Words & Photos by Layla Blackwell
As the flashes of passing colour fade quickly into and then from view, I reflect on my journey.
Adventuring is not something I usually get to do in my life and as the train shudders along the rails, I am content.
There is peace in the unknown and untraveled land.
This is as close to freedom in life as I get.
A freedom I had to pay for of course and book in advance to have.
But in this moment, I have nothing but gratitude that I have the health, the support and confidence to make this journey.
Much of my life has been filled with isolation and solitude, despite my best efforts to combat this.
These are common factors for those with disabilities.
There are a lot of factors we must consider to enable us to have social lives.
Our health being the main problem, we also need to have the suitable support and the finances to cover our extra needs.
This makes any journey more difficult.
Life Catalyst
In the times before now, I have travelled by myself and hoped it would serve as a catalyst for the life I wanted.
Those miles I filled with hope and the possibility of the unknown.
Thoughts of unfamiliar faces, places, and stories to tell.
That journey takes bravery and confidence of a different kind.
This journey, however, I booked with the intention of heading towards security and familiar faces.
I feel like a stranger to myself but in the best way.
I’ve always preferred travelling by train, less cramped and slightly less inaccessible than the bus.
When it works, it’s as smooth as the tracks it follows.
Advance Booking
When I first started taking the train, you had to book train assistance by phone 24 hours in advance of travelling.
This was to ensure that someone was there to meet me and assist with getting the wheelchair on and off trains.
These days they recommend six hours and there is an app to book assistance, it’s called ‘Passenger Assistance,’ I was pleasantly surprised how simple it is to use.
However, an increasing number of stations are now unstaffed.
These stations have contact points only and it means you’ll have to rely on the staff on the train to assist with the ramps.
The driver of the train gets notified but there is no guarantee that the next train will be achievable.
I would recommend booking assistance in this case.
I also book ahead when I have a particular time I want to be somewhere.
Even at manned stations, different trains have different ramps, and you need the right one to match the train to the platform.
Also, different stations have different layouts and can prove quite difficult to navigate, especially quickly if you need to make a change on to another train.
I also recommend going from end of the line to end of the line, when you can, this gives you more time to get situated.
Helpful People Help People
Booking ahead is the best way to ensure less stress but at the end of the day, it’s the attitudes of the people around you that can make or break a journey.
The more helpful and understanding people are, the less stressful things can be.
That’s in all things and not just rail travel.
Life won’t always go to plan, be realistic about your expectations and try to be flexible and understanding when things go wrong.
That’s just my general advice, I don’t always get what I want but usually I will get what I need, with a cheerful outlook.
I try to remember that travel is supposed to be fun.
This part of my life is new and at times, I let my anxiety slow me down, but it will never stop me.
I’ve learned what I want in my life and the concessions I am willing to make.
It’s a daily fight but I am prepared, willing and capable to pick up my sword and shield to defend my ideals.
That has been the largest journey I’ve undertaken and one I will continue to build on.
My sense of self is vital in this adventure.
As I settle down to watch the blur of unknown places and faces, the traces of paths unchosen fading into the distance as we hurtle past.
I grip my ticket a bit tighter in my hand.
Glad to be moving forward and into the unknown beauty of what tracks lay ahead for me.
I don’t know where I am going but I am grateful for the journey.
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