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to dennis & clare - i became an avid PD advocate when i saw that my father was freezing for up to three hours and my mom was physically unable to assist him - we had choices at that point - full time care (not really needed in my opinion) or learning what to do when freezing up - now, how to get my father from tyler, texas to los angeles, california for a clinical trial study at University of Southern California on freezing. . . although he and my mom had travelled at least every other year to the U.K. - my father had been afraid to get on an airplane or go anywhere unassisted for 7 years - yes, i agreed to go to texas and bring him out here - but even then he was terrified - a year later now and he has travelled several times on the plane unassisted - NERVOUS, but unassisted! "what if" are terrible things to deal with - until you put them in black in white, on paper, and proceed to answer each "what if" with a "well, then we'll just. . . " every airline IS wonderful at trying to accommodate a person who needs wheelchair assistance - and for the most part - the more vocal you are (the more "human" YOU are) the more they treat you as such - you were right, tho', dennis when you said that during an "off" period being "human" is almost impossible! my father certainly bore more resemblance to the potted plant than to any person around him! several times i had to remind him that, altho' he is special and unique to me (!), he is just not so unique that when he enters a room - the world momentarily stops rotating on it's axis and every eye in the world slowly turns to fix on him ! you were right again dennis - you become familiar with eyes looking your way - however, it is usually fleeting and passes - when my mother and i first when out to get a "companion" wheelchair (the type that collapses for use in the car) i had mom push me around the mall in tyler - i wanted (a) her to know what it physically required of her to push and (b) i wanted to experience what the person IN the chair experienced - it wasn't condemnation - it wasn't fear - it wasn't disgust or sympathy - it was kindness and smiles - after all, in a wheelchair most parkinsonians look "normal" - no brace, no crutch, no difficult effort moving to or fro - in fact - sometimes it was the only time my dad didn't feel like he had parkinsons! that wheel chair got us in at the front of the line, for heaven's sake, at the Long Beach Aquarium! It had just recently opened - the lines were horrible - the sun beating down - and we rolled right in! i told my dad i was going to get one just to keep in the car for me! now i just have to find a willing pusher!!! in any case, wheelchair assisted travel is a blessing - for those who love to travel or have the need to travel - it is a saving grace - and it is no different than most other experiences we share - some are good, some are bad, but for the most part, we get through them and move on - one tip? keep a whistle hanging around your neck at all times - if you ARE left alone in a corner by a potted plant and need anything - blow that whistle - if you whistle - they will come! if you feel well enough to want something - then do that something - don't let the "what ifs" stop you - cari a daughter. . .