1 00:00:02,012 --> 00:00:06,034 [APPLAUSE] Thank you and ladies and 2 00:00:06,034 --> 00:00:11,186 gentlemen let me add my words of welcome to you all, 3 00:00:11,186 --> 00:00:15,837 this very special first Disability lecture. 4 00:00:15,837 --> 00:00:23,379 And perhaps it's an enormous pleasure to be welcoming back our speaker. 5 00:00:23,379 --> 00:00:26,772 Hillary Lister, as all of you know, 6 00:00:26,772 --> 00:00:32,051 Hillary was an undergraduate at Jesus college, and 7 00:00:32,051 --> 00:00:39,466 it's particularly nice to welcome you back Hillary on such a windy day. 8 00:00:39,466 --> 00:00:44,494 >> [LAUGH] >> Hillary is someone who knows wind and 9 00:00:44,494 --> 00:00:47,259 knows how to deal with wind. 10 00:00:47,259 --> 00:00:52,662 So it's a great pleasure to welcome you Hillary and 11 00:00:52,662 --> 00:00:57,689 also to members of your family who are here today, 12 00:00:57,689 --> 00:01:04,100 especially would like to welcome Professor Pauline Ruts and 13 00:01:04,100 --> 00:01:07,368 Pauline knows Oxford very well. 14 00:01:07,368 --> 00:01:13,023 Pauline is Hillary's mother and she was also a member 15 00:01:13,023 --> 00:01:18,302 of the Glyco Biology Institute here for many years, 16 00:01:18,302 --> 00:01:24,458 until her research group moved to also a fairly windy place, 17 00:01:24,458 --> 00:01:29,736 Dublin and it's great to welcome you back Pauline. 18 00:01:29,736 --> 00:01:35,391 Now as you know we are here for a very very special event, 19 00:01:35,391 --> 00:01:41,174 the universities first Disability lecture organized 20 00:01:41,174 --> 00:01:46,328 by the university's Disability Advisory Group, 21 00:01:46,328 --> 00:01:50,854 and also by the Equality and Diversity Unit. 22 00:01:50,854 --> 00:01:56,511 The university is committed to ensuring an inclusive 23 00:01:56,511 --> 00:02:01,789 environment where all members of a university can 24 00:02:01,789 --> 00:02:06,691 flourish no matter where they find themselves 25 00:02:06,691 --> 00:02:11,468 in the academic landscape of the institution. 26 00:02:11,468 --> 00:02:16,873 Now many of you will be familiar with the activity to 27 00:02:16,873 --> 00:02:23,661 support across the university greater gender and race equality. 28 00:02:23,661 --> 00:02:29,065 Those are areas where differences are very visible. 29 00:02:29,065 --> 00:02:34,345 However, some aspects of equality are less visible, 30 00:02:34,345 --> 00:02:39,498 such as sexual orientation or religion or belief. 31 00:02:39,498 --> 00:02:44,023 Disability is an interesting area city \g 32 00:02:44,023 --> 00:02:49,304 campuses both visible and invisible differences. 33 00:02:49,304 --> 00:02:54,206 This further complexity about language since 34 00:02:54,206 --> 00:02:58,228 many people who might fall within that 35 00:02:58,228 --> 00:03:03,382 definition do not consider themselves disabled. 36 00:03:03,382 --> 00:03:08,407 This is a group of people who may need to do things 37 00:03:08,407 --> 00:03:14,188 differently in order to achieve the desired end result. 38 00:03:14,188 --> 00:03:19,592 I hope that all of you after listening to Hillary's 39 00:03:19,592 --> 00:03:24,871 lecture will be able to stay with us afterwards for 40 00:03:24,871 --> 00:03:30,151 refreshments and I'd like to encourage all of you 41 00:03:30,151 --> 00:03:35,681 to talk to people here people you haven't met before, 42 00:03:35,681 --> 00:03:40,834 but also to have conversations about how we might 43 00:03:40,834 --> 00:03:46,616 enable disabled people to flourish at this university. 44 00:03:46,616 --> 00:03:52,776 When we're discussing what support disabled students or 45 00:03:52,776 --> 00:03:58,933 members of staff need to enable them to carry out their work. 46 00:03:58,933 --> 00:04:04,337 We often use the concept of reasonable adjustments. 47 00:04:04,337 --> 00:04:10,119 Now this recognizes that to get to the desired outcomes, 48 00:04:10,119 --> 00:04:18,415 disabled people meaning to do things in different ways to numb disabled people. 49 00:04:18,415 --> 00:04:24,574 Sometimes, that might mean using technology in particular 50 00:04:24,574 --> 00:04:30,355 ways to carry out particular task which the individual 51 00:04:30,355 --> 00:04:35,633 finds difficult to do because of their disability. 52 00:04:35,633 --> 00:04:42,168 And we could not have a more wonderful example today in Hillary, 53 00:04:42,168 --> 00:04:47,573 who pushes this use of technology further than most, 54 00:04:47,573 --> 00:04:52,976 she relies on all manner of computer aided tools for 55 00:04:52,976 --> 00:04:55,867 controlling her boat at sea. 56 00:04:55,867 --> 00:05:00,767 As a university, we are proud of our long history. 57 00:05:00,767 --> 00:05:06,674 But we also recognize that in order to remain successful 58 00:05:06,674 --> 00:05:12,455 as a university as a research and teaching institution, 59 00:05:12,455 --> 00:05:17,104 in order to remain successful, we must change. 60 00:05:17,104 --> 00:05:24,897 Our present surroundings provide a perfect example of how this can be done. 61 00:05:24,897 --> 00:05:28,291 With respect to physical access, 62 00:05:28,291 --> 00:05:33,568 we may be in a rather ancient part of Corpus Christi. 63 00:05:33,568 --> 00:05:38,343 But we also know that corpus has built a modern, 64 00:05:38,343 --> 00:05:43,623 accessible venue that anticipates that disabled 65 00:05:43,623 --> 00:05:48,399 people will be active participants in events. 66 00:05:48,399 --> 00:05:54,056 And make sure that access and availability is present. 67 00:05:54,056 --> 00:05:59,965 An inclusive environment for our disabled students and 68 00:05:59,965 --> 00:06:07,254 staff is of course about much more, far more the only physical access or 69 00:06:07,254 --> 00:06:12,158 even providing creative and flexible support, 70 00:06:12,158 --> 00:06:16,558 for individuals important though that is. 71 00:06:16,558 --> 00:06:21,461 But an inclusive environment for our disabled 72 00:06:21,461 --> 00:06:26,867 students is also about attitudes, and expectations. 73 00:06:26,867 --> 00:06:34,406 For example, when we think about people who might excel, at extreme sports. 74 00:06:34,406 --> 00:06:38,678 I suspect that the first image that comes 75 00:06:38,678 --> 00:06:42,950 to our mind is of a strong, powerful person. 76 00:06:42,950 --> 00:06:49,235 Not a disabled woman with very little independent movement, 77 00:06:49,235 --> 00:06:54,765 but Hillary shows us the limitations of our thinking. 78 00:06:54,765 --> 00:06:59,165 Sometimes disabled people are limited in 79 00:06:59,165 --> 00:07:03,690 their aspirations at work and outside work, 80 00:07:03,690 --> 00:07:10,099 whether by their own fears or by the protectiveness of others. 