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SUMMER 2024 InTouch | 13 A TRIP TO THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX Henley was a real highlight, a day of drinking and eating way too much and watching all the action on the river. The Grand Prix was an amazing experience, meeting lots of famous old drivers and some new ‘up and coming’ ones. the cousins and up north to stay with a friend. We went as far as Liverpool to meet with some of my other cousins who had flown over from Dublin. Many of the museums and attractions we visited had free entry for disabled people and either a reduced or free entry for caregivers. A great scheme which would be good to see in New Zealand. After a couple of nights in Cambridge catching up with friends it was time for the Henley Regatta and the Grand Prix. Henley was a real highlight, a day of drinking and eating way too much and watching all the action on the river. The Grand Prix was an amazing experience, meeting lots of famous old drivers and some new ‘up and coming’ ones. We were also lucky enough to have tickets to do the ‘pit walk’ on the Sunday ahead of the race, but wow what a mosh pit that was. I’ve never been in such a packed-out place and it was a little scary. I lost my two companions pretty quickly and quite a few punters had their feet run over by me! The hotels we stayed in were either Premier Inn or the Travelodge. I would recommend both although Premier Inn was a bit nicer. I had booked accessible rooms with wet area showers and every hotel was exactly the same in terms of the bathrooms and layouts. It’s always reassuring to know what to expect. The prices had varied a lot, but I think the cheapest ones were around 40 pounds per night which I thought was great value. From London we flew back to Singapore. Unfortunately we missed our connecting flight to Auckland as we were so late leaving. We did have a lot of trouble at Singapore Airport trying to use the Eagle Hoist as the staff just weren’t familiar with it, plus they booked us into the terminal hotel that doesn’t have accessible rooms. The check in process each time for the wheelchair was lengthy and repetitive considering all information had already been supplied in writing by our travel agent months before we left. I’ve passed on feedback to both Singapore Airlines and Air NZ as in my view it’s a really poor service for disabled people. Travelling with a wheelchair is stressful enough without airlines adding to the hassle. However, in spite of a few challenges it was wonderful to have these experiences and catch up with friends and family. Denise Ganley Above: My daughter Georgia and I at the British Racing Drivers Club looking over the track.