The journey started at Portland building. There is a busy atmosphere in the courtyard outside Richmond building. We walked towards the union we passed underneath the railway bridge, which is old and very loud. Being devoid of sight meant that Richard who is blind picked up much more on loud sounds. Going past the sports fields was the very opposite, they were empty and seemed like a tranquil open space of land. Though, when there was a lot of traffic it wasn’t very tranquil for Richard.
Past the library and down to the cathedral was also very busy with traffic and it was only when we got to the cathedral it started calming down. The quieter areas along the coast were much less tense and made the walking actually somewhat easier. In contrast, as we passed back up into town though we experienced the same problems as before. I had to be back on complete full alert in order to look after my blind accomplice. This was the same when we passed all the council flats in Somers Town and the schools where the noise was high especially the Grammar School in Old Portsmouth.
One problem for Richard was the uneven surfaces especially in Old Portsmouth. Much of the surface work is very shabby and did make Richard feel less comfortable walking in this area.
Richard also felt safer walking through Somers Town with a helper. This is an area that would be daunting for him to walk through on his own due to the high levels of crime and social problems in the area.
Being a companion for a blind person meant that I was looking after not just myself but someone else. Therefore I had to be very alert of all of our surroundings. I needed to be sharp and focussed so I could spot any potential hazards to Richard. I found that I looked out for many more obstructions that would not bother me from day to day. I had to pay far more attention when crossing the road because crossing with a bind person was a slow process and I had another person’s life in my hands. I also had to warn him of obstructions such as any lips in the road, lampposts, other people etc.
I really learnt that what would be a simple journey for me is much more stressful for blind people and their helpers.
Past the library and down to the cathedral was also very busy with traffic and it was only when we got to the cathedral it started calming down. The quieter areas along the coast were much less tense and made the walking actually somewhat easier. In contrast, as we passed back up into town though we experienced the same problems as before. I had to be back on complete full alert in order to look after my blind accomplice. This was the same when we passed all the council flats in Somers Town and the schools where the noise was high especially the Grammar School in Old Portsmouth.
One problem for Richard was the uneven surfaces especially in Old Portsmouth. Much of the surface work is very shabby and did make Richard feel less comfortable walking in this area.
Richard also felt safer walking through Somers Town with a helper. This is an area that would be daunting for him to walk through on his own due to the high levels of crime and social problems in the area.
Being a companion for a blind person meant that I was looking after not just myself but someone else. Therefore I had to be very alert of all of our surroundings. I needed to be sharp and focussed so I could spot any potential hazards to Richard. I found that I looked out for many more obstructions that would not bother me from day to day. I had to pay far more attention when crossing the road because crossing with a bind person was a slow process and I had another person’s life in my hands. I also had to warn him of obstructions such as any lips in the road, lampposts, other people etc.
I really learnt that what would be a simple journey for me is much more stressful for blind people and their helpers.
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