It is nearly time for us to leave Australia, but I thought
that I would fill you in on a couple of sight seeing trips that Lyle and I have
taken in Sydney. They have definitely provided some challenges with the use of
my white cane.
You might remember my shopping trip on Christmas Eve and how
difficult it was to use my cane effectively in the crush of last minute
shoppers. Everyone was in a hurry. On the days after Christmas, we encountered
more crowds. This time the people were walking at a more leisurely pace. There
were tourists galore and they were in holiday mode. This meant that they walked
slowly, gazed around at unfamiliar sights, stopped suddenly to take pictures,
often walked in large groups, and were generally happy, but were unpredictable
in their movements. This all made it quite tricky for Lyle to guide me through
a clear path.
Of course, we also went to some of the popular tourist
spots. One of these was Bondi Beach and another was the Gap at the South Head
of Sydney Harbour. Both of these involved walks on uneven steps of irregular
heights. The walk from Bondi to Bronte and the walk around the Gap both offered
spectacular views and I was not going to be left behind for either excursion.
Both walks involved winding paths interspersed with steep steps often without
handrails. Jen and Lyle were great in helping me through and although the walks
were definitely worthwhile, I was very tired by the time the day was over. I think the higher concentration level required
by people with low or no vision definitely uses more energy than it does for
people who are fully sighted.
Speaking of variations of sight, I am so glad that I could
once see and also that I still have some sight. Although I can’t actually see
the distant horizon that separates sea and sky, on the sunny day when we walked
between Bondi and Bronte, I could fairly easily distinguish the darker colour
of the ocean and the lighter brighter blue overhead. The air tasted salty and
the breeze blew gently in our faces. I thoroughly recommend sight seeing to
anyone – even when you might not be able to actually “see” the sights.
Below are two pictures. The first picture shows me
clambering from some uneven rock to the first of two uneven steps. The second
shows me inching down a narrow staircase with a view of the steep cliff and
ocean in the background.
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