"Travel Jenny" by Jenny Humphries

Growing up I did very little travel. My family did a yearly vacation to the beach, but for me travel and vacation are two very different things.

A vacation is for rest and relaxation; travel is for exploration and discovery. I enjoy both, and always try to build in a little “vacation time” into my travels, but once I had the opportunity to truly travel as a young adult I was hooked.

Travel allows me to be who I envision I WOULD be if I didn’t have CF. In my everyday life, I am a constant guardian of my time and energy. When I’m at home and invited to try a new restaurant, attend a charity event, or go for a hike, I have to make sure that the days surrounding that outing allow for plenty of rest. It’s the only way I can make sure I still have enough energy to live my life.

But when I’m traveling… I’m the freaking energizer bunny. Hike 2 miles in the desert followed by rappelling off of a 100 ft arch and then sunset pictures in a National Park? I’m in! Drift snorkeling for 2 hours followed by a visit to a donkey sanctuary, trying iguana soup, and learning about a new culture? Where do I sign up?! 20,000 steps exploring NYC, followed by a Broadway show and then late night karaoke while eating Korean fried chicken?

Yes, please.

I love being “Travel Jenny,” but “Normal Jenny” certainly pays the price. Away from home my body seems to be fueled by pure adrenaline (and sometimes Prednisone), but when I arrive home it’s like slamming into a brick wall. Pre-Trikafta, a post-trip hospital stay was pretty much a given. Nowadays I tend to fare better, but I occasionally still push things a little too far (ask my mom about a mad dash down a mountain in Colorado when my O2 dropped and I almost passed out from being at too high an elevation...oops).

One of the ways I’m able to sustain “Travel Jenny” is through a frankly excessive amount of planning. I know there are people who despise a detailed itinerary, but luckily for me, my usual travel companions enjoy my Type A approach to travel. If a city has a Segway Tour, we’re taking it (great way to see a lot of sights without hours of walking). Even though it must seem like I have a photographic memory for maps, the truth is that I spend hours plotting out each excursion and meal so that we can be efficient and not waste time (or ENERGY) traipsing back and forth. Those detailed itineraries ensure that I always know where I’m going to be so I have the correct meds with me.

“Travel Jenny” is an early riser so that if we’re in a touristy destination, we can minimize wait times, which means less time spent on our feet in the hot sun. Traveling with people who are compassionate and understanding of your limitations is important as well travel for a person with CF definitely requires more planning, and comes with some restrictions. I’ll probably never scuba dive, and I’m hesitant to go above 8,000 ft again after a couple of scary episodes. It also means I’ll never be someone who can come home from a vacation and hop right back into normal life.

But for me, it’s all worth it. The pursuit of learning more about the past, the excitement of experiencing new cultures and foods, the absolute peace of watching the sun set over a stunning new landscape - all of these things make me so much more appreciative for my life and the time that I’ve been granted.