Five-Star Disability

I am well behind in my recount of travels from 20 years back… Bear with me okay!

Remember I told you about my first day in London; how I dealt with football fans, a massive headache and pharmacy miscommunication but survived!

Well, the rest of that week was fairly enjoyable. I managed to see all the important tourist sites:

The Tower of London. Spent a good amount of time in this prime spot, wandering around, taking pictures, watching the Beefeaters feed a murder of ravens, etc.

I walked across The Tower Bridge, road-level. You could go up to the upper floor, for a price, I think. As I was exploring this bridge, I found the stairs upwards, but was accosted by an authoritarian bloke, who denied me access; I believe he said something and I didn’t “hear” him, he pointed to some sign which I couldn’t read as I am blind right. I assumed he was indicating that I needed to pay to get up the stairs. I declined straightaway, maybe it was too much? I can’t recall.

I went to Westminster Abbey, sat in a choir pew and mediated. I also went to St. Paul’s Cathedral where I walked around for hours, stepped on many dead people, went down to the crypt, and up to dome. This was truly enjoyable.

As my trip happened 12 years before the Olympics, the London Eye was not there.

I tried to find the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) and other DeafBlind services. I remember taking my portable TTY to a pay phone to try to find these places, I think I gave up due to not connecting. As mentioned, this was way before cellphone technology, and way before I had my own device. There were internet cafe’s everywhere! So, I had to scan a phone book, and couldn’t find the right number… Whatever.

I recall that I wanted to find, or purchase, a DeafBlind cane; which is exactly the same as a white cane, but with red stripes. Come to think of it, I can do that with my own cane. I have electrician red tape, that I can add where it folds. I am consulting with DeafBlind UK right now!

I’ll let you know what happens!

Anyways, what drove me to explore London so much, and I truly enjoyed motoring around, finding new places and experiencing London by the Tube! The London Subway is amazing, and fun! Not to mention huge! I am used to Vancouver’s Skytrain & Toronto’s Subway, which is basically three or four different lines, that run pretty much east to west, and north to south. Whereas, The Tube has MANY stations, over 250! With different connections and so forth; one could get very lost if not have a map!

I only got lost once, truth! I wanted to go somewhere, but jumped on the wrong train, and went else where! I had to get off, and head back. I wish I had used that opportunity to explore the area, but I think I was on my last day, and had to pack my Harrod purchases and other stuff!

The only thing I did not experience while I was in London, was riding a double decker bus! I was actually going to jump onboard one, I guess I quailed because I didn’t know where it would go, or how much or whatever. That is when I would have liked to have a companion to help navigate that issue!

Now after London, I headed to Paris: you already read about that trial. Read it again if you like!

Next: Obviously, I will tell you about my time in Paris with the love of my life, my future wife!

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