On January 25, 2019, I travelled to Britain to play chess at Windermere. It was the second time that I had done so. My first time was in 2014, when I went with my good friend Jackie, and this time I travelled with my friend Rebecca and her husband, Immanuel.
For some reason, I never slept on my way over! I was so very excited and so expectant, because I was not only going to play chess with my fellow blind and vision-impaired friends, I was also going to meet family in Liverpool, some that I had never met and others that I had not seen in such a long time. Most of all, I was going to see my good friend Jilla, who I had not seen in years, and she was going to be my escort for the visit.
Like my 2014 trip, this one has no voice diary. I have told it from what I wrote on my blog afterwards and from the photographs we took.
Back to Windermere Manor
Jilla drove me all the way from London to the Windermere Manor Hotel in the Lake District, and when we got there I was simply tuckered out. On the Sunday afternoon, I met my old friend Peter and we played a game together, and that evening was a good time to catch up with Peter, Celia and other old friends from the chess breaks.
Windermere Manor had not really changed: still the same old welcoming place with a great ambiance, great grounds and birds to wake you up in the mornings. The staff were great and helpful, and the meals were quite delicious. The one thing I was not too keen on was that there were so many stairs to navigate.
Sick at the Chess Break
Then, later on that Sunday evening, I became really sick, and unfortunately this ruined a lot of my plans for the rest of the week. I had to withdraw from the tournament.
It did not stop me, though, from meeting old acquaintances and playing some friendly games. A player named Mark was kind enough to play with me when I could not play in the tournament, and his mom, Liz, was very good to me while I was sick. I sure appreciated it. Jilla was very attentive too, and Rebecca was always there watching over me.
Mark has since become a real chess friend. After I got home, we kept playing by email. Mark is very patient and a great teacher, and I do my best to keep up with him.
Finding My Way at Jilla’s House
In London, I stayed with Jilla, and I thoroughly enjoyed learning to navigate her house. Jilla had warned me about all of the steps, and as a vision-impaired person, I felt that I would need to be extra careful. But with Jilla as my tour guide and her family watching over me, it was not as intimidating as I had first thought. I learned how to hold on and walk sideways up and down the steps, and I enjoyed the challenge.
Jilla went way above the call of duty to be a better than perfect host. Her son Doug, his girlfriend Ro and their family friend Mo were all so very great to me, and they reached out in so many ways to make me feel at home. Even her dog, Kahlua, was simply fantastic!
A Once in a Lifetime Reunion in Liverpool
On February 3, 2019, I met my Liverpool family after so many years. The last time that I had seen them, my cousins Lorraine, Mark and Carl were little ones. This was also the first time that I was meeting Sally and her boyfriend Joe, and Angie, and Tom, Carl’s husband.
I am not sure what I was expecting, but at the end of it all I could only utter one word: wow! It was a dream come true. They were a warm, loving, jolly and welcoming family who accepted me for who I was, a long-lost cousin who was vision impaired, and this did not bother them in the least.
We started with tea at Tom and Carl’s house. Then it was off to the cathedral, and on to a very special place from my past. The bulk of the evening was spent catching up at a wonderful pub, where we sat for hours, chatting, exchanging stories and promising to stay in touch. The next morning, we gathered around Tom and Carl’s table for a sumptuous breakfast prepared by Tom, and then Jilla drove me back to London.
My Dad Beside Me in the Cathedral
Everyone came with me to the Liverpool Metropolitan Cathedral, and it was deep, moving, touching and most memorable. As I walked with Jilla and Angie through this enormous church, I knew that my beloved dad was right there with me. I could feel him walking beside me. I could smell the fragrance of his Old Spice cologne wafting over me, and at times I felt as if I could literally reach out and take his warm and comforting hand.
I took in the sounds of the cathedral: its tolling bells, people laughing and kids running around. Jilla described so many things to me, and in one fleeting, memorable moment I sat in one of the pews and said a silent prayer, thanking God for having brought me here. Then Tom guided my hands over murals that depicted milestones of the Bible.
Returning to Christopher Grange
When I studied in England so many years ago, I stayed at Christopher Grange in Liverpool, and on this return trip I decided to pay a visit. Lorraine drove, and she and Jilla came with me as my escorts.
Did I regret it? No! However, so many memories came out to greet me, some happy and others very moving. I practically led Lorraine and Jilla on a tour, and Jilla was so impressed by how much I remembered: the little chapel with its organ, the long passageway between the main building and Greenside, where I lived, and then Greenside itself. We walked past the kitchen and the dining room, and the garden outside the dining room was still there. Then we went up the steps to the corridor where our bedrooms had been, and back downstairs to the lounge and the snuggery.
Nothing much had changed. I remembered where Sister Christina’s office was, and I even remembered the colours of the doors. Lorraine sure remembered the times when her parents used to bring her and her brothers, Mark and Carl, to visit me. Before we left, I met the head nun, who put me in touch with Sister Christina.
From Curb to Cabin
My flights on this trip were with Air Transat, and it took quite a bit of getting used to. The seats were smaller than usual, and so were the tables. For a vision-impaired person, it is difficult to balance a food tray on a small table and to sit in a seat that is not the normal size. Everything is very cramped, and when you cannot see what is in front of you, you need to make sure that you do not bump the person next to you and that you know exactly where everything is, so that you do not spill anything. I managed, and thank goodness for my travelling friends, Rebecca and Immanuel. On the bright side, I really appreciated the service at Gatwick Airport.
Rebecca also taught me a new way to find the washroom on an aircraft. Pressing the call button still works, but now, whenever I need the washroom, I pick up my cane, leave my seat and start walking towards it. Bingo! There is always an attendant nearby who sees me, and in a flash they are beside me to help. It works like a charm.
A few months later, I wrote that air travel is for the birds. When you are blind or vision-impaired, you depend on others to help you, whether they are agents or fellow passengers. If you cannot hear the announcements, if nobody tells you about a gate change, or if you need the washroom before boarding and there is no one to help, you are in big trouble. I have met several wonderful agents and fellow passengers along the way, but I have also met people who, through no fault of their own, were not well trained or simply did not know how to assist me.
My podcast, Curb to Cabin Canada, is about what actually happens to blind and low-vision passengers when they fly, and each episode follows one part of the air travel journey, from the curb outside the terminal to the seat in the cabin.
Looking Back
Such a rare opportunity to visit old England once more! Great East Indian cuisine, meeting old friends and family, simply being able to smell the air and listen to those wonderful British accents: it all made this trip a memorable one. I’ll never forget you, my Liverpool family.
Since 2022, I have been back to the UK every year, staying with my dear friend Jilla. You can hear my interview with Jilla on Remarkable World Commentary.
Previous trip: St. Lucia 2018
Next trip: St. Lucia 2019
All of my trips: Travel Diaries
Donna J. Jodhan, LLB, ACSP, MBA
Global Leader In Disability Rights, Digital Accessibility, And Inclusive Policy Reform
Turning policy into progress for people with disabilities.
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