81 00:07:10,099 --> 00:07:14,624 Hillary, is an inspiring example of someone, 82 00:07:14,624 --> 00:07:19,777 who refuse to be confined, who has been setting her 83 00:07:19,777 --> 00:07:24,930 own challenges and then going about meeting them. 84 00:07:24,930 --> 00:07:32,219 We like to think in Oxford that the education we offer our students and 85 00:07:32,219 --> 00:07:37,876 Oxford education equips our graduates to do anything, 86 00:07:37,876 --> 00:07:42,904 give them the confidence, the ability, the skills, 87 00:07:42,904 --> 00:07:46,801 but also the will to achieve anything. 88 00:07:46,801 --> 00:07:54,217 And Hillary is someone who has made the most of her transferable skills. 89 00:07:54,217 --> 00:07:59,873 Clearly she's is an expert at strategic thinking and 90 00:07:59,873 --> 00:08:03,392 has great problem solving skills. 91 00:08:03,392 --> 00:08:08,293 Things we like to instill in all of our students. 92 00:08:08,293 --> 00:08:13,951 She also clearly has well developed executive skills 93 00:08:13,951 --> 00:08:18,978 to directs others to carry out her instructions. 94 00:08:18,978 --> 00:08:23,628 And she has very strong persuasive skills to 95 00:08:23,628 --> 00:08:28,656 convince other people to lend her equipment and 96 00:08:28,656 --> 00:08:32,552 to support her in achieving her goals. 97 00:08:32,552 --> 00:08:38,333 And finally, she clearly has great leadership skills in 98 00:08:38,333 --> 00:08:45,620 convincing in a way that a solo sailor must do in convincing a loyal and 99 00:08:45,620 --> 00:08:52,785 dedicated support team to be part of everyone of her great endeavors. 100 00:08:52,785 --> 00:08:58,944 And so ladies and gentlemen, it's an enormous pleasure for 101 00:08:58,944 --> 00:09:05,983 us in this inaugural disability lecture here at Oxford University. 102 00:09:05,983 --> 00:09:12,643 To welcome back Hillary Lister to be our first speaker, thank you. 103 00:09:12,643 --> 00:09:17,043 >> [APPLAUSE] >> Vice Chancellor, ladies and 104 00:09:17,043 --> 00:09:23,956 gentlemen, thank you so much for inviting me to be here 105 00:09:23,956 --> 00:09:29,736 It's a huge honor and privilege to speak to you tonight. 106 00:09:29,736 --> 00:09:35,514 I knew at the age of three that I wanted to be a biochemist, 107 00:09:35,514 --> 00:09:42,552 recap chickens, and I was to understand how they worked. 108 00:09:42,552 --> 00:09:47,830 It was probably just as well my mother was a chemist, 109 00:09:47,830 --> 00:09:54,742 because I think I would probably have been anybody else in the room. 110 00:09:54,742 --> 00:10:00,647 I was born able body, and I easily say I am third of four boys. 111 00:10:00,647 --> 00:10:06,303 I was generally into any sport that involve two things, 112 00:10:06,303 --> 00:10:09,194 a ball and physical contact. 113 00:10:09,194 --> 00:10:12,712 So rugby, hockey that sort of thing. 114 00:10:12,712 --> 00:10:17,236 I came off the pitch one day though, aged 11, 115 00:10:17,236 --> 00:10:25,030 with sore knees and just thought I'd got growing pains. 116 00:10:25,030 --> 00:10:29,427 At 13, I found I was getting pain every day. 117 00:10:29,427 --> 00:10:31,690 So, technical hitches. 118 00:10:31,690 --> 00:10:35,712 So, at 13, experiencing pain every day, 119 00:10:35,712 --> 00:10:40,236 I still thought I'd probably grow out of it. 120 00:10:40,236 --> 00:10:45,389 It was only at 15 when I really couldn't put one 121 00:10:45,389 --> 00:10:51,042 foot in front of another that I thought I ought to go and 122 00:10:51,042 --> 00:10:54,183 see a doctor for the first time. 123 00:10:54,183 --> 00:10:58,961 Well, there's good news and there's bad news. 124 00:10:58,961 --> 00:11:03,485 Well, I thought I'd go for the bad news first, 125 00:11:03,485 --> 00:11:09,015 with the idea that the good news would then cheer me up. 126 00:11:09,015 --> 00:11:14,293 Unfortunately, you're going to be in a wheelchair 127 00:11:14,293 --> 00:11:21,205 with your legs straight out in front of you in plaster for two years. 128 00:11:21,205 --> 00:11:26,861 The good news was gonna have to be pretty damn good news. 129 00:11:26,861 --> 00:11:33,772 On the positive side, after two years everything is going to be okay. 130 00:11:33,772 --> 00:11:40,558 Well, other than the fact that he'd squeezed in a piece of bad news. 131 00:11:40,558 --> 00:11:46,089 Values, two years, family's life forever is shifting. 132 00:11:46,089 --> 00:11:52,500 It would have been very good news had it actually been correct. 133 00:11:52,500 --> 00:11:58,029 Here I am almost 30 years later with a degenerative 134 00:11:58,029 --> 00:12:02,806 neurological disorder that means I've lost 135 00:12:02,806 --> 00:12:07,079 the use of all of my body from the neck down. 136 00:12:07,079 --> 00:12:12,358 And just have the sensation of pain in all my joints. 137 00:12:12,358 --> 00:12:17,887 At first, everything carried on pretty much as before, 138 00:12:17,887 --> 00:12:24,548 just on four wheels rather than two legs, I still had holiday jobs. 139 00:12:24,548 --> 00:12:31,333 I still played my clarinet which was my second love of the science. 140 00:12:31,333 --> 00:12:35,354 I still drove my car. 141 00:12:35,354 --> 00:12:40,381 Teaching my clarinet I have to say was also a very 142 00:12:40,381 --> 00:12:45,785 useful as it provided income when I was student here, 143 00:12:45,785 --> 00:12:52,067 but I sat my GCSE and A levels, and over by then I was paraplegic. 144 00:12:52,067 --> 00:12:57,975 Jesus college accepted me to come and read biochemistry. 145 00:12:57,975 --> 00:13:03,505 My dad and more than a few people started 146 00:13:03,505 --> 00:13:11,423 to offer their condolences when they were told that Hillary is gone to Jesus. 147 00:13:11,423 --> 00:13:16,324 >> [LAUGH] >> I think I was the only person allowed 148 00:13:16,324 --> 00:13:21,727 to bring my car into college other than the visor and 149 00:13:21,727 --> 00:13:24,617 the master, it was a huge park. 150 00:13:24,617 --> 00:13:31,779 I had a parking space not only in college, but at the department as well. 151 00:13:31,779 --> 00:13:39,318 Also, I was unable to drink alcohol due to the drugs I've been prescribed. 152 00:13:39,318 --> 00:13:44,220 This made me extremely popular as a taxi driver. 153 00:13:44,220 --> 00:13:48,869 >> [LAUGH] >> And I got to go to lots of parties, so 154 00:13:48,869 --> 00:13:50,125 it was great. 155 00:13:50,125 --> 00:13:53,644 >> [LAUGH] >> In my third year, though, 156 00:13:53,644 --> 00:13:58,295 I got seriously ill and was hospitalized and 157 00:13:58,295 --> 00:14:03,573 eventually was facing due my finals, flat on my back 158 00:14:03,573 --> 00:14:10,612 with the Dynamo heroine drip going into my spine. 159 00:14:10,612 --> 00:14:13,250 I had to dictate my finals. 160 00:14:13,250 --> 00:14:18,277 And I'm sure that the heroine opened up parts of 161 00:14:18,277 --> 00:14:25,191 my brain that would otherwise have been completely inaccessible. 162 00:14:25,191 --> 00:14:34,995 As I came out with a reasonable grade something that nobody least expected. 