The Great Escape

Heading back from Melbourne to Birmingham – what could go wrong?! Well I nearly failed at the first hurdle. Leaving my accommodation at 2:15am all seemed straightforward as I quietly headed out of the apartment and got the lift down to reception ready for the pre-booked taxi. Then the adventure started – with a heavy case in tow, it seemed logical to use the disabled platform lift to take me and my bag down the last flight of steps to the lobby area.

An example of the problem lift!

It all seemed very straightforward – open door, enter platform lift, close door, push button and descend to ground floor. Except …. nothing happened … and worse than that, the door had locked and despite my best efforts it was not going to budge. So, imagine the scene, my bag and I trapped in the lift, and the taxi due to arrive shortly (and the flight to the UK due to leave in 3 hours!).

There was definitely a moment of panic, as I realised I was stuck in the lift and the clock was ticking for my lift to the airport. A quick regroup and I knew I needed to get myself out of the lift – the height of which at chest level was too high for an easy exit!  Saved by a chair outside the lift which I could just about reach to drag over – climbing on my suitcase it provided enough height to be able to climb over safely to the other side. The only remaining problem was my 23kg bag still stuck in the lift which although I could just about reach, I couldn’t manage to lift out.

Easy I hear you say, pop out to the taxi driver and get him to help – except for the fact that if I left the building, I had no means of re-entering! There then followed a comical few minutes when the taxi arrived on the other side of the street – me signalling to him, and he thinking I was waving! Eventually a call to the taxi company – they rang the driver and he came in to rescue me and my bag. So the moral of the story – avoid platform lifts at all costs, and I left Australia wondering if I had been caught on ‘You’ve been Framed!’