JAFA-ville's access is improving

I offered to show, my Dunedin friend, Bunnie around Auckland for a week or two over the holidays. It was only fair to offer my services as a tourist guide because the reason why she was in JAFA-ville, as she so elegantly called our beloved city, was that I persuaded her to participate in the Society’s Boccia Holiday tournament. She thoroughly enjoyed the boccia experience I hasten to add but that is another story.

This was a good chance to see how wheelchair friendly Auckland was and it didn’t do toooo badly. I suppose an old school report card would say “signs of improvement could do better.” In my daily routine I get by in my motorised wheelchair but of course being a native of the “City of Sails” I don’t go down the tourist path.

Like in any city the restaurants were a mixed bag but we enjoyed our day trip to Devonport by Ferry. But what’s with the gang plank on the Auckland wharf side of the journey. Is it absolutely necessary to have a huge hump in the middle? I don’t think so!!!  It was like an over sized road speed bump and darn hard to negotiate.

Another pleasant trip was to Crystal Mountain in the Waitakeres. It was great to catch a lift to the underground museum to see the gigantic crystals from around the world. I thought it was a shame though that the magnificent home built train wasn’t accessible to wheelchairs. I thought it could be easily fixed by providing a platform on an equal level with the carriages. The staff at Crystal Mountain do offer to carry any disabled kids on to what is essential a children’s ride, but surely the platform concept is a win-win situation for everyone.