I think I’m going to do another one of these ‘here I sit’ beginnings. Here I sit in the sunshine in London near King’s Cross.

I’m in London for a meeting and I spent last night and this morning running through the pros of cons of how to get here.

I own a car so I can drive here, but that means I can’t work at the wheel, and I have to pack an emergency Twix and a Coke for my drive home later as I’ll sleepy for sure (I blame all my sedative medicines not my lifestyle). Then there is the element of traffic.

The M40 can be a cruel mistress when things go wrong, not to mention central London.

Add in parking and suddenly the train is looking more appealing, but as regular readers will know that’s also fraught with pitfalls, no toilet access being my particular favourite.

Then when I get to Paddington do I have to get a cab as the Tube is so useless in a wheelchair?

Hmmm. Sleep on it, I decided.

When I awoke this morning I realised that my car is full of boxes (I have just moved house) and I didn’t fancy an opportunistic thief in London have a rifle through so I opted for train. It allows me to work and not to have to concentrate on the road. Double win.

So with trepidation I approach the station where the staff are always super-lovely and never complain about my last minute un-booked arrival.

To my surprise a shiny new train turns up with a wheelchair symbol on the side. My heart beats….will there be actual space for me and toilet access? Yes!

The lady from the buffet car even brought me a coffee. It’s like a brave new world.

I arrive at Paddington and there is someone waiting with a ramp. Is this a dream? Normally, it’s a manic scramble to find someone before the train doors close and I’m stranded.

Anyway I decided to try the Tube. I get emails from TFL telling me that they have done loads of disabled access work. I figure let’s put it to the test. A simple trip in a lift, an Oyster card, a few stops later and I manage to navigate to King’s Cross without asking for any help at all. It feels wonderful to be like everyone else just milling about under the streets of London.

Caveat being this is just one trip on a giant network, but TFL deserve the praise for making provision. The more people that use it the more they will adapt other stations.

OK coffee is done and off I go. Let’s hope the journey home is just as pain free.