Traveling with this boy of ours exceeded all
expectations. He was so relaxed and happy to fit in with our spontaneous
plans. I am sure that having a base in which to stay made a big difference.
Having the familiarity of a home, bed, sofa and surrounds helped anchor
him.
We gently encouraged him beyond his comfort zone.
Many a day he hopped in and out of the car more times than I can count! Experiencing four villages and a long lunch in one day was quite mind blowing. A
vast difference from times gone by, when we could only do one outing a day.
Our biggest adventure was taking him on a high speed
motor boat for a two hour trip out to sea. We deliberated over this decision
for a few days before taking the plunge. The trip was something we really
wanted to experience and there was no way we could leave Nick behind! He did
find it stressful alighting the boat and then disembarking, however, he loved
the ride, especially the speed in which the boat bounced over the choppy waves.
Eating out was relatively easy. He went a bit over the top on Spaghetti Bolognese or French fries, although this was more my fault then
his. Europe is expensive and I didn't want to waste food or money, therefore it
was best to order his favorite food. We offered food from our plates
and he tried a few tastes here and there, which was huge. I always had fruit on hand for stop gaps. Funny boy tried Guinness, not just once but twice. His facial expressions were comical and gave us a good giggle. I doubt that he will be trying it for a third time!
The iPad was a win. Nick used it at the apartment when we were all having some down time. He also used it when we stopped for food/drink. We all love his Abitalk app and together we created some fun sentences with relevant photographs. Nick never disconnects from us when using the iPad. He constantly watches what is going on around him and frequently points out things of interest or comments on what he sees.
All in all, the adventure was a fabulous success. Now to plan the next one!
