Salty Zebra

Warning: I get a little outside of my standard writing style in this post. As my husband says, I am usually "flowery" and subtle in the way I present things. Today I'm being brutally real.     I've mentioned lots of times on this blog the fact that I have Ehlers-Danlos Syndromes (EDS), but I thought that today I would share a little of what that means to me. It's hard to know how to communicate this to people who don't share my experience. For example:  I am never not in pain. Do I take pain meds? Yes. I take a great deal of pain meds. But no, they don't take my pain away. What they do is (sometimes) take my pain down to a level where I am able to function. My daily functioning pain level is more than many people will experience in a year. Is it easier for me to deal with pain because I am so used to it? No. No, it is not. In fact, the ongoing, constant, chronic pain builds on top of itself over and over and makes it MORE difficult to deal with. I just do...

 Cruising in a wheelchair, or a scooter, or any wheeled device can be the best way to get out and see the world! Yes, there will be challenges, but is there anywhere that is totally challenge free in a wheelchair? Ok, Disney doesn't count. That's a magical place! Anyways, cruise ships, especially those from the major players (Norwegian, Carnival, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Disney, etc), especially the newer ones are specially designed to accommodate handicapped travelers. A significant portion of their customer base requires some sort of mobility aid, so they are very aware of the needs of travelers and do their best to make your vacation wonderful. As I mentioned, though, there will be challenges and today's post seeks to help you be aware of and find your way around them.    Cruise ships are getting bigger and bigger all the time, with more and more decks. The ship I sailed on last month had 20 decks and I've seen some coming out later this year with as many as...

 If you've been following along with me, you've probably seen that I use a wheelchair when I cruise . The first thing this involves is getting the wheelchair TO the cruise. For most people this will involve flying and, sadly, airlines do not have the greatest track record with wheelchairs . According to this article , every year between 10,000 to 15,000 mobility devices are damaged during air travel. The Department of Transportation estimates that comes out to about 1 in 100 or 1.4%. Tell me the truth, if you heard that 1 in 100 people lost their legs when flying, would you get on an airplane? That's really what we're talking about here though. For most people who use them, mobility devices represent the only way for them to effectively get around. In the picture above, you may be able to notice that the post on the front right of my chair is bent and the right side of the seat is significantly lower than the left. During our last flight, something  happened that lite...

  This January (2025) I had the blessing of being able to cruise in a Club Balcony Suite on Norwegian Cruise Line. I've been conceptually familiar with these cabins, but I've never sailed in one and I wanted to see what the differences were. What makes a Club Balcony Suite different from a Balcony cabin?  First off, lets dispel this "Suite" misnomer. The Club Balcony Suite is not considered a Suite. You do not get the major suite perks like a butler, concierge, special breakfast restaurant, and extra Latitudes Rewards point per night. They do include a few suite perks though, perhaps that inspired the name? These are treats delivered to your cabin on two days of the cruise (one day you get sweets and another bite-sized sandwiches) and a bottle of sparkling wine. You also get one free bag of laundry per cruise.    Club Balcony Suite Bathroom Balcony Bathroom  How about the differences in the cabin itself? The primary difference you'll find will be with the bathro...

Hey there! I'm an Amazon Associate, which means I earn a commission when you click one of these links and buy something. This does not change your cost at all.  As I was packing up for my most recent trip, I thought you all might be interested in some of the things I keep in my personal bag. What's a personal bag you might ask? Most airlines allow you to bring one personal item on the plane with you. Some (sometimes for a fee) will allow you a carry on and a personal item. But do you really take advantage of what that personal item can be? Let's just say when you're packing for your trips primarily as carry on only, you learn to use what's available to you!  On Alaska Airline's website they state, "One small personal item such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop bag, and medically necessary items will be allowed on board." The thing is, "purse" and "laptop bag" have LOTS of different definitions! Some would think of this mini:  Whil...