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.
It’s a fact that seniors as a group have more disposable income and more time to spend it than ever before. If that’s true for you, what’s keeping you from packing up?
Perhaps a spouse can’t travel any more and you have no one with similar interests to travel with? Or perhaps you’re concerned about safety and health or problems with unfamiliar languages and cultures?
If it’s too scary to think of heading off alone, try joining a tour group the first time, one where you’re likely to meet people with similar interests. Find a group that allows for free time to explore on your own and follow your interests. Being alone in a group combines the best elements of solo and accompanied travel. You always have people in the group to talk with and eat with, but you can also explore on your own, close your door, and savor your privacy.
Solo travel arrangements usually require paying some penalties in the form of financial supplements. If this is a deterrent or you don’t like the idea of going with a group, look for an organization that will supply you with a companion of your age and gender (see Solo Travel Resources box on next page). The risk is that you may not “click” with that person. But think of it as a short-term commitment: you’ve at least got to where you want to go and you may even have found a longer-term friend.
Real solo travels—where you decide the destination, read up on it, get your own tickets, and head off alone—is another matter. This is where you weigh concerns for personal safety and where women feel especially vulnerable (nearly all the solo travel advice is directed at women). Read the rest of this entry »
Ensuring you will enjoy your holiday starts with assuring the safety of your home while you are away. It seems we hear this warning time and time again, however statistics demonstrate that we often fail to take the steps necessary to protect our belongings left at home and also our possessions we take on our trip. When the safety of either our home or our travel luggage is violated, it mars our enjoyment.
People remain more vulnerable if they still operate on the premise of the days when they left the key under the mat or the house unlocked. Recently, I was visiting relatives in the US Midwest and was alarmed at their crime prevention attitudes. They routinely left their 3000 square foot home unlocked with patio doors open. Their opinion is that if someone wants to break in, they will. So why make it difficult; they will only damage locks and/or break windows. This is very foolish thinking. Criminals are basically lazy. If there are two houses side-by-side and one is locked and alarmed, even if they are high on drugs and looking for an adrenalin rush, they are more likely to choose the easy target! Read the rest of this entry »
Once you have made the brave step to a new life in a foreign country, inevitably, at some stage you will start missing home and the things that you were used to. Missing friends, family, traditions and the food are typically the most difficult things you will have to deal with as an expatriate.
Missing home and the various other things that were important to you before you left is normal and is part of the transition into a new country and new culture. It can be especially hard if the culture of the country you have moved to is really different to what you were used to.
In the first few months or even the first year, you may feel as if you have lost your identity. Having this state of mind can amplify the feelings of missing home. Back home, people knew you and knew your personality. It may feel like you have to rebuild your identity. In some respects you have to, but it is important to remember why you moved to a new country in the first place. Maybe you wanted a fresh start in life. Grasp the opportunity this fresh start has given you. You could even give your personality a makeover and be someone new.
Dealing with missing home, friends and family can be made that much easier, but it takes effort. One of the important aspects you can do is to plan. Plan to make calls to friends and loved ones. Plan not to be alone. Don’t let yourself be alone too much as this is not good for your morale. Invite the new friends you make to spend time with you. Arrange for your family and friends back home to come and visit as much as possible. By being proactive and planning, you will have something to look forward to and this helps with the thoughts of missing home. Read the rest of this entry »
1 – Your Passport
Of course, but if you like to collect stamps in your passport, you’ll have to ask…
2 – A Little French
Yes, it is true that many Europeans speak English… But you’re in France, after all, and you’ll go a long way in avoiding the famed “snootiness” of the French if you learn -and use – some basic French phrases… They’ll love to help you as you stumble along in really bad French!
3 – A Map…
If nothing else, you can stand there, hopelessly lost on a Parisian street corner, and stare at your map… someone is sure to offer to help. Make sure you say “Bonjour and Merci…”
4 – An Umbrella…
“April in Paris” sounds romantic. It’s an American myth that April in Paris is the loveliest time to visit. May is better, but always expect some rain and always be prepared for changeable weather! The sun might be shining when you leave your Paris Hotels, but it might start raining any time!.
Read the rest of this entry »