Audacity Magazine » Travel

Grand Bohemian Hotel

Nathasha Alvarez — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:34:28 +0000

The Grand Bohemian Hotel is a perfect example of how a luxury hotel balances out its weaknesses with its strengths. It is a AAA Four Diamond hotel.

Unfortunately, it earned mixed reviews with me. The art gallery is small and quaint. I don’t know why but I was expecting something GRAND. The lobby is not very large but it is beautifully decorated with its bohemian theme.

In fact, the entire hotel from the dining room, bar, lounge, corridors and bedrooms has a fabulous bohemian feel to it. The art work displayed is amazing!

My hotel room is cozy, sophisticated and rich looking. The bathrooms are large and accessible for average size wheelchairs.

From the surface, the hotel is beautiful, glamorous, and expensive looking.

However, a deeper look reveals some interesting findings. One night we found the duvet filled with dark spots as if mildew had taken over. We called the manager and he explained that it was the feathers from so many washings. Even though we believed him, we were grossed out. I strongly suggest they get rid of these duvet quilts so that people don’t think they are sleeping with mildew.

The second little issue I had there was the toilet. Right under the rim, there was a black rim. All the housekeepers need to do is use a toilet brush to scrub off the black mildew.

My biggest complaint is the constant feel of humidity throughout the hotel. The corridors are humid, the conference rooms are humid, the lobby is humid. Let’s face it, it’s humid.

This becomes a problem for people with breathing problems and hairdo problems.

Trust me, my beautifully blown dried hair bounced back into its long curls in less than 10 minutes.

Grand Bohemian Hotel, would I go back?

Yes! It was an overall lovely experience because of the people and the decor but a little work here and there can persuade to never leave the city of Orlando.

Comments and questions. Email me at nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

My Voyage Down Under

Sean Dineen — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 21:36:03 +0000

It was my joy and my honor to spend two happy weeks in Australia in August 2006. This voyage was a combination vacation and beginning research trip for my doctorial dissertation on guerrilla warfare.

I was accompanied by two dear friends, the director of theatre in Motion, Ms. Leslie Feneli, and her daughter a promising artist, Ms. Hannah Feneli. This was the first trip I had ever taken that was not part of a group, or with a relative.

I knew my friends were as excited as I was as we moved through New York’s Kennedy airport onto a sleek Qantas jet. Seventeen and a half hours later, broken-up only by a brief change of planes and the drink carts of our host, we had done it.

Sydney Australia was just out the front door. We did a lot of amazing thing in this city. We shared a sea food lunch on the boardwalk, dreamed of wealth in the gem museum, and toured a barracks that was a home for newly arrived prisoners.

The country was settled by prisoners who were offered land instead of a jail sentence. The highlight of this part of the trip was the oztour, a light show and movement ride which simulates seeing the city from up in the sky.

Because the country is in the southern hemisphere, the seasons are reversed. So it was winter in August.

It was a great source of joy to see a group of people who truly wanted to help. The national slogan, “Fair Go” seemed almost custom written for us.

Accessibility, while not perfect, is a national priority and seemed to me, for what its worth, to be ahead of the U.S.A. equal with the UK. and behind South Africa.

Then it was time to go to work. We drove from Sydney to Canberra the beautiful national capitol. Like Washington D.C., Canberra was created to be a capitol. It is a five hour drive between the two cities.

Like many former British dominions, Australians drive on the left side of the road, that took a little getting use to!

As a history professor and political junkie, the ability to meet with leaders and pour through archives was for me, the pleasure a child feels getting their favorite toy on their birthday.

We spent one of the happiest weeks of my life wandering through parliament, having lunch at the Imperial War Museum, and consulting with historians and politicians.

My two most interesting interviews were with two historians of Australia and the Viet Nam War, Professor Ashley Eakins, and Captain Derrill DeHeer. We talked about the Chieuhoi program to turn Vietnamese defectors.

