Archive for Holidays

18 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

Time to go home

The story starts here The start of an adventure… 

The final part of my Scottish adventure; following on from Menacing about in Dundee it is now time to travel back to Glasgow once more to get the sleeper train back to London and call an end to this wonderful adventure.

With weekend engineering works London’s Euston Railway station my train will be returning to London’s Kings Cross instead. Meaning that as this is not a terminating station there will be just 10 minutes to depart before another train will be need the platform. And it also raises the issue of finding The flowerbed again for Fizz after the 8 hour train journey! But before that, we have one last walk along the river in Glasgow on a Friday evening to accomplish first.

This time of adventure in Scotland as a solo traveller (who just happens to have a guide dog) has shown me how much I am still able to do, how much I have grown as a person and how much I need to plan more things like this MORE OFTEN !!

‘Have dog will travel’ has been my mantra for some time now, but theses past few days have showed me just how much I am able to use my wonderful guide dog Fizz to give me such freedom and independence. As I can say categorically I would not have done such a trip with only a long cane.

Each day has been a new environment, a different routine, but she has stepped into her harness each time with a strength that I am sure other guide dog owners can relate to.

The train from Dundee to Glasgow was busy; filled with people finishing work and other travellers, so the guard kindly moved me, Fizz and our luggage into first class, where although still busy there was more space and nobody standing in the aisles.

Glasgow was wet by the time we arrived, but it was the refreshing kind of rain. So we enjoyed walking along the river, Fizz was out of harness to give her the time to sniff and check for Pee-Mails and great the other dogs we met along the way (I wasn’t brace enough to let her off her lead as I had visions of her jumping into The Clyde!)

We returned to walk around town, last grass stop and then we were back in the station…. By this time it was dark and Glasgow was very different with people out for the evening, groups of friends and sadly more people getting cardboard out to sleep in closed shops doorways.

I grabbed my last coffee and headed for the train.

The journey back wasn’t as enjoyable as the train out, we were on an older train and with a long delay on them finding a room for us we were sat in a very loud, busy buffet car.

It was almost 1am when we were shown to our room. It was not an accessible room (not that this in itself was an issue) which made for a walk along a narrow corridor.

Our berth was similar in layout, but all I really cared for was my bed.

Fizz settled quickly too and before I knew it there was a knock on the door to say we half an hour before we got into Kings Cross.

First stop …….. FLOWER BED!

Then coffee for me.

I made notes of my travels while I was away, but wrote these blogs after. But for ease I have posted them on the days and dates they actually happened.

I hope you have enjoyed reading about Scotland as much as I enjoyed my adventure?

Watch this space for more adventures to come……

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17 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

Menacing about in Dundee

Fizz sat in front of a Mini the Minx statue on the street in Dundee

The story starts here The start of an adventure… 

Continued from … Peaceful Pitlochry

The train journey from Pitlochry saw another ‘quick dash’ out of Perth railway station to enable Fizz to have a comfort break and to arrive in a very different Dundee.

Not because since my last visit my sight has changed;  Not because my last visit saw me guided by my first guiding girl Vicky;  Rather because THIS Dundee had undergone a MASSIVE transformation that started with the railway station.

A railway station that reminded me so very much of Canary Wharf in London, with its long escalators, glass lifts, grand piano and open spaces.  Photograph of the front exterior glass of Dundee relailway station, with it’s large archway and inside/outside marching paving.

And it was in a very different place to the old station.  Instead of walking out of the station to seeing the RRS Discovery (The ship that Captain Scott took to the Antarctic) across the road, it was now surrounded by building works and to the right a rather large imposing building, that as of late September 2018 will be The V&A Museum Dundee.

Even my hotel was so new that when I looked on Google Street View it showed it as a building site!  But thankfully when I arrived, it was all there beside a lovely welcoming looking Beefeater.

With my room on the 3rd floor I looked out over The River Tay and across to Newport-On-Tay.  I spent the evening walking along the promenade and taking in the changes to the area.  I found several grass areas for Fizz and even introduced Fizz to The RRS Discovery and its penguins as you can see from the photographs.

