Sunset
Photo by: renjithmc (Stock Exchange)

Hello, and thanks for joining us at Disabled Travelers!

By the time you read this, it will be Friday, December 30th: only a tiny ways from the new year.

And what a year it has been! Throughout 2011,

I like to think we made the Disabled Travelers blog more fun and exciting than ever before; it certainly has been a blast to write, all the way through.

So now, as we look forward to a great new year, I hope you have love and optimism in your heart – for your own future and for the future of disabled travel.

After all, we’ve discovered a lot of good news and wonderful progress in our time together.

And here’s a little bit more before we bid adieu to 2011 …

TSA Launches Helpline for Disabled and Special Needs Travelers: Just when you were wondering if the Transportation Security Administration would ever quite come around to the world the rest of us live in, a real breakthrough: TSA is launching a hotline that disabled travelers and their travel companions can use to get direct, immediate, live assistance with their travel concerns, at any time of the day or night. Those who call in advance (72 hours is the recommended timeframe) will be able to obtain checkpoint support from TSA staff at their airport of choice, arranged by the agency. Great work!

Disabled Musicians from South Korea, Taiwan to Hold Joint Concert: A great example of international harmony with an accessible twist: blind singers from Taiwan’s Eden Social Welfare Foundation will join with disabled performers from South Korea’s Beautiful Mind Music Academy in a cooperative event. It will be the first overseas performance for the South Korean institution, which was established to cultivate the skills of young musicians with disabilities. Many of the star performers are blind or have serious developmental disabilities – and the music they make is beautiful. What a story!

DOT Marks 25 Years of Equal Access for Travelers: It’s amazing to imagine it’s only been 25 years – but, yes, the Air Carrier Access Act just turned 25 earlier this month. The Act, as many disabled travelers may be aware, provides for equal access by all passengers on airlines, regardless of disability status. In truth, the government and airline industry have worked together to do some astounding work in this time, developing whole fleets of accessible airplanes with most aircraft expected to conform to even higher standards as the new generation of planes starts to see service. Although things aren’t perfect, the Air Carrier Access Act was a great move – and we hope it will lead to the higher standards in airport terminals and check-in kiosks the Department of Transportation is considering.

I hope you’ve enjoyed your time with Disabled Travelers as much as I have. Cheers!

Si

Ropojana Valley, Montenegro
Photo by: konikaori (Stock Exchange)

Welcome home to your spot on the web for the best in accessible travel news, Disabled Travelers!

Since December is rushing by already, I thought now would be a great time to have a little chat about what the future holds for our dear blog.

It’s been a wonderful two years running the show here at Disabled Travelers. The blog has almost 200 posts, going all the way back to 2007, and the main site — our ever-growing directory of accessible travel services — has been around nearly ten years!

Wow! As your humble host, I look forward to a fantastic 2012, and here’s how I’m planning to do it …

More for Blind and Deaf Travelers

When folks think of disabled travelers, wheelchair users might be the first to come to mind. Folks with mobility issues do make up a large portion of the accessible travel world, but disabled travelers and their travel companions come in all shapes and sizes. This year, we broke new ground with posts for non-sighted and hearing impaired travel. We’re devoted to the idea that everyone should have safe, enjoyable, independent travel experiences that work for them, and that means more posts for everyone. Can’t wait to explore what hearing and sight-impaired travelers have been up to in 2012!

More Ways for Disabled Travelers to Get Involved

Over the last few weeks I’ve been telling you about new Department of Transportation guidelines that would extend accessible features throughout airline kiosks and, in the long run, ensure that airline websites are easier to use than ever. I’ve encouraged readers to take a look at those guidelines and post a public comment on the Federal Register, which you still can. Accessible travel is becoming a bigger public issue not just every year, but seemingly every month — and the 2012 Olympics will be another high-profile event for disabled travelers. In 2012, I’ll be watching closely for chances for us to chime in.