On our second night in Canberra, we went to a buffet and ate Kangaroo. Believe it or not, it was absolutely delicious. It tastes like well-done steak, in case anybody wondered.

Having wondered initially about how I would get around, I was pleased to see how helpful everyone was. The friendly phrase “No worries mate” which I heard a hundred times smoothed things over again and again. The people fell over themselves to open doors and find whatever other help we needed.

It was such a joy to see Hannah’s artistic side blossom. She spent half her time helping me get around, and the other half looking at all the beauties this vast continent had to offer. She saw things as only an artist can.

The sky at night over there looks as if it came straight from the hand of God that morning.

I was also very pleased to meet with Ms. Mary Porter, an expert on Aborigine and disabled rights. She explained the similarities between these two struggles.

For too long the Aborigine people like African American’s, and the disabled in the U.S. have been treated like children and kept out of the mainstream of society. We were able to share our efforts to change society and end this immoral injustice.

All too soon, sadly, it was time to go home. I can assure you, my friends and readers, Australia will remain a source of memories and pleasures. As well as a place which understands our struggle and a place I long to return to.

Please send your comments and questions to nathasha@audacitymagazine.com .

Disabled Youths Can Travel To Costa Rica

admin — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 21:38:11 +0000

Explore Costa Rica with 12 other emerging leaders with and without disabilities! Participate in an exciting cross-cultural and cross-disability exchange program!

Become an ambassador of disability pride by sharing cross-cultural disability perspectives with members of the local community!

Develop leadership skills, build self-confidence, make friends, and learn Spanish! Experience Costa Rican culture, food and customs by living with a host family!

MIUSA is currently accepting applications from young people with disabilities to take part in an international exchange program June 20 – July 5, 2007 to Costa Rica, entitled the US/Costa Rica: Youth Leadership and Cross Cultural Perspectives on Disability Rights Exchange Program.

First time travelers with disabilities between the ages of 18 – 24 years old who are from cultural minority backgrounds or of low socioeconomic status are strongly encouraged to apply.

MIUSA exchange programs are inclusive of people who are Deaf and hard of hearing, or have cognitive, visual, physical, psychiatric, systemic, non-apparent, or other types of disabilities.

MIUSA will provide appropriate accommodations to each qualified participant with a disability, including ASL interpretation and alternative formats.

APPLY NOW! Application materials can be found at http://www.miusa.org/exchange. Generous scholarships are available.

Application deadline is March 2, 2007. Late applications will be accepted as space permits. Application materials are available in alternative formats upon request.

Since 1981, MIUSA has been pioneering short-term international exchange programs for people with and without disabilities from over 90 countries.

As a non-profit organization, MIUSA is dedicated to promoting opportunities for people with disabilities in international exchange, leadership development and service learning.

Contact:

Jena Price

Program Specialist

Mobility International USA
132 E. Broadway, Suite 343
Eugene, OR 97401

Tel/TTY: 541-343-1284

Fax: 541-343-6812

E-mail: exchange@miusa.org

Ciao! Italia!

Scott Rains — Tue, 07 Mar 2006 13:31:59 +0000

How does someone who has written more than 50 articles on travel and disability plan his own vacation? Probably just like you do – talking to people he trusts and dreaming.

Eric Lipp, founder of the Open Doors organization, studies that organization’s regular surveys of US travelers with disabilities. His 2002 survey revealed that, as a group, we are diligent and resourceful travel planners who weave elaborate webs of relationships to expand our worlds through travel.

We typically seek out the personal experience of other travelers with disabilities as we make travel decisions.

In March my wife and I will travel to Italy. I know enough Italian to guarantee that I end up with something other than what I thought I ordered when I try to “authentically” pronounce the menu items at the neighborhood Italian restaurant.

This promises to be adventure travel at its most basic. How did I weave the safety net I needed?

Sharon Oldham is a colleague specializing in travel to Italy at A Ticket to Travel of San Jose, California. The way Sharon lights up as she talks about Italy and the successful women’s tours she organizes through Ciao Bella made her a natural starting point.

