I’ve been thinking a lot in recent weeks about selfishness and respect for others. Now don’t worry, I will try not to get too ranty but there have been quite a few instances in the past few weeks and months where I’ve had to look back and question if I’m being precious or justified to …
Continue reading Musings from a Blind Man: In the name of convenience
Waking up in Nice on a bright late summer morning, we could hear the pedestrians ambling around on the streets below going about their Saturday morning routine. We had a relatively tight schedule to get to the station for our late-morning train and the most important task on the list was opening birthday presents. It’s …
Quite often as a holiday gets close to an end and you begin getting your things ready for the trip home, there is that sense of melancholy that tomorrow you will be back home and the holiday will soon be a distant memory. Not this time, as we had our final swim in the rooftop …
Continue reading Flight Free part 3: The Train of Monte Cinto
We left off last time reflecting on the trip so far as we settled into our 5 hour high-speed run down from Paris to the Mediterranean port of Toulon. So far, aside from a slight panic in Paris, things were going smoothly. The SNCF train we were on was spacious and comfortable although being on …
Last year my wife of 17 years and I celebrated our anniversary by going out for dinner with the kids at Hard Rock Cafe in Piccadilly Circus. This isn’t our usual choice for a romantic anniversary meal but there was a special reason for being in London on a warm August evening. We were due …
Original post from January 2024 I decided to do a little experiment today as Chester and I took a solo trip to visit my eldest at university in Kingston. It’s quite a straightforward trip on South Western Railway from Reading with just a single change at Twickenham. So what’s the experiment? Turn Up And Go …
This week Chester and I celebrate another huge milestone – one year since we started on class. No matter how much they prepared me, I honestly didn’t realise how much goes into training with a new guide dog. Once the initial matching process is complete and you get that life-changing phone call, there are a …
I’m sat dozing in the back of a taxi, heading home after a late work event. Chester is laid on the floor next to me in the back of the comfortable MPV, exhausted after such a busy day. As we head on into the night my eyes flicker open and I attempt to gather my …
Continue reading Musings from a Blind Man: A late-night taxi ride home
It’s been months since I put pen to paper so sitting here in a dreary Saturday morning, it seemed a fine time to make a fresh brew and open my notebook. So, what’s been going on since I last wrote anything? I’m not going to lie, it’s been a manic second half of the year …
If someone had told me 6 months ago that I would be sat outside my 20+ year-old camper van at 8 o’clock on a rainy Sunday morning in early Spring looking out at the Brecon Beacons. I’d have laughed in their face. But, here I am, pen in hand, legs wrapped in a blanket and …
Continue reading Van life: Can this blind petrol head really be happy in the slow lane?
Blind Man with a Backpack 