Traveling with a big black dog

Traveling can be difficult as someone with a chronic illness, and travelling with a big black dog is no different. While I am not referring to the popular metaphor depicting a big black dog as depressions weight on your chest, my own big black dog did sleep on my body weight. His feet by mine and his head on my chest. 

He is of course the best friend I could ever ask for. Man did he impress me while we were travelling.

For those of you who don't know, we went from Stansted UK to Pordenone Italy. This trip was split over two days, two coaches, three trains. The first leg of the trip was early in the morning but Jaxx was wide awake and ready to work. 

From Stansted UK to London Victoria, where we changed coach, was uneventful. On the coach to Paris I had the start of an allergic reaction, to I suspect the cleaning solution the coach stank of. I took my emergency meds and put my mask on. 

When we got off of the coach on the ferry, I used my wheelchair and the driver was very concerned about me, but he only spoke Spanish. I thought he was upset about something from his tone so I went to find a Spanish speaker to translate, turns out he didn't want to leave me alone! Bless his heart. I assured him I'd be okay, and he went to the coach drivers lounge!

The ferry was easy, finding our coach again was difficult and I should have written the information somewhere. But that's a mistake I can learn from! 

Once we got to Calais it was a 2 hour drive to Paris, and the hotel was only ten mins after that.

The hotel was problematic, we faced discrimination and difficulties most of our stay. Though the accessible hotel room was perfect, they were afraid of Jaxx.

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When we were told we couldn't eat breakfast with the other guests, but have the buffet in the room, I wondered how they would achieve that. I asked to speak to the manager and I packed up my bag, waiting outside. The manager was so apologetic he gave us a full refund. He called us a cab, and we headed to Paris Lyon to stow the suitcase, then into Paris to take a ride up the Effile tower!

Later that day we got on our way to Paris Lyon, to get onto our thello sleeper train! This was the first leg of our journey to Italy and I couldn't have been more excited.

Unfortunately our ride with thello was horrible, facing again more discrimination and I was shouted at by a member of staff.

For the record this is how they left a disabled girls cabin.

When we got off at Milano Centrale I just wanted to take Jaxx for a potty break. The Assistance team unfortunately didn't understand this, so I had to leave my bags and take my chances just go. Everything was fine though.

Then we finally, finally got to Pordenone and my lovely friend! 

There will be more of the travels later! But I'm still so exhausted, so that's it for now. Also the next entry will be a "adventures and look back; mistakes, and things I'd have done differently" entry, so I hope yall have a note pad and a pen because I'm going to let you know exactly what you're in for!