More Reviews and Interviews for Disabled Travelers

Everyone’s travel experience is different, so I usually shy away from doing product reviews for disabled travelers. One thing I would really love to do, though, is get involved in more conversations with ordinary travelers and the innovators on the disabled travel scene. I’m dropping a line to some of the folks who run the websites we frequently enjoy here at Disabled Travelers, and I really hope we’ll get to chat. Our viewers can get into the act by sending questions or even offering to be the subject of an interview. If you’ve had a travel experience you want everyone to hear about, just let us know.

I’m working to make 2012 the best year yet for Disabled Travelers. Remember, we can’t do it without you! Drop me a line by replying to any comment. I hope you and yours have a great December and a wonderful (early) New Year! We’ll be chatting again next Friday and every Friday right here at the Disabled Travelers blog. Cheers!
Si

Autumn leaves
Photo by: Craig Goodwin (Stock Exchange)

Hello, and welcome back to Disabled Travelers!

You know, one of my favorite holidays is Thanksgiving. I love the meal, I love seeing family, and I love the whole concept behind taking some time to reflect on what’s good in life.

As disabled travelers, we face some challenges when it comes to our favorite hobby, but there are actually a lot of things going right in the world of accessible travel these days.

This post will zoom in on some of the high points we’ve hit over the course of this great year on the blog.

Accessible Journeys: Accessible Journeys is a truly incredible travel company focused on fully accessible itineraries for disabled travelers all over the world. With one of the best and longest records in the industry, their group and independent wheelchair-accessible tours have ranged all over the globe. Right now, they’re advertising opportunities in Scotland, Ireland, Peru, and Chile, but this really only scratches the surface of what this amazing team is capable of. Tours, cruises, and safaris are available for Alaska, Egypt, Israel, Kenya, New Zealand, and many other places. Most highly recommended!

Cruise Critic: It’s rare when a site not devoted especially to disabled travel has such great resources that we end up recommending it again and again. Cruise Critic is an exception. One of the internet’s foremost sites for planning a cruise and discussing your experiences before, during, and after, it’s also a haven for disabled travelers seeking the best cruises out there. With Cruise Critic, anyone can join in and get expert advice from other cruise-goers, whether you have questions about mobility or need accommodation for hearing, sight, or medical needs. Stop by for the columns, but stay for the friendly atmosphere.

Nondiscrimination in Air Travel: This new proposal by the Department of Transportation stands to be one of the most important developments in air travel for the disabled in a long, long time. The Nondiscrimination Act will require airport kiosks to feature full accessibility, and will extend accessibility requirements to airline websites. This is a leap forward for those with sight or hearing impairments, as every step of your air journey will now be required to meet the same high standards expected of your time on the airplane. The Nondiscrimination Act isn’t a done deal yet, so if you haven’t gone to the official site to make your comments, please visit! It could make a world of difference!

The Passenger’s Bill of Rights: Horror stories about delayed flights, lost baggage, and all kinds of other inconveniences are on the downward slide nowadays thanks in part to activists all around the country and recent moves by the Department of Transportation. Extended rights for flyers have reduced tarmac time and put new processes in place to keep travelers from getting stranded. Just as importantly, more and more flyers are now informed about their rights. If you have a question, this page from the Department of Transportation provides a great overview of just about everything, including a primer on the rights of disabled individuals in the sky. Browse this before a flight — just in case.

What are YOU most thankful for in travel this year? Let me know below!

Si

The Parthenon, Greece
Photo by: milspa (Stock Exchange)

Welcome back to the Disabled Travelers blog!

Today, I’d like to address a concern on the minds of many globetrotters, including disabled travelers and their travel companions; what’s the situation for travel in Greece?

As the birthplace of democracy and haven of so many sites that influenced ancient culture around the world, this proud country has long played host to tens of millions of tourists every year.

With recent economic trouble, many have wondered if they should put off their Greek vacations – and even if it’s safe, how’s the accessibility situation?

We hope to answer both these questions today!

The Travel Situation in Greece

Greece is, and remains, one of the safest countries in the world, with a comparatively low rate of violent crime. However, visitors should be aware that there are some areas – including some neighborhoods near typical tourist destinations – that should be avoided. Theft can be a problem in evening hours. Likewise, with the changing political situation, all travelers should be alert to resources that can protect them. Particularly, stay aware of your local embassy, and notify it when you enter and plan to leave Greece.

