Illuminated

I have returned from a weekend away visiting my father.
He lives alone, having separated and divorced in the last few years.
The journey was not so bad ... a comfortable coach-ride, a ferry excursion, then more coach-riding.
This particular trip was made worse by the sudden onset of *cramps* in the last leg of the trip.

Excruciating.

And no option of laying down in a fetal position with a hot water bottle.
Searching my bag for a water bottle was fruitless... I had been organized in pre-pouring a bottle and chilling it in the fridge, but neglected to remove said bottle and pack it with me.
Desperate for relief, i did the only thing i could. I spent a minute or so collecting saliva in my mouth, then downed a Tylenol and swallowed. The saliva aided the tylenol in going down, atleast partially.

It seemed to get stuck about half way down my throat, where I spent the next 20 minutes swallowing repeatedly to encourage its passage.
All that aside, the trip was enlightening.
Having run out of time now, I will have to say more later.