YesWheely

We were invited to a very close friend of mines wedding over the weekend. It was in Aylesbury. So the day before my wife and I travelled to High Wycombe -the nearest Premier Inn. (Who I must say are pretty good with wheelchair user guests especially in the one near the Empire in London (Shepherds Bush). -this wasn't a paid for advertisement) It was to be a weekend plagued with transport problems.

When we reached Waterloo things started to go wrong. The rail assistance guy was useless and felt he had to repeatedly say "You don't pay extra for rail assistance." Like that somehow made up for his inability to problem solve. I didn't bother to point out that in actuality rail assistance is subsidised by the cost of rail tickets. His idea of travel assistance was to lead us to Waterloo Tube Station where the guy at the entrance informed us that the destination or the surrounding stops had no step free access. He said "right then ok well make your own way." Or something. Luckily then someone from the underground came to offer more help. -eg took us to a bus stop and said wait for 489 or something.

This inconvenience wasn't much of a problem. The problem was I'd bought the tickets for the underground and when I booked the assistance I was told "If the underground is not accessible we'll arrange a taxi for you." Next time I travel to marylebone I won't buy underground tickets.

Artists impression.

So yeah we got to High Wycombe and the assistance was great there. They called a taxi for us and one of them waited with us. He was Ryan and he was really friendly and chatted with us while we waited. He paid for the taxi out of his own money which was pretty decent.

The next day I was travelling to the ceremony in Aylesbury. I was going alone and meeting up with my wife at the reception. Because of her pain condition. Bus 300 took  ~58mins to reach Aylesbury and I could, or so I thought, board at Morrisons. So I left the hotel just after 10am. I was supposed to be early to meet my Dad and Sister in the pub opposite.

I'm at the stop and the bus pulls in the doors pop open. "I'm taking a buggy [pram] there's no space." I reply "But wheelchairs have preference." Because that's the law of the land. "No you don't." Snarks the bus driver. "Take the train." So I ask. "What's your full name and employer?" Then the doors shut and he drove off.

These aren't the actual words. But that's how it seemed.

So I went to take the train. It wasn't a direct train and it only came every hour. So I was late. I arrived as they left! Oh and I was cold and wet because as soon as the bus driver refused to let me on it started to rain. Which was completely the bus company's fault!

Ok so why should the pram move? Because it's f...ing possible. You fold up the pram and hold the baby on your lap.

"But my pram doesn't fold." Well f...ing don't get on the bus till you have one that does, or relinquish the space voluntarily.

But what if the bus already had a wheelchair user on, you would still be upset?

"There are around 1.2 million wheelchair users in the UK, roughly 2 per cent of UK population"

"Less than 8 per cent of disabled people use wheelchairs."

(<8% of ~20% so < 2%)

Friday began with a trip to the Golden Arches to get a couple McMuffins. Which I brought home and we ate. I fell asleep with my head on the table. At lunchtime Sarah from the newspaper came around to take some photographs. http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/spooktacular-flat-is-transformed-into-a-halloween-haven-1-6392102 There was also a story here:
http://www.itv.com/news/meridian/2014-10-31/terminally-ill-couple-decorate-whole-house-for-halloween/

In the evening we went out for a meal and to watch a movie. To celebrate Halloween and our 2nd wedding anniversary. Originally we were going to leave at around 5-6. However, there was someone who came trick or treating so we decided to wait until later to leave.

We headed out. It could just be this area but 3-4 times on the way to where we were going we got some unnecessary attention. Pointing, laughing, and stuff.

It continued throughout the night. A was really upset by one encounter on the way from the restaurant to the cinema. (A short distance, some may say a stones throw away.) There was a group of people, Revellers even, one of them jumped in front of her - so she stopped. "Oh my god, isn't she just disgusting, look at her she makes me sick..." he was part of a group of about a dozen and no one thought to stop what was happening.

We went to see Horns which was an interesting film. It begins well and it hooks you. It has a good few comical moments. If you're a Daniel Radcliffe fan I'd say to check it out. It is a little sad but any emotional response is soon squashed when the film pushes too far into the fantastical. It's essentially a tragic tale. Gratuitous tits, superfluous comedy, even a scene of homosexuality, drug abuse, and debauchery. A classical bit of drama. This isn't much of a review really.


The plan was to open presents when we got in. The cats had a different plan. Somehow they had (again) clambered up the velvet covering our sideboard which had (again) caused everything on top to now not be. (Again!) This broke a spooky snowglobe A had found in TK Max. So there was glass, water, and bits all over the floor...