Photograph of Fizz sitting in front of The RRS Discovery on the dock side

Pho graph of Fizz sat slightly infront of a life size statue of a penguin which sit amongst the paving beside The RRS Discovery

I enjoyed a relaxed unrushed meal in the Beefeater and took advantage of an early night, as my Friday was set to be a busy one.

For Friday I would be checking out of the hotel, but before returning to Glasgow to start my journey home I was catching up with more family.

As a place I have been to many many times before this is the first time I have been without my parents.  It is also the first time which I can remember that I visited The McManus Galleries; or rather The McMenace Galleries as they have temporarily been renamed.  After all Dundee is the home to The Bashstreet Kids, Desperate Dan and Denise the Menace, which are all celebrating their 77th year and heritage within Dundee.

Photograph of the graffitied museum sign taken on an angle with guide dog Fizz sat in front of it.

As a child I grew up with The Beano, so was enthralled to see how it has changed throughout the years.  Although I am not a fan of the latest ‘computeriised’ imagery that moves it away from its comic book strip format.

My wee cousins (actually my cousins children) were my tour guides, taking us around Dundee, walking among the old train lines that run along the now pedestrianised streets.  I even got the opportunity to leave my mark.  In signing my name and writing my gratitude on the six foot tall ‘THANK YOU’ had had only that morning been installed as part of the city’s commemoration to hero’s for this years D-Day Celebrations.

Fizz sat in front of a giant T as part of the THANK YOU installation, where I wrote my message of Thanks

Tall letters on plinths that say THANK YOU, with pictures of men and women who have fought for the country on the front, with the remaining sides left white for people to write their own messages of Thanks.

And from Dundee we travelled to another favourite haunt as a child when I would come to spend the summer with my Granny Lily…. We went off to Broughty Ferry, were we walked along a very blustery shore, saw the castle and then enjoyed a nice late lunch together.

Time ran away from us, we chatted, we remembered those family members who were no longer with us and we laughed at fond childhood memories.

Back in Dundee for one day was not long enough…. I shall most definitely be returning, making this my base next time.  So many more adventures to in this beautiful city I am sure…. At the very least I need to come back to see if the inside of the new V&A museum is as breathtaking as the exterior?

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16 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

Peaceful Pitlochry

The story starts here The start of an adventure… 

Continued from ….. GETTING MY GEEK ON in Glasgow

The train journey was through rolling hills and beautiful landscapes.

Arriving at Pitlochry a fellow passenger helped me off with my case as there was a pushchair and hold-all in the door; only to have someone take my case on the platform!

All was okay though…. the man taking my case was in fact my cousin who had come to meet me!  I would be spending my time with him and his wife.  He gave me the warmest of welcomes and enveloping hug, easing away all the tensions from galavanting in Glasgow.

Fizz also had a friend, in their dog Honey (although on first impressions they weren’t too keen on each other)

Pitlochry is somewhere I have never been before, but thanks to good olde Google Streetview I felt it was somewhere I would be comfortable.  The high street was made up of a mix of cafes, charity shops and outdoor shops.  The homes were nestled within lush green fields and with numerous whiskey distilleries, long walks and most importantly … FAMILY

A family who opened their home to me. Who cooked me a overly dinner and who walked me via the local golf course to the pub to enjoy a drink or 3 with them and their friends.

After a very comfortable nights sleep we took the dogs out for a walk to Black Spout Wood, a beautiful and refreshing walk with streams for the dogs to splash about in and my first ever encounter of a natural waterfall.

Photograph of small waterfall in the middle of trees and bushes, taken from the waterfall lookout opposite

The waterfall was considerably smaller than than usual, because water levels in the streams were much lower as even in Scotland they have been having a very hot summer.

All before returning for some lunch before embarking on a second walk and whiskey tasting in the afternoon.

Afterall, you can’t come to such a beautiful Burgh without tasting the local produce … Even if that is whiskey and gin!

