Ok, so crazy question....London, in an RV??

[Ethel Mertz]

One other thought - for the anxiety: if this person does not already take an anxiety med (or even if she does), it might help to have some along. Traveling can sometimes make anxiety worse. Good luck finding some solutions that work. I think the idea of switching hotels a few times to be closest to the sites you want to visit may help. Also, most touring buses have a bathroom, so you might pursue that angle as well.

[Laura Corin]

Lane widths: Wikipedia suggests lower minimum lane widths in Europe than the US.  Standard UK parking space sizes are about the size of compact bays in the US.  Most London streets have no garages, so all the cars are also parked on the street: you can only get through with great care and in a normal sized vehicle.

 

Good luck with your plans.

[earthyfamily]

One other thought - for the anxiety: if this person does not already take an anxiety med (or even if she does), it might help to have some along. Traveling can sometimes make anxiety worse. Good luck finding some solutions that work. I think the idea of switching hotels a few times to be closest to the sites you want to visit may help. Also, most touring buses have a bathroom, so you might pursue that angle as well.

 

I checked, tour buses that tour the city do not have a bathroom. :/  She doesn't take any meds for her anxiety, though she should as bad as it can be at times. 

[aggieamy]

One idea would be to stay at different hotels in different parts of London situated close to the sites and areas you'd like to see. That way, the individual who cannot travel too far would be close to the hotel. This would mean having to pack up and move, though. 

 

The food is amazing. AMAZING! You should be able to find plenty of fantastic vegetarian options.

 

Books that we liked when we went to London:

 

Savoir Fare London: Stylish Dining for Under $25

The Little Black Book of London

24 Secret Walks in London

 

London is full of amazing things to see. Even the little courtyards and little *secret* walkways are cool.

 

Have fun!

 

I hate to sidetrack this thread but MBM - could you post a link to the 24 walks book you liked?  I looked on amazon and couldn't find it.  That sounds like the perfect book to get DH for Father's Day ... um ... we're doing a belated Father's Day here because DD is at camp this week.  LOL.

[purplejackmama]

Thanks brehon and those who took this post seriously and had kind input to give. There's not much more worse than when someone who deals anxieties gets laughed at and joked about because of said anxieties.

I am sorry I wasn't trying to be snarky. It just seemed odd to me that people kept telling you, "bad idea!! Abort the idea!" and you kept trying to make it work.

 

I'm sorry this is such a stressful situation. I hope you find a solution that let's you enjoy London with as little anxiety as possible. It's a great city!!

[Kerileanne99]

OP- if you know the places you are going I can (and others I am sure!) tell you about bathroom facilities at most popular places. Maybe we can help you map bathroom friendly routes...and armed with that information the anxiety might be less?

Quoting myself because I wanted to ask if you have access to a smartphone there? London actually has an app for finding bathrooms that is pretty good. We used it more than a few times:)

Here is some info on the one we did:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2939766/Never-caught-short-App-helps-nearest-toilet-WORLD-tells-free-use.html

[Lady Florida.]

A member of the family going with us has travel related anxieties that would, just to put it more simply, make having a toilet nearby at all times quite handy.  And I've never been to NYC, so I couldn't really say.

 

 

 

 

What about the flight with this family member? No, there's no way you can do this in London. As for never having been to NYC, I've never been to Chicago or LA or Boston but I can picture what it would be like. 

 

Go to google and look at images of London streets. 

[MBM]

I hate to sidetrack this thread but MBM - could you post a link to the 24 walks book you liked?  I looked on amazon and couldn't find it.  That sounds like the perfect book to get DH for Father's Day ... um ... we're doing a belated Father's Day here because DD is at camp this week.  LOL.

 

Ack. No wonder you couldn't find it. The correct title is 24 Great Walks in London. But some of them have secret little hidey-holes and paths that are fun to find. :)

[earthyfamily]

I am sorry I wasn't trying to be snarky. It just seemed odd to me that people kept telling you, "bad idea!! Abort the idea!" and you kept trying to make it work.

 

I'm sorry this is such a stressful situation. I hope you find a solution that let's you enjoy London with as little anxiety as possible. It's a great city!!

 

Is okay...I'm just used to coming to the defense for this person I suppose.  There's a lot of people that don't understand her needs or her feelings, I tend to be a very empathetic person...sometimes painfully so.

 

Quoting myself because I wanted to ask if you have access to a smartphone there? London actually has an app for finding bathrooms that is pretty good. We used it more than a few times:)

Here is some info on the one we did:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2939766/Never-caught-short-App-helps-nearest-toilet-WORLD-tells-free-use.html

 

Yes :) I will look at this! Thanks!

