The Caldedonian sleeper, also known as The Deerstalker is one of only two overnight sleeper trains currently operating in the United Kingdom; the other being the Night Riviera which runs from London Paddington to Penzance. Operated by Scotrail, the overnight journey takes thirteen hours from London Euston. However, with the facility for a good nights sleep, it will leave you feeling bright and refreshed, ready for spending a few days in the small Scottish town of Fort William.

On board the train, special attention has been paid to wheelchair users, with special sleepers at the end of each carriage; a necessity as the corridors are narrow and cannot accommodate the width of a standard wheelchair. Standard and first class sleepers also have narrow entrances, whereas the mobility compartment has push button controls to open and close the door, with a facility on the inside to lock it. The sleepers have bunk beds with easy handhold rails for those with disabilities to get in and out of. Access to the top bunk requires the use of a small ladder. The basin is at a good height and within easy reach, although there are no shower facilities available on board. I found the bed comfortable with all linen provided and the compartments have air-conditioning and bedside lighting, controlled at the touch of a button.

I located the lounge car where I could relax and read my book, with plenty of room to stretch out. I found I could either buy food or refreshments from there or alternatively call room service from my own sleeper. Wheelchair users would probably have to use room service as it would be difficult to get to the lounge car.

I was awoken in the morning with a light breakfast accompanied by tea or coffee and a newspaper. Complimentary toiletries are also provided for those who travel first class.

Sightseeing in Fort William

On arriving at Fort William, I looked at what was available in terms of sightseeing. As the town lies on the shores of Loch Linnhe, you can take a leisurely boat trip which takes up to ninety minutes and operates during the summer months. You may even want to take a stroll in the pedestrianised area of the town, perhaps visiting the West Highland Museum, home to many artefacts from the stone age cultures of the Mesolithic to the technologies of modern industry. Visit one of the many souvenir shops selling goods ranging from tartan regalia to fine single malt whiskies.

In winter there is the opportunity to ski at the nearby Nevis Range, just north of Fort William, available from about November onwards where adaptive skiing for disabled skiers can be arranged by booking in advance. In summer there is the opportunity to go mountain biking in the same area.

Up and away

For an all year round activity, you may want to ride in a cable car across the Nevis Range; transporting you up to 650m. Meander along the mountain trails to the panoramic viewpoints, then relax in the restaurant and bar. The gondola cars themselves are able to accommodate wheelchairs up to 60cm wide and the operators will readily slow or stop the gondola cycle to allow access for their less able visitors, until they are onboard and fully prepared for the journey ahead. There are disabled toilets located at both the top and bottom stations.

The biggest attraction, however, for those arriving in the area is to see Ben Nevis and, for those hardy enough, to climb the mountain. This mountain is the highest in the United Kingdom and the summit is 1,344 metres (4,409 feet) above sea level. There are even the ruins of an observatory, which was permanently staffed between 1883 and 1904. The main route and the one that most tourists follow will allow you to reach the top in about four hours, fitness and weather permitting. It is not feasible for anyone with a severe disability to attempt the climb, although there have been successful attempts by wheelchair users in the past. It attracts an estimated 100,000 ascents a year, often resembling a public highway at peak times.

Another rigorous pursuit for those so inclined is walking the West Highland Way, from the foot of Ben Nevis at Fort William to

the outskirts of Glasgow or perhaps the Great Glen Way; a walk/cycle way from Inverness to Fort William. This route is Scotland’s fourth National Long Distance Walk. It runs from Fort William at the northern end of the West Highland Way to the City of Inverness along the Great Glen Fault. The route is 73 miles (118 Km) long, closely following the line of

the Caledonian Canal.

More information:

The Caledonian Sleeper runs six nights a week. Bargain berths start at just £19 single, only available by booking online at the ScotRail website. For full details of all services, visit the website. Tickets can be obtained and bookings made at most staffed stations, rail appointed travel agents, by phone from ScotRail telesales on 08457 550033 or via the website. Booking well in advance and being flexible with travel dates is the best way to secure great value fares.

This article first appeared in the December 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

Having visited France and Spain on numerous occasions I decided to avoid the chills of the bleak UK winter and head across the continent for a few days on a mini motoring holiday.

I’d recently taken delivery of a new Ford Focus Zetec with sports trim and all the extras I could afford. This was an upgrade from my previous Focus, from my Motability dealer in Weymouth, and the Zetec goes like a rocket. It has good handling, steering and suspension, and the 17.5” alloy wheels hang on to the road as if their lives, and mine, depend upon it. I feel as though I’m almost glued in to the driver’s sports style seat, and the ‘rally style’ automatic, tiptronic gearbox is easy to use.  The car has adaptive headlights; those that follow the direction that you turn the steering wheel, which really do let the driver see round corners. Definitely a great choice!

My carer and travelling companion, Linda, and I planned a short driving holiday; three overnight stays from Cherbourg port through France into Spain, and three stops on the return journey. Linda doesn’t drive so the task was mine, and seeing as we were in no hurry to reach any of our destinations we were able to take our time and enjoy the scenery – and test out my new Zetec!

Au revoir to England

We left for Cherbourg from Poole harbour one chilly morning, mid-December last year. I’d requested an on-board wheelchair when booking our ferry crossing, so that we didn’t have to unload the car to get my own chair out, and we had no problems obtaining the wheelchair once aboard. We settled with a coffee and a baguette each to us in the continental mood, and enjoyed the journey across to France.

I’ve found from experience that leaving my Blue Badge on display as you leave the Cherbourg docks means that you tend to be treated a little more civilly, and stand a good chance of getting a “bonjour” and smile!

Our trip started by driving south, via Caen for an over-night stay at the Ibis hotel in Falaise; the scene of a great battle at the ‘Falaise Gap’ during World War II.  I’ve stayed there before within the last 12 months, as the hotel caters well for disabled guests, and the staff actually remembered me. There are no steps leading to the entrance of the hotel and I was able to move around my room in my wheelchair quite comfortably, even in the bathroom. After a hot meal and the obligatory couple of beers, my bed called.

Smooth roads and excellent facilities

Linda speaks fluent French and phoned ahead the following morning to book accommodation for our arrival in Limoges in the Limousin region – 400 miles away. Driving along the newly upgraded A28 toll road was a dream! Smooth surfaces, no manholes, no drains, no cats-eyes and, surprisingly, very little traffic. We stopped off at one of the motorway services to refuel the car, and ourselves, and noted that even the facilities here were very accessible (perhaps some of the best I’ve ever seen). Also, disabled parking spaces are never used by anyone who isn’t a Blue Badge holder, ever. There are heavy fines for ‘abusers’ and the motorway police perform regular checks.