And it is a whiskey that the store keeper knows so well, with the undertones of banana in one and dark chocolate in another; I must admit that to my untrained nose I could taste the differences in the samples, but not what was explained.  We even sampled some of Pitlochry’s new gin, which I found very enjoyable and easy to drink.

After a few purchases we headed off towards The Pitlochry Dam.  A structure that was planned back in the 1950s, being fully operational in 1962.  You see the dam had (at the time) been part of Scotland’s history as the dam created hydro-electricity that helped to power just under two-thirds of The Highlands energy supply (bearing in mind the in 1960 energy usage was no where near what it was today)

The dam being on the river Tummel also included ‘A fish ladder’ enabling the salmon to move through their migration into the river after the dam.

The visitor centre had been renovated in recent years and for my cousin it was the first time he had visited it, we enjoyed some time looking around and learning the history and impact of the dam.

Photograph taken from the top of the dam looking towards the river tunnel and Loch Faskelly Photograph taken from the top of the fish ladder, showing it move down in stages like the gates on a canal

Photograph taken from ontop of the dam looking down the river and into Pitlochry

Again, the river Tummel and the Dam are showing how deplested the water levels are given the hot weather.  It was very interesting though to find out how important and revelationary this dam was and how even now it continues to support Scotland’s power supplies, although now much of Scotland receives its energy from wind turbines.

Photograph of a plaque within the visitor centre with a quote from one of the civil engineers who helped design the dam

During our walk we encountered the odd shower, but this just created a beautiful sky of blue and grey with the odd black cloud against the lush creeks and earth colours of the hills and trees.

But sadly all too soon, it was time to catch another train.  For the next part of my adventure.  A train journey that saw me returning to Perth before changing to travel on to Dundee.

Dubdee is a city I have visited many MANY many times before, but not for several years.  In fact, the last time I visited was when I went to my Grabs funeral.

But that is another post.

To Be Continued …

 

 

 

 

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15 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

GETTING MY GEEK ON in Glasgow

Photograph of my gold Starbucks travel mug with the guide book to The Glasgow Science Centre with the SEC Armadillo building behind across the river Clyde.

Continued from … Welcome to Glasgow

After a relaxed evening in the hotel which included a Tai Chi class, a swim and a sauna before a gorgeous dinner, on Wednesday morninf I decided to visit The Glasgow Science Centre before embarking on another train journey deeper into Scotland (you’ll have to read on to find out where)

The Science Centre and adjoining iMax cinema were architecturally interesting buildings even before I walked through the doors.

 

Photograph shows a round ball like building on the left which is Glasgow IMAX with a large screen on the right of the photograph, with a small green area in front of it

Photograph is taken of the rear of the IMAX building where Starbucks sits amongst a glass wall sat beside part of an old dock areaPhotograph of the entrance to The Glasgow Science Museum, shoring what looks like the top half of a letter C shaped building, the glass front of the building sat to the right of the large screen

These building were custom built for purpose and opened to the public in June 2001, with a titanium clad exterior the Science Centre (science mall) with its crescent shaped glazing enables it along with the neighbouring imax to ‘blend in’ with the often grey overcast skies of Glasgow while offering a reflection from the river Clyde.

Set over three floors and including a planetarium and many interactive work station I could understand how it had gained its reputation and place on trip advisor as a ‘MUST SEE’ even though it was a pay for attraction (which many museums are not)

I fell in love with each and every floor.

Although I struggled with a few small issues (like no large print or alternative format maps or voice information on the lifts) I did find a very helpful member of staff who explained the floor levels to me and even explained where the stairs were as they were tucked away as the main traffic was directed towards the large lifts.

One perminant exhibit that I was interested in was ‘A Question of Perception’ that looked at optical illusions, the science behind it and how the human brain helps with this.  In addition to the illusions, I watched the cctv monitors for the centres own ‘wacky salon’ (you can find a video for this on YouTube, but as it is not accessible I have decided against sharing it here)

With interactive exhibitions across the whole centre, including a wonderful planetarium I enjoyed a good couple of hours here and took hundreds of photographs of the different exhibits, of which I will share just one with you.  This is of the ‘perfect triangle’ which from the angle of my photograph looks far from perfect.

