Traveling and Living

There are some important considerations to take into account when choosing an accessible travel agent.  This is because many travel agents will claim to specialize in accessible travel but they actually don’t.  In reality, they are normal travel agents that find an “accessible” hotel and charge you a big fee. When choosing an accessible travel agent, you should make sure that they research and provide detailed accessibility information.  First, ask them the open ended question “what makes your trip accessible?”  If they miss any important aspects of an accessible vacation, don’t use them as a travel agent.

Your accessibility needs will depend on the type of disability that you have but here are some aspects you may want to consider and a good travel agent would mention:

• Accessible hotel room – Are there steps at the entrance?  How wide is the elevator?  How wide is the bathroom door?  Can a wheelchair be rolled into the shower and positioned next to the toilet?  Don’t trust a travel agent that only tells you they have arranged for an “accessible hotel”….if they can’t give you more details than that, you run the risk of arriving at a hotel that does not meet your needs!
• Getting to the hotel – Will you be taking a normal taxi?  A taxi with a wheelchair ramp?  An accessible bus?  An accessible train?
• Accessibility at the tourist sights – Which museums have steps to enter?  Which palaces have no elevator to get upstairs?  Which ancient ruins have uneven ground that is too difficult for people with wheelchairs or canes?  If the travel agency can not answer these questions for you, you might spend a lot of energy getting to a tourist attraction that you can’t actually visit.
• Getting around the city – How hilly is the city?  How prevalent are cobblestones?  Are they mild cobblestones or severe cobblestones?  How far are the tourist sights from each other? Which Metro stations have elevators?  Which bus routes have busses with wheelchair ramps?  Where can you find taxis with wheelchair ramps?

If a travel agent does not mention these details from the outset, you will probably encounter some difficulties on their trips.

Other disabled travel agents are very knowledgeable about planning accessible holidays, but may know very little about the destination you want to visit.  Consequently, they won’t be able to make helpful recommendations on what you should do while you’re there. Your best option for selecting a disabled travel agent is to find someone who understands the needs of disabled travelers, can customize the trip, and is knowledgeable about the destination.

If you are interested in traveling to Australia, consider using the Last Minute Flights.  Our agents have traveled extensively through Europe and understand the accessibility challenges you are likely to encounter.  We will customize your trip to take into account your particular interests, abilities, and energy level. You will see the sights that you want to see at the pace you want to move at.

Most people prefer to travel by airplane or by car, but there are still some folks who prefer to use bus travel to see the sites on their vacations. Bus travel is not as popular as it once was, but you can still find routes to take you just about anywhere in the United States. Some use it because it costs less than a plane ticket, and they can see more of the countryside this way. You can miss a lot of things when you are concentrating on the road while driving, or worrying about driving directions.

If you are interested in bus travel, you can find a variety of routes depending on where you are going, and when you want to go. Some routes will have a lot of stops along the way, but they may not offer you a lot of time to explore the area. There are tour groups that use bus travel to host specialty tours. These tours may go through a certain part of the country to view the countryside, or may go to a specific destination like the Grand Canyon, or Niagara Falls. Read the rest of this entry »

It’s not a secret that the average ESL teacher’s salary isn’t…well…how should I say this? Decent? But we put up with it because we love what we do-pure and simple. The truth is that, for many of us, the salaries are just enough to keep up us fed, clothed, and, for the most part, happy. But what does that leave for travel?
Unfortunately, not much.

But traveling on a teacher’s salary is possible-with a little planning and savvy.

First, you should think carefully about where you can go in order to get the most for your money. If you live in a foreign land, you’re probably surrounded by ancient sites or cities that are just waiting to be explored. If you live in the U.S., there are many small towns and states that offer a lot to see and do. But don’t select a tourist destination, unless you have a lot of money to spare. Instead, look into the out-of-the-way locations that will allow you to mingle with the locals, share in the culture, eat down-to-earth (read: cheap) food, and have an experience that simply couldn’t be matched in a destination filled with tourists.

Next, you should plan the timing of your vacation carefully. Read the rest of this entry »

Traveling in a foreign place could be quite stressful especially to those who are traveling for the first time. But with proper preparation and research, your vacation can be a lot of fun. So for the first time travelers out there, here are some tips that you have to remember before, during and after traveling.

1. Research on your destination.

Before making your bookings, don’t forget to make a research on your destination. Research on the tourist spots on your destination so that you can plan your itinerary beforehand. Also, research on your destination’s culture, food, dress code and gestures to avoid so that you won’t be out of place when you get there. Researching the weather and climate of your destination would also help you in what kind of clothes to pack.

2. Pack light.

Don’t bring your entire wardrobe on your destination. Try to pack light so that you’ll have enough space for souvenirs and other stuff. This is also to avoid extra charges in airports and other terminals. Read the rest of this entry »

Everybody loves a good vacation and a New York vacation is on my priority list. The idea of traveling is quite fun and exciting. I love traveling as much as I love shopping. The best place to do some serious shopping is in New York City.

Vacationing in New York will lead you to stores like Bloomingdales and Macy’s. These stores are a shopping haven to a lot of shopaholics out there. There are also designer shops in New York. You will be happy to find out that theses shops includes Prada, Armani, Louis Vuitton, Versace, and so on. You can spend days in New York just shopping till you drop.

If you like the theater then you will surely love visiting Broadway. A New York vacation will never be complete without a visit to Broadway. You can enjoy operas and other entertainment shows. You will surely be amazed at the glamour of the theater. One of the liveliest and happening destinations of United States of America with various New York Hotels around, this city tops the priority list of almost every tourist.

Read the rest of this entry »