163 00:14:34,995 --> 00:14:38,513 I seemed to get better afterwards. 164 00:14:38,513 --> 00:14:42,283 But it did leave me with numb fingers. 165 00:14:42,283 --> 00:14:49,319 Something which I tried to ignore, doctors not being my strong point. 166 00:14:49,319 --> 00:14:58,870 And after Oxford, I decided I'd move down to Canterbury to do my PhD there. 167 00:14:58,870 --> 00:15:04,274 It was only when the disease progressed to the point, 168 00:15:04,274 --> 00:15:07,290 when I started to drop things, 169 00:15:07,290 --> 00:15:12,192 that pressure to go and see the doctors mounted. 170 00:15:12,192 --> 00:15:18,978 As the value of the things I had increased, I had dropped increased. 171 00:15:18,978 --> 00:15:23,377 So did the pressure, to go and get treatment. 172 00:15:23,377 --> 00:15:28,530 Finally, having dropped four months worth of work, 173 00:15:28,530 --> 00:15:35,190 I'm 12,000 pounds of sample on the floor, which I rescued. 174 00:15:35,190 --> 00:15:36,698 I had some time. 175 00:15:36,698 --> 00:15:43,610 I was kicked out of the lab by my supervisor understandably really. 176 00:15:43,610 --> 00:15:47,254 He said, go away until you badge that. 177 00:15:47,254 --> 00:15:51,652 So reluctantly, I went to see my specialist. 178 00:15:51,652 --> 00:15:56,430 Well, there's good news and there's bad news. 179 00:15:56,430 --> 00:15:58,063 Here we go again. 180 00:15:58,063 --> 00:16:03,845 Let's have the good news first this time as everything 181 00:16:03,845 --> 00:16:09,125 didn't work out that well last time as a treatment, 182 00:16:09,125 --> 00:16:12,268 wonderful like a nice thought. 183 00:16:12,268 --> 00:16:17,672 Suddenly I thought I'm thinking I've missed a bit. 184 00:16:17,672 --> 00:16:20,437 Hang on, what is the bad news? 185 00:16:20,437 --> 00:16:22,574 It's experimental. 186 00:16:22,574 --> 00:16:29,990 It could mean killing all the nerves in your arms, leaving you paralyzed. 187 00:16:29,990 --> 00:16:33,133 Well, with my luck, and medicine. 188 00:16:33,133 --> 00:16:37,657 It was always a foregone conclusion really. 189 00:16:37,657 --> 00:16:41,301 So I left with no movement in my arms. 190 00:16:41,301 --> 00:16:47,961 I could not have to see the ramifications in my worst nightmares. 191 00:16:47,961 --> 00:16:53,238 I became unable to feed myself, dress myself or wash. 192 00:16:53,238 --> 00:16:59,771 Worst of all, I was unable to do my silence or play my 193 00:16:59,771 --> 00:17:04,799 and that had been my emotional outlet all my life. 194 00:17:04,799 --> 00:17:09,574 So suddenly the world became a very dark place. 195 00:17:09,574 --> 00:17:14,222 I had been in the house for about two years and 196 00:17:14,222 --> 00:17:21,384 I hadn't even found the courage to go into my garden for three months. 197 00:17:21,384 --> 00:17:26,033 When a man I had met once knocked on my door and 198 00:17:26,033 --> 00:17:29,801 asked me if I would like to go sailing. 199 00:17:29,801 --> 00:17:34,952 To my utter astonishment, there was still a part of 200 00:17:34,952 --> 00:17:42,490 me that thought I was worth the space I took up on the sofa and it worked out. 201 00:17:42,490 --> 00:17:43,620 So I agreed. 202 00:17:43,620 --> 00:17:48,270 But when the day dawned it was another matter. 203 00:17:48,270 --> 00:17:51,411 I had everything wrong with me. 204 00:17:51,411 --> 00:17:55,179 My stomach ached, I was ill, I was tired. 205 00:17:55,179 --> 00:17:59,327 I couldn't go honest just overwhelmed. 206 00:17:59,327 --> 00:18:07,497 Finally though I convinced myself that these people advances so much trouble. 207 00:18:07,497 --> 00:18:10,137 I couldn't let them down. 208 00:18:10,137 --> 00:18:16,042 So, I forced myself to step, or roll, out of the front door and 209 00:18:16,042 --> 00:18:22,449 for the first time in my life, I was doing so as a disabled person. 210 00:18:22,449 --> 00:18:26,595 And not just as a As a disabled person but 211 00:18:26,595 --> 00:18:30,365 as a disabled person who needed help. 212 00:18:30,365 --> 00:18:37,151 This was and will always be the hardest thing I will ever have to do. 213 00:18:37,151 --> 00:18:42,181 Fortunately, the [INAUDIBLE] opportunities 214 00:18:42,181 --> 00:18:48,088 the world seems oblivious, to my disability. 215 00:18:48,088 --> 00:18:54,121 To golden chair intuiting then to support onto my legs and 216 00:18:54,121 --> 00:18:58,143 another down my back to support my head. 217 00:18:58,143 --> 00:19:04,427 As a final health and safety measure >> [LAUGH] 218 00:19:04,427 --> 00:19:06,689 >> And health and safety. 219 00:19:06,689 --> 00:19:08,701 They used duct tape. 220 00:19:08,701 --> 00:19:12,345 >> [LAUGH] >> To fix my head in place so 221 00:19:12,345 --> 00:19:14,356 it didn't fall out. 222 00:19:14,356 --> 00:19:19,382 This is where I learned the first rule of sailing. 223 00:19:19,382 --> 00:19:23,278 There is nothing duct tape cannot fix. 224 00:19:23,278 --> 00:19:27,677 >> [LAUGH] >> Within 30 seconds of being on 225 00:19:27,677 --> 00:19:32,201 the water, I have fallen in love with sailing. 226 00:19:32,201 --> 00:19:40,244 To my incredible joy I had found my second vocation in life. 227 00:19:40,244 --> 00:19:43,512 Not everything was rosy though, 228 00:19:43,512 --> 00:19:48,665 with no systems to help me with any part of the boat, 229 00:19:48,665 --> 00:19:52,308 I was always going to be a passenger. 230 00:19:52,308 --> 00:19:55,701 And I was pretty soon frustrated. 231 00:19:55,701 --> 00:20:01,608 One day though, I'd had a particularly good time on water. 232 00:20:01,608 --> 00:20:08,395 We were herring along on this boat and the man sailing the boat for 233 00:20:08,395 --> 00:20:13,423 me, who was kneeling on the back of something akin 234 00:20:13,423 --> 00:20:18,325 to 18 inches of very, very narrow sea pier, said, 235 00:20:18,325 --> 00:20:23,604 this is the best sailing we've had all seas, splash. 236 00:20:23,604 --> 00:20:27,627 >> [LAUGH] >> Everything went very quiet. 237 00:20:27,627 --> 00:20:33,029 And for a few seconds, I found myself alone on the boat. 238 00:20:33,029 --> 00:20:37,930 Before he popped back on board, it was wonderful. 239 00:20:37,930 --> 00:20:44,841 I came off the water that day and said I was going to sell the channel. 240 00:20:44,841 --> 00:20:51,502 So then, for the first time they treated me like a disabled person. 241 00:20:51,502 --> 00:20:57,032 They almost but not quite flustered me on the head and 242 00:20:57,032 --> 00:21:05,073 said that's a nice dream to have like in a million years is never gonna happen. 243 00:21:05,073 --> 00:21:10,351 So when I called them having done a little research, 244 00:21:10,351 --> 00:21:16,760 just two days later, and said it's going to happen this summer. 245 00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:22,918 I cannot possibly repeat in such polite and robust company. 