Travel to common tourist destinations such as the Acropolis in the daytime. Refrain from night tours, and particularly avoid public transportation after daylight hours. As always, if you have any doubt, use an established and trustworthy tour group. You can choose from local tour groups or larger, international ones – either way, select companies that have a strong focus on accessible travel and custom itineraries. Local insight is the best way to avoid issues, but also check sites like Virtual Tourist for recent advice from other visitors.

Is Athens Accessible to Disabled Travelers?

Any city that maintains traditional, largely untouched historic districts will present some challenges, due to the slowness of accessible travel improvements around heritage sites. Athens is definitely one of these cities, so we recommend caution in developing an itinerary that takes this into account. Despite all this, a lot of progress has been made in barrier-free access in central Athens. Unlike Rome, which is known for its challenges for physically disabled travelers, Athens has a reputation for a progressive attitude.

Here are some of the latest accessible travel links on Athens:

Sage Traveling, Athens: A strong overview of the accessibility outlook in Athens, focusing on such amenities as transportation, dining, and attractions. For further information from the same authors, Disabled Access in Athens offers some insight in the city’s layout that could help you plan your accessible itinerary.

Greece for the Disabled: A very detailed page which includes special disabled hotels, accessible cruises, tour operators, and plenty of facts about some of the ancient landmarks that many folks will want to visit. I was pleasantly surprised to find such eclectic and engaging resources – including “The Best Taxi Driver in Greece!”

Notes for the Disabled in Athens: From the prominent and trustworthy AngloINFO, an introduction to resources and emergency contacts for those staying in Athens. Want to go deeper? Check out Disability Now, a Greek advocacy nonprofit that provides some fact sheets in English. Rumor is you can contact them to get questions answered!

I hope everyone can breathe a little sigh of relief now knowing the situation in Athens is still welcoming to tourists – and that disabled travelers have a lot to look forward to when heading to some of civilization’s most precious landmarks. Thanks for visiting, and drop by next week for more of the latest in global accessible travel. We look forward to having you then!

Si

Daytona Beach
Photo by: Roberto V. (Stock Exchange)

Hello and welcome to all our friends out there on the internet, and new wanderers who might be visiting us from Google!

Today’s Disabled Travelers blog will see us jet off to Florida’s “Fun Coast” for one of the biggest tourist draws outside Disney: Daytona Beach.

As many of you already know, I myself am a life-long resident of Florida, and lately I’ve been eyeing the Daytona area as my next home base.

Well, there’s a lot of fun to be had in the Sunshine State, and I’ve covered a lot of it in previous posts; but Daytona is completely new to me, so let’s see what we can find up there!

To my delight, it’s not hard to find a bunch of different access guides, disabled hotel lists and other resources attached to many of the more general Daytona Beach guides you may see out on the web. One of the better ones is Accessible Daytona Beach, operated and edited by self-proclaimed active paraplegic Steve Deal. The site features long pages and full business listings in areas such as transportation, care service and equipment, beach access, disabled hotels, activities, and – yes – Steve’s favorite restaurants. You can’t go wrong with Steve’s combo of exceptional cuisine and accessible venues!

One of the most beloved attractions in Daytona is, of course, the Daytona International Speedway. The official website provides information on accessibility, disabled parking, and transportation assistance at and around the track. Also check out the Track Tours page. Availability for these “all access” and VIP fan tours is limited since they’re so popular, but once you do, you’re sure to have a great time! Don’t forget that the Daytona area is serviced by its own international airport. You can get a look at the terminal map, facilities, and route map from the official site.

With 23 miles of beaches and a hospitality industry that plays host to 8 million visitors every year, there are dozens and dozens of great hotels to choose from around Daytona. This includes disabled hotels at a variety of price points. For a great general selection, try out the Daytona Beach disabled hotel listings from LetsBookHotel.com. This offers up 42 disabled hotel listings with spectacular features like, in many cases, accessible VIP suites, pools, and much, much more. These are definitely world class accommodations, and there are plenty to choose from to match your specific needs.

