Jos and I traveled to Newlands and Johnsonville so that Jos could visit the area she grew up in and see the changes that have been made in recent years. The weather on the day ended up fine – classic ‘you can’t beat Wellington on a fine day’! As soon as Jos was in the van, her first comment was, “Oh this is fantastic – I can see out the windows”. We also found that it was easy to hear one another, even though Jos was sitting behind me. It was wonderful to be able to drive to locations of interest to us, stop a while to have a chat and reminisce and then travel on. We also had time to have a cuppa and a muffin.
At the end of the afternoon, we realised there were other places of interest yet to visit. For me, it was a privilege to make it happen and now that I have managed the vehicle along with Jos and her wheelchair, I am would love to do it again.
-Helen
After an incredible amount of research, my friend Helen found Freedom had the most suitable mobility adapted van available for hire for a trip down memory lane. My wheelchair is tall, so being able to see out of the side windows while sitting in the wheelchair in the back was vital. Helen was able to drive me in the Freedom Renault (usually housed in Auckland) and I could easily see the area I grew up in and all the changes that have taken place. The views were wonderful – the memories great. A very big thank you Helen.
-Jo
