Travel Blogger Daily Blog: The Sun Is Finally Out And I’m Stuck Inside With A Swollen Knee

Dealing With An Injury; Glad I’m Not Traveling Now

By Kevin Wilkerson, PubClub.com Travel Blogger

This blows.

After two weeks of non-stop rain, the sun is finally out here in Los Angeles.

But instead of being outside, riding my bike on The Strand through South Bay Beach Cities, having lunch out on a sunny deck and joining friends for sunset, I’m stuck inside my apartment with a wounded knee.

It’s a strained knee and has swollen to the size of a grapefruit. It’s twice the size of the other knee. It’s the result of miles and years of running along the concrete beachfront path known locally as The Strand. Every now and then, one of my knees gets strained – I recently had to move and lifting a bunch of boxes is the likely culprit here – and I get sidelined from my usual active lifestyle.

This has me grounded inside leaning back on the sofa, keeping the knee elevated, ice on it and taking regular doses of ibuprofen.

And it’s sooo frustrating!

I’m an outdoors, active person, not a sit-on-the-sofa guy. I like to be out doing things instead of behind a closed door doing nothing. I feel claustrophobic. That’s one reason I don’t like rain. It keeps me inside.

It’s also why I enjoy traveling so much. One of the great joys of travel – if you ask me – is in being active, doing things, seeing places and people that are different from our usual surroundings.

Fortunately, I’ve never had the knees flair up on me when I’ve traveled. I did have a foot swell up when my shoes fell apart on those rough streets of Paris. My solution was to stop at several cafes and drink French wine.

I’ve also been sick when traveling. Once was New Year’s Eve week in New Orleans. Talk about a bummer! I did manage to rally enough to enjoy NYE but the other days and nights were spent curled up in bed watching bad bowl games.

Hopefully this knee injury is a temporary situation. I’m in no hurry because I know that living in Los Angeles means the sun will be out a lot of days (most of them, in fact). It’s just that after being cooped up for so long because of the rain, it’s a real bummer to be inside when it’s such a great day outside.

Cheers!