Daytona is looking like a truly welcoming place. Who can resist a beachside extravaganza of great activities that also has ample accessible features? That’s all for our first look, but I hope to poke deeper into this intriguing little haven sometime in the next few weeks. In the meantime, don’t hesitate to share your favorite disabled travel finds, tips, or questions with me by leaving a comment below. See you next Friday!

Si

Beautiful and accessible! Who could ask for more?
Photo by: Robert Linder (Stock Exchange)

Howdy, travelers!

Last week on the Disabled Travelers blog, we talked about some good guidelines for getting the very best travel views and information when you check out an internet forum.

Now, we’ll be looking at some of the best discussion boards for disabled travelers to visit for all your travel needs.

There are great travel communities all around the Web, of course, but these stand out as credible, friendly, and super-valuable for the kind of meticulous trip planning so many disabled travelers are experts in.

Have a favorite forum not listed here? Leave me a comment and let us know about it!

TripAdvisor: TripAdvisor is a review site for hotels (including disabled hotels), vacation rentals, and flights. Yes, they are selling something; ad space and affiliate agreements drive the site. On the other hand, it is one of the biggest travel sites in the world – if not the biggest – and the destination-based forums are perfect for getting all the answers you need from folks that have been where you’re headed. There’s even a Traveling With Disabilities forum where you can find some real gems, including a user-generated Accessibility Checklist for Hotel Accommodations.

Cruise Critic: Disabled travelers love cruises, and why not? It’s like floating on a luxury hotel on the water, and there are great solo and group activities; not to mention terrific shore excursions, fun events and shows, and much more. But to get the most out of your voyage, you have to have accessible cruise features. Many cruise lines have a stellar reputation for service to disabled travelers, but not all; and what better way to know before you go but to head to Cruise Critic? The site is well aware of the disabled traveler community, with many reviews that pertain to mobility, sightedness, and other issues; and there’s a Disabled Cruise Travel board, too.

Apparelyzed: Apparelyzed is a site for spinal cord injury survivors, and it’s become known around the Disabled Travelers blog for being the source of some of the best travelogues out there on the web, including great previews of accessible attractions and disabled hotels. Of our selections today, it’s the only one that focuses exclusively on disabled folks and their carers. Don’t be wary, though; anyone respectful of the community is welcome in the Apparelyzed forums, and for our purposes? You’ll be wanting to check out the Travel Tips & Wheelchair Accessible Holiday Destinations forum.

Now, that’s not all of the great forums out there – I’m sure there’s many, many more. But I think you’ll find even hardcore travel buffs can spend weeks shooting the breeze at these three sites and always find something new to learn. If you’re planning a trip, head on over to each one and get to know some folks. You’ll be surprised what you find out, and how much better a great trip can be when you plan ahead and make the most of it.

That’s it for this week, but pop by next Friday for more Disabled Travelers! Cheers!

Si

Madrid all lit up!
Photo by: Fred Fokkelman (Stock Exchange)

Hello, greetings, and welcome!

As I promised last time, this week’s post will have us visiting Spain.

We briefly saw it long, long ago in a post about the Pyrenees Mountains, a great tourist region that provides a gateway to both France and Spain.

But this will be our first time discussing access in the warm and wonderful country itself, and once we’ve hit some of the big cities, we’ll also swing by neighboring Portugal for a peek at what it has to offer.

Without further ado, let’s get on board for wheelchair access in Madrid!

Musings on Madrid by Wheelchair starts us off. This travelogue is from back in 2007, but don’t let that fool you: there’s still a lot of solid, relevant information here as well as a lot of internet resources that are still going strong. However, given that a few years have elapsed, don’t be surprised if certain issues have improved since this writing. The authors describe about 50% of the city’s Metro as inaccessible; you can get a better idea of your options with this accessible transportation guide to Metro stations in the city.

For another useful overview, check out Madrid at AccessAble, part of a much (much) longer Spain article that covers a number of major cities, including Barcelona, Puerto Lumberas, Granada, Cordoba, Seville, Toledo, and Segovia. Wow! On Wheel Adventure, you can browse through a whole Madrid Travel Guide featuring transport, airport, attractions, and disabled hotel information. It even covers restaurants and nightlife, indispensable parts of any trip that I find are sadly overlooked all too often! Don’t think these are canned write-ups from some boring site, either; they’re real, personal reviews, with pictures!