Photograph of tabary - A mind blowing sculpture of a three part solid triangle, which is in fact an optical illusion and it is only when you get to within 2 foot of it that you see the sculpture is actulay 3 separate solid four sided rectangular, not actually a triangle at all.

However, too soon it was time for me to go, popping back to the hotel to collect my bags and head off for another train journey.

A train journey that saw me travelling from Exhibition Road to Glasgow Central, to hop on the shuttle bus to Glasgow Queen Street before boarding a train to Perth, where I would then change again (after a quick ‘wee stop’ for Fizz) to travel onto Pitlochry.

A place that could not be further from the hustle and bustle of Glasgow, with a population of just over 2,500 in comparison Glasgows 500,000….. It was a place I really couldn’t wait to escape to.

To be continued…….

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14 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

Welcome to Glasgow

The story starts here The start of an adventure… 

The sun was warm, although the sky was grey; the air reminded me of London, yet the feeling I got from this city was very different.  It was as if when I spoke people softened.

Maybe it was hearing my southern English accent or maybe it was just the way I spoke.  Whatever it was, it was very welcoming.

The train assistant walked me out onto the street beside Glasgow Central station and told me to turn right and then right again at the corner.  To go to the crossing and I would find myself beside the river, from there I should turn right again and walk alongside The Clyde and I would reach The Glasgow Crowne Plaza.

Walking towards the Clyde had another reason; according to google maps, it was where the closest patch of grass was for Fizz to be able to have her breakfast and do ‘her business’ after all I was very aware that she had been on a train for eight hours without any option of relief!

The walk was lovely, calming yet refreshing and i was able to enjoy the varying architecture and engineering of the many different bridges we passed.  (I later discovered just how many bridges there where)

The hotel was sat just after an odd ‘armadillo’ shaped building.  I later discovered this to be The SEC Armadillo (yup that its official name) beside the SSE Hydro, a large exhibition, show and conference space.

Photograph shows the side of The SEC, the building is shaped like an armadillo shell.

While on the other side of the river there was The Glasgow Science Centre, IMAX cinema and The Glasgow Tower.  But given the mix and mismatch of buildings and paving shows how there has been an increase in renovation and regeneration within the area in recent years.

Photograph is taken beside the river Clyde railing, showing across the river with BBC Scotland on the left, with The Glasgow science centre dome shaped building along with The Glasgow tower on the right of the image, The imax cinema can be partly seen in between the bbc building and the science centre

This would do nicely, very nicely as a base to explore from.  Surprisingly even at 8am in the morning my hotel room was ready for me, so instead of just leaving my bag at the hotel, I was able to check in, refresh with a lovely shower and sort myself out read for an adventure.

The hotel was beautiful, with 16 floors I took the opportunity to go upto the very top floor to look at the views (after photographing them and then zooming in) here are just a few of them.

Photograph shows the view of The Glasgow Tower and Science Centre across the river Clyde and a bridge taken from the 16thfloor of the hotel

When initially researching the hotel I had found that there was a train station closer to the hotel, but because this would have been involving walking away from the grass area i had decided against it originally.  However I re-looked at it as a way to get back into the city centre for part of my exploration.

And when I did I discovered not only that the train station was just 3 minutes walk away, but that it was fully accessible over a large dual carriageway thanks to this beautifully designed fully covered in, ramped bridge.

Can you tell that the design geek in me was happy?Photograph of red steel girders of a covered over path and cycle path, showing the red and green paths with an arch over the top which is totally enclosed


Second photograph shows the arch of the red girders forming over the top of the passageway looking down on the ramp with the green and red path for cycles and pedestrians.The train took me less than 5 minutes to travel back into the center of Glasgow.  Where I quickly found that my google maps was struggling a little because of the high buildings and built up area just like it does in London.

We (Fizz and I) walked for hours, admiring buildings, discovering Glasgow Queen Street station which would be the station I would need to continue my travel later.  And in finding other station just a few moments walk from The Central Station I discovered this beautiful mosaic.

