! Until then, stay tuned. 😁

~T 🔥🐉♋️

Changing Life Seasons

Going Mental No Responses »

Aug 192024

It’s a cool 24 degrees (C) / 76F today and I’m loving it. It’ll return back up to the low 30s/high 80s tomorrow onwards, but the little reprieve from the heat is definitely doing this lady some good.

While I may sometimes casually wish for more traditional ways of life, especially when it comes to social normals, there are some aspects of the modern age that I feel are better. One of the improvements on a social level is the more open discussion and sharing about what happens to women as we age. For far too long the female gender has allowed the males to define, label, and treat us as crazy, all-in-the-head, weaker sex. Well, the tables are finally starting to turn, but it’s by no means balanced yet.

When I was younger, I learned about sex from being abused by adult male figures or from films or from books. By the time I reached the age for sex education at school, I was already informed. So, when I was the first amongst most in my age group to become sexually active, it shouldn’t have been much of a surprise. Not that it was right, but it was the way it was. My parents did their best to broach the subject with me, but it wasn’t necessarily a comfortable conversation with my friends let alone with adults.

Also, when my body matured and I needed feminine products, there wasn’t much of a discussion – it just became part of the shopping list. Later, when I lived abroad, I learned to navigate birth control and other matters on my own since check ups and doctors differed by the country. Still, very few of my female friends and I discussed our cycles or body issues.

These days, my peers and I are hitting the menopause phase of life and so there is a lot of confusion, questions, and bewilderment. Thankfully, more ladies who are already in this phase or out of it are starting to share about their experiences, learnings, and advice to help us out!

One of the common pieces of advice I have received is “just do HRT, it will make everything better”! While I’m definitely for making everything better, I’m not a fan of synthetic drugs unless absolutely necessary. Fortunately, I have people around who are like-minded and have given me some more natural options and literature to read up on what might be best.

My first place to start is through a book called It Must be My Hormones by Marion Gluck and Vicki Edgson. The combination of medical information, nutritional awareness, and the case studies is very helpful so far.

Based on this information and advice from someone, I’ve got a recommendation for a clinic that focuses on bio-identical hormone therapy in Rome. My next step will be to make an appointment there for next steps, so stay tuned as I update here on that when it happens.

In the meantime, I have become more and more aware of how little we know and understand in our youth about how poorly we treat our bodies with no concern about the longevity of them. Since we cannot see inside our bodies and never learn about how to use blood tests to regularly monitor our health, we abuse them without a thought. By the time we experience pain or discomfort, the damage is mostly done with either a significant amount of effort required to repair or an acceptance of the decline as the only solution.

I’ve been pretty lucky to have a healthy body inside and out most of my life. Although I do know a good amount about nutrition and health, I definitely have not always been fully aware of my body. These days, I have some aches and pains. My spine has been called old already at just 48 years old. This is despite doing yoga and eating relatively well. Some things you cannot do anything about.

Of course, I am getting physio for different parts of my back, posture, and such. I am eating even better – or trying. I take my vitamins that are organically/naturally sourced. I drink kombucha brewed at home. I have lions mane coffee with collagen and mushroom elixir. I have green juice filled with tons of vitamins and minerals.

Plus, I do yoga stretches, walk on the treadmill at least 20 minutes each day, and stay active-ish.

Seems like everything should be grand and yet, I still am not 100%. More like 95%, which is still good, but I notice that 5%.

This brings me back to the beginning. Heat is no longer my friend. Thankfully, I think my vitamins have helped curb my hot flushes a bit, the heat triggers an overheated devil in me. I’m definitely happiest these days with partially cloudy skies and a cool breeze. Now, I just need to find the perfect place to live in that kind of climate! 😅😅

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

Another Little Escape

Going Mental, Meanderings Abroad No Responses »

Aug 162024

It’s been a little quiet here the last week or so as I was with guests, then headed to France for a few days to see friends and enjoy the sea.