I didn’t have much chance to enjoy the scenery, travelling ‘at speed’, but France is very much like the UK – pleasant rolling scenery in all directions but maybe not so hilly.

The Ibis in Limoges was as the one in Falaise – very disabled friendly. Again, we had no problems with our accommodation – or with the steakhouse next door where we dined that evening!

Boy racers in Spain?

Driving from Limoges to Granollers, Spain, just off the A7 toll, inland from Barcelona, took four or five hours as we travelled further south via Toulouse and Perpignan. It was very noisy when we arrived at the next Ibis hotel, mid-afternoon. ‘Boy racers on their motor-bikes’, I thought, ‘just what we need’. However, the hotel bar was adorned with Moto GP photos, signatures and racing memorabilia, and I discovered that we were only 300 yards from the Catalunya race circuit. Apparently the Moto GP motor-cycles were being tested for the new season.

Our lodgings, along the Carre de Can Cabanyes, was a fairly new building which was indicative by design and facilities; I could have driven my car into the bathroom let alone my wheelchair! The huge wet-room had grab-handles and supports on every wall, and the wash basin was at wheelchair-friendly height with easy to use taps. Perfect!

Our final southerly destination on day four was Peniscola on the Costa del Azahar, midway between Barcelona and Valencia. You could distinctly notice the change in scenery from the moment we entered into Spain. Everything was much drier, with a brown tinge and there was a definite rise in temperature as we headed further south.

I remember visiting the same spot more than 30 years ago with my then wife, when it was just a seaside town. It’s now five times as big and very much a holiday resort, but still just as beautiful. Upon arrival at the four-star ‘Hotel Peniscola Plaza Suites’ Linda and I were assured that should we encounter any problems during our stay the staff would try to rectify it straight away, but thankfully we didn’t have any complaints! Arriving just in time for a siesta we had plenty of help getting settled. The ramps throughout the hotel, with automatic doors and lifts to all floors, made getting around that much easier.

I was delighted to be informed of the underground secure garage. Normally it would cost €6.00 a night but at this particular hotel it was free for disabled drivers. Allocated accessible spaces were near the lift and we were able to use the garage for the length of our stay.

We discovered three themed restaurants (Italian, Mediterranean and American) within the complex along with, of course, the usual Spanish and over the few days we were there, we tried them all. At Spanish mealtimes every meal (usually a buffet) was covered in olive oil and served ‘tepid’, the way the locals like it. All I can say is God bless the microwave!

The bar and restaurant staff were brilliant and couldn’t have been more helpful, and we were ‘allotted’ the same table every mealtime near the ‘facilities’ and doorway. Over a few beers with some local resident Brits we met in the bar, we were very pleasantly surprised to find out that nearly all Spanish hotels now have fully accessible facilities in place for disabled guests, which is now Spanish law.

Shopping in the local supermarkets, staff were pleased to see us and always helpful. Not only did we discover some bargains but I also found that I had no problem getting around.  The aisles were all wide and unobstructed, unlike many English supermarkets.

Time to start heading home

So, after a very relaxing time in the sun, and it was sunny and warm nearly every day, we readied ourselves for the journey home. First stop on the way north was the Ibis at Berriac, a suburb of the medieval walled city of Carcassonne. After an over-night stay there, we headed further north to the Ibis at Poitiers in the heart of France, another pleasant night. Our final stop saw us return to the Ibis at Falaise. Being a few miles south of Caen, we were well situated for a last minute shop in the huge ‘Super U’ hypermarket before our ferry departure from Ouistreham (for Portsmouth) on the Normandy coast.

Our total cost for travelling the toll road route, there and back, was just short of £200 – but saved us a tremendous amount of time, in both directions. The fuel economy of the Focus was great, considering the amount of motorway we’d covered. The average was 35.8 miles per gallon, over 2,500 miles – something I can’t complain about!

Had we driven non-stop from Cherbourg to Peniscola, the drive would have taken about 15-18 hours – but we probably wouldn’t have been able to take in the views, or stop for casual lunches where we watched the world go by. If I hadn’t used the toll roads, the trip south could have taken as long as 24-30 hours.

I would definitely recommend Europe not only for a Christmas break, but for a driving holiday too, and this was a trip that we will definitely take again in the future.

More information:

The Ibis group of hotels has accommodation throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and North and South America. It is advisable to book ahead if you need a room with disabled facilities.

After Police in Norfolk received complaints from shoppers in Great Yarmouth about scooter users “driving too fast” and “bumping into market stalls” they decided to set up their own scheme to try and reduce the number of accidents. Mobilise was invited to try out this nationally acclaimed Safe Scoot Scheme so we sent Jim Rawlings along to be put through his paces.

The Safe Scoot Scheme was devised by Norfolk Constabulary in partnership with Halfords because they wanted to improve the safety of mobility scooter use. Safe Scoot is a best practice guide to running awareness courses, complete with a short film starring actress Sheila Reid. At mobility scooter awareness courses users are taught basic manoeuvres such as starting off, reversing, negotiating shopping aisles and are made aware of speed limits. Anne Campbell, Norfolk Constabulary spokesperson said “There are around 330,000 users in the UK for whom scooters provide a lifeline to the outside world giving them their freedom and independence. With models ranging from the 4mph class 2 up to the 8mph class 3, these machines can be difficult to manoeuvre and so accidents do happen.” 

Jim tests out Safe Scoot

So how did I get on? I must admit to being a scooter novice. So I was relieved that the only thing I could injure was a small plastic cone! Having mastered the “bite” point for the control levers and passed the eyesight test it was all systems go. Learning how the body of the scooter moved relative to the steering took a while to assimilate – certainly when only being able to operate it one handed! Four mph in the relatively confined space of the large hall seemed the equivalent of 60 mph on the road. The slalom course was fun, although doing it in reverse was harder but I’m pleased to report that only two cones were injured. Driving into the “garage” was OK although I felt the Anglia TV reporter filming me doubted if I was going to stop before I made contact with her legs (I did). Reversing into the garage was better. Parallel parking and reversing towards the model of a woman with a pram was disconcerting despite twisting my neck more times than a Wimbledon spectator. 

In this exercise you realize observation, awareness and speed coordination are vital.   The up the ramp along the platform and down the ramp was an “experience”. If the speed was wrong or the wheels not square on to the obstacle you encountered the risk of tipping over. This was when you appreciated that you were not mounting a kerb with speeding traffic adjacent. Driving along the narrow causeway, cones one side, wall the other, just the width of the scooter, did mean a few cones were squashed but at least it was not anyone’s toes! The instructor said I had done “fine” I am sure he was being kind! 

The second circuit was better and I did master the reversing eventually! The great plus of this course is that individuals can learn the skills and acquire the confidence to handle  these potentially lethal machines in a safe and secure environment remote from road traffic and pedestrians including children on, whom you could inflict injury owing to your inexperience. 

