The Cane Effect

I managed to deal with the challenges of travel today, leaving home at 3:45 AM, arriving at around 11:00 at SFI, and then taking BART and Bus #5 to get to my daughter’s house near Alamo Square around 1:30. (The photo above is taken from her bedroom window with Alamo Square in the distance.) I brought my cane along as a just-in-case, but it quickly became apparent that carrying a cane is tantamount to wheeling a baby stroller.

The whole cane realization came when I parked in long-term parking at BWI and was about to miss the shuttle bus to the main terminal. I waved my cool cane in the air and miraculously the bus waited and proceeded to lower the platform for boarding.

All day long people have smiled, let me go first, and never questioned my place in line. I remember previous travel as a rather dog-eat-dog world. Not so with a cane.



Check out my exercise venue on the plane. I had brought along a Thera-band with the thought of hooking it to something and doing my morning leg stretches. The bar under my seat worked quite well. My fellow passengers regarded me as a little nuts, but no one complained about my use of the aisle for a few minutes.

Free plane food is definitely a thing of the past. After consuming cookies, peanuts, and pretzels, I finally broke down and bought a $6 mini-cheese-fruit box. It was enough to stave off hunger on what is always a long flight.



I love the attitude of everyone in SF, even the bus drivers. When I went to board the bus, I realized I needed exact change ($2) and had only $1 and $10. The bus driver told me to just get on anyway and bring him a doughnut the next time I rode his bus. Talk about mellow!

I found the key under the mat and let myself into the house of 5 girls, none of which is home. It’s on a lovely street of Victorian homes and a lot of very steep hills. I am going to go home in much better shape for sure.

So far my body hasn’t seemed to figure out that we lost 3 hours. I’m sure I’ll crash long before my usual bedtime, but so far I’m wired with excitement!