ParaPrincess

I'm finally home from my vacation in Thailand, I am so glad I chose the hotel I chose and the airline were top class except for the bit where they lost my side-guard in Abu Dhabi. They seemed to think it was OK to fly my chair straight to Bangkok. I was so humiliated in their big clunky wheelchair that I couldn't even push myself in. At least they didn't lose a tyre.

My housemate and I arrived in Bangkok at about 6.30pm, the sun was already setting as he lifted me into a taxi and we gave the driver our destination in Pattaya. Turns out it's quite a well known hotel. I wouldn't know where a top hotel was past Cardiff let alone somewhere at least an hour away. We were checked into our room where we discovered I wouldn't really be able to get in and out of the bathroom due to a step into it which then went down a little and was narrow, you wouldn't be able to stand on it really, a couple of inches thick, just to stop the room getting wet. It was a small bathroom and I had to wedge my wheelchair against the bath and do a dodgy transfer onto the toilet. For the bath I can get in a bath and at a shove get out but it's risky, especially when wet. We had a large single bed each and I was glad I had an indwelling catheter fitted. We went exploring that night. The pavements are very high and my housemate pushed my chair for me. We went for food and saw some late markets.

The next morning we were up by 8 to get the buffet breakfast. It was to die for, had everything from bacon and eggs to salad, noodles, rice, juices, I had 2 plates full along with 2 croissants and a drink. We tired of it after a week though and just bought ourselves Instant Noodles so we could sleep later. Things don't start til 10/11am in Thailand. Many hours were spent sunbathing by the pool even on the cloudy days as the rays still penetrate the clouds. We went to market after market, beach vendor after beach vendor. I drank a lot of coconuts and got carried onto many mini buses (these were actually modified pick up trucks with metal benches and a frame). I bought lots of clothes.

One night we were on what is called Second Road going into a mall named the Big C. My housemate had just lifted me over fixed metal traffic poles and set me down, I lifted so he could push my cushion from the wheel (I did lose my side-guard after all) and this old man came up to me and asked why the wheelchair, what was wrong with my legs. I said nothing, it's my back. He then proceeded to lift his shorts up and go into detail about his knee replacement and how he had to be in one of 'these'. I told him it's not a competition whilst laughing, strained laughter. I was fuming. How dare he? I was having a wonderful time when some old git decides to try and score some sort of point? He claimed to be 85, he wasn't. He was 65 if that. He claimed his mother was 105, what a bullshitter. He then told me to keep smiling. I told him well done, he wins the Internet. He was one of those people who doesn't care to listen to anyone else, he carried on with his evening.

Many times by the pool I inflated my rubber ring and had my housemate gently place me in the water so I could float about. I tensed my lower stomach muscles to see my legs rise. I had a couple of Thai massages, I didn't say I couldn't feel my legs and closed my eyes to see if I could tell. I knew something was going on, much like if you pull a string the end will follow if you pull or push a leg it makes other muscles and bones higher up move. It was lovely to get my back, shoulders, arms and neck massaged.

We were there for a special festival that only happens on the 12th lunar Month which is usually in November. People bought and crafted floating ornaments out of wood and flowers to put in the sea with candles in and let off Chinese lanterns. The beach was packed full of people and the sky full of these lanterns. We bought one was lit it before watching it eventually get enough hot air in it to float into the sky. There were still floating remnants in the sea the next day.

I was stunned by some people's ignorance to my condition. Whilst lifting me about sometimes someone would try to help by grabbing my wheels. What do people think wheels do? You can't pick someone up by their wheels. Makes me want to swear, fuck it I'll swear. Thinking they're helping. I could've come out and landed on my face! I had to slap hands and show them WHEELS TURN AROUND. And the times I asked about elevators in places and they'd helpfully point me up a flight of stairs. What do they think the wheelchair is for? For SHOW? I did fall out, twice. Once my flatmate was, er, entertaining and I didn't know where he was. He'd been gone 12 hours. I got up, got myself into the bathroom and in and out of the bath myself then when I was trying to get out there was that weird step and the bathroom is higher than the floor outside. I tried to wheelie out but that 2 inch step was too small and a little too high so my chair tipped forwards. I was holding myself in when I realised I could safely slide out, push my chair in front of me to the bed which was all of 2 metres and drag myself onto the bed. As I got on the bed who turned up? The Scarlet Pimpernel himself. The second time we got a coach to Bangkok to go to the markets there and yet another helpful soul directed us to the SkyTrain which was, of course, up a flight of marble steps. Cheers! I didn't notice the slight difference in floor levels before this discovery and the front castors hit and I slid out. Because I like to wear skirts I have it so my catheter bag is in the little bag under my chair and I attach or detach it myself as I have a flip-flow valve. When I came out I was still attached and terrified of damaging my urethra. All was fine though. We had to get a taxi back and they overcharged cos we're not Thai (isn't that racism? If we did that here people would get locked up!). That night was a bowel night and let's just say I was a little late. The taxi driver coughed, my housemate said I smelled and I checked, wrong way to find out really.

On the way there my luggage was less than 10 kilos and so was my housemates. On the way back it weighed 39 kilos between us. We took my remaining side-guard and cushion on the plane this time. No flies on us. Got on the plane first and through all the checks first. Sadly if you're in a wheelchair you have to get off the plane last. We just got to our connecting flight as it was in 'final call'. Got home last night about half 8 and already it feels like I never went :-(

I ordered a syringe so I can remove my catheter and called for another side-guard this morning. It was a wonderful 2 weeks, I missed my cats though (we found a stray a few months back and another turned up just days before we left, I'm getting her checked tomorrow just in case she's not well or injured).