Owning a mobility scooter is a great liberator, but it is also a big responsibility. Undergoing training in its safe use is, in my opinion, essential. In addition to the awareness programme there is a DVD which covers  the most important areas to think about and master to ensure safe and accident-free driving. This includes manoeuvres such as starting, stopping, reversing, negotiating supermarket aisles, speed limits in pedestrian areas and finally guidance on the Highway Code and the law.

Mobilise supports this initiative which reinforces its policy of compulsory third party insurance, the requirement that mobility vehicle users have an eye-sight, medical and driving assessment, and the introduction of a local registration scheme.  The Government has reviewed the use of mobility scooters and changes in the rules regarding their use are expected in the future.

Information 

For more information about Safe Scoot visit www.safescoot.co.uk  or www.halfords.com

Trainers

The Safe Scoot Trainer’s Guide and DVD is essential information for organisations that may wish to run mobility scooter safety awareness events nationwide. For further information please contact the Social Marketing team on 01953 425556 or socialmarketing@norfolk.pnn.police.uk

Mobilise Trustee and seasoned skier Helen Robinson hit the red runs in the Italian Alps and found it exhilarating. She shares the thrills of disabled skiing.

In 1992 my husband and I received a surprise letter from the local disabled skiing club inviting us to go skiing in Austria.  We hadn’t even heard of the club and had not conceived of the idea that we would be able to ski.

Although I was interested, John didn’t fancy it.  I therefore informed John that he would staying at his parents’ house for a week while I tried this skiing lark out.  I had a fabulous time and have never looked back.

Seventeen years and many skiing holidays later, and now over pensionable age, I headed off to Sauze D’oulx in the Italian Alps in March this year with 28 other skiers and buddies from the club to enjoy my sixteenth year of hurtling down mountains.

Unfortunately the airport at Newcastle hadn’t been informed that by the tour operator that there would be six wheelchairs, six sit-skis and a number of ambulant disabled travelling, so we got off to a bad start.  Having sorted that out, we managed to arrive in Turin Airport with all our equipment intact and were duly transported in a coach up to Sauze D’oulx where we were informed by the hotel management that they too had not been informed about our wheelchairs.  Fortunately, the lift could take a wheelchair and one other person, but the bathroom doorways were way too narrow to fit a wheelchair through.  We eventually sorted something out for each wheelchair user.

VIP care

On Monday morning, we were transported to the Ski School where the news was much better.  We were all treated like VIPs, and introduced to our individual ski instructors.  This was the first time we had had a ski instructor for every disabled skier, as in the past we shared instructors and buddies.

My instructor, Andre, suggested that I should try one their Tessier bi-ski’s instead of using the one I had brought with me as the Tessier had a training bar on, which mine did not.  It was much bigger than mine, but after one run, I fell in love with it.  It proved very easy to handle, and after a few minor adjustments, I found it so comfortable.

In previous years, I had only skied on the nursery slopes and blue runs, but this year Andre had me on red runs on the first day.  Unfortunately, after three hours of skiing, my arms gave up and when Andre said “Turn left” 200 metres from the School, I went straight on into a pile of snow.  Fortunately, we weren’t injured and he ended up skiing me back to base.  The rest of the week went without incident, and I had a tremendous week of skiing.

BMW run a sponsorship project with the Sauze D’oulx ski school whereby they pay for all the instructors, lift passes and transport for all disabled skiers who visit the village. Andre has taught blind, deaf, mentally and physically disabled to ski and explained that they get about 150 to 200 skiers per year.

On the Wednesday afternoon, we had a visit from some of the BMW sponsors.  Photographs were taken, the local TV cameras appeared and we became celebrities.

Sauze D’oulx is a quiet little village in the Italian Alps popular with English skiers.  The skiing area is excellent, but it was expensive when it came to eating out.  Although we had a bit of bother with the bathroom/shower rooms, the hotel staff put themselves out to make our visit as comfortable as possible.  It was clean, comfortable and the food was wonderful.

All in all it was the best skiing holiday I had ever had but with that much fun, it won’t be the last!

Having a go

If you’re inspired by Helen’s story and you fancy having a go at skiing yourself, then the recent growth in adaptive skiing and snowboarding means it’s now easier than ever before. The charity Disability Snowsport UK, who provide information and advice on skiing, have local groups around the country and believe that anyone with some degree of mobility can participate in snowsport: “In some cases a person can ski better than they can walk, providing a freedom previously unknown to them.”

Thanks to advances in adaptive equipment there is a wide choice of kit, including sit skis in which the skier sits in a seat attached to either one or two skis, auditory aides for visually impaired skiers, and outriggers – forearm crutches with a ski tip at one end which can help with stability and turning.

Disability Snowsport run overseas activity weeks with Crystal Ski in Europe and North America and cater for all disabilities. The Back Up Trust run skiing breaks for people with spinal injuries. But you don’t have to head abroad to try it out. Indoor snow zones such as Chill Factore in Manchester, or The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead plus many of the dry slopes across Britain will run taster sessions and adaptive lessons. Disability Snowsport UK also run adaptive ski schools at Cairngorm and Braehead in Scotland, plus at Manchester and will be opening one soon in Hemel Hempstead.

Apart from the fun of learning a new skill, Disability Snowsport UK says that there is much to be had from skiing and boarding.  Not only does it increase your fitness but the charity report that there can be therapeutic and physiotherapy benefits too. For some people taking up a snowsport can lead to greater independence and confidence. Then of course there’s the après ski to enjoy!

And if you want to take it further how about racing? Disability Snowsport UK manage the British Disabled Ski team and can advise on how to get started.

More information:

To find out about local clubs contact:

Disability Snowsport UK
Cairngorm Mountain
Aviemore
PH22 1RB

Tel: 01479 861272
Website: www.disabilitysnowsport.org.uk
Email: admin@disabilitysnowsport.org.uk

Holiday companies that cater for people with disabilities include Redpoint who have a popular adaptive skiing programme that allows people to ski together with family and friends. Tel: 0845 680 12 14 or visit www.redpoint.co.uk

Chill Factore
Trafford Way
Trafford Quays
Manchester
M41 7JA

Tel: 0161 749 2222
Website: www.chillfactore.com

The Snow Centre
St Albans Hill
Hemel Hempstead
Herts
HP3 9NH

Tel: 0845 258 9000
Email: email@thesnowcentre.com
Website: www.thesnowcentre.com

The Back Up Trust Website: www.backuptrust.org.uk

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

09.00 Start work at the Civic Centre along with two other BBFI fraud investigators.

One is the contract manager and assigned to this Borough and the other a case manager who runs prosecutions.

