Trains and Tribulations: Travelling Out of Your Comfort Zone

Last weekend, I was invited down to celebrate a significant birthday with one of my dearest friends who lives in London. I have done this journey from South Yorkshire many times but on this occasion, something was different. I was taking myself down there in my new power chair, a recent addition to my tools that keep me moving. I was petrified. As I don't travel alone these days, my children were travelling with me and we started the booking process while every inch of my body quivered..
After booking a ticket using my disabled railcard (a third off your journey!) I was directed to another department to ensure my access arrangements were in place. I was travelling with East Midland Trains. It felt like a military operation but I was kept calm by the incredible woman at the other end of the phone in Assistance and Accessibility who repeatedly put me at my ease every time I told her it might be easier to stay at home.
'When you've done it once, it'll be easy. Put your trust in us,' she promised.
I was talked through each stop and transfer with the placement of staff and ramps on and off every  train we travelled on. I was incredibly grateful for the service in place and actually just the time that was spent ensuring I was ready to travel.
Their support offered is outlined below.

The help we can give

To make your journey trouble-free, we can provide:

• help to plan your journey, including information about all train services on all train services around the UK
• information about onward modes of transport
• the most appropriate tickets for your journey, including any relevant discounts
• help to book the most appropriate seats on the trains
• bookings for help to get on and off trains (including the use of station wheelchairs)
• assistance with your luggage
• arrangements to help transfer between different train services

I was then emailed an itinerary of every step of the journey there and back. I knew I was in safe hands but I felt terrified.

Booking an accessible cab in Rotherham was a bit of a drama. I found my local EuroCabs office, who promise:

We have a fleet of 5, 6 and 7 seater vehicles which are all wheelchair accessible and adapted to comply with local authority guidelines and safety regulations. 

Again, I was put at my ease and was able to book my journeys to and from the station - for future reference I was recommended to book in advance as they have limited availability at peak times.
The minibus arrived and my chair was secured in place while there was seating for my children.
On arrival at the station, we were escorted to the platform and when our train arrived, ramps were placed for me to drive on to the train. I'd never done this before, but to the encouragement of the train staff I had a go, did a wheelie and nearly tipped back in to the arms of the poor attendant!
'Mum, I'll take care of the chair next time,' my mortified fourteen year old whispered.
So that was the plan. My eldest son would disengage the motor of my powerchair to wheel it on and off the train while I walked down the ramp on my sticks each time. Every day's a school day! Thankfully, the rest of my ramp encounters went without a hitch!
We had three changes in all which were handled by East Midland staff brilliantly. They made us feel at ease each step of the way.

I even managed to write some notes and decide on a new plot point for my latest novel - a huge fishing net tangle of characters and timelines would best describe the state of my newest writing at the moment, but I spent time on that train clearing my head and clarifying a key issue for my story. Just sitting at a train window watching the world go by was incredibly cleansing. I was able to think about my characters and be open to new ideas popping in to my head as I let myself people watch and scribble notes about the goings on around me. Readers of my next novel can expect a train journey and some interesting interactions between Marianne and the travellers she meets along the way. Writing on a train is one of my favourite things to do and I'd really missed it. It was good to be back.

If I'm honest, it was all I could do, on occasion, to stop myself screaming and getting a cab home but I was so proud of myself and my eldest son for getting there and back in one piece.
Stepping outside of one's comfort zone, particularly when you have a chronic illness feels nigh on impossible, but with the correct amount of support and kindness, travel is possible after all.

With firm nudges from loved ones and the accessibility arrangements put in place to improve our day to day living, I was able to visit my lovely friend and be a part of her incredible birthday celebrations.

I'm now planning my next trip. In the words of Arthur Daley of Minder fame:
'The world's my lobster!'