Photograph of Mosaic at Glasgow Queen Street railway station, showing the river cliyde and bridge on the left and the buildings of Glasgow on the left.

I could continue to bore you with photographs from around Glasgow, but actually all I will say is that I walked over 20,000 steps in this beautiful city and saw some amazing buildings along with meeting many MANY many tourists from lots of different countries.

Fizz walked her paws off and she was a superstar for me.  With the odd little ‘mischievous quirk’ when she discovered a near by costa and clearly felt we had walked enough for the moment and walked me quickly to the crossing, causing traffic to stop before I had realised what her plans were …

Who am i to argue with a guide dog?

Stop, refuelled and ready for more…. off we go again.

TO BE CONTINUED …

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13 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

All Aboard

Stock photograph of Glasgow Central Station sign

The story starts here The start of an adventure… 

With a coffee in hand, along with my suitcase, book bag, handbag and guide dog I soon found the mobility assistance within London Euston Railway station.  My assistance had been pre-booked so at just after 22:00 i was guided to my train.

The man assisting me happily took my case and my book bag and off we went.

It was a very different ‘check-in’ for The Caladonian Sleeper.  It reminded me more of checking in to a flight.

First I checked in and was informed by the staff that I would be upgraded to a berth, they allocated me the ‘accessibile berth’ so that I was directly beside the toilet and just a door away from the lounge car.

The train measured over a quarter of a mile long and I was towards the furthest end.  This is because the train that leaves Euston travels towards Scotland as one train, before splitting; with one part going towards Edinburgh and the other part towards Glasgow.

Photograph is of the side of The Caladonian Sleeper train carriage from the platform

Once onboard the train, my room wasn’t quite ready, so I was seated in the lounge car where I was able to enjoy reading the extensive whiskey menu before I settled for a glass of red wine; before making myself and Fizz comfortable for the night in our berth.

Photograph from the open electronic door on my berth, showing the open and close panel on the left, Fizz sat in front of the single bed which has an orange hand rail and a top bunk bed that is seen at the top of the picturePhotograph is taken from where I sat in the bottom bunk in the berth, showing the width of the bed, with a counter at the end of the bed and the sink with a bottle of water on the side

The bed was comfortable, I took the extra pillows off the top bunk and although I looked at the little ‘sleep pack’ that was sat on the bed, I chose not to make use of the eye mask or ear plugs.  For my first ever sleeper journey I wanted to be as aware of my surroundings as possible.

I plugged my phone and watch in the USB ports, worked out which switch was for the main light and the bed light; popped to the loo again for one last time and tucked in to bed to listen to my audio book all before the train had even left the station.

This was a school girl error as I suddenly felt very aware and awake when the train did start moving.  Especially at the beginning when we were stopping at other London stations (just like a normal train would) so it was not until we were clear of London that I found myself getting comfortable again and drifting off to sleep.

I remember waking several times throughout the night, but there was not a clear reason for it.  It wasn’t until I awoke in a panic when the train seemed to ‘turn off’ that I got a reasonable nights sleep.

My panic awakening was because I felt that we must surely have arrived in Glasgow, although upon reaching my phone I realised I was over an hour early for the arrival time of Glasgow, let alone for the extra thirty minutes I had to vacate my room once we did arrive.

So I took the time to get dressed and raise the blind in my room to let the Scottish scenery in.  I even made myself a Herbalife shake for breakfast and got packed up.

Photograph of the open blind within my birth showing the countryside with the sink and worktop in the foreground

It wasn’t long before we pulled into Glasgow Central Station and the kind staff gave me a bottle of apple juice and informed me that my requested station assistance was ready to guide me from the train to the exit of the station.

It was lovely to walk into a quiet station (being 7:10 on a Tuesday morning). The rail assistance asked me where I was heading and asked if I needed help getting a taxi, I politely informed him that I was going to head to my hotel to drop off my case and enable Fizz to stretch her paws along The River Clyde.