246 00:21:22,918 --> 00:21:25,559 >> [LAUGH] >> What they said. 247 00:21:25,559 --> 00:21:32,848 Suffice it to say they had to put the phone down and recover themsleves. 248 00:21:32,848 --> 00:21:37,749 So I attended my first boat show in 2005, and 249 00:21:37,749 --> 00:21:42,400 by some miracle, managed to find sponsors for 250 00:21:42,400 --> 00:21:46,423 kids and for practical help, but no boat. 251 00:21:46,423 --> 00:21:52,204 And crucially, I had no money to buy the only 252 00:21:52,204 --> 00:21:56,352 system that was available on the market. 253 00:21:56,352 --> 00:21:59,872 We sat down absolutely exhausted, 254 00:21:59,872 --> 00:22:05,779 to eat lunch at about 4:00 o'clock in the afternoon. 255 00:22:05,779 --> 00:22:09,801 Outside the bookstore there was a sign, 256 00:22:09,801 --> 00:22:15,081 Emma Richard, now Miss Anderson, signing books here. 257 00:22:15,081 --> 00:22:20,735 Well, to be honest, Emma was the only sailor I had heard of. 258 00:22:20,735 --> 00:22:23,878 Talk and then but 259 00:22:23,878 --> 00:22:30,000 to my amazement Emma didn't want to talk about, 260 00:22:30,000 --> 00:22:35,248 Amazing experiences traveling around the world, 261 00:22:35,248 --> 00:22:40,624 and I wanted to know what I was doing at the boat show. 262 00:22:40,624 --> 00:22:47,024 She even said I could go and see her face, which was incredible. 263 00:22:47,024 --> 00:22:51,760 Amber nods to me, she then went to begin his far 264 00:22:51,760 --> 00:22:55,984 where her sponsor Andrew Pindar was, and 265 00:22:55,984 --> 00:23:02,768 persuades him to rearrange her former program and lend me a boat. 266 00:23:02,768 --> 00:23:08,528 This was the second rule of sailing Amber break with me, 267 00:23:08,528 --> 00:23:13,392 all the best deals are done at the Guinness Bar. 268 00:23:13,392 --> 00:23:18,128 >> [LAUGH] >> Although other beers are amazing, 269 00:23:18,128 --> 00:23:19,920 I couldn't tell. 270 00:23:19,920 --> 00:23:25,040 >> [LAUGH] >> I could not believe my luck until that 271 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:30,160 was we put the boats into the water, when it sank so 272 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:34,256 fast that it was not used to praying and 273 00:23:34,256 --> 00:23:41,296 it turned out to have a rather large track in a very important place. 274 00:23:41,296 --> 00:23:46,032 >> [LAUGH] >> Track well and 275 00:23:46,032 --> 00:23:50,128 truly fixed, I had one smallish problem. 276 00:23:50,128 --> 00:23:57,552 I still had no way nothing to sail a boat, no system, and no money to buy one. 277 00:23:57,552 --> 00:24:01,264 Well I'd thought about it a bit, and 278 00:24:01,264 --> 00:24:06,256 it seemed to me that my wheelchair went forward, 279 00:24:06,256 --> 00:24:12,272 backwards, left and right, left and right could obviously 280 00:24:12,272 --> 00:24:17,264 be transferred onto the radar for steering, and 281 00:24:17,264 --> 00:24:22,640 forwards and backwards could let the sails out and 282 00:24:22,640 --> 00:24:27,632 pull the sails back in, at least that was a theory. 283 00:24:27,632 --> 00:24:30,320 So, we dismantled my chair. 284 00:24:30,320 --> 00:24:34,544 >> [LAUGH] >> And here it is just to prove it. 285 00:24:34,544 --> 00:24:39,920 It started of as just borrowing the control system, 286 00:24:39,920 --> 00:24:45,168 but seeing everything from batteries and motors, 287 00:24:45,168 --> 00:24:49,776 to the seat and the wheels were borrowed and 288 00:24:49,776 --> 00:24:56,176 used on the boat and a still afloat actually on a boat on a lake. 289 00:24:56,176 --> 00:25:01,808 The NHS had a very understanding about it, remarkably. 290 00:25:01,808 --> 00:25:06,288 >> [LAUGH] >> One of our biggest problems was 291 00:25:06,288 --> 00:25:09,488 finding the right life jacket. 292 00:25:09,488 --> 00:25:13,072 As it turns out, quadriplegics and 293 00:25:13,072 --> 00:25:17,680 therefore possibly unconscious people, so 294 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:22,800 it may apply to more than you think, both face down. 295 00:25:22,800 --> 00:25:28,816 We threw me into the water in every conceivable position, 296 00:25:28,816 --> 00:25:35,472 wearing a pre-inflated life jacket, I still floated face down. 297 00:25:35,472 --> 00:25:38,928 >> [LAUGH] >> The moral of the story? 298 00:25:38,928 --> 00:25:44,048 If you can possibly avoid it, don't inflate your 299 00:25:44,048 --> 00:25:49,296 life jacket until just after you are unconscious. 300 00:25:49,296 --> 00:25:53,776 >> [LAUGH] >> So I spent a morning on the water, 301 00:25:53,776 --> 00:26:01,200 when the phone call came in to tell me that if I was going to make the sail, 302 00:26:01,200 --> 00:26:05,936 the boat would have to come out of the water on 303 00:26:05,936 --> 00:26:12,592 that day on The Solent, and travel up to Dover. 304 00:26:12,592 --> 00:26:17,456 So, with all the two and a half hours on the water, 305 00:26:17,456 --> 00:26:22,960 learning to sail from scratch in a boat this crucial 306 00:26:22,960 --> 00:26:28,208 parts were mostly duct tape and stream, >> [LAUGH] 307 00:26:28,208 --> 00:26:31,280 >> And during which time I found, 308 00:26:31,280 --> 00:26:36,400 two relatively major features, one of which left 309 00:26:36,400 --> 00:26:41,776 me leaving a note saying sorry on somebody's boat. 310 00:26:41,776 --> 00:26:47,152 >> [LAUGH] >> And who's designing to do every single 311 00:26:47,152 --> 00:26:51,888 three quarter inch block on the Isle of Wight. 312 00:26:51,888 --> 00:26:57,008 I found myself on the world's busiest shipping 313 00:26:57,008 --> 00:27:03,024 way indulging everything from fairies to supertankers. 314 00:27:03,024 --> 00:27:08,784 The next six hours and 11 minutes flew by far too fast. 315 00:27:08,784 --> 00:27:14,672 It was the first time in 60 days I am staring somewhere 316 00:27:14,672 --> 00:27:20,816 in the way I wanted to get there, and getting there by myself. 317 00:27:20,816 --> 00:27:24,784 It was a truly indescribable feeling, 318 00:27:24,784 --> 00:27:34,384 I can only liken it to an able bodied person, been given the ability to fly. 319 00:27:34,384 --> 00:27:38,480 When I got back to Dover, someone's got 320 00:27:38,480 --> 00:27:43,472 the microphone in my face and asked me, what next? 321 00:27:43,472 --> 00:27:48,336 Well, I'd spent the last six months living and 322 00:27:48,336 --> 00:27:52,944 breathing this project, so I haven't spent 323 00:27:52,944 --> 00:27:57,552 a minute thinking about what I might do next. 324 00:27:57,552 --> 00:28:02,032 >> [COUGH] >> And what the words I'm going to 325 00:28:02,032 --> 00:28:06,256 sail around Britain, fell out of my mouth. 326 00:28:06,256 --> 00:28:10,352 >> [LAUGH] >> I was as surprised as anyone. 327 00:28:10,352 --> 00:28:15,472 >> [LAUGH] I then compounded 328 00:28:15,472 --> 00:28:19,568 it live on Radio 5 Live as it turned out. 329 00:28:19,568 --> 00:28:27,376 And I'm hoping that if I find my sponsor the dream, he'll help me out again. 