Although I am disqualified by a tiny genetic variable from taking part in her Ciao Bella tour of the region, she graciously shared her advice and contacts.

In exchange she will get my accessibility evaluations for the benefit of her customers.

One of her recommendations, Eurobound Tours, came through with unique accommodations. In Naples, we will stay in what was once a Franciscan monastery on Vomero Hill. This hotel, the San Francesco al Monte, overlooks the Bay of Naples with a panorama encompassing Mt. Vesuvius and the peninsula on which Sorrento lies.

The peninsula defines the northern end of the Amalfi Coast which is beyond the horizon from the hotel.

Tour operators Elisa and Claudio promise unforgettable private tours of Naples with their staff who mix humor and love of life with a tour guide’s knowledge of the area.

Soheir Eskander at Eurobound recommended the Rota Suites in Sorrento. We will stay there for the convenience of the in-suite kitchenettes and 68 centimeter wide interior doorways. I was disappointed not to be staying at the Casa Mami Camilla on the grounds of a culinary school or Il Giardinetto adjacent to a plant nursery.

Both privately-owned rentals advertise wheelchair accessibility but neither responded to my reservation inquiries. It’s not just accessibility or charm that sells. It’s service.

Hand controlled rental cars are not available so we have arranged private shuttles between Naples, Sorrento, airports, and train stations.

SlowTravel.com has a bulletin board for travelers. Several members there offered helpful suggestions on accessibility. At least one came from someone who has been reading the Rolling Rains Report for years.

Their encouragement based on firsthand experience has me exploring ways that I can tackle some of the sites that look more like mountain climbing than a leisurely vacation from my vantage point in a wheelchair – Amalfi, Positano, Ravello, and Capri.

With ground arrangements nearly settled it was time to lock in the flight. United Airlines made redeeming frequent flyer miles painless.

We will see if I can use the same adjective to describe the effect of an intercontinental flight in one of their Star Alliance partner Luftansa’s cramped cabins.

The last bits of basic travel security were also straightforward – travel insurance with TravelGuard; unlocking my GSM-band cell phone to accept an Italian SIM card.

Then, double checking passport and entry requirements; and letting my creditors know that the pattern-breaking purchases on my cards will be legitimate and please not to shut them down on me mid-vacation.

At this point in travel planning, when the tickets are purchased and hotel reservations finalized, I like to shift gear. Dreaming takes over and it’s time to discover Italy from a distance through books and films.

Paul Hofmann begins his book That Fine Italian Hand, with a chapter on the two Italies. His engaging writing style, probably honed during the years he was chief of the New York Times bureau in Rome, enticed me halfway through the book before I knew it.

This means that I am now reading two books at once since I discovered David Yeadon’s Seasons in Basilicata. It is an account of spending a year in the village where author Carlo Levi was exiled by Mussolini.

Netflix offers a treasure trove of films on Italy. I began with the film version of Carlo Levi’s Christ Stopped at Eboli. Whether you plan to visit the south of Italy or not this film (especially the uncut version) combines good storytelling with history and landscape to reveal the “Two Italies” – one North and one South.

A travelogue I rented at Netflix, Visions of Italy: Northern Style & Southern Style, offered privileged aerial views of hilltop towns and cliffside villas. I can see that Pompeii is not going to work in a wheelchair and rappelling might be a fallback solution to keep in mind most everywhere in the south of Italy!

Even before I arrive I still have hours of couch potato travel left with Rick Steves’ video; Rudy Maxa’s advice, Italian language learning programs; and more travelogues with spectacular photos in my video queue.

Scott Rains is the editor of The Rolling Rains Report.

Pakkie’s Journey

Judy Hoit — Wed, 07 Jul 2004 13:34:10 +0000

I am a woman with a disability. Years ago, before the polio vaccine, I contracted the polio virus which would leave me with limited use of my arms and legs.

