Part four
The rest of the week was lovely, my knee sadly got so much
worse almost unbearable to walk, it got warmer and we had a lot of fun. Teen
said he loved his holiday so that made my day. But soon time to pack to go
home, or should I leave that up to our ghost? Haha.
Andre offered to take us back to the airport, this was so
lovely especially after the last time we had transport what had gone on there.
We laughed and wondered if the lady and kids would be there from Liverpool?
Bless her, I wondered how she got on and more on that in a mo jo.
Hub and I are used to taking care of ourselves as regards
packing, after all, we had to do it at our awful boarding schools. We just make
sure that we don’t scatter things around the room, whether it be hotel or
house. In a house it’s a bit more difficult. As there are things upstairs and
down. But with regards clothes, apart from swimming trunks and costume, which hung
outside. Even things like shoes, we leave at the door. So for those who are
without sight or have very little, here are some tips.
1.
Leave keys at the door either in the door or
right next to it.
2.
Leave
white cane next to door at all times when entering property/hotel room
3.
Leave
shoes at door either outer door or bedroom door
4.
Find
shelf in robe for dirty clothes
5.
Keep clothes
in robe or back of a chair never scatter
6.
Keep
toiletries in soap bag get a large bag if necessary
7.
Try to
use only one international plug transformer so you don’t forget which socket
you have put it in also the least items you have to find at the end of your
holiday the better.
8.
Keep your money safe if you have to leave a bag
in your house or room as you won’t want to carry all your holiday money each
day, put it under your pillow if you are not expecting cleaners, if you are,
hang bag in robe under clothing.
9.
If you are staying in a house, downstairs try to
locate one place in the kitchen where you keep things like sun glasses pills
and things you will use as a family like a camera or sun cream
10.
Before
you leave write phone numbers in your format like large print or Braille, if
Braille also print off version for sighted person example taxi driver for
address put all your flight information and emergency numbers there. If you are
booking a hotel and you are taking your guide dog, make sure before you go you
ask about area’s to spend your dog. (Toilet) you can get foldable dog dishes so
easy for transportation. If you are going abroad with your dog, remember the
water situation? If it’s not good enough for you to drink it won’t be good
enough for your dog.
So Hub and I packed. We had asked Teen to? Haha. Em. Teen to
do anything on time? Nope, the last night at eight in the evening, his first
load of washing went in the machine. We just said we would do ours at home. By
ten the washing was still dry. Something went wrong. What did that mean? Daddy
stayed up late and made sure it was sorted all dry and so on for him. So I
tried to wake him up, teen that is! At eight, we had to be out by ten for the
cleaners. The night before I cleaned as best as I could to help them out. I
wanted to strip the beds but ran out of time. Teen got up at nine. He knew that
his washing was still in the washing machine… Well as he got from his slumber,
Hub presented him with a basket. He was grateful. But if it was still wet?
He said. “Calm down Mum. What is there to do?”” I could have
throttled him smile. I said there is a dish washer, shall we empty that? Fridge
too empty, tell you what, we will do that too? As for your sun glasses and trunks,
do you know where they are? Oh, then bins to empty. Well he got the picture,
emptied the bins and just got packed in time.
Oh I was sad to leave, but was grateful for the week we had.
One week per year isn’t enough though. It was thirteen months since I had been
for a walk or just breathed in fresh air. Mind you the state of my knee I was
almost crippled. The pains were horrific. It would be pointless seeing a
doctor, I can only hope when I get home, and wrest it, it will be OK. Still
hurt I have that for life but not agonising I hoped?
Andre came with Joss. They were so lovely, Joss brought us
some biscuits in a tin. We sat on the outside sofa in the front garden taking
in our last bit of fresh air. The trees made it pure and light. Joss asked teen so many questions about us,
we are used to such questions in countries that are not so exposed to blind
people, but in France? She said to him his life must be very difficult. I was
so cross. Teen didn’t go into too much detail as I know it annoys him too, but
she also took it upon herself that of course we had never worked? Hahaha.
Gosh if only she knew about Hub and his past
jobs, what he did where he went? It would blow her mind. It still blows my,
mind. As for my past? Gosh, that is a few volumes in itself. I could write for
years and years and never get to the bottom of my life story. But we smiled and
thanked her so much for a wonderful holiday and we took a taxi into the village
so that we could give them a chance to clean we would be out of their hair.
