Yesterday, after a long time, I wanted to see a movie at the cinema with my wife.

The seat reservation proved to be a little difficult because this was only possible online, and although you could click on the “one” wheelchair place nothing happened.

I tried to call the cinema several times and learned that after around 30 times ringing you get kicked out the line by the telephone system.

We reserved the two seats next to the wheelchair place (apparently the places were next to each other) and drove with the car to the cinema.

Surprisingly there were actually all two disabled parking places at the rear exit vacant, whereas on one two pedestrians with lots of tools were standing who immediately made room for my “parking”.

I turned my car in a one-way-street and parked the wrong way round because at the pavement side getting off the car is hardly possible for me even with assistance, and my wheelchair loading system is not working properly.
For this purpose I made up an additional “permit card” so that our friendly officers hopefully won’t find a new parking place for me.

“Due to wheelchair loading system parking in opposite direction of travel.”

In the meantime a hired minivan arrived, parked on the other disabled parking place, and the two guys stored away their tools. I didn’t say anything, the loading couldn’t last forever.

At the cinema box office I got the explanation that it was possible to book the wheelchair place online, but sometimes it wouldn’t work. Great…!!
Nevermind, we just had to pay for one ticket, and the wheelchair place was still available.

At half height in the cinema, nobody directly in front, that’s quite nice.
The seat numbers were a bit strange, seat 13 and seat 91, but that would be right.
Some construction engineer has excelled himself. It was probably built according to the latest EU directive for inclusion (equal treatment of handicapped and non-handicapped). Ingenious, our own

wheelchair waiting zone in the cinema.

Praiseworthy, the emergency telephone on the wall and the spacious place directly next to an emergency exit.

Please note the especially high raised

Anti-Snogging-Wall,

which also prevents rigorously undesirable conversations with the companion during the movie.

There was actually just a wall between us and a romantic cinema date.

The movie was great, it even had a guy in a wheelchair.
It played in a country where traditionally fried, amputated amphibian extremities are eaten*.

When I was back at my car I was a little bit annoyed that the minivan was still standing on the second disabled parking place.

I know that the fire protection requirements in a cinema are strict, but

TEAR DOWN THIS WALL!!!

I am still a little unclear about what I should actually wait for in the waiting zone, there was not even anybody coming to sell ice cream.

*France, (frog’s legs)

Translator BL

With a flat tyre on the wheelchair a

pit stop

is essential.

This wheeler was lucky to be on the road with Makin’Track .

Dave is “Makin Track” and comes from Wales. He has got a bus for 5 wheelers and accompanies them not only in England but in the whole of Europe to their holiday destination. He is driving ahead in his bus with the whole equipment, and the guest can travel with him or fly relaxed to the destination. There you are able to drink and drive with wheelchair and bus.

He repaired the tyre in Formula 1 manner in record-breaking time.

This was in Crete, his next assignment was not so far away, in Switzerland.

Translator BL

With a flat tyre on the wheelchair a

pit stop

is essential.

This wheeler was lucky to be on the road with Makin’Track .

Dave is “Makin Track” and comes from Wales. He has got a bus for 5 wheelers and accompanies them not only in England but in the whole of Europe to their holiday destination. He is driving ahead in his bus with the whole equipment, and the guest can travel with him or fly relaxed to the destination. There you are able to drink and drive with wheelchair and bus.

He repaired the tyre in Formula 1 manner in record-breaking time.

This was in Crete, his next assignment was not so far away, in Switzerland.

Translator BL

Long “fairytale”, but worth reading!!!

On Saturday I landed exceedingly on time on 22:30 from Chania (Crete) in Frankfurt.

I will never understand why some people are applauding after the landing. Nobody was ever applauding for me when I did my job well. Anyway…

The aircraft was parking on a remote stand, I had as usual a nice window seat and watched very relaxed the totally stressed pedestrians leaving the plane.

As wheelchair user you have the privilege of the last passenger after the landing.

The flight captain stated that he had requested the special lifting bus and adequate members of the ground staff already several times, so that I could leave the plane as well.

But nobody came!!!

Parts of the crew and the pilot provided some company to me with which they apparently had some fun. The unwritten law that the captain is the last to leave the ship is still of great importance at Condor.

Eventually someone from ground staff came and seriously asked me if I could walk. He accurately observed that he could not help me on his own. Insight of the day…

While waiting for the lifting bus the luggage was unloaded, so I asked a crew member to check if my wheelchair and wheelchair tractive Minitrac are waiting on the airfield and hopefully are not loaded on the luggage carts.

He said that this would be the case, the things would be standing there. Uff…

The lifting bus finally arrived around 23:10, I left the aircraft with the help of two strong guys and my beloved plane transit wheelchair.

Afterwards they helped me into my own wheelchair which unlike my Minitrac was fortunately still there.
Anyway, so we had to get my Minitrac at the bulky luggage claim.

With the bus we were not brought as usual to the FraCare Service (Service for handicapped at Frankfurt airport), because this area was already closed at this time, but to a different entrance.

There a friendly employee from FraCare was waiting for me.

She said that our luggage would be in the reconstructed building C, and we would have to see how we get there at this time because some of the elevators were switched off.

She used her phone virtually as GPS and lead us confidently like a bushman in the desert through the corridors of the building.

When we finally arrived at the luggage belt we didn’t have to search our luggage for a long time, our 3 bags were rotating around and around.

The whole baggage claim area was almost deserted, there was not even a luggage thief.

My Minitrac

stood with its 65 kg a little disjointed in a plastic box on the bulky luggage belt!

My wife reassembled the Minitrac to begin with.

It is unbelievable, but at 23:44 nobody responsible was there nor could be reached by telephone, who could lift my little box from the luggage belt.

In the meantime even the last passengers were gone who we could have asked for help.

At last my wife has magically lifted my Minitrac from the luggage belt together with two men whom I just call Mister X and Y here. At this point I would like to thank them and the employee of FraCare again!

I left the terminal at 23:55!!!

My pre-ordered wheelchair taxi was kindly waiting in front of the terminal.

I have sent this “fairy tale” in a slightly modified version to Fraport (operating company of Frankfurt Airport) requesting their comments. I will keep you informed.

To my shame I have to admit that I used to work 9 years at the Frankfurt airport before my accident.

Translator BL

I am attributing the development of this technical aid exclusively to the excessive consumption of the finest high quality medication.
Otherwise this special construction is hardly explicable retrospectively.
With this

Thermo Transport box

which can be fixed around the wheelchair I might get a minijob as pizza boy.

In this box not only the pizza stays hot, but alternatively the beer stays cold as well.

Translator BL

Der Transport von Gegenständen aller Art ist uns Rollifahrern ein Gräuel, besonders wenn sie rund sind!
Oberschenkel sind gänzlich ungeeignet zur Beförderung von Kernobst.
Die hohe deutsche Ingenieurskunst hat sie nach jahrelanger Forschung herausgebracht:

Die Pflaumentransportbox für Rollifahrer

Die Ähnlichkeit mit einem Eierkarton täuscht!

Hier geht’s,…ääh..fährt man zur