There is something different in the vibe and energy with those in the Var, where I go to visit. Perhaps, it is the closeness to my age or a similar outlook to life. I’m not sure, but I do often feel refreshed when I come back from catching up with my friends there.

This time, I only stayed a few days as I had initially planned to spend a few days on my own in Nice to do some writing and relax.

A certain someone decided somewhat last minute that he was feeling ‘needy’ and flew up to join me for the Nice days. We had a lovely time with a full day at a Le Negresco Beach Club, then a half day after the Lorgues market with our friend at Barco Beach Club in Sainte-Maxime. These moments of sea water, sunshine, and sand gave me a refreshed feeling.

Summers used to be my favorite season, but I think what made it so was that I could go to the seaside. There’s something soothing about the enormity of the ocean, the vastness of the sand made up of millions of pieces of shells and rocks, and the endless open skies into the unknown horizons.

It calms me to be tiny in the great big world, to blend into the nothingness, to feel absorbed.

So, now we are back for a couple of weeks to catch up on normal life and get a little ahead of things before we head off again. I’m enjoying the routine, but also looking forward to the next escapade.

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

A Little Escape

Going Mental No Responses »

Aug 052024

I’ve been in the marvelously cooler UK for the past five days. So much of my mental state has shifted in this time, just by being in the lower temperatures.

What was I doing in the UK you ask? Where did I go, you want to know?

Let me sum up, then.

I went to Reading, pronounced [redding] not [reeding]. It was a kind of ‘bucket list’ visit since I have memories of playing Monopoly and getting the chance-card that would say something like “Take a ride on the Reading Railroad, collect 200 if you pass go.” So, it made me smile to pass the railroad station and I actually rode the train from the station.

My purpose was to learn a bit about trading based on AI trading algorithms. I have actually been manually trading for ‘fun’ for a few months and wanted to know about how it all works. Mission accomplished. I’m not quite sure what I will do with the knowledge now, but at least I have a bit more info.

After that, I went to Bristol to visit a friend. It is just under an hour away on the train, so it would have been a shame to not make the visit. We had such a nice time exploring the area and catching up.

In addition to all of this was my refreshed mind in not feeling overheated all the time, sweating out of every orifice unnaturally, and hiding in dark rooms as an attempt to stay cool. So, while I am not super excited about returning to the heat, I am looking forward to going home to see my man, the pups and cats, and see what progress has been done on our pool area.

Sometimes, a little break gives a positive perspective on all that we have.

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

Orvieto Sound Festival Weekend

Going Mental No Responses »

Jul 292024

There are various regular summer activities that happen around the cities, towns and villages of Italy. Umbria is no different. The main events that can be found around are music festivals. Our town of Orvieto always has the Orvieto Sound Festival.

While I don’t listen to a lot of Italian music, though it would probably be good for my language skills, I do enjoy music of all kind. Last year was a lot of fun as our friends organize the weekend with restaurants that border the piazza where the concerts are held, so we can get food, drink and tickets for a very good price. Plus, it is always fun to have a different kind of night out.

This year, I wasn’t sure how I would feel with the ankle, but luckily all of that was no issue at all. I was able to see Alfa on Friday night and we saw Max Gazze last night.

Alfa was excellent. He had fans from all ages and put on a great show (left pic). Unfortunately, it wasn’t until the encore toward the end of the concert that Max Gazze engaged with the crowd and got us into the music. For me, it sounded like a few of the instruments were out of tune with the others and the music style was not quite my favorite.

However, the company and time out was excellent. Given how hot it has been here during the days, it was nice to go out to enjoy time outside when the temperatures were better.

So, it was a good weekend all in all!

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

Life is…

Going Mental No Responses »

Jul 262024

Life is complicated and a roller coaster at times. Is it this way for everyone, or do other people have stable mental states and day-to-days? Would I want that even if I could? – Probably not.

Nothing is wrong, per se. All is well physically, financially, etc. Yet, my mental state is jumbled.

