Five-Star Disability

Have you ever taken a walk and gotten lost?

I sure have, a few times.  My most memorable was many  years ago when I got lost in Stanley Park.

Picture this: I was walking along the Stanley Park Causeway, which is a major road that splits Stanley Park in two.  This causeway leads directly to the world famous Lions Gate bridge.  Which is similar to the Golden Gate bridge in San Francisco.

Why was I walking the Causeway and not the equally world famous seawall?

I believe my original plan was to walk TO the seawall, which goes under the bridge and accessible close to the foot of the bridge.  Then, after reaching the seawall, I would walk back to the city.

That was the plan, until it started raining!

I had no umbrella, or even a coat!   It was mid May, it was nice day!  Until the rain came!  I ran to the trees and was immediately swallowed whole!  At least I was dry!

But I did not stay in one place, I walked more deeper on this well-trodden path, that was, I found out very quickly, not park issued or approved.  I walked into a Stanley Park shanty town!  It was deserted, I guessed that all the denizens go to the city during the day!  I was fascinated and walked around, this shanty was fairly large, many a haphazard tent, cooking pots, and discarded lawn chairs.  Very interesting!

In my fascination, I became disoriented and could not find the way I came in!

30 minutes after entering the forest, the rain stopped, and I finally found the way out 30 minutes later!  I was lost for an hour!

Naturally I went straight to the city, the seawall notion forgotten!

I think that if I had better vision and hearing, I would have seen the exit more clearly, plus I would have listend more closely to the Scout Master teaching me ways to avoid getting lost in the woods!

Now, to bring this blog into the current era, that happened in 2001, I believe, a Deaf-Blind friend became very lost and ended up very far from normal stomping grounds!  How did that happen?  I figured that this person got on a Skytrain (map shown) and missed the stop that was close to their home.

Instead, this person ended up at Surrey Central, probably confused and thinking that if caught a bus would get off by their home.  Instead, this person journeyed to Langley, which is about an hour from Surrey Central!  This person was very lost!  Unable to see street signs or identify the area!  I understand that police found this person and were able to bring them back to their home.

My point for bringing up the story is to drive home the very important point that Deaf-Blind people need intervenors to help them with everyday things like going for a walk to the store, using skytrain, getting around the community in a safe convenient way!

Getting lost is very stressful, but if you are Deaf-Blind, it is awful!