For as long as I can remember I've wanted to go to Australia and New Zealand. Now I can happily say, "been there, done that." Half of it anyway. I'm just back from two weeks in Australia. New Zealand? Maybe in another lifetime. What's important here? A long and potentially difficult trip came off without a hitch and I'm more than happy to have faced down my post-stroke travel fears once again.

I've traveled to numerous foreign destinations since having my stroke, but this trip was special. Not only was it a dream come true; it was a wonderful affirmation of what life can be post-stroke, full, productive and thuroughly enjoyed. We went to Cairns where the Great Barrier Reef is. Okay, so I was unable to snorkel the reef as I had hoped. Had it not been too choppy and too cold to snorkel the first day for even my fully able-bodied partner and; had I not picked up an intestinal bug the second day, I was ready and willing to test my able-ness to snorkel. What's important here? I was prepared to give snorkeling my all, scared or not, had the circumstances been different.

We went to Melbourne, a lovely city where we figured out the bus and tram system in terms of accessibility a little too late, but we did figure it out.

In Sydney we met my email pen pal of 2 years, another stroke survivor, whom I've mentioned in a previous post as the crazy guy who paid more for shipping a One Hand CanDo Cutting Board than he paid for the board itself. He had arranged for me to present my "One Hand Can Cook!" demonstration at the hospital where he does his rehab. The presentation was a bit more complicated and a bit less organized than is typical, but what's important here? I was given the opportunity to share my post-stroke experience and know-how with a whole new group of survivors. That was the cherry on top of a rich, sweat and yummy travel sundae!

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