When it comes to centrally located, clear, and well-organized content on accessibility around the world, AbilityTrip distinguishes itself. Its Madrid page is especially helpful for the great listing of accessible attractions and their associated websites in English. These include the fully accessible National Museum and the Royal Palace of Madrid, which also provides plenty of accessible features (note, though, that even though the royal family no longer lives here, it is frequently closed to the public for state events.)

Madrid Local Reference INFOrmation comes from AngloINFO and provides a listing of local disabled organizations, contact information to receive mobility help and benefits while staying in Madrid, and a whole bunch of important points to know about handling medical emergencies and major events in Spain. Looking for wheelchair rentals? TripAdvisor and its “Traveling with a Disability” message boards can help! Finally, for a slew of touristy stuff that doesn’t quite fit anywhere else, your best bet might be The Essential Madrid Tourist Information Guide, which is pretty comprehensive.

Next week will see us in Barcelona! Hope to see YOU there!

Si

Sunset in Dubai
Photo by: Sususmu Suda (Stock Exchange

Welcome back to Disabled Travelers!

As promised, today we’ll be taking a closer look at wheelchair travel in Dubai, one of the biggest tourist capitals in the entire Middle East.

If you were here last time, you saw how we got the ball rolling with a Dubai travelogue from Apparelyzed that turned out to be a great introduction to the city.

Now we build on the fun with a little more information on disabled hotels, accessible attractions, and other points of interest for disabled travelers and their traveling companions.

One of the first things to know about Dubai is that it goes out of its way to greet international guests. Dubai International Airport has a stellar reputation for world class service and even has two luxury hotel locations on site. There is a huge amount of information on the website, all available in English, and the airport is only ten minutes from the city center – a huge difference compared to places like Heathrow and Gatwick! That said, I wasn’t able to find any specific information for disabled travelers on the site. The Map of DIA Terminal 1 omits any mention of accessible toilets or other amenities. Be sure to get in touch with your airline to discuss any assistance you may need.

AbilityTrip’s Accessible Dubai overview sheds some light on DIA (which does, it seem, have accessible bathrooms) and also gives some valuable pointers on the overall situation in the city. Large-sized taxis and taxi-minivans are prevalent, which allow safe storage of wheelchairs during rides. There’s also some insights on offer about disabled hotels, accessible attractions, and wheelchair rental, all provided by real travelers. Looking for more sources for high quality medical supplies? Click to Rolli-Mobil, a German company that operates extensively in Dubai and throughout the UAE.

Hotels are an important part of Dubai’s international image. Although not every hotel is accessible, disabled hotels are very common, and properties work hard to maintain a modern flair that caters to globetrotting guests. Visit Time Out Dubai’s disabled hotel listings and TripAdvisor’s wheelchair accessible Dubai vacation rentals. There are a lot of options, and English is widely spoken in the Dubai hospitality industry, so it’s easier than usual to make an informed decision on the right accommodations for you.

Roll On Travel is a wheelchair-friendly disabled tour operator that focuses on Thailand. No word on whether they’ll be visiting Dubai again soon, but as you can see from their great photos of Dubai from 2008, they’ve been around – and it looks like it was a doozy of a trip! This is a very high resolution gallery, so it might take a while to load, but it is worth it. There are also some photos from one of their signature Thailand trips.

That’s our Dubai coverage for now. Visit next week to see our first look at Spain!

Si

The Burj al-Arab in Dubai; world’s tallest building
Photo by: barunpatro (Stock Exchange)

Welcome back to Disabled Travelers!

Between writing posts, I’m planning another journey that I can’t wait to tell you all about.

Thanks to some unexpected circumstances involving my old college roommates and my continuing quest to finish a master’s degree, I find myself with a need to practice my Arabic; and that means coming up with a trip that can combine business and (accessible) pleasure.

But where to? The deliberations are over, and my traveling companions and I will be heading to Spain and then on to Dubai, in the UAE … never before seen on the Disabled Travelers blog!