330 00:28:27,376 --> 00:28:33,008 Well, together with ultimate investment management, 331 00:28:33,008 --> 00:28:37,744 Pindar decided that I needed a boat with some 332 00:28:37,744 --> 00:28:41,968 proper systems and no cracks to leave it. 333 00:28:41,968 --> 00:28:47,984 So I found myself the lucky recipient of an ultimate 20, 334 00:28:47,984 --> 00:28:52,464 and featuring the electronics system I so 335 00:28:52,464 --> 00:28:56,560 desperately needed to serve reliably. 336 00:28:56,560 --> 00:29:00,144 At six meters long and just one and 337 00:29:00,144 --> 00:29:07,056 a half meters wide, she's tiny but she's fast. 338 00:29:07,056 --> 00:29:14,736 I must have some special ability though that makes me a great solo sailor. 339 00:29:14,736 --> 00:29:20,752 It isn't time on the water, it is certainly not technique, 340 00:29:20,752 --> 00:29:24,208 it is as far as I know, >> my unrivaled 341 00:29:24,208 --> 00:29:27,792 ability to lose people off my boat. 342 00:29:27,792 --> 00:29:32,784 >> [LAUGH] >> One of the team who was supposed to be 343 00:29:32,784 --> 00:29:39,312 looking after me fell into the water five times in four months. 344 00:29:39,312 --> 00:29:42,896 All I can say is, thank goodness for 345 00:29:42,896 --> 00:29:49,040 dry suite because the water around us is extremely chilly 346 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:52,624 >> I sailed the ultimate using three 347 00:29:52,624 --> 00:29:57,360 straws, essentially, they're just switches, 348 00:29:57,360 --> 00:30:02,352 that recognize positive or negative pressure. 349 00:30:02,352 --> 00:30:08,752 One is dedicated to the tiller, one kind of menu select switch, 350 00:30:08,752 --> 00:30:13,360 and the third is is the straw that actuate 351 00:30:13,360 --> 00:30:18,736 whatever I've selected on the second menu switch. 352 00:30:18,736 --> 00:30:23,472 It's really not as complicated as it sounds. 353 00:30:23,472 --> 00:30:28,336 And rather than showing you endless pictures 354 00:30:28,336 --> 00:30:32,688 of the coast of Britain, beautiful as it is, 355 00:30:32,688 --> 00:30:39,728 I have a short piece of film that will show you how the Artemis works. 356 00:30:39,728 --> 00:30:43,312 Just let Louise, my able bodied and 357 00:30:43,312 --> 00:30:46,768 beautiful assistant, >> [LAUGH] 358 00:30:46,768 --> 00:30:50,736 >> push some buttons. 359 00:30:50,736 --> 00:30:56,368 If you keep tabbing you should get the, okay, here we are. 360 00:30:56,368 --> 00:30:59,952 So this is my seat, and as you can see, 361 00:30:59,952 --> 00:31:04,176 the seat skin boats I remain up right and 362 00:31:04,176 --> 00:31:11,216 rather have far the boat tips over, unless I forget to raise the beam, 363 00:31:11,216 --> 00:31:18,256 which I did in more than one occasion and have two straws in my mouth. 364 00:31:18,256 --> 00:31:24,144 And just like any other sailor I have my chart closer and 365 00:31:24,144 --> 00:31:26,704 my compass in front of me. 366 00:31:26,704 --> 00:31:33,744 And I can see where I'm going and and I can get there pretty quickly. 367 00:31:33,744 --> 00:31:43,088 She sails at about three to four knots average, so she is fast, very fast. 368 00:31:43,088 --> 00:31:50,000 I think that's the I promised you some 369 00:31:50,000 --> 00:31:54,992 finally it's coming up, and that's her moving 370 00:31:54,992 --> 00:32:00,496 through the water very nicely, quite a leak actually. 371 00:32:00,496 --> 00:32:08,048 I need you to out tab now, could you please and get me back to the beginning. 372 00:32:08,048 --> 00:32:12,528 That's it yeah, and then whiz over here, and 373 00:32:12,528 --> 00:32:17,904 turn my page, and push the button. 374 00:32:17,904 --> 00:32:22,768 You have to be multi-talented to be my parent. 375 00:32:22,768 --> 00:32:27,632 >> [LAUGH] >> After sailing solo around Britain, 376 00:32:27,632 --> 00:32:35,184 I was invited to take my boat to the June 14th sailing event in Cardiff, 377 00:32:35,184 --> 00:32:41,968 I recommend you look it up on YouTube cuz the crashes are amazing. 378 00:32:41,968 --> 00:32:46,704 There I met Albert Whitley through Oman sail. 379 00:32:46,704 --> 00:32:53,744 He said he'd love me to come out to Oman to talk to their sailors, and 380 00:32:53,744 --> 00:33:00,272 what's more, he wanted me to bring my boat so they could sail it. 381 00:33:00,272 --> 00:33:04,752 It's only really by seeing it in the flesh, 382 00:33:04,752 --> 00:33:11,920 it's truly possibly to understand the sense of freedom it gives me. 383 00:33:11,920 --> 00:33:17,680 Oman is very forward thinking In pretty much all areas, 384 00:33:17,680 --> 00:33:21,904 but particularly when it comes to women. 385 00:33:21,904 --> 00:33:26,256 It has female sailing instructors which 386 00:33:26,256 --> 00:33:31,248 raises the huge problem when you are Muslim and 387 00:33:31,248 --> 00:33:36,752 you're getting wet in a wetsuit, and they have an all 388 00:33:36,752 --> 00:33:44,176 women sailing group, which races all over the world. 389 00:33:44,176 --> 00:33:48,528 I just needed to talk to all their sailors, 390 00:33:48,528 --> 00:33:55,440 all the kids that came to learn to sail, Oman sail and do their stuff. 391 00:33:55,440 --> 00:34:01,456 So for 10 days we've worked from six in the morning and 392 00:34:01,456 --> 00:34:05,552 10 at night and loved every second it. 393 00:34:05,552 --> 00:34:10,672 Now to this day I am not quite sure how it happened, 394 00:34:10,672 --> 00:34:16,048 but Albert offered me the use of his Dragonfly 28, 395 00:34:16,048 --> 00:34:23,728 which was then brand new, his baby to sail across parts of the Indian Ocean, 396 00:34:23,728 --> 00:34:29,104 from Mumbai to Moscow about 815 knots per miles. 397 00:34:29,104 --> 00:34:33,712 The only stipulation seems to be that I take 398 00:34:33,712 --> 00:34:38,448 an Omani lady sailor with me, that was fine, and 399 00:34:38,448 --> 00:34:42,928 that we have a fairy godmother just in case, 400 00:34:42,928 --> 00:34:48,304 we needed to be bailed out if we got into any trouble. 401 00:34:48,304 --> 00:34:53,936 For both of these things seemed entirely reasonable, 402 00:34:53,936 --> 00:35:00,848 so I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and refused to let go. 403 00:35:00,848 --> 00:35:05,584 So In February last year, I flew out to Oman for 404 00:35:05,584 --> 00:35:10,192 the second time with all three of my parents, 405 00:35:10,192 --> 00:35:14,672 needless to say, none of them was desperate 406 00:35:14,672 --> 00:35:19,408 to stay at home for seven more weeks of winter. 407 00:35:19,408 --> 00:35:24,528 >> [LAUGH] >> I am extremely lucky in my friends and 408 00:35:24,528 --> 00:35:31,440 one of them, Roger Crabtree, designed and built an entirely new Sip, 409 00:35:31,440 --> 00:35:36,432 Puff system, having never seen the boat or met me. 410 00:35:36,432 --> 00:35:41,424 Our meetings were extremely formal over Skype. 