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Hello Listfolk - a long time since I dropped (visibly) in here - I tend to hang out on the Digest on/off these days since I got some effective treatment that allows me to feel ... most of the time ... like I still have a life. But, knowing full well that nothing is certain in the world of PD, I am off travelling in the second half of this year while I can still muster the will and the energy. I plan to arrive in the US (west coast) with a friend (not pwp) from NZ about mid/end June and to spend 1-2 months driving/hostelling (not giving in to being 'packaged' just yet <g>) around US/CAN, heading east. My friend is going on to the UK/EUR and I may/not decide to go with him. Ideally I'd prefer to establish a base somewhere and dig in for a bit if I can get a 6-month visa - this approach worked well in '95 (pre dx) when I spent 5 months on the US east coast doing some research. With this in mind, is there anyone out there willing/able to offer any reasonable/low cost/no cost accommodation--house-share, room with use of facilities, granny flat, whatever, wherever--between, say, July-Nov this year? (I imagine several local pwp/carers and well-known contributors to this list will be happy to vouch for me should you wish for references.) It would be great to make contact with support groups along the way, and join in where possible with exercise classes ... I'm really going to miss my weekly community physio and hydrotherapy groups. I'd also like to meet up with pwp interested in non-conventional/nutritional approaches to treatment/management (just read the excellent chapter on PD from 'The Brain Wellness Plan: Breakthrough Medical, Nutritional, and Immuno-boosting Therapies' by Carl Germano and Jay Lombardo, Kensington Publishing Corp., 1997, and want to follow up on some supps they recommend that are not available in Australia.) I did put out a feeler within the university network for anyone interested in houseswapping with me, but without success so far ... I guess I didn't get my act together soon enough ... or else my situation (I live in Fremantle, Western Australia) sounds just a little too antipodean ... folk are inclined to be fearful of falling off the edge if they come this far <g> ... but if you are an intrepid adventurer and would like to know more about this option, please get in touch soon before I find someone local to rent my place. If you'd like further info, or have any offers/suggestions/advice ... please contact me ... off-list (otherwise I may miss your response). Cheers Beth Leslie 55 yrs/dx '96 ... currently running pretty well on Eldepryl 5 mgs x 2, Madopar 100mgs x 3 + 50 mgs at bedtime, heaps of supplements ... and yet to discover just how roadworthy this model is when she's put to the big test!