I want...no i NEED a vacation. its been a few years since I was able to head south and visit my family. yes, they are all a PITA, but I still get so much out of my visits south. I am thinking about spending Christmas there. I have plans to rent a small cottage near where most of them live, and that will give me privacy and a space to do what I need to do, without having to sleep on a couch, or someones twin bed or a blow up mattress.

My dilema is...do I drive or fly? I LOVE driving! I have made this trip so many times I cant count them. I love seeing the country side and visiting many small towns, and soaking up the USA road trip feel along the road, BUT since the whole copaxone thing took such a large bite out of me, I wasnt even making local trips to the grocery store. During the last few months I have been driving again, and doing great, but I worry that a drive of that length would take such a bite out of me I would take my whole trip to recover.

If I fly, I am stuck with certain dates. You MUST arrive this day and MUST leave on that day.

If I drive I can arrive when I want, and leave when I want. its saves a truck load of money on rental car fees.

Driving and flying are about the same cost. Gas vs a plane ticket is about equal. pop in hotel room for one night and its still about the same. no real difference.

Whats your vote?

I voted Drive! That way you can call me when you get to my little town and we can have lunch (or dinner) together!

Dej - I don't know. I don't know how far you are going (which for me would be a deciding factor as I can't sit for too long). Like you, I love seeing the countryside and there is a sense of freedom that goes along with it. But long trips in the car does me in. I don't what your capabilities are, spasms, vision, cognition, etc., so it's hard for me to say go for it or not. However, I do know that you are capable of the best decision for you and will do so confidently.

I don't if that helps any.

I vote for fly because I would worry about what would happen if you started out driving and it got too be too much before you even got there.

its a two day trip driving about 9 to 10 hours each day. I would drive from Winchester NH to Winchester VA on the first day. Then from Winchester VA to Asheville NC area. I have driven it many times, but sitting in a car for that long, and fresh out of my copaxone prison...I worry.

i also worry about flying. The crowds at the airports, the crammed security lines, and the sniffling, sneezing, coughing passengers. You MUST be at this spot at this time...What if I am sick that day? what if my cog fog is so bad that I simply cant function well enough to make my flight? If I am in a car i can stay one more day at the hotel.

one of my other thoughts was, if I fly I must stay the amount of time I decide on my ticket. If I am ready to go home at one week, too bad! you must stay till the date on your ticket. I can get a changeable date on the ticket, but its expensive to do that, and you have to fly standby. I dont mind standby but it would be the 2nd/3rd week of December, meaning high holiday travel time.

Im so torn! I want to drive, but dont know if I can, and I want to fly to save myself the wear and tear of the road, but dont know if I can handle the crowds and forced dates.

Grrr...maybe a nap will help.

I just checked and your name is on the Do Not Fly list so I guess you are driving, LOL. J/K obviously but anyway, I vote drive. I won't fly anywhere again. Driving is SO much better.

I vote for drive. I wouldn't plan any drive segment of more than 6 hours, but if you are doing fine you can go longer. Driving does give you much more freedom. But, there are no lines at the airport. You do use the wheelchair they provide with a pusher don't you? Great service and really nice people.

I just did a three week vacation in Florida. Was going to drive, but the airfare was less than $200 with insurance, so it was cheaper. It was a very cheap trip, I have a very good friend there who says I will always have a room anytime I come.

And, I brought back a very heavy bag, two men heavy. No charge for it, was checked as employee luggage, he works for the airline.

How about if you fly part way there and drive the rest? You'll save some time, but allow yourself the pleasure of driving at least part of the trip...

I love driving too, but I am always unsure if I'll be up for the challenge...

Let us know what you decide, Dej...

I drove to the Tampa Florida area last year and Providence Rhode Island this year. I don`t fly and couldn`t stick to some one else`s schedule anyway. You are more aware of what you are capable of doing than us?

Are you planning on going alone? That might make a difference. My first reaction was "Drive baby drive", but then I realized how hard it is for me to drive more than a couple hours at a time & still be able to pay attention to what I'm doing. I used to drive between Colorado Springs and Minneapolis, even made it in one day once, but wouldn't trust myself to do it again.
But then, that's me. You may not have that problem.
Oh, I can't decide!