[catz]

Haven't read responses, but London proper?  Not a chance. 

[idnib]

Yeah, no. Not unless you want to end up on the evening news.  :)

 

I like the plan of pre-planning bathroom locations for your sightseeing and carrying a lot of coins. One of my relatives had a similar problem and she rarely went anywhere for years. I think it's good your relative coming instead of staying home all the time, isolated and alone. With some planning and a bit of luck hopefully you can make it happen!

 

 

[Spryte]

I was coming to suggest the app for finding bathrooms, but I see it's been suggested. :)

 

I like the idea, but agree that it's not workable in London. Pre-planning the hotel nights to be close to the day's destination might help.

 

Also, what about a visit to the doc? To discuss anxiety meds, and perhaps some IBS type meds, if that is an issue?

 

Travel with issues can be challenging. I hope you find a solution!

[brehon]

OP, has your family member flown overseas before? If not, she really should talk to her doctor about meds for the flight. It sounds like she thinks getting to a lavatory in the plane will be easy and that's not necessarily the case. Please have her think very carefully about this.

[earthyfamily]

Yeah, no. Not unless you want to end up on the evening news.  :)

 

I like the plan of pre-planning bathroom locations for your sightseeing and carrying a lot of coins. One of my relatives had a similar problem and she rarely went anywhere for years. I think it's good your relative coming instead of staying home all the time, isolated and alone. With some planning and a bit of luck hopefully you can make it happen!

 

Thanks for being so encouraging.  She's kind of the same, doesn't like to leave the house because of it at times....but she really is determined not to be housebound.

 

I was coming to suggest the app for finding bathrooms, but I see it's been suggested. :)

 

I like the idea, but agree that it's not workable in London. Pre-planning the hotel nights to be close to the day's destination might help.

 

Also, what about a visit to the doc? To discuss anxiety meds, and perhaps some IBS type meds, if that is an issue?

 

Travel with issues can be challenging. I hope you find a solution!

 

A trip to the doc might be workable at some point.  It does seem, from what she's told me, as though it's probably IBS.

 

OP, has your family member flown overseas before? If not, she really should talk to her doctor about meds for the flight. It sounds like she thinks getting to a lavatory in the plane will be easy and that's not necessarily the case. Please have her think very carefully about this.

 

She hasn't. Neither have I for that matter....is it often difficult to get into a bathroom if needed?

[regentrude]

.is it often difficult to get into a bathroom if needed?

 

On a plane? Yes.

You can't use the lavatory during taxi, takeoff and landing period (or when there is turbulence), because you have to stay buckled in your seat. They don't switch the seatbelt sign off until they reach cruising altitude.

You can't use it during meal service because the carts are blocking the isle ( aside from the fact that it would be difficult to get out of your seat because the tray table does not fold up since there is the tray on it and nowhere else to put it.) You usually need to wait until meal service in the cabin is finished.

 

When you can go, there are usually several people waiting to use the restroom as well.

 

 

 

[earthyfamily]

On a plane? Yes.

You can't use the lavatory during taxi, takeoff and landing period (or when there is turbulence), because you have to stay buckled in your seat. They don't switch the seatbelt sign off until they reach cruising altitude.

You can't use it during meal service because the carts are blocking the isle ( and it would be difficult to get out of your seat because the tray table does not fold up since there is the tray and nowhere else to put it.)

When you can go, there are usually several people waiting to use the restroom as well.

 

Hmmm.....worried about that a bit now.

[regentrude]

Hmmm.....worried about that a bit now.

 

I am sorry. I did not mean to cause you worry - but I really think that somebody who has anxiety surrounding bathroom use has a much easier time walking around a major city than being on a transatlantic flight.

 

[earthyfamily]

I am sorry. I did not mean to cause you worry - but I really think that somebody who has anxiety surrounding bathroom use has a much easier time walking around a major city than being on a transatlantic flight.

 

Too bad boats take too long hehe.

[catz]

I have been dx-ed with IBS after close to a year of problems and lots of medical testing.  I've found it very controllable for me with diet, exercise, stress management, and some more holistic things (like ground flax and probiotics).  Some people need to be treated for anxiety and that will help.  I would follow medicals roads first and add a more holistic practioner in if she's not getting any clear medical reason for the problem.  Some IBS patients do better off of dairy and/or gluten.  This sounds absolutely crippling for this person and I would encourage her to get help for this problem before taking her on an overseas trip. 

 

I totally agree the airplane could cause at least as many problems as being in London. 