My life has been pretty ordinary and normal, school, marriage, children, divorce, and a work life. That was until 1997 when I packed my suitcase, polished my wheelchair, and traveled to South Africa – alone!

I had been corresponding with a lady (Irene Joubert) in Pretoria, South Africa, for over a year. Then one day I had the idea of going to visit her. Not knowing how it would all happen, I purchased my ticket. This trip would be only my second trip on an airplane.

Little did I know how difficult and frustrating this trip would be for me. The airlines would need to transfer me from my wheelchair onto their aisle chair, and then from the aisle chair into my plane seat. And then reverse the procedure upon arrival.

The airlines require that two staff assist, one in front, and one in back of the passenger. They always lift under the arms. And that just doesn’t work for me. I found this procedure to be awkward for me, and for the airline staff.

So after returning home from South Africa I decided to design a sling to assist in airline transfers. With many calls, and several prototypes, the Pakkie was created. A product that weights 9 ounces, and will support over 300 pounds.

It requires two people to lift, and has eliminated the hassle for me. I am no longer being lifted under my arms, and the whole airline procedure is now so easy. I have the Pakkie on when I arrive at the airport.

The name Pakkie came about from a South African slang term for small package, and my Grandmother also use to tell me that my Dad use to “pack me” around when I was small. So the word “Pakkie” just seemed appropriate.

The Pakkie is now being sold to individuals, airlines, nursing homes, transportation systems, hospice staff, and rescue and evacuation services.

So what started out as an idea to make my life easier, has turned into a product to give freedom to others who need assistance.

If you have questions, or need more information, please send me an email at: accnowjh@aol.com

Speak Up!

Julie Stonestreet — Fri, 07 Nov 2003 13:35:26 +0000

It’s that time of year. Family reunions for the holidays. While some people dread the idea of flying, others would rather go to the dentist for a root canal than have to deal with the airport”s security. The tragedy on September 11, 2001 has changed so many aspects of our lives that it is inevitable to avoid the extra security. Since that day, I have made more than 16 trips by plane. The advice I give you is based on my personal experiences.

First, arrive early. If they want you there at 6 p.m. you need to arrive there at 5:15 p.m. Not because they are going to make you do more, but you will feel more relaxed throughout the whole process. Believe it or not, it is better to travel without a companion. Most of the time, I ask my friends or family members who feel obligated to walk me to the plane if they could simply leave me at the curbside where the luggage check in takes place. Have your photo ID ready for the curbside assistance personnel. Let them know that you will need someone to push you to your gate. If you have a motorized chair you will need someone to carry your bags. If you don’t need that ask for it anyway. The idea is that these people are busy to begin with so when your help arrives they will quickly take you to your designated gate.

If you are traveling for no more than a couple of days, try to pack everything in a carry on bag. Most airlines allow one carry on and your purse. I have seen men with a backpack and a carry on bag. If that is all you have your airport assistant will take you directly to your gate after security check. If you have to check in luggage then make sure that you keep your eye on your luggage at all times. There have been times when one assistant is pushing my wheelchair and the other assistant is carrying the bag several feet behind me. When this has happened I stop the wheelchair and wait. I let them know that under no circumstance must that luggage be out of my view. They tend to be very accomodating when they know you are an astute person.

I won’t go into detail about the items that should be in your carry on because Jules did an excellent job in her last column so go back and check it out. I can tell you that you should have something to keep you occupied, perhaps a paperback novel or puzzle book.

Once you get to security the fun begins. As disabled people, we want to be treated equally. Guess what? In the eyes of security, we are just as equally liable to be a terrorist as the next person. You will get a body pat down. It is nothing to get excited about fellas! Then they might ask you to take off your shoes. If you have crutches they will run them through the x ray machine. I strongly suggest you ask for a wheelchair at the curbside especially if they tell you that the gate is far away.

They will ask you a bunch of dumb questions like “Are you carrying any weapons?” For those of us itching to quip back a sarcastic comment, let me warn you that this is not the place to do it. Smile and answer honestly. Oh yeah, keep on eye on your stuff there as well.