Because thanks to more support on social media and google maps I knew all I had to do was walk toward the river and then along it for 19 minutes to reach my base for the next day and a half.  The Glasgow Crowne Plaza.

TO BE CONTINUED …

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13 Aug 2018
Blind Blog • Holidays

The start of an adventure – But first … London.

When opportunity presents itself, take its hand and let it lead you beyond your comfort zone.

A fellow VI friend informed me of an upgrade available to me as a guide dog owner to sleep in a cabin overnight on a train for the cost of a seated ticket.

The Caledonian Sleeper from London to Scotland gave me just such opportunity.  So in planning a trip I had hoped to take with my CPiC I booked a trip from London to Glasgow.

A journey which soon gave me the option to either cancel or put on my ‘big girl pants on’ to go alone….

Cancelling wasn’t really ever an option, as I would loose money not only on tickets, but on rooms already booked; plus my pure stubborn nature wouldn’t allow it.  So I decided to go alone (with my guiding girl Fizz) and a new plan was made.

London to Glasgow was recommended to me as Edinburgh was hosting The Fringe Festival.

So my plan started to come together.  I would travel to London on Monday, to catch the 23.20 sleeper out of Euston to Glasgow.

Monday was my day to explore London.

London is somewhere I have been many times before, however with my suitcase I wanted to stay close to Euston.  But just getting there wasn’t so simple.

Having used Euston Tube station as an interchange before for the northern line I was aware that it only had escalator access to street level.  So I made the brave (slightly silly) decision to get the tube to Kings Cross and walk back to Euston.

The walk was the easy bit, but the different lifts and levels of Kings Cross was a bit of a ‘challenge’ to say the least.  But one I achieved on my own.  The opportunity was there to ask for assistance, but I chose to put my problem solvcing hat on and just ‘get on with it’  Afterall, I have been to Kings Cross before and if in my mind if i couldn’t handle the tube, how would I manage Glasgow?

Hitting Kings Cross also gave me the opportunity to work out a green space for Fizz because with planned engineering works at Euston at the weekend, we would be returning to Kings Cross.  Thanks to the power of social media, I was made aware of a flower bed to the side of the station.

The flower bed was in fact right beside The British Library, a building that has always fascinated me.  So with time to kill I took the opportunity to go in.

WOW …..

The security staff were amazing, from explaining the bag search, to using a body scan wand on me and Fizz and continuing to explain it all to me; to then walking us down the ramps to the cloakrooms so I could have my suitcase stored while I explored.

Sadly there were no large print maps available, but as I explained to the staff that I used my phone as a magnifier they quickly radioed through to the other room attendants and security to make them aware that

“the blonde haired woman with the black guide dog who is deafblind has permission to use her phone as an aid to assist her, she isn’t taking photos, but simply magnifying the signs to enable her to enjoy her visit.’

This made me feel so very welcome and enabled me to enjoy my visit; while breaking down barriers for other visitors, who stopped to ask me how I was managing with the maps and signage.

I never went to look at the books (I do want to do this, but think it would be much easier with a sighted assistant) I purely went to look at the building…. The way the levels are open, the way the skylights are positioned, and I wasn’t disappointed.

Photograph shows the stripped skylights that run parallel to each other in a triangular flat roof of The British Library

Photograph shows rounded stairwells and the skylights again from inside The British Library

I enjoyed the fact that I could sit on each level, watch the world go by and enjoy the different ways in which other people used the space.

Because despite my failing sight, I love to read and I have always had a fascination with libraries.  So for a few hours after I explored the space I sat down with a comfy spot for Fizz and read my latest book. (Which is for another blog in the future)

This was just the calming and relaxed start to my adventure I needed before I met up with a climbing friend for a late supper.

We sat and talked, we ate, we drank and then realised this is the first time we have ever met outside of a climbing wall or competition setting.

And before I knew it, it was time to catch my train.

I felt nervous.

I felt excited.

I felt exhausted.

So, with a quick stop at Starbucks I went to find the assisted travel desk to board my train.

TO BE CONTINUED …

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