I’m a combination of bored and lonely, more with a sense of isolation than being on my own or without friends. I lack intellectual stimulation and outlets. Sure, I would say a lot of this is of my own creation due to being introverted or less tolerant of people. However, some of it is also just not having enough to engage my mind on a daily basis.

This is proven in the fact that I’ve read three books in a week. I also have two Italian books, and three more books on the go from audio, digital and paper. On top of that, I write blog posts, poems daily, and a smattering here and there. So, it’s not a lack of input or activity, just that it’s not enough overall.

There’s a vibe that comes from life in a city. Even if I don’t engage with other people directly, I can thrive on the energy of others in the space of a cafe, a shop, the streets. In the countryside, I hide from the heat, the bugs, the allergies, the sounds of the country. It’s just harder for me to find my place, which I’m sure may seem crazy to many.

So, I’ve been working toward changing that. I recently returned to doing pottery and think I can do that regularly again, which makes me SUPER happy. I’ve also joined an online book club and decided to do a training course that will last two years starting in February. Plus, we’ve got trips planned and other activities coming up soon. It’s all on a positive trajectory.

I think I had no idea how hard it would hit me having to sit around doing little in the midst of one of the hottest summers (Julys) in Italy on my own whilst the final stage of my ankle healing happened. I thought it would be easy to endure a few weeks, but I was wrong.

Not being able to jump in cooling waters or shower properly or sleep comfortably definitely takes a toll. Sitting in a cool, dark room many days in a row is not conducive to bright and happy mental health.

The impact of these past few weeks is hitting its peak now. M and I are arguing over things. He thinks I’m just unhappy with life; thus, him. I think he’s being self-centered as my mood has nothing to do with him. We argue, yet nothing positive changes. So, we argue again. It’s just a passing moment, I know.

What I don’t know is how long it will last. I have no idea if I will soon be in a better mood or if it’s a matter of waiting for the season to change. So, while I/we suffer through the unknown, I shall read more books, write, and take it one day at a time.

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

It’s Me…Not You/Them

Going Mental No Responses »

Jul 222024

Being independent in thinking, persona, and image can leave one (me) with a sense of loneliness, even when I am surrounded by others, most especially by those I actually like.

I have always been a trend balker. If something becomes trendy, I actively go the other way to avoid being considered a follower or a joiner. In Robert Frost’s poem The Road Not Taken, he ends with the statement that taking the less traveled path has made all the difference. While there may be many a discussion on whether or not he is expressing this in a positive or negative tone, I have always taken it as a positive.

So, it is to my own dismay that when I hear of others, whom I like, getting together without a mention or invite directed toward us I get a tinge of jealousy/envy. It sparks questions that I normally do not allow to enter my thought processes. However, for a few hours or a day, they take over the forefront of my ponderings.

Why wasn’t I/we invited? Are we not really friends? Is it me? Is it him? Is it them? Did I do something? Am I not likable? Was I even here and able to go if I had been invited? Why do I care, really?

The answers aren’t actually that important, nor are they going to change my behavior – unless it really is a disliking of me kind of situation.

It’s more a curiosity as to why I might take it personally at all. I am not a FOMO kind of person. I don’t like large groups anyway. Yet….

Perhaps, it is because when I do reach out for a quiet coffee with some, I get lukewarm replies. Not straight out cold ones, but enough of a ‘no’ to make me feel okay about it. Then, I find out she/he/they have been hanging out with others I have made similar offers to, but not been included in. A less confident, self-assured person might take that as a true personal slight.

Then, I remind myself–I don’t like groups or doing things in such a way. It’s not my nature to join sporting activities, especially in groups or teams. It’s not my nature to do things just because others are. Therefore, there is nothing to feel upset about or to take personally. It is what it is and who I am.

So, after a short reflective semi-pity/perturbed party, I’m OK. I’m looking forward. I have plenty that I enjoy doing and much happening in the coming days. I’ll enjoy our moments together, but continue to not be dependent on having an active social life here; for now.

It’s a good, busy week ahead, so better get to it!

~ T 🔥🐉♋️

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