Whistle stop tour...
A trip up to Newcastle at the weekend, as I was speaking at an NHS conference on diversity and equality.
It was strange to get the train up on Sunday evening and back on Monday afternoon, six hours on the rails, all told.
The assistance was good for the most part, although there was no-one waiting with a ramp when I got back to King's Cross, and one of the catering staff from the train set it up for me in the end.
The main downside was that staff didn't seem as cheerful and eager to help as they have been whenever I've traveled by rail or air in the past. Perhaps it's the fact that I am usually with Penny and often with Rosalie that makes people more cheerful. I'm sure they provide a welcome distraction from my furrowed brow and mumbled observations.
Anyways, as the photographic evidence below demonstrates, it was beautiful sunshine on the Tyne and no fog to be seen, while London and the South was under rain clouds. I was rather taken with Newcastle/Gateshead, in particular the Baltic art gallery from where the bridge pic was taken (see arrow).
The Gateshead Millenium bridge in the foreground is truly impressive, particularly the way that it pivots at each end in order to open for passing river traffic. Sadly I didn't get to see it the day I was there.
Newcastle itself looks interesting with lots of architecture that points to a history as an industrial powerhouse in the Victorian period. I hope one day to get a chance to explore a bit more.
Unfortunately, I got a bit carried away with my meandering exploration, and decided that a gentle sojourn from the Baltic to Newcastle Central station would be a good way to spend an afternoon. Across the bridge was fine, along the Tyne was picturesque, however...
It appears that hills are very popular in the centre of Newcastle, and the journey from the riverbank to the station nearly gave me a nosebleed. The higher I climbed, the steeper it got, but I was determined not to give up and get a cab. My determination bolstered by a complete lack of any taxis to abstain from.
Then, two-thirds of the way up the north face of the castle of new, a funny thing happened. A passer-by offered me a push, and I declined.
"No thanks! I need the exercise!" I spluttered cheerfully from under the bulging veins of my forehead.
I DECLINED! Why? Some stupid-arsed stubborn streak that would see me puffing and panting and feeling sick for most of the rest of the afternoon. I'm not sure I understand this particular facet of my coping mechanism. I know it's been an essential part of my 'dealing with' spinal cord injury, but it sometimes annoys me too.
Incidentally, on the whole 'dealing with' front, I heard a line in a radio play this afternoon which caused me a wry smile of recognition, and it's one that I'd like to dedicate to Penny, and the way that she has kept me together over the last four and a half years...
"Fred Astaire? Sure, he was great, but don't forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards and in high heels."
A trip up to Newcastle at the weekend, as I was speaking at an NHS conference on diversity and equality.
It was strange to get the train up on Sunday evening and back on Monday afternoon, six hours on the rails, all told.
The assistance was good for the most part, although there was no-one waiting with a ramp when I got back to King's Cross, and one of the catering staff from the train set it up for me in the end.
The main downside was that staff didn't seem as cheerful and eager to help as they have been whenever I've traveled by rail or air in the past. Perhaps it's the fact that I am usually with Penny and often with Rosalie that makes people more cheerful. I'm sure they provide a welcome distraction from my furrowed brow and mumbled observations.
Anyways, as the photographic evidence below demonstrates, it was beautiful sunshine on the Tyne and no fog to be seen, while London and the South was under rain clouds. I was rather taken with Newcastle/Gateshead, in particular the Baltic art gallery from where the bridge pic was taken (see arrow).
The Gateshead Millenium bridge in the foreground is truly impressive, particularly the way that it pivots at each end in order to open for passing river traffic. Sadly I didn't get to see it the day I was there.
Newcastle itself looks interesting with lots of architecture that points to a history as an industrial powerhouse in the Victorian period. I hope one day to get a chance to explore a bit more.
Unfortunately, I got a bit carried away with my meandering exploration, and decided that a gentle sojourn from the Baltic to Newcastle Central station would be a good way to spend an afternoon. Across the bridge was fine, along the Tyne was picturesque, however...
It appears that hills are very popular in the centre of Newcastle, and the journey from the riverbank to the station nearly gave me a nosebleed. The higher I climbed, the steeper it got, but I was determined not to give up and get a cab. My determination bolstered by a complete lack of any taxis to abstain from.
Then, two-thirds of the way up the north face of the castle of new, a funny thing happened. A passer-by offered me a push, and I declined.
"No thanks! I need the exercise!" I spluttered cheerfully from under the bulging veins of my forehead.
I DECLINED! Why? Some stupid-arsed stubborn streak that would see me puffing and panting and feeling sick for most of the rest of the afternoon. I'm not sure I understand this particular facet of my coping mechanism. I know it's been an essential part of my 'dealing with' spinal cord injury, but it sometimes annoys me too.
Incidentally, on the whole 'dealing with' front, I heard a line in a radio play this afternoon which caused me a wry smile of recognition, and it's one that I'd like to dedicate to Penny, and the way that she has kept me together over the last four and a half years...
"Fred Astaire? Sure, he was great, but don't forget that Ginger Rogers did everything he did backwards and in high heels."
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