As well as helping with the running of prosecution cases and on street operations  I run the company. I enjoy working with the large number of stakeholders and have ten years experience of running on-street operations with multiple stakeholders. On the contract in this Authority I have an outstanding team of very professional staff including a retired Detective Inspector with 30 years policing experience and an ex-manager from the Home Office who managed Counter Terrorism cases.  I spend the first hour redrafting the protocol on joint working with the Authority and the police. I find the better the processes the smoother the on street operations will be. Once an operation starts and badges are being ceased/vehicles removed and people arrested it can become a little complex and to prosecute things must be watertight.

10.00   Due to interview suspect of misuse of a blue badge

In this case a man was using a Blue Badge in a builders van with ladders on the roof. The Police were working without BBFI and asked the man whose badge it was. The man handed over the badge and admitted it belonged to an elderly female relative and he was using it to park free while working on a roof. We intend to prosecute him under section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act. Because we are unsure if the police cautioned him before he admitted the misuse we have sent a letter under the guidelines set out in the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) asking him to attend a recorded interview. He didn’t turn up so we will send another letter inviting him to an interview. If he doesn’t show we will issue proceeding against him.

12.00 Brief police before joint BBFI / Police operation

We are in the local safer neighbourhood office with two Civil Enforcement Officers, a tow truck driver and two police officers. All staff are briefed on the joint operation. We have briefed the neighbouring boroughs that we are carrying out the joint enforcement operation. The plan is to check all badges in a small area against a list of lost/ stolen or deceased persons badges and look for fake badges, badges with an amended expiry date or photocopies.

12.30 Start the operation in a busy North London High Street

We will ask to see all badges and ask where the disabled person is.

13.00 We identify some potential badge abuse

The owner of a van displaying a Blue Badge has been questioned before and the badge belonged to a child. The woman driving the van works in a beauty salon. The child was at home last time and I suspect misuse again this time. The woman is not arrested but the badge is seized  by the police for the second time and handed to BBFI. Last time she was interviewed and issued with a warning and the badge handed back. This time it looks a lot worse for her.

14.30     Finish police operation

After the operation has finished we have a debrief. We have seized one badge that was being misused and inspected 16 badges. No badges were lost/ stolen or deceased peoples badges. We asked three drivers to see the photo on their badges and all were being used correctly. This shows a high level of compliance in this area, but we have visited the area three times in the last three months on joint operations. This time the High Street had plenty of space for disabled motorists which is a far cry from the situation three months ago.

15.00      Back to the office to draft witness statements

The woman who was using a child’s Blue Badge to park for work  was committing an offence and after discussing the case we decide to prepare the case for prosecution. We will draft our statements and the police will send statements to BBFI.  It will be up to a Director in the Authority to ultimately authorise the prosecution. If the prosecution is authorised we will issue the summons. The woman will have to pay costs of about £250 and be fined about £300.

16.00     Case prepared for prosecution under Section 117 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act.

18.00     Home time!

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

In 2008 my wife and I decided that because we hadn’t had a holiday for at least five  years, we should ‘spoil’ ourselves and repeat part of our 40^th wedding anniversary trip by sailing to New York. Our journey was to cross the Atlantic on the new Queen Mary and then to stay at the Waldorf Astoria for three nights, before flying back to Heathrow. We booked in advance tickets for the Empire State Building including the ‘virtual flight’ over the New York, seats for Mamma Mia and dinner at the Marriott revolving view restaurant in Times Square.

Bon Voyage!

Our original idea was to take my mobility scooter with us on the QM, but decided this might be too much and so we decided to hire one in New York instead. We accomplished this without too much trouble and the hire firm even agreed to deliver and retrieve the scooter from our hotel.

We took my wheelchair to use on the ship, however this was a mistake as pushing a 6’4” man weighing 20 stone over carpeted floors using rubber tyres was not easy for my wife. Even when we borrowed one from the ship’s store which had smoother wheel rims, there were still some problems. We wished we had brought the mobility scooter.

At disembarkation we were guided off the ship and taken to a special coach where I was placed on board in my wheelchair together with another passenger. He was a Swedish gentleman and was using a wheelchair supplied by his employers which was state of the art, lightweight and cost approx £9000!

At the hotel we had a well equipped room with a wet room etc. The mobility scooter was delivered to our room and I started to use it through the hotel.  The only difficulty we had was getting into crowded lifts, because sometimes people, including my wife were unable to reach the ‘open door’ button and they started to close before I was within the door area.

On the streets it was easy to ride the pavements and most crossings had ramped walkways. Occasionally we had to cross a street to find a ramp to return up onto the pavement, but this was not a problem.

Seeing the sights

Our expedition to the Empire State Building was a brilliant experience. There was a separate entrance for people with disabilities. We also had a quick passage ticket, which means we didn’t have to queue and we ascended to the viewing platform at great speed. The excellent service and the sight over Manhattan Island was breathtaking! The way back to the ground level was an even more impressive journey, and on the way down from the viewing gallery the attendants held visitors back, so that I could ride through on my scooter.

We went out for dinner at the revolving View Restaurant on the Marriott Hotel. It was a splendid meal and we used the passenger lifts on the way up but afterwards we were escorted down in a small service lift. It was a place to remember.

We visited Grand Central Station and ate at the restaurant, found the whispering gallery near the Oyster Bar, and whizzed up and down the ramps. We visited small cafes and delis they all made us welcome and even moved tables and chairs to accommodate the scooter.

Our visit to the theatre was also enjoyable, again both the staff and theatre goers were very helpful and courteous. In the interval I needed to visit the loo but there was a long queue of non-disabled ladies at the disabled toilet. After hopping around on my sticks for few minutes, the floor manager spotted me, stormed in and berated the ladies declaring the toilet out of bound to them, and ushered me in .Was my face red? I did mumble my thanks on the way out.

On our way home the cruise line provided wheelchair accessible transport to the airport. We were assured that at Newark Airport there would be lots of “Red Caps” to assist us. However, this was not the case and we struggled to reach the check-in desk. Also I made a mistake – I should have checked my wheelchair in and used one belonging to the airport. I had already asked for assistance but did not remind the check-in staff. This caused confusion but it was all sorted out by British Airways (BA) on reaching their lounge.

Our homeward flight was good in Club Class and my wheelchair was waiting for me beside the luggage rotunda. BA provided wheelchair assistance to the airport concourse. We were picked up by taxi, glad to be home, but having enjoyed a wonderful holiday.

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

I’ve often met people who , after they’ve looked inside and tried sitting inside,  have wondered at my almost Tardis-like Toyota Yaris Verso car. They’re also usually very surprised when I get out of the car and realise I’m six foot four and large with it too!