411 00:35:41,424 --> 00:35:45,136 He lives in New Zealand, and so one or 412 00:35:45,136 --> 00:35:49,360 the other of us was always in our pajamas. 413 00:35:49,360 --> 00:35:54,096 >> [LAUGH] >> So we met for the first time in Oman 414 00:35:54,096 --> 00:35:59,216 and he and the team who programmed the little PLC, 415 00:35:59,216 --> 00:36:04,848 which is like micro computer, which controls the boat 416 00:36:04,848 --> 00:36:11,504 did an incredible job as it worked as soon as we put it on the boat. 417 00:36:11,504 --> 00:36:19,056 Something which couldn't be said for the system that's on the market. 418 00:36:19,056 --> 00:36:27,120 It kept going for nine days as well with only the occasional reboot required. 419 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:33,136 The real beauty of this system though is that it's cheap, 420 00:36:33,136 --> 00:36:37,104 it's easy to copy, and easy to build, so 421 00:36:37,104 --> 00:36:42,608 other disabled sailors can pick it up and run with it. 422 00:36:42,608 --> 00:36:45,552 But most importantly for me, 423 00:36:45,552 --> 00:36:50,544 it controls some reversible electric winches, 424 00:36:50,544 --> 00:36:55,152 which actually do what they sail on the team. 425 00:36:55,152 --> 00:37:02,320 This means that together with my system, I can tack a boat on my own for 426 00:37:02,320 --> 00:37:08,592 the first time a normal boat without any other adaptations, 427 00:37:08,592 --> 00:37:17,168 I just simply let one sailor out and reel it in on the other side. 428 00:37:17,168 --> 00:37:23,184 This gives me control over almost everything on the boat, 429 00:37:23,184 --> 00:37:25,232 almost all the time. 430 00:37:25,232 --> 00:37:33,424 On this occasion I got the luxury of a whole three hours to learn the new system, 431 00:37:33,424 --> 00:37:38,928 well half an hour from the last time had to be worth it, 432 00:37:38,928 --> 00:37:44,688 and one of my carers had to make the nine day trip with us. 433 00:37:44,688 --> 00:37:51,216 Since Lisa was the only who'd spent any time on the boat at all, 434 00:37:51,216 --> 00:37:57,872 a whole nine hours, which made her practically a veteran sailor, 435 00:37:57,872 --> 00:38:02,352 she was the obvious choice, boy, was she sick. 436 00:38:02,352 --> 00:38:07,600 >> [LAUGH] >> Somehow she manged to keep going there, 437 00:38:07,600 --> 00:38:09,520 she was fantastic. 438 00:38:09,520 --> 00:38:14,128 We left Mumbai at 6 o'clock in the morning, 439 00:38:14,128 --> 00:38:20,784 a relatively civilized to say this at least on March the 11th. 440 00:38:20,784 --> 00:38:25,648 We prewarned by Albert that many of the unused 441 00:38:25,648 --> 00:38:30,640 oils platforms of the coast were lit in the dark, 442 00:38:30,640 --> 00:38:34,736 this is slightly scary to say the least. 443 00:38:34,736 --> 00:38:39,984 This made our plan to sail up the coast of India, and 444 00:38:39,984 --> 00:38:45,232 then crossing due West across to Oman seemed like 445 00:38:45,232 --> 00:38:52,144 an even better plan than it had done when we planned it back in Oman. 446 00:38:52,144 --> 00:38:58,160 It didn't however avoid the fleets of Indian fishermen, 447 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:01,360 who fish in every type of craft, 448 00:39:01,360 --> 00:39:05,840 from dugout canoes with no lights upwards, 449 00:39:05,840 --> 00:39:10,192 most of them can't afford proper lights, 450 00:39:10,192 --> 00:39:15,312 it's really that simple, so they use disco balls. 451 00:39:15,312 --> 00:39:18,128 >> [LAUGH] >> As in turned out, 452 00:39:18,128 --> 00:39:23,870 this really [INAUDIBLE] Little wind there was which 453 00:39:23,870 --> 00:39:29,571 was precious little turned out to be right on our noses so 454 00:39:29,571 --> 00:39:33,697 we spent first thirty six hours motoring. 455 00:39:33,697 --> 00:39:39,638 This used up all nine cans of fuel that we had packed away for 456 00:39:39,638 --> 00:39:43,277 safe keeping, in case of an emergency. 457 00:39:43,277 --> 00:39:48,372 And we were left with nothing for the main crossing. 458 00:39:48,372 --> 00:39:52,616 It was something we need to kind of plan for. 459 00:39:52,616 --> 00:39:57,225 And we picked what looked like on Google Earth, 460 00:39:57,225 --> 00:40:01,712 at lest, cuz there are no charts in this region. 461 00:40:01,712 --> 00:40:07,899 A relatively large harbor and fishing town as a port of refuge. 462 00:40:07,899 --> 00:40:15,056 Somewhere to stop, catch up, and crucially stock up on more fuel if needed. 463 00:40:15,056 --> 00:40:21,730 Luckily for us, Nashra, my Alani colleague, spoke both Hindi and Urdu. 464 00:40:21,730 --> 00:40:24,883 And so was able to ask for petrol. 465 00:40:24,883 --> 00:40:29,856 But when we were going in, we'd assumed it would be 466 00:40:29,856 --> 00:40:34,102 on the key side somewhere near the key side. 467 00:40:34,102 --> 00:40:40,166 This just goes to show how far Google maps can lead you astray. 468 00:40:40,166 --> 00:40:44,169 And how naive we were as question favors. 469 00:40:44,169 --> 00:40:50,967 The channel got narrower and narrower and shallower and shallower. 470 00:40:50,967 --> 00:40:54,606 Until we have lifted up the sensible, 471 00:40:54,606 --> 00:40:59,217 which is basically what hold both upright and 472 00:40:59,217 --> 00:41:04,190 was steering with just the back edge of the rudder. 473 00:41:04,190 --> 00:41:10,743 The smell was indescribable as the harbor acted as both sewer for 474 00:41:10,743 --> 00:41:16,446 a medium sized town and dumping ground for fish entrails. 475 00:41:16,446 --> 00:41:21,785 Eventually we rafted up against some fishing skirts 476 00:41:21,785 --> 00:41:26,881 by which point the whole village had come out to see 477 00:41:26,881 --> 00:41:32,100 these mad foreigners who lived just sailing for fun. 478 00:41:32,100 --> 00:41:35,012 Nobody sailed for fun, surely. 479 00:41:35,012 --> 00:41:37,075 Eventually, we, sorry. 480 00:41:37,075 --> 00:41:41,687 We [INAUDIBLE] back to [INAUDIBLE] >> Okay. 481 00:41:41,687 --> 00:41:47,267 >> Next, next page, there, sorry, it turned out that the few was 482 00:41:47,267 --> 00:41:52,482 not as we had assumed, either on the guard or in harbor, 483 00:41:52,482 --> 00:41:57,334 it was ashore at least 40 minutes ashore and so 484 00:41:57,334 --> 00:42:01,700 ends so slightly legal trip was made by Nile. 485 00:42:01,700 --> 00:42:03,764 Our fairy godfather. 486 00:42:03,764 --> 00:42:09,224 I'm not sure it's something that looked like a moped. 487 00:42:09,224 --> 00:42:12,864 With a wheelbarrow stuck to the back. 488 00:42:12,864 --> 00:42:15,776 >> [LAUGH] >> This left Lisa and 489 00:42:15,776 --> 00:42:21,355 me on board with the entire population of an Indian town. 490 00:42:21,355 --> 00:42:27,179 One thing to have a look around our extremely strange boat. 491 00:42:27,179 --> 00:42:33,851 But of course everyone, and I mean everyone, had to come and say hello. 