Regaining Freedom: Two Days of Easy Travel

The last couple of days have been incredible. Thanks to a combination of public transport and my mobility scooter, I’ve been able to visit places I haven’t been to in ages. Put simply, they were just too far for me to walk. Having the scooter now means I can finally go to those spots again without too much worry.

Lunch at Milsons Point

Yesterday, my first trip was to a restaurant at Milsons Point. It’s a place I go to every year with a group of current and retired colleagues. We have a wonderful lunch that lasts a few hours, where we solve the problems of the world and have a generally great experience. I look forward to it all year—in fact, we’ve already booked next year’s date!

Being able to use my scooter made the journey a breeze. I rode it to Central Station and caught the train. I did need some help getting on the train, as the gap between the platform and the carriage was a little too wide for me to easily cross. Instantly, one of the station staff saw me and organised a ramp. It was set up so quickly, and I was on the train in no time.

One slightly amusing thing I noticed as I was getting on was the announcement: “The train on Platform 18 is going to be three minutes late.” I immediately thought, ‘Oh yeah, that’s my fault!’ But the staff were truly awesome, wonderful, very helpful, and very kind—I really appreciated the assistance.

Before I left, they asked, “Where are you getting off?” I replied, “Milsons Point,” and they said, “No worries, that’s great.” As the train was coming in, I was amazed to see someone waiting with a ramp to meet me and help me off. Clearly, they had radioed ahead or whatever system they use to make that happen. It was a beautiful, seamless experience.

I arrived a little earlier than planned, so I headed down to the harbour. I went for a look around a small park nearby and just enjoyed being by the water—something I haven’t done for a while.

Coming back, I caught the ferry from Luna Park across to Circular Quay. It was a really easy trip. Thankfully, it wasn’t too busy, as sometimes those ferries can be packed, but the timing was perfect. From there, I was able to get the light rail all the way back home.

Bus Trip to Coogee

Today, I had a similar, very good experience when I caught a bus to Coogee. It’s a bus route I use from time to time, but it’s always been a bit of extra work when I’m walking. Using the mobility scooter and the bus to get there and back was fantastic.

As the bus arrived, I was able to hail the driver, who promptly pulled down the ramp. I rolled on, sat inside, and had a great trip. I wandered around for a while, got a nice milkshake, and looked at the ocean. It was incredibly busy at Coogee today—I don’t know if this is a typical summer’s day, but it was certainly a packed beach! I really enjoyed getting out there, soaking up some sunshine, and experiencing a bit of outdoor life.

The return journey was just as easy. The bus driver lowered the ramp, I got on, and it was all a very good experience.

From the team at Central Station who instantly organised a ramp to get me (and my scooter) onto the train, to the drivers who radioed ahead to ensure a staff member was waiting at Milsons Point to meet me, the service was seamless and kind. The bus driver to Coogee today was just as helpful, dropping the ramp quickly and making the whole trip stress-free.

These interactions truly highlight the value of having caring, professional people working on our transport network. It makes a world of difference for accessibility and simply getting around.

I’ve said this a couple of times, but I simply didn’t realise how revolutionary having this scooter could be for me in terms of individual freedom and the ability to get around.