My continuing love affair with the Yaris Verso started when my work colleague and great friend Alan Burgess who had worked in the motoring trade, suggested that I visit the local Toyota dealer in Corfe Mullen, close to our office on the outskirts of Poole in Dorset.

Alan knew I’d suffered much stress from the many breakdowns and other problems since I had purchased an almost new  Volkswagen Sharan diesel automatic MPV style Estate car. Indeed, after I had been stranded in Northern Ireland when the Sharan’s automatic gearbox failed – necessitating an AA recovery back to my home in Ferndown, Dorset, as a replacement wasn’t available anywhere in Ireland – Alan had started an energetic search for a suitable replacement vehicle.

A comfortable fit

One of the problems that Alan knew of, which has proved a major difficulty over the years, is that I have a very long back. Many tall people have long legs but when the long legs are associated with a longer than usual trunk, as they are with me, there can be real difficulties. In fact, I’ve spent many years with my comfortable line of vision above the top of car windscreens, or having to sit with my seat tipped back in a ridiculous and uncomfortable fashion.

For many years, before my disabilities required powered steering and servo-assisted brakes, the Morris Minor with its dome shaped roof was ideal for me. Indeed, this remarkable little vehicle was so comfortable for me in the old days I had twelve of them over the years. But, nowadays driving a ‘Moggie’ isn’t an option for me, which is a great shame.

Additionally, before vehicles started to be come lower-slung and more aerodynamic, I could often manage to ride in many ordinary production cars either as driver or passenger. However, when the sleeker, low slung modern cars started to appear my choice was dramatically reduced.

When my otherwise reliable friend Alan suggested that we visit Westover Toyota to have a test drive  I queried his sanity : “Are you mad ?”  But Alan insisted we visit the showroom, despite my reluctance.

As they were, and still are,very popular little cars, I was very familiar with the Yaris. However, I entered the showroom with the pre-conceived opinion that the Japanese seem to forget that most Europeans are taller than them –  and that my usually very knowledgeable friend had ‘lost the plot’. But as I sat inside and could be seen to be very comfortable in the driver’s seat, he was smirking from ear to ear! My reaction and obvious delight with the excellent driving position with more than enough headroom, without my forward vision being obstructed by the top of the windscreen, pleased Alan immensely.

After a test drive (with the salesman driving because no hand controls were available) I immediately placed an order for a red version as it seemed fitting for this Postman Pat look-alike small PMV-styled vehicle. At this point, I think it’s worth pointing out that with its almost slab-ended rear-end, the quirky Verso may be considered to be an ‘acquired taste’, although to me it’s utterly charming and full of character. So much so, I named mine “Katie” after the children’s stories in which the little girl who was the central character literally ‘did everything’. My version did a great deal helping me in my travels.

Hospital photoshoot

However, in between the new vehicle arriving and being fitted with the necessary hand-controls, I had to enter Christchurch Hospital for on-going treatment to ease the effects of cervical spinal arthritis. This meant being confined to a bed in the wonderful Forest Dene Ward at the hospital with my neck in weighted traction for an hour on, with twenty minutes or so rest, before going back into traction.

Unfortunately for the planned treatment, the Daily Telegraph Motoring Editor Peter Hall telephoned me in hospital to say that he’d arranged for a temporarily adapted Yaris Verso to be available for me to be photographed in. The next surprise came when he said my spell in hospital wouldn’t be a problem – they’d get the car to me, complete with a photographer! All I had to do was to get the permission from the Ward Sister and wait for the action! Incidentally, the ward staff had got to know me over the years and were never surprised what adventures my work as a writer and journalist brought me!

Very soon the metallic silver paint finished Verso provided by Toyota UK arrived followed shortly afterwards by the photographer. The photographer eventually decided that a few shots taken on the main lawn, in front of the administrative buildings would do. Afterwards I was relieved not to be asked to leave the hospital and get my treatment elsewhere!

I was very attracted with the metallic silver finish on the vehicle loaned for photography and promptly changed the order for my own from Postman Pat red to Metallic Silver. To show that I wasn’t getting any extra favours for the publicity via my Daily Telegraph article, Westover’s equally promptly charged me the extra fee for the metallic paint!

Despite the extra charge for the paint job, Westover’s provided an excellent service to their new customer and continue to do so. Indeed, as soon as it arrived they even drove my new car up to Chippenham in Wiltshire to be fitted with the electrically-powered servo driven inner-steering wheel throttle, and hand operated brake lever. At the same time  an excellent job was done by the specialist engineers – the ball type steering wheel device was fitted, to match up with the ‘egg cup’ that I use on my prosthetic right arm.

Faithful Service

I never regretted ‘downsizing’ from the incredibly unreliable Volkswagen Sharan. Although I’d originally had a few doubts, these very quickly disappeared and I had four years’ of totally reliable service from “Katie”. In fact, the only thing that failed in the almost 100,000 miles we journeyed together was the cassette player, soon replaced as part of the warranty.

With over 30 round trips to Ireland, a number of quick trips over to France and one marathon journey to Denmark, Sweden and Finland, “Katie” faced all weather conditions from warm County Mayo rain to Finnish blizzards and she never faltered. Packed with my journalist’s gear, Amateur Radio equipment and sometimes with my heavyweight battery buggy, she still averages 45 m.p.g., despite the 1.3 litre engine, three speed gearbox with overdrive, rather than a four speed with overdrive. The automatic gearbox has also proved to be resilient and exceptionally smooth.

Unfortunately, apart from introducing a diesel version (manual gearbox only) Toyota decided not to develop the Yaris Verso further, a decision I regard as being their lost opportunity as the model is still a much sought after vehicle. Eventually, they decided to phase the vehicle out altogether, to expand the Verso range without the ‘hi-top’ vehicle I required.

I had decided to keep my orginal “Katie” after I had finished paying for it, using my DLA mobility component to fund the hire purchase. However, when Westover Toyota offered me one of the last batch of Yaris Versos to be sold I readily agreed and, of course, I wrote an article in The Daily Telegraph drawing attention to Toyota’s ‘lost opportunity’. The original “Katie” is still on the road, although “Katie II” , at almost four years old, has travelled less than half the mileage of the original, as I drive much less for my work nowadays.

Unfortunately, there’s nothing suitable for me in the latest Toyota range, and unless I go for a converted van  – the Yaris Verso was built as an MPV, not converted from a van chassis – nobody else produces anything suitable. So, I’m planning to keep her (and myself) mobile for as long as I’m able to drive.

Photography by Phillip Hollis

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

Ace fighter pilot Sir Douglas Bader inspired the nation when he overcame the loss of both legs following an aviation accident to return to the cockpit. The World War II legend blazed a trail for many with his determination and can-do attitude.

