See the world - Explore it

Poland Our trip into Poland was very much an unplanned detour after Prague. Being so close by train, it was a great opportunity to visit Auschwitz, the notorious WW2 Nazi concentration camp as an important history lesson for Michael. What we hadn’t expected, was just how extraordinary Poland would be in its self and Krakow, where we stayed was incredible. Krakow one of the oldest cities in Poland, with its old town being listed an UNESCO World heritage site was beautiful, albeit cold. It boasts the biggest market square in Europe and houses The Cloth Hall, apparently the first shopping mall in the world. Also St. Mary’s Basilica as well as Rynek Underground, a maze of underground medieval tunnel routes that run below the market square. Krakow also has its own royal castle, Wawel which looms above the city complete with a fire breathing dragon monument, worth a wander past in the evening. We loved Krakow and even the cold added to the magical feel to the city. Our apartmen...

Kiwi See the World “through my eyes”- Cambodia We took a bus over the border into Cambodia and with quiet trepidation surveyed the view from the window. In many ways it reminded us of Lao. Lots of dilapidated villages, wooden shacks and extremely poor, a sharp contrast to the more affluent Vietnam we had left behind. We were however pleasantly surprised to arrive into Phnom Penh, which was a bustling, relatively clean glittering city, much to Michaels relief who had fretted and questioned us about our likely accommodation the whole way. Our first day was to tour the Killing Fields and S-21 genocide museum. A former high school converted into jail where thousands of Cambodians we're brutally tortured, starved and murdered by the Khmer Rouge regime between 1975 -1979. A graphic and harrowing experience to look into the eyes of the men, women and children catalogued and photographed on entering the jail never to leave. 3 million victims over quarter of the population murde...

Kiwi See the World - Through my eyes Rather than write another article on Asperger’s, we decided to keep a running diary on how Michael copes travelling for a year and share some of the problems we face, as well as the successes on our journey as we go. This isn’t intended to be the answer to managing his ASD. The saying you’ve met one person with ASD is correct. You really have only met one person with ASD. Everyone is individual and different. We are sharing our experience of travel, good and bad in the hope that it has a positive impact on Michael's life and will have value to another parent faced with the same or similar issues to our selves. Michael is fully involved in this blog and approves every thing before publishing. January 2018 A week to go! Michael 10 is smart, articulate but lacking in empathy, has limited social skills around his peers and has extremely high levels of anxiety. Faced with the prospect of travelling around the world for ...

Today was the first of 4 vaccination days over the next six weeks. Rabies, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B and Typhoid, done and dusted with no major meltdown from Michael, although getting him back there next week could be a challenge. You will find lots of debate and differing opinions on some of these vaccinations on line which can be confusing and leave you feeling none the wiser. In fact 'to do or not to do' discussions tend to go the same way as the MMR debates, best avoided ! The best advise we read was talk to a Travel Nurse, get the facts and if still unsure just do it. $700 is nothing compared to piece of mind. Having experienced a pack of aggressive stray dogs on an isolated beach in Turkey and seen nasty bites from Monkeys in Gibraltar, we decided to plan for the unexpected. The first 'unexpected' however was the cost!! Our first visit to the Travel Nurse setting us back nearly $700.00. Rabies at $160 a vile x 3 Talk to your Travel nurse as they may b...