After a great deal of thought – and not a little research – I decided this morning that I am not going to go to SALUTE this year. This might seem a little odd as the show takes place so close to where I live that I can see the venue (The ExCel Centre London) from the front drive of my house! What put me off going was both getting there and how I was going to get about once I was.
Public transport – which would have cost me nothing thanks to me Freedom Pass – was a non-starter due to my mobility problems. I have to use two walking sticks when walking around, and if I have to step up or down, I need substantial handrails ... and the distance I would have to step up or down to use the local single-decker buses is just a little too high for me to do with any degree of safety. Even if I had been able to take the bus to the local Elizabeth Line station in Woolwich – which is an accessible one – the distance I would have to walk from Customs House to the ExCel Centre along a crowded walkway would have taken me a long time and would have been very tiring.
Thanks to the Blackwall Tunnel and the newly opened Silvertown Tunnel, I could have driven to the ExCel Centre, and it was possible to reserve a Blue Badge parking spot. However, once there I would have had to walk everywhere using my walking sticks. I did look at booking a mobility scooter, but there were none left, and although there were wheelchairs available, I would have need someone to push me around. Sue did offer to do this, but I thought that she would have found it very physically draining.
I will miss meeting my many wargaming friends and fellow bloggers, but in the end I decided that the problems outweighed the benefits of going, so with a heavy heart I chose to give SALUTE a miss this year.
I’m sorry to hear this Bob re accessibility and crowded venues. Exhausting. Hopefully next year ….
ReplyDeleteSurely Salute should at least send an accessible Limo and give you guest speaker and famous War Games author status, like American Wargames Conventions did with Donald Featherstone in his older years?
Mark, Man of TIN,
DeleteHopefully I will be able to make it to SALUTE next year.
I missed last year because I was beginning to experience mobility problems and then I broke my right leg just above the ankle. I was immobile for the best part of five months and then discovered that the nerves in both my lower legs no longer functioned anywhere near properly. I was lucky in that I was allocated a local authority reablement team who got me walking again in less than six weeks, and since then I've been doing daily exercises to build up the strength and stamina in my lower legs. I can now walk around outside with the aid of one or two walking sticks, depending upon the type of surface I am walking on. I have even learned how to climb up and down stairs using handrails and a walking stick. However, getting on and off buses and trains is still too difficult for me unless I have a ramp available. I also need to rest frequently when walking or standing.
Unfortunately, I am far too low down the pecking order of wargame designers to qualify for VIP treatment. My books are not glossy enough and don't have a tie-in with any particular manufacturer's products, and therefore I don't rate as highly in the Pantheon of wargame designers ... unlike the late, great Donald Featherstone, Charles Grant, Peter Young ... and Joseph Morschauser!
Such is life!
All the best,
Bob
Quite understandable Bob, but frustrating all the same. I was looking forward to catching up with you.
ReplyDeleteGary S,
DeleteI would have loved to have gone p, but I saw no point in physically exhausting myself and possibly making things worse rather than better.
All the best,
Bob
I'm sorry to hear that. Perhaps next year your condition will improve, or you will be able to get a reservation in early and get a scooter.
ReplyDeleteMark Cordone,
DeleteIt’s very unfortunate that I wasn’t able to go, but it gives me a target to try to achieve next year.
All the best,
Bob
A wise decision. I'd be interested to see the attendance figure but today's event seemed to be as busy as I've ever seen it at Excel. It was hard enough getting around if you have full mobility!
ReplyDeleteJeremy Ramsey,
DeleteCheers! From the photos I’ve seen, it was more crowded than I could have coped with.
All the best,
Bob
Sorry to hear you're missing the show, but it's clear you looked at all the options in an attempt to make it work. Keep that positive attitude and I hope to see you at a show one of these days.
ReplyDeletePompey Dave,
DeleteI would have loved to have gone, but I think that I made the right decision. Hopefully, I’ll be able to go next year.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteI had no idea that your disability problems were so severe- hope you can attend Salute next time. Keep on keeping well. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI am hoping that my mobility will gradually improve. I do regular exercises to build up the strength and stamina in my legs, but walking unsupported outside our house is almost impossible. I do have a rollator, but it is heavy and cumbersome to get in and out of my car. I am looking at the possibility of buying a lightweight mobility scooter, but I am awaiting advice from an Occupational Therapist … and I have been waiting for an appointment for five months.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
DeleteYes- a lightweight scooter may be your answer- though getting it in and out of the boot of your car may be a bit of a problem. No harm in trying to see what is available. Best Wishes. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteI’ve looked at several lightweight scooters, but at present the cost is rather off putting. The sort that I need will cost between £1,200 and £1,800, which is a bit steep unless I am going to get a lot of use out of it.
All the best,
Bob