Cycle taxi

Viru, the main street, is a strange mixture of ancient and modern. Opposite the mediaeval walls is McDonalds. On the outside the restaurant is not as garishly in-your-face as most branches of the chain. Across the road is a row of cycle-taxis, seemingly driven mostly by students.

Taxi please

We go to the taxi desk. "I'm sorry", he says, "We don't have any vehicles that carry people confined in wheelchairs. I can ring one of the firms that do though; there are three we use."

We wait.

After several minutes we go back and ask what is happening.

"One's on holiday, one's off sick and the other doesn't do it anymore. We'll try someone else."

Ten minutes later we are told they've found someone but they can't get here until 12.30. It's a good job we aren't in a hurry!

Rob's Taxi from Eastleigh arrives as promised and whisks us down to the Mayflower Cruise Terminal.

At least, after our long wait at the airport, we don't have to wait too long here before boarding the ship.

Setting off

Our taxi driver Roland arrives just before 7am.

He takes us down to Manchester Airport. We check in and move on to the departure lounge. Although due to leave at 8.45, it is after nine before we are loaded on to the plane. Christine releases her wheelchair for storage in the hold and two burly men carry her on to the plane.

We fly over Jodrell Bank Telescope. In-flight meals are no longer included in the fare and though £10 seems a bit much for two airline breakfasts, we have them anyway and they are very tasty.

Around 10.30 we arrive at Southampton Airport