Now, this is my first trip to the Middle East (or, in fact, the “anything” East … my plan to drop by Japan was abruptly canceled) so I wasn’t sure what to expect. But Dubai, one of the major city-states of the United Arab Emirates, is probably the best place out there for a starter trip to the region. It welcomes millions of global tourists every year thanks to its welcoming attitude and ultra-modern sights, including man-made islands and the Burj al-Arab, currently the world’s tallest skyscraper. Likewise, the number of disabled hotels and the accessibility situation in general seems to be the best in the Middle East!

Taking a quick look around, I discovered this discussion over at Apparelyzed, the number one community on the internet for maintaining an active lifestyle after spinal cord injury: Wheelchair Accessible Holiday in Dubai. If you scroll down a bit, you’ll actually discover a fairly comprehensive guide to accessible attractions, transportation, and disabled hotels! Most hotels are 100% accessible, as are many of the top attractions. The only major complaint I’ve uncovered so far is the lack of dropped curbs and curb cutaways in some areas. While this is nothing to sneeze at, it seems like the bulk of the news is good, even with an unfinished mass transit system.

Now, this is a really long way to go in just one hop, so my friends and I decided that we would stop off in Spain first. No word yet on whether we’ll be checking out Madrid, Barcelona, or somewhere else completely. But as I figure it out, Disabled Travelers readers will learn along with me. Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be researching fun destinations all around Spain, and digging deeper into Dubai. Hope you’ll join us again, this time next week and every week, as Disabled Travelers goes the distance in accessible travel around the world! Thanks for reading, and see you again soon!

Si

Hotel in Lausanne, Switzerland
Photo by: BrightyG (Stock Exchange)

Hello and welcome to Disabled Travelers!

Today I’d like to take time out to extend a special thanks to those of you who’ve been with us a time.

Our loyal Disabled Travelers readers and their traveling companions have helped us reach a splendid milestone: Our parent site, disabledtravelers.com, is #1 on Google for disability travel searches!

This is a great honor, to be sure, and it has all come about thanks to your patronage.

So, what else is near the top of the list?

Today, we’ll review some of the best disabled travel sites … both the new, and old favorites that have shown up in our access guides over the months.

Accessible Journeys: This site has been one of our favorites for a good, long time. Accessible Journeys is one of the most well-established, comprehensive, and downright fun tour operators catering to the needs of those with any kind of disability. Their accessible group tours are among some of the most intriguing and exotic in the industry, and the company also handles independent wheelchair travel planning and my personal favorite, accessible cruises. Specials include Alaska, Chile, Egypt, and more.

Global Access News: Global Access News is one of the longest running disability travel newsletters on the internet, and provides a monthly e-zine in the form of travel tips compiled by readers around the world. Content is eclectic, with detailed reports and travelogues that cover the good, the bad, and the ugly all over the globe. Other regular features include an archive by geographic region, disability website links, and trip planning tips, among much more. A great place to get the absolute freshest travel views.

Disabled Cruise Travel: This new entry is part of the user community at Cruise Critic, one of the oldest sites on the web for getting inside insight on the best cruise lines and deals anywhere you care to go. Cruise Critic has been around for fifteen years now, and provides both editorial reviews and user-submitted content. I don’t usually link to forums, but this one is bursting at the seams with terrific tips. It’s ultra-busy, welcoming, and you can probably find someone to help you with just about any cruise-related question.

Slow Travel: If traveling at a slower pace is your preference, check out Slow Travel. This site is full of travel reports and guides, reviews of tour services, and listings for adapted vacation homes in a number of popular countries. At last count, they had sub-sites running for Italy, France, the UK, Switzerland, Spain, and North America. All of these have planning tips, forums, disabled hotel listings and accessible restaurants, as well as user-submitted maps of the local area using Google Maps. Very helpful!

As you can see, Disabled Travelers is in some good company, and this is only the tip of the iceberg. We’re very pleased to have a positive impact on so many readers. Don’t forget to spread the good cheer by visiting some of the sites above, or suggest your own disabled travel resources in the handy comment box at the bottom of the page. Once again, Disabled Travelers is nothing without you, so thanks for your support!

Si