From London to Cologne (and back)

After being trapped indoors since soon after I had my accident at work in February 2000, because as a solo disabled person, travel is certainly not easy, I decided to take my first steps out into the world again.  

I wanted to go to GamesCom in Cologne Germany ... alone.  A wildly adventurous move for me.  Although according to my inquiries and searches online, there is the ability to rent a scooter at Cologne Station, it would have added over £150.00 to my trip.  I was going on a shoestring budget, so I decided to contact EuroStar (and subsequently the connection service, Thalys) to ask whether they would in fact take my scooter (which is a large one) on board their trains.  At the very least, in the baggage compartment.

EuroStar and Thalys asked me to please submit an email with full specifications of my scooter.  This I did, sending a link to the official Quingo Site, and the page which had full details of my scooter. I use a Quingo Sport, which is a larger model, able to maintain about 35-42 miles on one charge.  Ideal for having complete freedom and not running out of a charge.  As requested, I submitted pictures and official documentation giving the full specification of my scooter.  I was told by both carriers that it was within the required specifications of width and length, and there would not be a problem.

I was told, and did as required, booking my tickets the second that the booking for the dates I wanted were available.  As time grew closer, I contacted the UK Rail Travel for the Disabled and booked ramps to get on and off the local train services.  Lovely people, so polite and helpful.

HOTEL BOOKING: Ensure the hotel you are going to has space to leave the scooter where it can be charged up easily overnight, whilst ensuring it will not be in any path blocking people from entering or leaving the hotel.  I booked with Booking.com the most polite helpful people ever.  No matter how many amends you make to the booking, they are polite, courteous and helpful.  Also ask the Booking Agency to please check if they have rooms with lower step showers, or if possible, a wet-room walk in shower.  The hotel I booked was extremely convenient, just across the road from the main station.  The Gunnewig Kommerz Hotel was the hotel I chose, for convenience, position and price.

30 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE: I contacted The Rail services and booked my ramp services, as they require 24 hours notice to ensure that all stations involved are notified.

DAY OF DEPARTURE: ... I of course had decided to ensure that I would make my train times beyond all reasonable doubt, so I was at the station really early, caught the 0600 and every change went smoothly, all ramps in position, etc :D ... well in time.  I had about an hour to waste at Kings Cross St Pancras for my Eurostar portion.  This was a bit nervy, as it had been decided I should stay in my scooter for the trip, and they felt it would go into the train easily. ... it did not, but the staff helping managed to manhandle it into the wheelchair space, which meant that 1 seat was blocked off.  The other side, they asked me to let them get it off the train, and then they took my tickets to ensure they could baggage car my scooter on the return trip.  They then took me over to where I was to board the Thalys Line for the second leg of the journey.  

Whilst I was disappointed in the staff at the Information Desk, for refusing to speak English, and refusing to try to offer any help or find out anything for me, the staff in at EuroStar/Thalys in Brussels could not be faulted for their helpful and kindly attitude.  They decided to indeed put my scooter in the baggage compartment on the Thalys Line, and I was helped get on board the train, I  sat in the chair on the train that is there, one presumes for any accompanying Assistant.  My "bug" with the staff at the Information Desk was the same as when I have attempted on many occasions to email the Offices for Tourism in Brussels ... they ignore you altogether, and never respond. More on that in another post. 

The train was full, and some people not very happy, especially when the train developed an issue, and we crawled the whole way, at 50 kmh, to Cologne.  The disabled toilets on the train had no water, and the toilet itself was blocked solid with waste and used toilet paper.  An announcement was made, saying that passengers could go to the Thalys Website and claim a full refund for the trip.  I was impressed that they would offer a refund.

In Cologne, ... and this is where the story really starts :p .... the staff on the platform could not find my scooter, because they refused to look in the baggage compartment I told them to check, pointing exactly where it was, because the conductor had had the scooter placed there, saying he would organise that this was where it was to go when I started my return trip on Friday.  After about 30 minutes of hanging about, they finally got the key and took the scooter out, moaning the entire time.  The person helping to do that was extremely abrupt and rude.  You can only imagine how I felt.  Delayed by over an hour and a half on a train, and then subjected to a further delay because they refused to open the door I kept trying to tell them was the right one. 

I then stayed in Cologne for three days.  Wonderful City, Beautiful architecture, and for the most part, easy to navigate about, and use slip ramps or lifts to get to parts that would otherwise be inaccessible to the disabled.  Just meant that some parts you had to go a long way round to get to the same place as able-bodied people ... not an issue.

The view from the bridge was wonderful, as were the vast collection of locks on the bridge, one can spend hours reading all the names

The Cathedral, ... words fail me, it was absolutely amazing.  Construction of this incredible building began in 1248, but it was not completed until the early 1800s.  I was lucky enough to hear the organs playing on the Tuesday evening I arrived, and the amazing sound moved me to tears.

