Into the Ark

The plan was a nice day looking at the animals, but as the taxi neared Nailsea we began to wonder if the zoos’ name may be slightly prophetic.

For weeks we had planned a day out at Noahs’ Ark Farm, it’s a zoo near Nailsea and Bristol owned by friends of ours from our days in Nailsea. The planning had started during the most unusual April ever, when the weather was more like summer than spring. Easter I’d actually got sunburnt. Understandably we were expecting the weather to be even better in May. Have you noticed how the weather seems to read your mind and enjoy surprising you? Gradually as you will have noticed, if you are reading this live, the weather had been getting colder and wetter.

To go out for a day involves a lot of planning for us, so we can’t just wake up one morning and say, “weather looks nice, let’s go.” We decided on a date, Thursday May 9th, booked a taxi and had already organised early morning care with my micro provider, I have both an agency and a micro provider. My micro provider tends to often cover early mornings and evening visits. She is a really lovely person and very good at her job.

We kept looking at the BBC weather app in the weeks before, first it showed colder, overcast weather, then rain. Then a few days before we were due to go, it showed a break in the rain. We still hadn’t booked firmly with the taxi at that point, just provisional, so we decided to confirm the trip.

The day before was heavy rain, but we hoped the air was just clearing. On the morning of May 9th it was clear and dry; in Wellington. Our hopes rose. I checked the BBC weather for Nailsea and it showed rain all day, what do they know.

As we were going to be out all day I had a Conveen put on. These are external catheters. I will look at those in another blog, because they have caused much hilarity, but they are also extremely useful in my situation.

Knowing it was cold and rain expected I was wrapped up like an Eskimo. I have faux fur lined leggings that I sit in, on the wheelchair. Then a coat, hat, scarf, gloves and a lined waterproof cover over the top. People look jealousy at me and often comment that I have the right idea. Because the back of the waterproof cover goes over the head rest I look a bit hunchback.

We were travelling with our favourite taxi firm, Archies cabs, his taxis are bigger than most. So I can easily fit into one of his cabs and slightly recline. I have to make sure my shoulder straps are tight and neck brace on plus my arms under the restraints. That way if I have a collapse I don’t get bounced too much. I did have a collapse and all was well. Archies cabs have good suspension. Paul, the owner was driving and he is careful on bumps.

Most of the journey was fairly clear weather, just the odd raindrop. As we neared Noahs’ Ark the Biblical floods started. There was not just water pouring out of the sky, but water forcing it’s way back up from the drains! Water from above and water from below, if you know the Bible story you will understand the reference. Mary and I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But we decided we would pray that there was a break in the weather, and we would make the best of the day.

Arriving ten minutes early we had to shelter in the bicycle shed, but a kind ticket office staff member let us in early. I don’t think I have ever spent as long buying tickets and reading the signage. I am sure it was not because that bit was sheltered and the rain looked heavy. When we did venture out the rain had eased. Even so we headed for somewhere warm and inside, the reptile house.

One of my previous carers gave Mary and I a pink bendy toy. Really it’s a plant clip to hold a plant against a stick, but we use it as a mascot and call it Kermit. He travels with us and gets photographed in various locations. He posed by one of the reptiles.

We didn’t need to shelter in an ark, there was no Biblical flood. Although there were some bouts of heavy rain and it was chilly. We also had sunshine, long periods of dry weather and times when it just lightly rained. Our prayers were answered. We also met lovely people, both other visitors and the staff. Everyone was helpful kind and understanding.

At lunchtime we went into the café. The tables were laid out in rows. Normally as I am in a wheelchair I go on an end. But I fancied a window view, so I weaved down between the backs of peoples seats in between the tables to the window. It worked ok getting there, but on the way out more people had arrived and one poor child had to be lifted in their chair, by Dad, out of my way. It may seem I was being unreasonable going to such an awkward place, but why shouldn’t I have a window view occasionally.

We managed to see a number of the talks and most of the animals played ball and came out to prowl, frolic or at the least feed. Probably the most exciting talk was the Wings of Wonder which, given the weather was inside. You haven’t lived until various large birds of prey have brushed by your ear at speed.

As may be expected from my previous posts, I had several collapses during the day. The zoo was so empty, maybe twenty or thirty people, that we could always find a quiet sheltered spot for me to recover.

We also bumped into someone we knew from our Nailsea days who works there. It was so lovely to catch up a little.

Since our last visit Noahs’ Ark has improved it’s disabled facilities greatly, including a changing places toilet. No, that’s not where you become someone else. It’s basically an adult changing room for disabled. Think baby changing but with hoists to do the lifting. They have one in Weatherspoon’s Wellington. It’s new at Noahs’ Ark and everything is very swish. Lots of room to manoeuvre inside.

I was able to get most places, only a couple of the animal enclosures had steps. The maze is not accessible, and there are a few platforms with steps. The exciting bit is getting around the site in a power wheelchair. Some parts are an old farm with concrete drives, other bits are very steep. Everywhere has tiny bumps and indents, plus cambers on the paths for drainage. The gravel bits have various size stones and in some places the stones have gained bigger holes. Overall the ride around is thrilling. Not sure everyone would enjoy that, but I did. Of course not every power wheelchair user would attempt to go everywhere I went. I also travelled fairly fast. A push wheelchair would not be as exciting, but you would need strength on the slopes. All of this is explained in their accessibility brochure. I find they gave the best details of anywhere. It is an accessible site, more accessible than most. As with all such places you just need to be cautious. Because I am not cautious by nature it is just as well my Quickie Salsa M2 was able to cope with the terrain.

The only thing that would stop us going lots of times is the taxi cost. We had to save up for this special treat. You might wonder why we travelled all the way by taxi, it may sound an extravagant method. But, the taxi to Taunton Station plus train fare and a taxi from Bristol station to Noahs’ Ark is the same as all the way by taxi. It was a fabulous day out and the weather didn’t dampen it.

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