492 00:42:33,851 --> 00:42:40,040 Monthly English teacher worked out that my legs didn't work, 493 00:42:40,040 --> 00:42:44,165 and I pointed out that neither did my arms. 494 00:42:44,165 --> 00:42:47,683 They had to come and say hello again. 495 00:42:47,683 --> 00:42:51,931 [LAUGH] >> Luckily enough though, Nile and 496 00:42:51,931 --> 00:42:57,268 in Nashra were back on board when security came round. 497 00:42:57,268 --> 00:43:04,062 Men in an unmarked white boats with security written on the side and 498 00:43:04,062 --> 00:43:11,946 some machine guns, turned up demanding to know who we were and what we were doing. 499 00:43:11,946 --> 00:43:18,496 It was just as well they didn't know about our trip ashore really. 500 00:43:18,496 --> 00:43:23,469 We tried to contact the harbor master when we came 501 00:43:23,469 --> 00:43:27,230 into port but we hadn't got any reply. 502 00:43:27,230 --> 00:43:32,083 And since we didn't have a photo copier on board 503 00:43:32,083 --> 00:43:35,844 they wanted to take our customs paper, 504 00:43:35,844 --> 00:43:40,575 our only clearance, our only proof of who we were. 505 00:43:40,575 --> 00:43:44,700 They wanted to take our custom clearance 506 00:43:44,700 --> 00:43:50,403 [INAUDIBLE] There was no way we were handing this over. 507 00:43:50,403 --> 00:43:55,982 Especially as it was only at this point that we realized 508 00:43:55,982 --> 00:44:01,319 that the crew who'd sailed the boat over to India had 509 00:44:01,319 --> 00:44:06,295 taken it's official papers proving who owned it. 510 00:44:06,295 --> 00:44:10,056 And getting off the boat in Mumbai, and 511 00:44:10,056 --> 00:44:15,999 then put them in their suitcases and flew them home to my mom. 512 00:44:15,999 --> 00:44:23,033 So security issued a direct threat to arrest us all if we tried to leave. 513 00:44:23,033 --> 00:44:27,036 They disappeared back to shore to go and 514 00:44:27,036 --> 00:44:33,223 get someone far higher up the chain of command to sort this out. 515 00:44:33,223 --> 00:44:39,412 In the meantime, we started a lengthy radio conversation with 516 00:44:39,412 --> 00:44:44,631 the harbor master, who had miraculously reappeared, 517 00:44:44,631 --> 00:44:50,092 i.e., finished his lunch and his postprandial and that. 518 00:44:50,092 --> 00:44:54,824 >> [LAUGH] >> He had an incredibly long form which 519 00:44:54,824 --> 00:44:57,492 the Indians love to fill in. 520 00:44:57,492 --> 00:45:02,347 This included gross tonnage, one possibly, cargo. 521 00:45:02,347 --> 00:45:05,380 Please don't say people Nile. 522 00:45:05,380 --> 00:45:09,747 >> [LAUGH] >> And of course the name of the boat 523 00:45:09,747 --> 00:45:14,237 Valerian, so can you spell that phonetically? 524 00:45:14,237 --> 00:45:18,607 Okay, bravo, alpha, thema, alpha, Romeo, silence. 525 00:45:18,607 --> 00:45:24,067 Nile had forgotten what I was in >> The phonetic alphabet. 526 00:45:24,067 --> 00:45:30,009 And it was at this point he tried to kill me for the first time. 527 00:45:30,009 --> 00:45:33,648 Lisa who's giving me my medication, 528 00:45:33,648 --> 00:45:39,715 something needs doing very carefully as I have no gag reflex. 529 00:45:39,715 --> 00:45:44,202 I started to giggle as water went into my lung, 530 00:45:44,202 --> 00:45:49,175 I managed to stress the word India at him to prompt. 531 00:45:49,175 --> 00:45:54,028 I also then had to sputter Oscar and November and 532 00:45:54,028 --> 00:45:59,002 it was only 15 minutes later, when this was still 533 00:45:59,002 --> 00:46:03,370 beating the living daylights out of my back. 534 00:46:03,370 --> 00:46:10,045 And he finally finished bluffing he realized something was wrong. 535 00:46:10,045 --> 00:46:14,172 Eventually, though, the custom's man and 536 00:46:14,172 --> 00:46:19,631 a helicopter and he was more than happy to take Nile's 537 00:46:19,631 --> 00:46:24,847 word as a gentleman not mine of course as the captain. 538 00:46:24,847 --> 00:46:32,249 But we did have our Mumbai customs clearance and sealed it with handshake. 539 00:46:32,249 --> 00:46:35,039 He didn't even come aboard. 540 00:46:35,039 --> 00:46:39,163 As we left, the entire town was calling out. 541 00:46:39,163 --> 00:46:41,833 Don't forget the Porbana. 542 00:46:41,833 --> 00:46:46,927 I don't think there's any risk that any of us will. 543 00:46:46,927 --> 00:46:51,292 I also hope and pray that I will never want or 544 00:46:51,292 --> 00:46:58,209 have to leave anywhere in quite such a hurry again. 545 00:46:58,209 --> 00:47:04,640 The Arabian sea was a whole new experience, it was warm for a start. 546 00:47:04,640 --> 00:47:13,014 We went went through 36,000 most amazing phosphorescence just incredible. 547 00:47:13,014 --> 00:47:19,562 It was this as if the whole boat was lit up by neon lights from below. 548 00:47:19,562 --> 00:47:25,266 In England sailors get excited if there's the smallest 549 00:47:25,266 --> 00:47:30,605 trace of light behind them from the phosphorescence. 550 00:47:30,605 --> 00:47:32,667 But this was so thick. 551 00:47:32,667 --> 00:47:36,793 We could see fish beneath the surface, and 552 00:47:36,793 --> 00:47:42,738 it had Nile throwing buckets of water on the trampoline and 553 00:47:42,738 --> 00:47:45,164 then jumping up and down. 554 00:47:45,164 --> 00:47:50,381 To watch the drops of water that were blowing bounce. 555 00:47:50,381 --> 00:47:55,478 It was phosphorous and spontaneously in a way that 556 00:47:55,478 --> 00:48:03,000 this generally only made possible by Disney but it was just, just beautiful. 557 00:48:03,000 --> 00:48:09,309 While going through sea of neon phosphorus, I just, I don't know. 558 00:48:09,309 --> 00:48:14,042 During the day, the temperature got much hotter, 559 00:48:14,042 --> 00:48:17,075 up into the upper twenties and 560 00:48:17,075 --> 00:48:23,018 it doesn't fall all that much at night at least at sea level. 561 00:48:23,018 --> 00:48:29,084 This means that you're in a kind of sea mist permanently and 562 00:48:29,084 --> 00:48:35,514 it feels like you can only see about two boat lengths ahead of you. 563 00:48:35,514 --> 00:48:41,583 It's incredibly eerie, and it magnifies every single noise, 564 00:48:41,583 --> 00:48:45,102 that the whole peaking sounds make. 565 00:48:45,102 --> 00:48:48,378 This makes it sound like gunfire. 