Ok, so now you are at the gate. Give the airline check in attendents the ticket and inform them that you will need an aisle chair and a baggage ticket for your wheelchair. I try to keep my wheelchair with me as long as possible. Keep your claim ticket! You should board before anyone else even V.I.P. As a matter of fact, I let them know that if they could give me the closest seat to the door it would make life much easier for me and for THEM. “Them” is the magic word. Most of the time, I sit in the first class section without a first class ticket. Ah the perks!

Getting into your seat can be a problem. Aisle, window or dead in the middle, there is no perfect choice. I can tell you that dead in the middle is the worst choice. The other two options depend on your own ability to move around. If it is difficult for you to move then the aisle seat is your best bet. If you can move even with the assistance of others then the window seat is your best bet because the other passengers will not have to go over you to get to their seats. If you need help be specific with your instructions. I inform them about my disability and the type of assistance I need. They tend to be very helpful and attentive. Once you are seated buckle up and relax.

Try not to drink any liquids three hours before your take off unless you went to the bathroom at the airport. Realistically, it is impossible to go to the bathroom in an airplane.

The food is not that great so you are better off eating before hand or bringing something with you. Either way, I try not to eat because then the bathroom calls my name and I can’t reply. Most airlines don’t offer movies for the duration of the trip. However, JetBlue is my favorite airlines for domestic flights within the United States. Every person has a small television screen. No sharing. Great stuff! They also have quick check in and their on time performance is fabulous!

Once you arrive at your destination take out your book again because you are the last person to disembark the plane. In fact, you might still be on the plane when the cleaning crew steps in. Your wheelchair might be there but the assistance may not have arrived. Once they do arrive make sure you have your carry on luggage and all of your belongings. Get into the aisle chair and as soon as possible back into your own wheelchair. If you have someone waiting for you let the assistant know where they should be meeting you. If you are alone ask them to take you to the taxi or bus information section.

You should know that these assistance people accept tips. I tend to tip them well because I know that I must return to the same spot and they will be more likely to help out when they know you value their job. Money talks in all states and countries.

I wish I could tell you the step by step procedure for people who check in their luggage or fly for more than 4 hours but I will leave that up to Jules who should be back for the December issue of “Around the World with Jules”

Happy Travels!
If you have any questions or comments about this column please email nathasha@audacitymagazine.com with the subject TRAVEL.

Cruising The Pacific

Julie Stonestreet — Tue, 07 Oct 2003 13:50:04 +0000

In 1993, at age 21, I decided to travel on a cruise around the Pacific with a friend. At the time, I was fairly mobile, so the only things I was concerned about during the trip were the stairs on board between the levels and the rockiness of the ship. We approached our local travel agent, who suggested we sail on a Fairstar cruise with P&O Cruises. They departed from Sydney, where I live, so I didn’t have to do any other traveling before departure, which would save us money. We booked a 10-day cruise around the Pacific. We were told that it was not cyclone season, so the trip should be fairly smooth sailing. The agent also told me that there was an elevator between the floors, so I would not have to walk up and down the stairs.

The day we set sail, the sun was shining brightly in Sydney. It was the beginning of April, and, unbeknownst to us, it was the school holidays. If we had known this before we booked, we would have chosen another time. There were 400 children on board, and by the end of the 10 days, every single one of them knew my name and what was wrong with me. I am not saying I didn’t love the kids, I did; but the cruise was very family-orientated, and there ended up being only 50 single people on board out of 2000 people. Therefore, most of the other passengers were elderly or families. This is something you might want to consider when choosing what cruise to go on. Your travel agent should be able to find out that information for you.

