With excitement building for starting a new school, the last day of the summer holidays is upon us. Not to miss out on family fun, but it seemed sensible to use this day to go out and spend time as a family. So, thinking ahead, we decided to go for a day trip back to Oxford, the city of spires. I want to make it slightly different from my usual day trips, where I drive everywhere. Therefore I decided we could catch the park-and-ride as parking in Oxford city centre can be difficult. Indeed, this adventure could be quite challenging. I decided that using my skills in Oxford would be fun, and it seemed sensible and more exciting to use the pard-and-ride to travel to the City Centre.
Park & Ride – Here we go!
Arriving at the nearest park-and-ride, Thornhill, I found it easy to negotiate around the car park. That was actually being resurfaced, but I still had allocated spaces where I could park easily and make my way to the terminal where the bus would depart..
Moreover, not having used a bus in the UK for over 12 years, this adventure leaves me slightly anxious. Worryingly, I have heard horror stories of wheelchair users’ bus journeys ending with arguing with other passengers about space or the ramp not working. My concerns are whether I’d be able to get space on the bus and, less of a concern, whether I would be able to sit with my family.
Using My Skills Abroad
In fact, the last bus I got was in Orlando. We joined it from outside our hotel and went into downtown Orlando to see the Orlando Magic basketball team. Other passengers did not hesitate to retreat from the wheelchair space for me, and the driver strapped me in without any problems. I’m thinking, why do I not get strapped in on the bus in the UK?
To the Bus
After rolling away from the car, we made our way to the terminal or the bus stop. The driver automatically put the ramp down for me without asking if I needed it. I hopped on and made my way towards the space on the floor with the wheelchair symbol. I guess I had to sit there. However my wife and son could’ve sat down with me, but they decided to go upstairs. It was a double-decker. In the end, how often do you get a chance to sit on the top deck of a double-decker? Where you can see the vista of Oxford and further afield.
On the Way to Oxford
The bus left the park-and-ride and travelled towards and through Headington, then on to Oxford City Centre. Several people got on and off at different stops along the route during the ride. We continued onto Magdalene Street and disembarked the bus on High Street. The scenery was magnificent, with towering spires and ancient arches. I’m keeping my eye on the flagstone floor and surface of the path, albeit just in case.
We stopped in at the Ashmolean Museum. Spending a couple of hours wheeling around, looking at the ancient artefacts. The museum is really interesting. Although I wish we had more time to take it all in, we had to get home for the dog.
Getting Around
Being able to use my skills confidently in Oxford made wheeling around nice and easy. I was able to negotiate a variety of different terrains and challenges, including uneven flagstone paths, kerbs, ramps, and tourists and locals alike. Arriving at the museum, it was a pleasure to wheel around, as all the floors were smooth and flat. The biggest challenge was the smooth ramp to gain access. However, that didn’t cause me too many difficulties.
We got a bite to eat at Tortilla, a Mexican fast-food restaurant. It was based on the quick in-and-out service, which was good. The food was tasty, and I will return when we return, and I will get to use my skills in Oxford again.