Hi to anyone interested, 2024 now and have ticket, visa and travel insurance and am off on the 29th. Feb.
I did go to Oz last year as well. About 5 weeks before I was due to travel, I had one of those senior moments and passed out when climbing some stairs. I was fortunate as I passed out on the flat part at the turn of the flight. Got carted off to hospital loads of tests and the next day had a pace-maker fitted. Apparently I had a heart stop, not an attack or stroke!
So the flight was just outside my 'do nothing for 4 weeks' restriction and I travelled with 'assistance' to Oz. It was really well handled and so much easier. This time, travel was a Qantas A380 but they had all been refurbished with, believe it or not, Dreamliner seats etc. I think they knew the seat squabs were inadequate as suddenly the pillows have got much larger and I sat on mine, much more comfortable!
However within 6 weeks I was in hospital at Gosford having twisted my right knee and the swelling was very painful, eventually they drained 80ccs of fluid but even now it still hurts.
So I had an immediate comparison of Medicare and NHS, if you are ill not much in it ,but Medicare just comes out on top. Communication, the Gosford hospital very poor whereas with NHS I had an update every 40 minutes or so. Food, Gosford, do not have anything cooked, it is truly awful! NHS the food was actually quite good!
So had the return journey with assistance and that was very good, especially when you are wheeled past 3 jumbo loads of travellers waiting to go through security.
So it was with trepidation last month when I rang up for travel insurance, but it was just a £100 loading on my insurance, this covers 12 months. I am booked with assistance again, so fingers crossed, but have good expectations.
I will have to be re-acquainted with helping to run our son's model railway, chips in all the engines, it has been re-modelled but it is always interesting. Last year they had just bought an inflatable sail board but you can sit on it very comfortably with the extra fittings and I used it a lot as a canoe.
So I am currently trying to get as fit as possible to make sure I enjoy it all, as you never know which visit will be your final one!
Regards
Roy