Going on holiday

Hi, it’s a subject that I’ve always struggled with, did my first foreign trip a few weeks ago with my wife. I looked online at a video and photos of the hotel and area so I knew what my surroundings would look like.I booked a room with a bath, I know mad but important to me. I bought some noise cancelling earphones for the flight, they were brilliant. we took audio books and my favourite slippers! I normally get to day three then shutdown and end up in bed for 2 days. I know that by day 5 I then only have 48 till I’m back in my surroundings, anyway it’s the first time we have been away with me knowing that I’m autistic. I find long walks a great help so that’s what we did. I got through day three quite well, found it was better to leave alcohol alone. Most probably only person to go all inclusive and drink lemonade. Only had one meltdown which was when I couldn’t find any food that I could tolerate in the restaurant and there were too many people near to me. We found it nice to walk along the beach and eat at quiet restaurants. The earphones  made it possible for me to listen to uk radio.  I prefer to go and look at something, 10 minutes on a sun lounger and brain is getting restless.
I tried a small experiment when going through the airports, the crowds at airports make me very anxious.  I wore a small glass button badge with the symbol for autism on it. A member of the airlines staff took us to a check in desk, the lady at the desk spoke to me by my first name and asked if I was okay. It wasn’t in a patronising way. When going through Spanish passport control, the officer did exactly the same and wished my a nice holiday, normally lucky to get a grunt. It seems that training is starting to make a difference or more people have contact with autistic people. Sorry for the essay, it’s just been a subject I have been thinking about for a while.

Hi, it’s a subject that I’ve always struggled with, did my first foreign trip a few weeks ago with my wife. I looked online at a video and photos of the hotel and area so I knew what my surroundings would look like.I booked a room with a bath, I know mad but important to me. I bought some noise cancelling earphones for the flight, they were brilliant. we took audio books and my favourite slippers! I normally get to day three then shutdown and end up in bed for 2 days. I know that by day 5 I then only have 48 till I’m back in my surroundings, anyway it’s the first time we have been away with me knowing that I’m autistic. I find long walks a great help so that’s what we did. I got through day three quite well, found it was better to leave alcohol alone. Most probably only person to go all inclusive and drink lemonade. Only had one meltdown which was when I couldn’t find any food that I could tolerate in the restaurant and there were too many people near to me. We found it nice to walk along the beach and eat at quiet restaurants. The earphones  made it possible for me to listen to uk radio.  I prefer to go and look at something, 10 minutes on a sun lounger and brain is getting restless.
I tried a small experiment when going through the airports, the crowds at airports make me very anxious.  I wore a small glass button badge with the symbol for autism on it. A member of the airlines staff took us to a check in desk, the lady at the desk spoke to me by my first name and asked if I was okay. It wasn’t in a patronising way. When going through Spanish passport control, the officer did exactly the same and wished my a nice holiday, normally lucky to get a grunt. It seems that training is starting to make a difference or more people have contact with autistic people. Sorry for the essay, it’s just been a subject I have been thinking about for a while.