We went shopping at Emporium yesterday. Rather than hobble around on crutches and slow down Andy and AJ, I borrowed a wheelchair from the shopping mall. It was free, too. AJ and I went into the Gourmet Market on the 5th floor to do some grocery shopping. It gave me a whole new appreciation of one of Bangkok's upscale supermarkets and what it's like to have limited mobility.
I couldn't push the cart and wheel myself around. AJ helped me. (He stepped out of view at just the moment I pressed the shutter button!)
Some items were clearly out of reach.
The main aisle was broad and inviting for wheeling around. But crowded.
This side aisle was not exactly wheel-chair accessible.
The view from the checkout lane consisted of a mélange of body parts. I found myself eye to eye with babies in strollers. To its credit, Emporium did have a washroom for handicapped people. But the garbage bin in there could only be opened by foot. If you were on crutches, you couldn't step on the pedal and maintain your balance on one foot. The hospital handicapped washroom also had a foot pedal trash can. Bangkok still has a long way to go when it comes to being thoughtful to people with limited mobility.
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