His legacy continues today thanks to the Flying Scholarships for the Disabled (FSD). Established in 1983 in memory of Sir Douglas, the FSD awards flying scholarships to people with disabilities. The aim is to give people the chance to realise their full potential through the thrill and challenge of learning to fly. In confronting the mental and physical challenges of learning to fly, FSD find that many people discover a new found confidence and freedom.

The scholarships vary each year, depending on the number of sponsors the FSD can secure and the suitability of the applicants. So far over 300 scholarships have been awarded. After a rigorous selection process at RAF Cranwell scholars are sent on courses of either 6 weeks in South Africa or one or four weeks at British flying schools  including  the Goodwood School of Flying and Lasham Airfield near Alton, where training is provided by the British Disabled Flying Association (BDSA).

Students take a general handling flying test and if they have reached an acceptable standard of competence are awarded the Flying Scholarships for the Disabled badge. Although a few lucky students complete enough flying to qualify for a coveted Private Pilots Licence, the main aim of the scheme is not about passing tests but about realizing one’s potential despite disability, and like Sir Douglas, daring to reach for the skies.

Metamorphosis

For retired social worker Nick Poole getting a four week FSD scholarship at Lasham was life changing. Nick was invalided out of the Royal Navy with a damaged ankle in 1991 and subsequently had a below the knee amputation, followed a few years later by an above the knee amputation and other health problems. Unable to wear a prosthetic leg Nick, 57, has limited mobility and had really struggled to come to terms with his disability.

“I’d had quite a hard time and got myself in to a dark spot. The second amputation came out of the blue and as a result of it I lost my job, lost my identity and lost everything for a while. At the time I read an article about the BDFA in Mobilise magazine I was thinking that I had to get myself out of the depression that I had sunk into and do something I hadn’t done before. I had a trial flight and absolutely loved it and managed to pay for a couple more. I then applied for the scholarship and was amazed to find myself on the short list.

“The most wonderful thing about the scholarship was that I found myself as a person. I had lost myself, lost my role as a head of my family, and lost my role in society. Through the scholarship I managed to reorientate myself. It’s a very challenging course and as a consequence you have to put so much of yourself into it so that at the end of it the rise in self esteem is quite remarkable. I’m a different man now. I’m more positive and I’m able to take on life again whereas previously I’d become quite insular and almost isolated.

“Being ill opened up a Pandora’s Box that I had to deal with but now all the demons have gone. Going through the course was quite amazing. I had to do things like stalling the plane mid air – I just couldn’t do it but I had to force myself. Overcoming the stall gives you such a tremendous buzz that once you have done it you just feel so fulfilled.”

Nick flew a PA28 Piper Cherokee single engine 4 seater (affectionately known as the 2CV of the sky)   With 35 hours of flying under his belt his dream now is to qualify as a pilot and then become a volunteer pilot with the BDFA so that he can share the benefits of flying with other people with disabilities. “If you’re disabled and in a rut as I was, you’ve got to break out of it yourself because no one is going to drag you out of it. Learning to fly is a thing that anyone can do. If you’ve got limited mobility get in the air. It’s fantastic!!”

Feeling free

Flying had been a long held dream for part-time lecturer Mike Smith. “I’d been an engineer in the RAF and loved planes. I’d always wanted to fly.”

Invalided out of the RAF in 1998 after a car collided with his motorcycle., Mike, 38. suffered T4/T5 spinal injury and is paraplegic. “I read in Mobilise magazine about the BDFA and saw that there was an airfield near to me in Taten Hill so I went for a trial lesson and loved it. I then found out about the FSD scholarship.

Having survived a gruelling three day selection process at Cranwell, Mike was awarded a mini scholarship. The week long course at Goodwood was residential so in addition to flying Mike faced “the challenge of being away from home and being independent. For some people this was quite new. But scholars are normally assigned in pairs so you have someone to talk to and you are not isolated.”

“The best moment in the scholarship “says Mike, “was being able to do a landing by yourself. Getting the landing right was the hardest thing – it takes hours and hours of practice.”

Mike flies an adapted Piper Warrior PA28, four seater. Unlike many aircraft the Piper has a low wing which means that Mike can transfer from his wheelchair on to the rear edge of the wing and slide along and into the cockpit. The Piper controls are all standard except that the rudder pedals are connected to hand controls

Thanks to the scholarship Mike gained ten hours flying experience which takes him a step closer to his goal of securing the Private Pilot’s Licence (PPL). Mike now has 22 flying hours towards the 45 hours needed for the licence and will carry on flying at Taten Hill with the BDFA.

“I would really recommend flying” says Mike.  “The disability doesn’t affect it. It’s really worth a try even if it’s just having a trial flight. The feeling of flying is a great feeling. You can be out there on your own – it’s like freedom!”

Wide horizons

Luke Delahunty was thrilled to be awarded a six week scholarship and 40 hours of flying in South Africa. An ex RAF soldier and a T6 complete paraplegic, Luke, 37 had longed to fly. “It’s always been something that I’ve wanted to do but I didn’t think it would be possible because of the finance required and the accessibility.”

As a scuba diving instructor Luke was already familiar with the pleasure of moving in three dimensions. Thanks to the FSD he can now enjoy the same mobility in the skies. “The sense of freedom you get when you’re up there, and not dependent on the wheelchair, is fantastic. It literally broadens your horizons.”

Having travelled a lot Luke didn’t suffer from the culture shock that some scholars face when visiting South Africa. But what did shock him was the studying:  “It’s been about twenty years since I left school and I found groundschool phenomenally hard.”

Conquering landing was also a challenge but once Luke had mastered it he was allowed to go solo. “That was a very strange feeling; there was this big space next to me where the instructor would have been. But I was flying just as the sun was setting and I could see a full moon rising off the wing tip. It was beautiful.”

“My first solo landing wasn’t the best but after you’ve taxied back to the apron the rest of the class carry you from the aircraft and throw you into the swimming pool to celebrate!”

Luke volunteers with the The Back-Up Trust who use activities such as skiing and diving to help people with spinal cord injuries or the newly paralysed reach their potential. Now Luke plans to gain his PPL and use his flying skills to help others. “Hopefully other people will think ‘if he can do it then so can I!’”.

Information

FSD scholarships are open to people who are disabled, over 18, not in full-time education, resident in the UK, able to communicate easily and allowed to drive by the DVLA.

Applications for scholarships are available on line at www.toreachforthesky.org.uk, by telephoning 0844 578 4 578 or by writing to:

The Director
Flying Scholarships for the Disabled
Douglas Bader House
Horcott Hill
Fairford
Gloucestershire GL7 4RB.

