This is a list of our personal rules and guidelines we follow when travelling, learnt the hard way through a lot of trial and error, to enable us to minimise overwhelm and potential meltdowns. Please note that while these rules help us out in our travels, everyone’s ASD and ADHD is different so some of these might not be right for you.
- If it’s not a fuck yes, it’s a no.
- Go hands free.
- Don’t bring anything you can’t carry on your back.
- You will be out and about from early morning to early evening, early dinner and an early bed. Don’t kid yourself with evening outfits.
- Do not book tickets for any daytime events during your ‘explore’ days. You will lose track of time and most probably will not want to go anyway. Save yourself the ADHD tax.
- Do not book any evening events. See point 4 above.
- Unless you are visiting a cold country and will not be going outside without a coat – do not bring one. You will get too hot and will lose your shit.
- Take a time out when you need to. Find a quiet space. Have a little sit down and reset.
- Eat all the snacks and drink all the tasty drinks.
- Do not buy a whole bunch of fruit at the market. You will not eat it and will most likely leave it somewhere by accident.
- Always use google maps to plan your routes.
Generally, we try to avoid the following: Busy environments with lots of background noise. Sticky hands. Being perceived. Asking for the bill. Being too hot. Getting claustrophobic in too many clothes. Not being able to find something in the bag immediately. Forced participation in anything. Making small talk with strangers. Guided tours. When restaurants get the order wrong. Unexpected food textures.
Things that spark joy for us – Every day a new adventure. Nature. Trying new drinks and snacks. Fresh, early mornings. A good viewpoint. Hunting for a coffee shop. Aquariums. Ice cream. Street food. Exploring. Parks & gardens. Road trips. Train trips. Boat trips. Dedicated pool days. Soft hotel bedding. Plants and flowers. Seeing a dog… DOG!