As the ship left the port, we threw our streamers onto the dock. We made our way to our room, and found a tiny room with 2 single beds and a bathroom with shower and toilet. You couldn’t swing a cat in there. It was so small, you had to close the door to open the shower door. When you sat on the toilet, you could put your feet into the shower. We just couldn’t stop laughing. We had decided to pay more money and get single beds rather than bunks, and we also didn’t want to share a bathroom. In hindsight, with not much experience in traveling, I should have inquired if there was a wheelchair-accessible room. I just didn’t think of asking at the time of booking.

When we arrived at our room, the captain made an announcement that we were required to attend a lifejacket demonstration in the lounge. We had to take the life jackets they supplied in our room. When it came time to try on our vests, we were in fits of laughter. Because I am only 3 feet tall, the vest went down to my feet. One of the helpers went and got me a kids one, which ended up being worse, as it wouldn’t go over my chest. I decided in an emergency I would just have to make do with the big one. At least I would be very buoyant.

I had a wonderful time on the cruise, and there were many activities, both day and night, to keep me occupied. The first three days of sailing, there was no land, and all we could see was ocean. We spent the days playing bingo, eating the three meals a day, and trying to get near the swimming pool. There was only one pool on board, and it was always full of kids and emptied at night. I know that other shipping companies have more facilities than this, so it might be something to consider when looking for the right cruise for you–especially the access to the pool. The other problem that would have been hard in a wheelchair was that when we went from inside to outside, there was a one-foot piece of door we had to step over. It was fine for me, as I was walking on my sticks, but would have been really hard with a wheelchair. You can also check this with the cruise line.

Nighttime, there was always something new to do. In the lounge area, they had a show every night with a different theme, and one night, even had a talent quest with the passengers from the cruise. There was a casino on board with poker machines, and a disco on the ship’s deck, which partied on every morning until the wee early hours.

When finally arriving at particular ports, some were more accessible than others. It also depended on weather conditions on the day, whether they were going to be able to safely get us on and off board. One place in particular we went to was called Mystery Island. There were no toilets at all on the island, and wwe had to do a one-hour trip back to the ship to go to the toilet. The island was gorgeous, and was just sand and blue tropical waters, but had no wheelchair facilities at all. On the ship, they have entertainment officers who will be able to tell you whether or not you will be able to get around on the islands.

Here are some essentials I would suggest to pack for your cruise.
Your own pillow, esp. if you have back or neck problems

Comfortable clothes for wearing off the ship

Swimming costume

Suntan lotion and bug spray

Cotton socks to stop bugs from biting you on the islands

Extra medication and emergency prescriptions

Long sleeve cotton shirts to wear onshore, as you can get very burnt easily

One really good going-out outfit for a special night

Pack lightly, as the rooms are not very big

Some examples of cruise lines that offer wheelchair accessible services:

Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Norwegian, Crystal and Silversea.

So if you enjoy meeting people of all walks of life, adventure and have always wanted to go on a cruise, I would say go for it. I had the time of my life. The biggest piece of advice I can offer you is to ask questions, and if the travel agent doesn’t know, go directly to the cruise line.

Flying Questions Answered

Julie Stonestreet — Thu, 07 Aug 2003 13:51:05 +0000

Jules takes the time while recovering from an injury to answer flying questions.

Fabulous article! Very informative and I can’t wait to read more in future aricles, it’s the type of info that you can’t get anywhere normally.Excellent idea! I’ll probably contact you personally one day when I get brave enough to venture out on a trip with my daughter Chloe. I love to tavel, but that was before Chloe! Is there ever a situation where a wheelchair bound person stay in their chair through the flight? Does the chair always have to go cargo style? If so, how are transfers smoothly go?

Keep up the good work!
Kelly D.
Hi Kelly

Glad that you enjoyed the first issue. To answer your question about the wheelchair. Unfortunatley you cannot stay in your chair for the flight. Due to safety regulations you have to be seated in a proper seat with the safety belt on at all times. The only time you are allowed to take it off is to go to the bathroom. If you did need to use the toilet, they have a special wheelchair on board (you have to organise this before the flight) that can be wheeled to the toilet but you have to be able to transfer as the toilets are really small and the wheelchair does not fit into it. It only goes to the bathroom door.