There might be other places where getting to a bathroom on very short notice might be difficult.  What if you are in the middle of a long, snaking security line at the airport?  What about the lines in the immigration hall?  How is this person even getting to your local airport?

 

Keep in mind, many of the tourist sights in London are pretty close together.  Even if you could park an RV nearby, I don't understand how it would help.  Assume you could park it in front of every destination: you wake up in your hotel, then you drive 15 minutes to, say, the British Museum.  You can't use the bathroom in the RV while it is being driven around town.  Maybe you can when it parked, but would be just as easy to go into the museum.  Then, while you are in the museum, say looking at the Rosetta Stone, are you going to walk past the restrooms in the museum to go outside to the RV?

[marbel]

On a plane? Yes.

You can't use the lavatory during taxi, takeoff and landing period (or when there is turbulence), because you have to stay buckled in your seat. They don't switch the seatbelt sign off until they reach cruising altitude.

You can't use it during meal service because the carts are blocking the isle ( aside from the fact that it would be difficult to get out of your seat because the tray table does not fold up since there is the tray on it and nowhere else to put it.) You usually need to wait until meal service in the cabin is finished.

 

When you can go, there are usually several people waiting to use the restroom as well.

 

Agreeing here.  And not to add more to your worry but to give more information... sometimes that can take a long time.  And if the person has anxiety anyway... times of turbulence can be very stressful. 

 

 

[JFSinIL]

Would the person be willing to wear a Depends as a worse-case back-up plan? 

 

[Word Nerd]

I am sorry. I did not mean to cause you worry - but I really think that somebody who has anxiety surrounding bathroom use has a much easier time walking around a major city than being on a transatlantic flight.

It's unfortunate but I agree. The flight would be a bigger problem in that regard.

[thessa516]

Oh goodness, I have to agree with everyone regarding the RV and the flight. Also, I'd be worried about the person in regards to the change in diet / water. Even healthy people can have a bit of adjustment period when overseas just due to the change in drinking water. Her "safe" cooking brands may not be available in the UK and she'd have to adjust to something new. I'm sorry, but I'd very much encourage this person to start with small, semi-local trips instead of a trans-atlantic flight and stay in London.

[aggieamy]

On a plane? Yes.

You can't use the lavatory during taxi, takeoff and landing period (or when there is turbulence), because you have to stay buckled in your seat. They don't switch the seatbelt sign off until they reach cruising altitude.

You can't use it during meal service because the carts are blocking the isle ( aside from the fact that it would be difficult to get out of your seat because the tray table does not fold up since there is the tray on it and nowhere else to put it.) You usually need to wait until meal service in the cabin is finished.

 

When you can go, there are usually several people waiting to use the restroom as well.

 

Sometimes the wait is long too.  When we flew with DS (19 mos) to Europe a few weeks ago I was patiently waiting to get in to use the loo to change his particularly gross and stinky diaper.  After a long wait the door opened and the guy behind me pushed me aside and rushed inside.  I thought the flight attendant was going to sock him!  I just assumed that he needed it more than DS and I did.  

[KungFuPanda]

Is this person a spouse or child? If not, is possible to do a different trip with her and do London with the people who are physically up to it? Nobody will enjoy it if someone is miserable and it's awfully expensive for that risk. Maybe this person (your mother?) is better suited for an all inclusive resort that is a drive or much shorter flight. Perhaps a beach condo? Or someplace like DC where the museums are close together, have lots of bathrooms, and free admission so it doesn't sting if you leave early.

[elinnea]

I think it's great that your relative wants to travel. I think every American should travel overseas at least once. However, given what you've shared, this trip doesn't sound like a good idea. I think the other posters have given you some really great advice. I don't think anyone wants you to be worried, I just sense a lot of concern from people that know what it's like to trav overseas and can see some potential pitfalls.

 

My dh is European so we've done lots of transatlantic flights. Are you flying from the East or West Coast or somewhere in between? Is it a direct flight? Personally, I find flying to be highly stressful: going through security, making sure you're at the airport on time, sitting in a tiny enclosed space for hours and hours, jet lag, etc. I can't imagine throwing an anxious person into that situation and then adding bathroom issues on top of it.

 

I don't want to discourage you entirely but I think perhaps you should try something closer to home first. Maybe a shorter domestic flight or how about a cruise?

[brehon]

Hmmm.....worried about that a bit now.

Assuming this is an adult family member who wants to come with you, please talk with them about the issues brought up in the thread. Regentrude and others are correct; just the logistics of getting through customs and immigration can be long and involved. Then there are the issues of using to loo on the plane that Regentrude mentioned.