The British Disabled Flying Association
c/o Lasham Gliding Society
Lasham Airfield
Alton
Hants GU34 5SS

Tel 01256 346424

info@bdfa.net

www.bdfa.net

The Back-Up Trust
Jessica House
Red Lion Square
191 Wandsworth High Street
London SW18 4LS

Tel 020 8875 1805

www.backuptrust.org.uk

This article first appeared in the November 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

Harvey’s was founded by Paul Harvey after an industrial accident.  Having lost three fingers and undergoing intense rehabilitation, Paul Harvey was advised to give up carpentry and find himself a desk job.  With sheer determination and passion for his trade, he started his own business which has now grown from a Joinery to incorporate his other passion, boats.  Collin his chief joiner and foreman is deaf, while Tim who does sanding and preparatory work on the boats is registered blind.

Made to measure

Many years of carpentry and joinery experience have been applied to both narrow and wide beam boats with positive results.  There are no set layouts and each boat is carefully planned out between the purchaser and Harvey’s, so no two boats appear the same.  With an empty hull to start with, and numerous modifications to choose from, accessibility becomes easy.

Working closely with the boat engineering firm Colecraft, the steel shell is constructed to the customer’s requirements. This gives full flexibility for the alteration of entrances, which can be designed or later modified to accommodate lifts.

The most common type of lift used on a boat is a platform style, which remains flush with the floor when not in use. The alternative is a step lift that is practical for boats accommodating a mix of wheelchair users and able bodied individuals, as it easily converts back into steps when not in use.  Other areas of the initial construction that require modification for the installation of access lifts can include a wider entrance point, also taking into consideration the mechanisms and size of the hatch above.

One thing to bear in mind is that powering a lift when you are not plugged into mains electricity requires a seriously upgraded battery power!

Harveys have also installed some extremely simple but necessary devices such as cupboards with easier latches and more complex bathrooms that have been redesigned to become wheelchair friendly wet rooms. Any fixed furniture in the galley, for example kitchen cupboards, sinks etc. can be installed at a suitable height, as can any switches and sockets.  Flexomatic beds that allegedly offer orthopaedic and health related properties, can be installed so that they conveniently fold away electronically when not in use.

With prices starting at £64,995, owning your own boat is not a cheap option. However what you will get is a new boat with just as much luxury, if not more, than your home!

Harveys Boat Builders
The Goods Shed
Mannings Terrace
Measham DE12 7HU

Telephone 01530 270754

www.harveysboatbuilders.co.uk

Do it yourself

With the right DIY skills another cheaper option is to adapt your own boat yourself.  As reported in “Waterways world”, wheelchair user Roy Dobbs and his wife Jean adapted their boat themselves.  Although the couple can now enjoy a custom made boat it was a lengthy process and took eighteen months to fit out their boat, during which time Jean had both hips replaced.  The Dobbs initially set themselves a target to work five days a week from 12pm until 6pm (to give the painkillers time to take effect) however towards the end they found that they were working every day.

Their special adaptations included the fitting of a 230-volt Pollock “Independence Steplift” and the galley units worktops were fitted to the hull side to create a 2ft 9in wide corridor.  Roy was unable to operate the tiller so he designed and manufactured his own, employing a large steering wheel to replace the tiller and a seat unit which adjusts for height using a 12 volt electric motor.

Hiring a boat

If you don’t want the expense or commitment of owning your own boat you can still, like Alice  in  Through the Looking Glass, enjoy “a boat beneath a sunny sky, lingering onward dreamily”,  by hiring an adapted boat.  A number of organisations supply adapted canal boats, including the following:

Peter Le Marchant Trust

A number of Mobilise members have enjoyed holidays with this organisation and would recommend them

Canalside Moorings,
Beeches Road,
Loughborough,
Leicestershire LE11 2NS

Telephone: 01509 265590
Email: lynnsmith@peterlemarchanttrust.co.uk

www.peterlemarchanttrust.co.uk

The Trust operates three boats, from their base in Loughborough, that can either take 26 passengers on day trips or ten people on 3 or 4 night holidays. They also have a weekly hire boat that sleeps up to 8 and is available to families or groups with one or more seriously ill or disabled person.  The season runs from April to October inclusive, every day except Bank Holidays, but including week-ends.

Canal Boat Project
Lock View
Burnt Mill Lane

Harlow

Essex

CM20 2QS

Telephone: 01279 424444

www.canalboat.org.uk

The Canal Boat Project provides a fleet of disability access boats for hire by disabled people and community groups for day trips, short breaks and canal boat holidays. These can be either “self steer” or with a fully qualified and experienced skipper and crew. Hire can be for day trips, short breaks or holidays as two of the boats provide sleeping accommodation for up to 12 passengers. Some of the boats have remote controls to allow people in wheelchairs to have a go at skippering.  Day hire charges start from about £80, whilst holidays aboard a canal boat range from £200 for a mid week night to £1800 for a two week break.

The Bruce Trust

PO Box 21

Hungerford

Berkshire RG17 9YY

Telephone 01672 515498

Email: enquiries@brucetrust.org.uk

Web: www.brucetrust.org.uk

The Bruce Trust is a charity which provides purpose-built, wide-beam canal boats on the Kennet and Aevon Canal, for hire for self catering holidays by disabled, disadvantaged or elderly people and their carers.  The boats have wide access ramps, hydraulic lifts and specially fitted bathroom areas.  Specialised equipment such as transfer hoists, wheelchairs, commodes, shower chairs, and various aids, can be supplied.  A wide range of disabilities is catered for.

Boats are hired on a weekly basis and each group should have a minimum of three non-disabled helpers to operate the boat and work the locks.  If crew members do not have experience of boat handling then they must attend the weekend training courses, held in the Spring.

The fleet consists of one 6 berth boat, one 10 berth boat and two 12 berth boats.  Wheelchair users can steer all of the boats using the tiller, and two boats have a joystick steering system in addition, to enable a wheelchair user with limited body strength, the opportunity to steer.  Prices range from about £650-£850 per week.

The Trust also operates a number of skippered day trips in the early and later parts of the season for groups of up to 12 people.

The Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust

The Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust

The Old Armour

Llangollen LL20 8ET

Tel: 01978 861450

Email: office@canalboattrust.org.uk

Web: www.canalboattrust.org.uk

The Trust has two narrow boats for disabled people of all ages: Millie , a holiday boat which can take up to six people (including helpers) and Glass-ee-Dorlan which is a day trip boat and can take up to 12 people (including helpers).  The Trust provides skippers who are responsible for the safety of the boats and passengers.  The boats have a hydraulic lift to assist wheelchair users aboard.  The toilet and washing facilities are designed for disabled people.  Seating can be removed to accommodate wheelchairs and on the holiday boat they can also be adapted into bunk beds to provide sleeping accommodation.  Windows are large and set low to provide a good, clear view of the canal.  Boats carry a mobile telephone.  The Trust charge £60 for a day trip but as a charity, ask for people to pay more if they can afford it.  The boats can be booked by groups, by families who have a disabled member, or by individuals. Wherever possible bookings will be accepted on a first-come, first- served basis.

