Today is Friday. Friday the 4th October 2013 to be precise. Exactly four weeks since we left a hotel in a windswept John O' Groats in the far north of Scotland to begin our journey. It was rainy and damp that morning and our spirits were high. Today is another day and another Friday. 1100 miles down the road and we have just rolled into Lands End.
It's rainy, it is windy and I am tired... I am mentally exhausted from the constant planning and physically shattered with no strength left to balance in my wheelchair so for these last days have been using gaffer tape and chest straps to hold me in place. I am tired of the relentless packing and unpacking of the hoist, shower chair and clothes and food, the lack of accessible accommodation: no steps, roll in shower and room under bed for hoist and I am tired of trying to find roads that were safe enough for my wheels. But you know what? We have made it!
I set off on the thousand mile plus road trip to keep UK disability issues in the spotlight. To reinvigorate what the Paralympian and Olympian spirit communicates and today, as part of Britain's Personal Best launch weekend I have much to report. I have been documenting our venture on my blog: www.martynsibley.com. Hopefully it shows some of the positives of our journey: The scenery, the people and the scale of our daily challenges. When Kasia and I set out we had quite simple aims:
•To journey the whole of the UK with an electric wheel chair and a bike
• To encourage people to live life fully and enjoy every moment
•To encourage disabled people to dream big and see positive possibilities
•To educate society on inaccessible buildings, transport and discriminating attitudes against disabled people
•To ensure government invest in social care, disability equipment, and general infrastructure
We discovered along the way how inaccessible public buildings, public transport and daily life is when you are in a wheelchair and how incorrect and damaging many people's views of disability can be. These discoveries made our aims even more poignant and if we can achieve them as a society, the world can and will be fully equal one day. For now consider us schooled for whatever comes next...
Challenge your Britain's Personal Best on www.whatsyours.org
Keep up with the latest disability adventures on www.disabilityhorizons.com
Please donate to our chosen charities on www.justgiving.com/user/45406731
See more photos on www.flickr.com/photos/martyn_sibley/sets/72157635430985579