566 00:48:48,378 --> 00:48:54,323 Since there are pirates not very far away from where we were, 567 00:48:54,323 --> 00:48:59,295 it was easy to blind my care up until that there had 568 00:48:59,295 --> 00:49:03,057 been pirates, although they haven't. 569 00:49:03,057 --> 00:49:06,818 >> [LAUGH] >> And it does make you wonder, 570 00:49:06,818 --> 00:49:11,184 at least to start with when you first hear it. 571 00:49:11,184 --> 00:49:13,612 [INAUDIBLE] next one. 572 00:49:13,612 --> 00:49:21,252 On one of my night watches, around 3 AM whilst Nile was trying to sleep on deck. 573 00:49:21,252 --> 00:49:26,104 He came a little closer to the local wildlife and 574 00:49:26,104 --> 00:49:29,137 he thought he would have liked, 575 00:49:29,137 --> 00:49:34,352 a flying fish hit him squarely in the back of the head. 576 00:49:34,352 --> 00:49:39,206 >> [LAUGH] >> He didn't think it was very funny for 577 00:49:39,206 --> 00:49:43,816 some reason, when I said there's nothing like 578 00:49:43,816 --> 00:49:48,305 being slapped around the face with a wet fish. 579 00:49:48,305 --> 00:49:53,039 >> [LAUGH] >> The following night however, he more 580 00:49:53,039 --> 00:50:00,436 than got the joke when one hit me square in the face and then landed in my lap. 581 00:50:00,436 --> 00:50:03,226 They are most peculiar fish. 582 00:50:03,226 --> 00:50:08,199 They don't flap about when they land on surfaces. 583 00:50:08,199 --> 00:50:13,659 They just lie there with their wings out presumably in 584 00:50:13,659 --> 00:50:20,694 the belief that they'll end up in the water again by some sort of magic. 585 00:50:20,694 --> 00:50:24,332 Flying fish is by no means a misnomer. 586 00:50:24,332 --> 00:50:27,972 Although they glide rather than fly, 587 00:50:27,972 --> 00:50:34,037 they can travel up to 100 or 150 meters through the air. 588 00:50:34,037 --> 00:50:35,858 It's incredible. 589 00:50:35,858 --> 00:50:40,103 We arrived back in Oman on March the 20th. 590 00:50:40,103 --> 00:50:46,656 The first Omani And the first disabled woman to make the crossing. 591 00:50:46,656 --> 00:50:54,423 As usual, I experienced the familiar feeling of [INAUDIBLE] when I saw land. 592 00:50:54,423 --> 00:51:01,096 >> While everyone else was dreaming about what they were going to eat, 593 00:51:01,096 --> 00:51:05,223 but hadn't been dehydrated, rehydrated, 594 00:51:05,223 --> 00:51:12,144 forgotten about and finally eating. 595 00:51:12,144 --> 00:51:13,356 So, what next? 596 00:51:13,356 --> 00:51:16,752 There's always a lot next with me. 597 00:51:16,752 --> 00:51:22,574 I'm hoping to sail with Nashra from Seychelles to Muscat. 598 00:51:22,574 --> 00:51:29,123 And then I'm hoping to sail to show the boat off all over the world. 599 00:51:29,123 --> 00:51:33,734 Just before sailing the Atlantic a dream I had 600 00:51:33,734 --> 00:51:38,224 ever since the first trip across the channel, 601 00:51:38,224 --> 00:51:43,925 while I'm very definitely got salt in my veins And I just 602 00:51:43,925 --> 00:51:50,479 need to someone to lend me [INAUDIBLE] >> [LAUGH] 603 00:51:50,479 --> 00:51:54,241 >> Somewhere around that would be great. 604 00:51:54,241 --> 00:52:00,305 I promise I'll give it back and it will be almost in one piece. 605 00:52:00,305 --> 00:52:06,006 I have to say to thank you to a few people because although 606 00:52:06,006 --> 00:52:12,070 this is what the media portrayed, just the two of us on the boat. 607 00:52:12,070 --> 00:52:18,136 The reality is more like the picture that's up at the moment. 608 00:52:18,136 --> 00:52:23,472 So, I have to say thank you to the people listed up there, 609 00:52:23,472 --> 00:52:27,842 which is Primarily really GAC-Pinder and 610 00:52:27,842 --> 00:52:33,057 Oman Sail who made it possible to make that crossing. 611 00:52:33,057 --> 00:52:38,635 When it comes to life, I reckon though that I have a choice. 612 00:52:38,635 --> 00:52:45,673 It's really very simple and it comes about going out through the door. 613 00:52:45,673 --> 00:52:52,587 I either evince my condition, or I strive to make my dreams the reality. 614 00:52:52,587 --> 00:52:59,502 You know what, I choose my dreams every day of the week and 615 00:52:59,502 --> 00:53:05,689 to people so thank you so much for listening to me. 616 00:53:05,689 --> 00:53:11,637 [APPLAUSE] [APPLAUSE] >> Good evening vice chancellor, 617 00:53:11,637 --> 00:53:14,550 Hilary, ladies and gentlemen. 618 00:53:14,550 --> 00:53:20,496 I'm Dr. Kylie Marie, Fellow in English at Balliol College, 619 00:53:20,496 --> 00:53:26,200 and member of the University Disability advisory group. 620 00:53:26,200 --> 00:53:29,355 Thank you so much for attending. 621 00:53:29,355 --> 00:53:36,878 That has been quite an extraordinary expression of interest in this event. 622 00:53:36,878 --> 00:53:41,246 And we hope disability lecture will become 623 00:53:41,246 --> 00:53:46,463 an annual high profile event in the Oxford calendar. 624 00:53:46,463 --> 00:53:51,559 Today the screen is off to a really promising stuff. 625 00:53:51,559 --> 00:53:56,412 I know everyone will agree that Hillary's talk 626 00:53:56,412 --> 00:54:00,658 has been powerful and compelling, we are so 627 00:54:00,658 --> 00:54:07,088 proud to welcome you back as an alumni of the university, Hillary. 628 00:54:07,088 --> 00:54:12,790 But in addition, you embody the core values of creativity, 629 00:54:12,790 --> 00:54:17,036 resilience, and aspiration that we want to 630 00:54:17,036 --> 00:54:22,375 communicate when we talk about disability at Oxford. 631 00:54:22,375 --> 00:54:25,772 It has been a privileged, a delight, 632 00:54:25,772 --> 00:54:30,262 and then inspiration to hear you speak today. 633 00:54:30,262 --> 00:54:34,993 Thank you so much for sharing your story with us. 634 00:54:34,993 --> 00:54:41,425 You took the whole audience with you when you described loosing 635 00:54:41,425 --> 00:54:46,884 the use of your arms and the barriers that that brought. 636 00:54:46,884 --> 00:54:52,101 But to hear your story of empowerment from the water, 637 00:54:52,101 --> 00:54:55,258 was fascinating and uplifting. 638 00:54:55,258 --> 00:55:01,446 Through this you have shown us that with lateral thinking and 639 00:55:01,446 --> 00:55:08,364 creativity, we can overcome barriers and achieve remarkable things. 640 00:55:08,364 --> 00:55:14,794 There's a universal lesson that we can all take away from today. 641 00:55:14,794 --> 00:55:20,618 No matter how great the obstacle or walks the adversity is, 642 00:55:20,618 --> 00:55:26,930 with resilience, determination, and creativity we can succeed. 643 00:55:26,930 --> 00:55:32,752 It only remains for me to wish everyone a safe journey home. 644 00:55:32,752 --> 00:55:38,331 And to remind you that you are very welcome to join us for 645 00:55:38,331 --> 00:55:42,821 drinks now where you can meet our speaker and 646 00:55:42,821 --> 00:55:45,976 reflect on her incredible talk. 647 00:55:45,976 --> 00:55:48,768 Thank you again, Hillary for 648 00:55:48,768 --> 00:55:54,348 breaking the mold to use the title of your talk today and 649 00:55:54,348 --> 00:55:59,565 for showing us all the importance of aiming high and 650 00:55:59,565 --> 00:56:03,448 not giving in and following our dreams. 651 00:56:03,448 --> 00:56:04,419 Thank you. 652 00:56:04,419 --> 00:56:09,000 >> [APPLAUSE]