The Chocolate Museum was fascinating and well worth a visit.  

The riverside is littered with many restaurants of all cultures, and one does not lack a place to eat to suit each and every pocket, as well as delighting every taste bud.  One thing everyone should try is the divine Ice Cream ... I wish one could take that home, because it was .... drooool :D.  The various restaurants are decked out with lovely umbrellas, so there is no fear of sunburn,  the buildings are all in the most wonderful pastel shades, and look incredible toning so well together, one could not imagine otherwise.  If you want the even cheaper option, you can always buy from the many deli's that are abundant, especially near to the Main Station.   

The cleaner statues and friezes are actually parts that are being replaced because the older ones are too damaged. 

Some of the many restaurants with their lovely coloured umbrellas.

The Bridge with the Locks, taken from the river level.  The whole expanse on the right is filled with padlocks along the fence.  People have even begun putting locks on the other side now. A few years ago, apparently, they had to strengthen the bridge because of the weight of the many locks.  I wonder where all the keys are.

I knew I had a picture of the coloured restaurant frontages.  And wanted to show the array of lovely colouring.  It really brightens everything, even in the evening sun.

Still do not know what this lovely building was, I could almost imagine Juliet on the upper balcony looking down for her Romeo ... even though this was Germany, not Italy.  It was one block up, behind the end part of the restaurants, as you can see on the picture before this.

GAMESCOM: I was disappointed, to say the least, it is advertised as an INTERNATIONAL VENUE ... but you battled to find anyone to speak English, and the programs and all other Game Paraphernalia were all solely in German, no wonder the amount of Visitors from other international countries has slowly declined each year for the past three years, according to their statistic report.  This will end up becoming a small German Venture only for the German speaking.  I will take a look at EuroGamer, which is to be at Earls Court in late September.

DAY OF DEPARTURE (Return Trip):  I went to the desk at the station to find out what platform I was to leave from.  The staff gave the information rather brusquely, and said help would be there to get me onto the train.  The train was double booked for disabled, which was not very good.  They claimed to not know about my scooter, and there was only one female with the ramps battling to manhandle it about on the platform which was half cordoned off because of work.  

Cologne Main Station "Koln HBF" - from platform 5 looking outwards.

No one offered to help until the train was already delayed, and I was getting very panicky when she began threatening to leave me on the platform, as she could not work out how to get my scooter onto the train.  Despite me telling her many times that it had been placed in the baggage compartment next to the coach on the trip to Cologne, she refused to listen.  She did eventually concede and very reluctantly, had it placed in the baggage compartment.  

The first ticket inspector to see me, accepted my ticket, then returned to say I had to pay a different price.  All this whilst the "wheelchair bound" other passenger was seated comfortably in a normal seat, with his wheelchair blocking TWO seats.  I was again seated in the "Disabled Companion Seat".  A bit later the inspector (a gentleman) came back and demanded to see proof of my disability, and my disability card.  I had to produce my Disabled Card that I, thank GOD, had with me.  Then I was left in "peace" for remainder of the trip.

On arrival in Brussels, I disembarked with some help, and my scooter was taken out, the key had been dropped, and someone had stamped on my little cat clock that I keep on the keyring, breaking the glass face, however, I was grateful to have gotten to Brussels, and as I went towards the exit, I saw the inspector, and I went towards her intending to thank her for her help (as reluctant and unwilling as it had been).  However, before I had a chance to speak, she verbally attacked me and was so rude and vicious that I was almost in tears.  She told me that "YOU HAVE BEEN REPORTED" ... and that "You will be hearing from us".  Every bit of her body language was extremely threatening and it was almost as though I was being threatened by one of the Third Reich Youth League grown old.  I truly thought she was about to hit me. I simply said "feel free, because I will also be reporting your foul attitude", and I rode away trembling and in tears. Hideous woman, she should be taken to task and disciplined for her foul behaviour towards a paying customer.

The EUROSTAR portion of my journey ... LOVELY people, and extremely helpful at all stages.  They walked with me, got me on board, and then put my scooter into the baggage compartment near where I was to be seated.  They helped me onto the train, and then made sure I was comfortable where they seated me, and reassured me the whole way, saying they knew about the scooter, and would make sure it was taken off and ready for me in London. ... This they did.  

Five Stars to EuroStar for their attempts to be as helpful as possible to a disabled solo traveller.   ZERO stars to the Thalys Line for the nasty way in which they allow their staff to treat a paying customer.  I was appalled, and very discouraged, it makes me feel that I should not attempt to travel again.  AND ... I WILL be forwarding this post to them as well.  WAKE UP and accept some of us are disabled, we MIGHT be able to walk up to 10 steps, but that does NOT mean we are able-bodied, and because we cannot, we should be treated as sub-human.

OUTCOME: The trip itself was a success, proving it can be done, but unless I receive an apologetic response from Thalys, I would not advise other solo-disabled people with scooters to travel onboard their trains.