From time to time I mention how much I like going out for walks in my chair on here. I love the feeling of freedom it brings me, even when it’s just a quick stroll through some of the local parks. I think Lyn gets the same kick out of it too, now she has her powerchair. We often drive down to the river together, or over to Greenwich. Now the nights are drawing in and it’s getting cold though, there isn’t as much of an incentive to go out: strolling for the sake of it – following your nose just to see where you end up – holds less of an appeal, especially when given a choice between that and staying in the warm in front of a computer screen.

However, I have found something of a replacement. I don’t know whether anyone else does this, but I can spend hours on google streetview. It has become one of my favourite websites; I just follow my nose on it, as I would in my powerchair. I keep it open in a tab, ready to return to whenever the mood takes me. I find, like physical walks, it gives me a space to think; my mind can wander as I follow road after road. Of course there are differences: there’s less danger of getting lost or your battery running low, but on the other hand you can take your walk anywhere on earth you like. While you might not get so much fresh air, and you can only go where the Google car has gone, I find it’s a perfectly adequate substitute for when I feel the urge to roam. How wonderful it is to be able to explore here, here or here. Also, as I once wrote here, I log onto it whenever I fancy a walk around my old home town. Does anyone else do this, or is it just me?