They were so
hospitable though even wanting to make us a drink. They reminded me of the good
old days in Russia, before New Russians spoiled themselves. My dear friend much
missed and loved Taisa, old Russians who were the salt of the earth. Now the
new ones wouldn’t even offer you salt if you needed to cook a meal. I do
believe that Russia was better pre Perestroika.
Andre picked us up and took us to the airport. There was a
bag of things that they thought teen had left, yep, the sighted one. Thankfully
we hadn’t left anything. Teen answered. Oh it’s OK they are for the bin… So,
Joss will put your stuff in the bin love…?
Our lad was a star though and the holiday would be
impossible without him. We ask as little as possible from him and try so hard
to not let our disability affect him. Some who know us say we cope better than
they do who are sighted, it’s just organisation. Oh and stress. We as blind
people can never get a last minute holiday. We have to plan and make sure all
is in order. And there is so much paperwork now days’ paperwork to me is just
bits of waist that should have been left to the trees. Blank papers.
Now then, the airport. Beziers airport is just moments from
the village under twenty minutes this is another reason this place is perfect.
Guess who came up to us as soon as we arrived? The little boy from the taxi saga.
Then his Mum now this story will really
shock you it did me. I felt so very sorry for the Mum and kids.
So she paid for a taxi in the UK. Never do this Bloggets.
She paid almost one hundred pounds now we were to pay £33 each way, she £48
each way, her campsite was five minutes’ drive from where we were. No way it
should have been that much. So her taxi was paid for. She was furious that she
had to share with us as were we but hey ho.
She asked for an English speaking driver, we got the he she monster with
the floppy boobies.
Well after us, guess what the thing did to the poor lady?
Guess what? Drove her all the way back to the airport. She was five minutes
from the place she needed to be and the driver drove all the way back. Then it
got worse. Guess what she did next? Told all of the other drivers at the
airport not to take the lady. Oh my God. The poor Mum. Two children who were
obviously effected by the earlier events not only of the row that her Mum was
having on the phone with the person who owns the taxi company, but the fact the
poor little girl was swabbed along with her teddy. Bless. Also had their bat
and ball removed from them.
It took her two and a half hours. The Mum said she was
crying. Didn’t speak a word of French
and thought she was stranded. It was pitch black and a driver came and felt sorry
for the lady and drove her to where she needed to be but by the time he did
that, the shop on site was closed. She has not been to the site we went last
year by mistake and there is nothing at all on there no other shop but from the
one tiny one that was closed. So the kids had nothing to eat drink? So these
companies who offer you pre-paid things, say no. Pay when you get there. It’s
fine to book a taxi before you go but pay when you get there.
Well we didn’t want to be told off again so we went to the
assistance desk. Why? Not really sure. Special assistance told us off in the UK
for not telling them we had arrived, they pushed a lift button for us, and when
we came home, they told us we would have to wait until last to get on the plane
and wait till last to get off. Stuff that for a game of soldiers, we just said
thanks but no thanks. Ryanair? They were OK, not as bad as I thought, just don’t
fly with them if you are like me, a full figured Fifi. Seriously, they were
built for little leprechauns!
We had a smooth arrival and headed up loads more stairs for
the cases. Gosh we waited ages and were beginning to wonder if ours had been
left in France or someone had taken the cases? Teens’ car keys were in his coat
in France and I asked him where he was going to put his coat, he said in his
case. I told him to give me his keys. He asked why? I said if our case for whatever
reason doesn’t get to us, how will we drive home?
Thankfully he did but having said that our cases did turn
up. If I didn’t have his keys, I would have been past myself.
Bless teen again he was amazing. No way we could do the case
thing. Well now to find a bus, the right bus. Now these are the numbers we had
to remember Bloggets.
So our car was parked at number 6842. Our bus stop was 111. But
the bus number was number 9. Our terminal is number 3. Did we win the lottery? Haha.
Again with our memory and teens sight, we found the right
place to stand. Got on the bus and smiled as two groups of people totally
different people had caught the wrong bus. Again sighted people… Bring on teem
blindies. Hahahah.
Next thing, was our lovely car there? Yep, it was and home
James, don’t spare the horses. Mind you, Teen drove fast Shamrock was waiting.
Oh and what happened on our return? You will really think I have lost the plot.
Part five coming up.
To be continued.
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