The onboard wheelchair has tiny wheels so it can fit down the aisle. So to answer your question you have to always put your chair in with the luggage, make sure they tag it well and put a FRAGILE label on it to ensure they don’t damage it. Ask for the onboard wheelchair before you go as it isn’t kept onboard unless requested and always ask a flight attendant for help. That’s why they are there. Make sure they organise what is called a “Meet and Assist”. It will ensure a member of the airport is there waiting for you at the other end to help you disembark and collect your luggage.

Another really good tip is if you can get up to the flight deck to the cockpit do it. It is amazing. Because I am airline staff I was allowed to sit up there for a landing and it was one of the best experiences in my life. ***

Happy travelling,
Jules
***Editor’s Note: Due to security issues many airlines no longer offer this to the passengers.

Before You Make Your Booking

Julie Stonestreet — Mon, 07 Jul 2003 13:52:14 +0000

Hi to all the readers of the Audacity Magazine. Let me introduce myself. My name is Julie Stonestreet. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta type III/IV. I am 29 and live in Sydney, Australia. For the past eight years, I have worked for Qantas Airlines as an International Travel Consultant.

I am so excited to have the opportunity to write a column on traveling around the world. If anybody has any questions that they would like to ask, please feel free to do so. I have traveled to many places in the world and would like to help you spread your wings, and hopefully give everyone the travel bug.

Now, before you decide to visit your travel consultant, there are a couple of things you might like to think about. Traveling with a disability can be made so much easier if you have everything planned in advance, and have found out about the destination that you wish to travel to.

You need to work out the season in which you want to travel. If you want to go to a country that has very different seasons, you may want to find out first when is the best time of year to travel. For example, you might not want to travel to Asia in the monsoon season, as you will have rain every day.

If you are traveling with a wheelchair, electric or otherwise, you may want to check with the airline to determine what the requirements are as to how they transport your chair. Most airlines will carry your chair for free and not charge you for extra baggage. When you do travel, I would suggest that you tape some foam to your chair to save it from being damaged during the flight. Sometimes, they are not too careful with your goods, and you don’t want to end up with a damaged chair at the other end. Another good idea is to get them to put a fragile tag on the chair, so that the handlers know to be more careful with your wheels. Other items that they may not charge you to transport are shower seats or special chairs. If you are traveling with an electric chair, you will have to find out about the requirements of traveling with a wet cell or dry cell battery. Every airline is different. In future columns, I will give more information about these areas.

Make sure you ask the travel agent to book an accommodation with wheelchair accessibility, and, if they are unsure, you can even email the hotel directly to find out first if they have rooms that are equipped for you and your chair. Even one tiny step can be a real hassle for you on your holiday. It’s better to find out before you go, rather than turning up and then having to try to find a better hotel.

Different countries around the world have different levels of accessibility. What you will find in the States or Australia will be very different than what you will find in other areas of the world. This is due to the fact that they may not have the same laws that we have. Therefore, they can be very lax in the way they have their infrastructure set out. If you are unsure, make sure you talk to someone that has been there before. For example, when I traveled to Bali, the gutters were really high. Because of the monsoon rains, they have huge gutters to accommodate the large amounts of rain. This can be a hassle for a person in a wheelchair. They also have huge holes in the pavement. You can be walking along and then all of a sudden there is a huge pothole. They don’t have warning signs, and you have to carefully walk around them. That’s not to say all parts of Bali are like this, but getting around in the city is something to consider when you are traveling.

Finally, before you make your booking, check with your travel agent to find out if there are any concessions for your carer or traveling companion. Sometimes, airlines will have special fares that will entitle them to a discount if they are traveling with you.

If anyone has any questions about this article, or any other information that they would like to know about, please contact me at the magazine’s email nathasha@audacitymagazine.com and address it JULES! You will see your question and response in the next column.

Happy traveling!