Singapore travel decisions

[Roltuba]

Thanks for all the replies to my last post.

Methotrexate – the instructions are to stop taking it if you have “an infection” as it suppresses the immune system. This obviously includes viruses as my GP agreed that I should stop it for a couple of weeks when I had ‘flu. I have now spoken to 2 specialist nurses (can’t get hold of one then they all come at once…) who both say they don’t advise stopping before going to exotic places, but do stop if you get anything more than a cold and resume a week after stopping any antibiotics. I shall go with that; if it is stopping me having more awful flares I welcome it. (slightly disappointed to still have to be extremely careful with alcohol though!)

Things to limit stress during the long journey to Singapore include going from Birmingham, not Heathrow which is a much worse journey for us and more difficult to negotiate when there. Not included would be spending the enormous amount more on Business Class – for Emirates this is over £6000 on top of what we are paying. (we are already paying £1000 extra for going over Christmas) Even at a cheaper time it is over £5000 more than Economy. This would seriously limit other holiday plans we’d like – haven’t had a holiday for 3 years because of PMR and eye surgeries. We have paid extra for window-side pairs of seats with no-one else to stop us getting up and moving around, upstairs in front of engines. (Seatguru is very useful for avoiding seat choice pitfalls).

As I can at the moment walk 5 miles faster than my normally-fit small wife I will leave airport assistance to those who need it more; we break journey in Dubai and don’t leave Terminal 3. (She was concerned at someone’s report that they were pushed miles somewhere with OH jogging behind!)

Our daughter has lived in Singapore for 7 years and we have visited her 3 times. We have also been to Africa, India, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Bali and USA (3 times), lucky us, so hope we know what we are letting ourselves in for. Fingers extremely crossed….

Will revisit paid-for bank accounts as Moneysavingexpert reviews suggest they are more worthwhile than they were when we looked before. May have left it too late as over the age 70 barrier now.

Now for the Christmas shopping..... enough to bring on a relapse!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Just make sure you enjoy when you get there!

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Sounds good. You can ask for airport assistance and decline the wheelchair - they still will guide you to avoid getting lost/standing in lines for hours and so on and where appropriate will use an electric buggy. That all depends on the access to the gate - in a lot of airports they don't have lifts that accommodate them. Airport assistance also gets you to other seating areas - I walked to the gate at Seoul as it was about 100 yards and there was still a long queue at the expedited security line and wasn't a seat in sight at the gate but because we had the bit of paper we were taken downstairs to another seating area. Thank goodness! It also gets you priority boarding so you don't end up in the scrum. That aspect was even more useful at Chicago where there was NO seating at the gate EXCEPT for assisted passengers.

And enjoy!

[SheffieldJane]

Have a wonderful time. You will be able to relax in the business lounge as well, where of course the Champagne doesn’t count 🥂.

[Koalajane]

I always have airport assistance, and more than once I am sure we would have missed a plane on transfer if we hadn't had it. So glad to have it as so many terminals are enormous. It also saves you queueing at security and check in.