This article first appeared in the October 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.

I’m a fairly frequent visitor to Holland, but I’m often limited to the Rotterdam area and I usually drive. My normal route is via the Channel Tunnel – usually taking advantage of the off peak travel rates early in the morning – driving up through Belgium into Holland, and trying avoid the peak hour traffic on the Brussels by-pass!

I had wanted to visit Amsterdam as a proper tourist for a long time and together with my wife Carol who was taking time out from her busy teaching schedule, weighed up the options. As a disabled driver, I’m used to travelling long distances in my especially adapted Toyota Yaris Verso car, but would it be viable to drive to Amsterdam for only two full days?

Even taking into account the regular traveller discounts available on the Channel Tunnel off peak fares, I soon realised that with the cost of fuel, driving was not going to be a cheap option. Plus there was the problem of time and the need to find accommodation with easy driving and parking access relatively close to Amsterdam. This is where I could take advantage of the superb Amsterdam tramway system – but more about that later!

The internet listed many hotels, but what were the facilities like? How close were they to the public transport links? I eventually went to the Expedia Travel website and selected the Swisshotel in Danmrak Square, right next to a tram stop and less than a half mile from Amsterdam Central, Station. As I often use the Flybe airline service from Southampton Airport to fly to Scotland, Carol and I decided to fly to Amsterdam Schiphol, rather than take the car.

Easy disabled parking

Flybe, who are based at Exeter airport use Southampton Airport as one of their main bases. This airport, a fairly small but very busy regional centre, has easily accessible disabled parked facilities. In fact, the disabled parking bays at longer stay rates are as close to the main terminal as they could be in the short term car park! However, like most airports owned by BAA they do their best to extract as much money from passenger’s pockets as possible for parking! One unfair but very common practice is that if you leave your car for one and a half days, you pay for two days. Although off-site parking is available at cheaper rates, getting in and out of transfer vehicles, especially minibuses, coaches and buses, isn’t always an option for disabled people, particularly me!

And although there’s an excellent railway station serving the airport, I can’t take advantage of it unless I hire a taxi into the airport because there’s only a footbridge link for trains arriving from Bournemouth where we live.

However, once I’m on my way the service that Flybe provide is excellent. Although they offer a wheelchair, I usually manage without as I can walk a short distance and the aircraft is very close by at Southampton. The commuter type turboprop aircraft types often used on the Amsterdam route don’t seem too roomy for people of my six-foot four inch bulkiness but at only five foot and a normal size, Carol was comfortable enough! It was only a short flight of around an hour or so and we were soon landing at Schiphol.

A wheelchair attendant met us at the aircraft and we were swiftly taken to arrivals for our luggage, then right down to the top of escalators leading down to the main line railway station. Within 45 minutes we arrived at Amsterdam Central station in a beautifully clean, modern train. It’s the ideal way to get into Amsterdam and I relaxed a little, realising that I was going to manage without my car!

Service with a smile

The Swisshotel could be seen from the station and the tram halted almost outside the hotel’s front door. Like many Amsterdam buildings, it has a very narrow frontage but opens up ‘Tardis’ like, to become a large, modern and well equipped establishment.

As soon as Carol and I crossed the threshold we were made very welcome. When booking in and preparing to have our luggage taken up to the room, we were offered the chance of having a twin-bedded disabled room. Even though I hadn’t enquired about a disabled room, the manager realised that one would be free within an hour or so and said we could have it with pleasure – what service!

As the room wouldn’t be available for several hours, we had a late lunch in the hotel before leaving our luggage in the baggage room and enjoying a quick look round the attractive area around the picturesque square.

When the room was ready we were truly delighted with the twin power-assisted beds which were supremely comfortable for both Carol and I. The disabled facilities within the room were superb and the shower was truly wheelchair accessible, and in reality formed a wet room. There were also plentiful supplies of tea and coffee in the room but we supplied our own fresh milk (It makes tea so special doesn’t it?).

Amsterdam really comes to life at night and the streets are usually packed, especially in early June when we visited together. It’s truly a city that never sleeps and even the canal tour boats run late into the evenings and you can even dine aboard them. However, tired from our travels we were determined to have a good night’s rest after out evening meal and we weren’t disappointed!

Seeing the sights

Refreshed after an excellent night in the hotel and a continental breakfast, Carol and I split up for the day. She was off to see the shops and to visit a place where internationally famous hand carved wooden toys are still made. We agreed to meet up at the hotel at around 5pm.

As a tram and railway enthusiast I headed for the nearest tram to ride as far as I could on each route. Incidentally, it’s best to buy a one, two or three day unlimited track ticket as these provide unlimited travel. I can cope with riding on trams, as unlike a bus they’re very steady, don’t sway and stop and start smoothly.

Eventually I ended up at a tram depot, introduced myself and was shown round by a lady driver who was on light duties following maternity leave. The Amsterdammers love their trams and they welcome people with similar sentiments. My poor Dutch language skills weren’t tested much, as literally everyone we came across spoke English very well indeed.

After the grand tour I was asked if I enjoyed Dutch style fresh (raw) herring with chopped onions and wonderfully fresh, crisp bread – I do! So I was recommended to try the traditional Dutch ‘haaring’ shop outside the depot gates. Here, the incredibly fresh herring are skinned, filleted and prepared as you wait. The man doing the job seemed to perform a little ballet as he did so, providing real artistry without the bad language we associate with TV chefs nowadays!

Meeting up with Carol again, we decided to take one of the deservedly famous canal boat tours. Wheelchair passengers are well catered for, although I can manage to get on and off the boats by myself with care. The tours take around one and half hours and you can see most of the famous sites. During our trip I was surprised to see that at 6pm there were still long queues for tours round  the Anne Frank House Museum on the Prinsengracht, dedicated to the Jewish wartime diarist’ short life.

During our final day we travelled out to a large floating restaurant, moored not far from the Central Station in the inner harbour. There, in the peaceful surroundings of the moored vessel we had a multiple course Chinese meal – it was really a banquet like those at the internationally famous restaurants in Aberdeen Harbour in Hong Kong!

We left Amsterdam with the feeling that we would return soon. It’s that sort of place and I can assure Mobilise readers that if you normally rely on your car Amsterdam may be the place to let the plane, train and tram take the strain for a change!

This article first appeared in the September 2009 issue of Mobilise magazine, which goes out to all our members and includes reviews of adapted cars and mobility equipment, features on accessible travel and leisure, campaign updates, news, competitions and real-life stories.
Membership of our charity costs just £16 per year and includes your monthly subscription to Mobilise.