Ten Questions Before Going On Accessible Holiday
Traveling abroad while Disabled can be tough. When you’re traveling keep these questions in mind and they should help keep you on the right path.
1. Do You Need to Plan Ahead?
You’ve probably heard the phrase that Genius is 99% perspiration and 1%; well with disabled travelling while abroad there’s also quite a bit of anticipation as well. If there’s going to be some kind of physical obstacle on your journey, why not plan around it?
Did you know that many tours also offer near identical substitutes to many popular destinations? This is especially true for outdoor tours which often rely on unstable routes. Simply by giving your accessible trip the foresight it deserves you guarantee that hiccups in your enjoyment will be no more.
2. When do You Need to Book?
Think of Summer while in December and the reverse as well. That way when you ready your trip you won’t be left with a room that’s unprepared for your specific needs. Many hotels only have a limited number of accessible rooms and it is always cheaper to book your hotel far in advance. Booking ahead you’re also do more research on what you’re doing without having to suddenly worry last minute.
3. Should You look for Help?
You’re not alone! Find out what other travelers have encountered and discover their ‘game plan’. You can also look online and find out what others have found on travel forums, make sure to check when things were posted to make sure that tips aren’t out of date! An even better idea is to use your travel agency or even your hotel to get into contact with someone that can you can ask your questions.
If you don’t check for advice from accessible sources you might find out that every step on your disabled travel plan turns into an opportunity that you can’t take.
4. Should You Try a Tour Group?
You might not believe it, but traveling with an Accessible Tour Group can often be easier than traveling alone. When you’re with a tour guide they’ll point out fascinating history that you might never see. Without a tour guide you might even be completely lost! You might find yourself being boggled by the difficult nature of some cities.
An Accessible Guided Tour will also not lead you astray, focusing on the flattest, easiest, and shortest routes for your enjoyment. Booking an accessible tour is extremely easy, and many tours also offer accommodation deals with local hotels and nearby amenities.
5. Do I Need to Plan My Route?
If you know what you’re doing inside the city you’ll have an easier time. The in-between segments of your trip can either be the hardest or easiest part of your journey. By planning your route you’ll know whether you’re going up a gentle slope with smooth roads, or a steep hill with chunky cobblestone roads.
Remember to look at the accessibility of your location including sidewalks, public transit, and the location of your goal’s accessible entrance before you get on your plane. Muscling past difficult streets to arrive exhausted at your goal is not fun!
6. Are You in a Good Part of Town?
This can be a toughie. Once you find a nice accessible hotel and a nice accessible tour goal you might find yourself struggling through the local neighborhoods to get there. The question here is: What are you going to find out when you exit through the hotel door. Will you have to climb down a steep hill? What about local accessible restaurants?
Having a nice flat hotel that takes ten flights of stairs to get up to isn’t worth it!
7. When Will You be Arriving?
Places have seasons! This is especially prevalent in European travel. In the summer you might be roasting in the scorching summer months in a place that doesn’t have easy access to shade. In the winter you might find yourself dealing with flooding, cold rain, or even snow! Frying and Freezing are the least of your troubles.
It’s also entirely possible that you might encounter the awkward issue of holidays. Just because it’s your disabled vacation doesn’t also mean that it’s a bank holiday. You might show up at an attraction only to find out that it’s closed for the day. Keep an eye on the calendar and plan out your accessible vacation accordingly.
8. What About Public Transit?
Keep this in mind when you book your hotel. Do you have to pay for a taxi? If you constantly need to cart yourself from hired cab to hired cab you might feel that the deal you found isn’t quite worth the hassle.
In many modern cities like London, Paris, and Barcelona you might want to stick near an accessible bus stop. In others you might wish to take a quick subway or boat ride to where you need to be. In others still you might just want to be stationed smack in the centre of town so you don’t need to actually take a form of transit anywhere at all.
9. What about Back-up?
There’s no such thing as a perfect plan, life tends to get in the way. Don’t let a small unexpected problem wreck your disabled holiday. If you’re favorite wheelchair breaks or if your destination in being fumigated make sure that you’re prepared. Keep a back-up plan in mind and you won’t have to spend the entire trip worrying.
10. Should I have Fun?
It’s not rocket science, you’ve planned all this out! You looked for advice and booked a holiday! Yes, have fun and a great accessible vacation.