 

I think that as wonderful as it is that your family member wants to travel, she really should work on getting her anxiety and GI issues under control first. Perhaps taking some smaller, less involved trips first might not be a bad idea for this person.

[Ethel Mertz]

OP, I really have to admire your desire to include the person with anxiety and bathroom issues. I hadn't thought about the flight issues, but that can be a bit dicey under normal circumstances. When we lived in DC, we flew from DC to London in 7 hours. Since I always feel compelled to stay awake to "help fly the plane," it was a very tedious flight.

 

Totally off your proposed travel plan, this person would probably do extremely well with a cruise - if you could get her to the port of embarkation without too much hardship.

 

 I hope you can work something out. 

[MBM]

OP, I really have to admire your desire to include the person with anxiety and bathroom issues. I hadn't thought about the flight issues, but that can be a bit dicey under normal circumstances. When we lived in DC, we flew from DC to London in 7 hours. Since I always feel compelled to stay awake to "help fly the plane," it was a very tedious flight.

 

Bwa ha ha! Same here! And here I thought I was the only one willing to take charge if necessary. :D

 

 

Earthymama, try to book a flight on a big plane that will have more bathrooms. Also, book close to the area with the most bathrooms available to your seating.

 

The worst part of flying to Europe is staying awake until you can check into your hotel. See if you can check in soon after you arrive or you might find yourself sitting in a McDonald's watching your kids sleep upright. BTDT!

 

I think you should go. :)

[Ethel Mertz]

And make sure the person who needs the bathroom has an aisle seat!

[Jean in Newcastle]

For a transatlantic flight, someone with bathroom issues will do a lot better if they fly first class.  Better bathrooms, and more access because there are fewer first class passengers and no one else is allowed to use them.  Of course there will always be the restrictions during take-off, landing and turbulence for safety reasons.  

[TechWife]

 

Earthymama, try to book a flight on a big plane that will have more bathrooms. Also, book close to the area with the most bathrooms available to your seating.

 

 

 

Bigger planes not only mean more bathrooms, but they mean more people waiting in line for those bathrooms as well. 

[LibraryLover]

Folks do caravan in England (http://caravanandcamping-uk.com/england/london/), although it's not possible/sensible to park a large RV on a London street. I've seen RVs in NYC and in Boston. That is truly insanity. 

 

As an aside, have you seen a Mercedes Benz Motorhome?  http://www.motorhomerepublic.com/united-kingdom-motorhome-rental/?label=b_6650940108_motorhome%20rental%20at%20uk They quite amazing.  They are $$$, but they are compact!

 

It must be incredibly frustrating to want to travel, but be limited by health issues. I have a relative who has had to give up all but the shortest travel, and it's been heartbreaking for her.

 

I fly frequently, and while there can be lines for the bathrooms on the plane,  some times are busier than others. Like right after a food service. Often, there are no lines at all.   I'm assuming your travel companion has spoken with the Dr and has some meds that might make it easier?

[saw]

We live in London, and, before we lived here, travelled here every few weeks for about a year and a half. My youngest has bladder issues that mean we always need to know where the nearest bathroom is and how long it will take us to run there. If you are near tourist areas, that should be quite doable. We learned quickly where all the bathrooms were and where the Sbux, Nerro and Costas are. Heck, at this point, you could just text me or call me with your location and I could probably tell you where the closest bathroom is! I think if you plan out your days keeping restroom locations in mind you should be fine. As for the plane, try to time bathroom use for non-busy times or get a seat near the bathroom so you can get to it more easily and won't be blocked off by the foodcarts.

[earthyfamily]

Wow, so much info and feedback here.  Sorry I haven't been around to respond more promptly.  Here's our plan as of right now.  We're going to try taking some smaller vacations/trips prior to our trip to London. In the meantime we are going to plan like craaaaazy and plot out bathrooms and work around this as best as we can.  Here's the list of places we're sure we want to visit while we are there.

Buckingham Palace and Royal Mews

Natural History Museum

Royal Observatory

Kensington Palace

London Planetarium

Hyde Park Stables

Big Ben

London Tower

Kensington Gardens

British Library

Westminster Abbey

and somewhere great for teatime

 

Do these places have bathrooms?  Bathrooms closeby in the transit process?  We were thinking of staying in the Paddington area because that's where the Heathrow Express comes in from the airport.

You guys are great! Thanks!

[Laura in CA]

Royal Observatory

...

British Library

Westminster Abbey

and somewhere great for teatime

 

Do these places have bathrooms?  Bathrooms closeby in the transit process?  We were thinking of staying in the Paddington area because that's where the Heathrow Express comes in from the airport.

You guys are great! Thanks!

 

We love London! Best wishes as you figure out how to make this trip work for everyone.

 

As PPs have said, there are loos all over London, and in most of the tourist destinations. I spent more time than I had planned in the loo at the Maritime Museum (at the edge of the park where the Royal Observatory is); it was old (nice wooden doors!), clean, and spacious, and I knew my family was outside in the museum enjoying looking at the exhibits. :)

 

You can do a lot of planning beforehand using the Web. For instance, here is a floor plan of the British Library showing exactly where the WCs are, including ones with access for the disabled. (Note: "G" means ground floor; "1" is the 1st floor, which means the first floor above the ground floor  -- what we would call the second floor. :) Also, dates are "backwards" -- today is 25.06.2015.)

 

As a PP said, it almost seems like fodder for a madcap movie, driving an RV through the center of London. It immediately brought to mind one of our favorite Top Gear episodes (yes, I have teenage boys) in which the lads race across London using different modes of transport. If you watch the episode, you'll get an idea of the crazy traffic and narrow streets, and as a PP said, the confusing street markings. We (and by "we" I mean my husband) have driven around Great Britain, but never within London -- seems like suicide even in a small car, plus there's that hefty daily congestion fee (which has made the buses more frequent and convenient!). Even driving around the bucolic countryside, we had a number of minor collisions with parked cars (as Laura Corin showed in the photograph she linked to, cars park halfway on the street, making narrow roads even narrower; plus you're driving on the "wrong" side of the road ...), and hit a low brick wall while executing a three-point turn on a narrow country lane ...

 

Good luck with your planning, and I hope you have a wonderful time!

[Starr]

You can be strategic about using the bathroom on planes. Go when you first get on the plane while others are boarding. Get up again as soon as the light says you can and be sure you go before the plane starts to descend . If you sit next to the bathroom you can always get in there and lock the door before they tell you no ;)  I hope it all works out well.

[saw]

Wow, so much info and feedback here.  Sorry I haven't been around to respond more promptly.  Here's our plan as of right now.  We're going to try taking some smaller vacations/trips prior to our trip to London. In the meantime we are going to plan like craaaaazy and plot out bathrooms and work around this as best as we can.  Here's the list of places we're sure we want to visit while we are there.

Buckingham Palace and Royal Mews

Natural History Museum

Royal Observatory

Kensington Palace

London Planetarium

Hyde Park Stables

Big Ben

London Tower

Kensington Gardens

British Library

Westminster Abbey

and somewhere great for teatime

 

Do these places have bathrooms?  Bathrooms closeby in the transit process?  We were thinking of staying in the Paddington area because that's where the Heathrow Express comes in from the airport.

You guys are great! Thanks!

 

Natural History Museum -- easy, it's kid-friendly so lots of bathrooms. Near South Ken Tube where there are Sbux etc.

Big Ben -- there's a public restroom in the pedestrian underpass going from Westminster Tube across Whitehall. It costs 50 p. and I think you need exact change. There's also a restroom at the Methodist Central Hall but they like to reserve it for people visiting the cafe but I'm sure you can get around that.

Westminster Abbey -- restroom at the Cellarium, the public restaurant inside off of Dean's Yard. They like to put up a sign that says for customers only but no one pays attention. Inside WAbbey there are restrooms out the back beyond Poet's Corner. If it's crowded, as it's likely to be, it may be difficult to get through the crowd to get there, so probably good to plan that one.

British Library -- I think the best/easiest restroom here is the one on the ground floor, in the central part on your left if you go to the right as you come in (clearly marked). The main restroom has long lines but there's a handicapped restroom as well that's on the ground floor right before the stairs. I think there's another restroom in the family/kids area, down one floor to the right in the main hall. You can use that area if you're with kids (has lockers too).

Tower of London -- pretty easy. There's Sbux outside on either side although not adjacent to the Tower. The Tower has quite a few restrooms though.

Not entirely sure about Buckingham Palace etc -- I don't recall this area as particularly restroom-heavy and I do get a bit anxious in the parks because it can be more difficult to find restrooms. Might be good to do extra planning around anything in a park.

 

[Night Elf]

My sister has travel anxiety and flew to somewhere in the UK. I can't remember where exactly, but it was her DH's family. Because of the long flight and new experiences, she developed stomach and bowel issues. That kept them at the house for a few days until she was able to resolve the problem. That cut into their sightseeing time. She was not sure if the food added to the problem or not. When they go back, she's going to ask her doctor to prescribe her Ativan to get her through the flight and something more potent for bowel issues just in case it happens again. She was so embarrassed, but her DH's family treated her very kindly and did what they could do to make her feel better.