Mandy Latimore shares her years of experience travelling as a wheelchair user in this travel deep dive
Travelling as a person with a disability need not be the daunting prospect that most people think it is. With the right attitude, lots of planning, and the ability to “make a plan” (adapt to the situation), travel for everyone can be great fun.
As a person with a disability for the past 45 years, I’ve travelled the world and done some weird and wonderful things. It can be done! One needs to also be aware that even with the most careful plans, things do go wrong.
You need to be resourceful and sometimes just downright bossy to get your way! Yet, you will probably come across many people who are extremely eager to assist in any way they can.
When you decide to travel, first you need to research the destination intensively. Do some research on the internet or talk to people who have been there already. The more you know about a place, the more confident you will be in your travels.
Most hotels have e-mail addresses that you can use to enquire about specific needs, such as wheelchair friendly rooms with roll-in showers.
Know your needs, but also what you would be able to settle for should the suppliers not have the exact facilities that you require, or any facilities to cater for people with disabilities.
When planning your holiday, there are a number of factors which need to be put together in order to decide on the best value for money holiday possible.
Budget and company
Budget is the most important factor. The amount of money that you have to spend will decide how far you can travel, which mode of transport you will use, and for how long you can be away.
Similarly, the number of people you are travelling with will determine which modes of transport and what type of accommodation you choose.
If you have a family or are travelling with a caregiver, you might choose a hotel with meals included or perhaps a self- catering unit with multiple bedrooms to accommodate everyone.
Destination
When you know what budget you have available and who will be accompanying you, you can start looking at various areas that you are interested in visiting.
Do you want to relax at the beach or in the bush? Do you want to see a city with lots of sightseeing opportunities? Or are you more interested in relaxing while your kids rush about? Do you want to cruise or be land-based?
Once you have narrowed down your options, it is time to make a decision. Research each destination before travelling so that you can know what you want to do or experience on the trip.
Make sure that you have enough time allocated in each place so that you can enjoy all the sites and places that you want to visit.
Make use of tour guides in places where you do not speak the language. You get much more out of your trip when a local gives you information about the city or sites.
Be sure to check the climate before you leave so that you can pack the correct clothing. Ensure that your caregiver, friends or family pack comfortable walking shoes for the trip!
Check the accessibility
It is advised to double check whether the places that you plan on visiting are accessible. An internet search for “wheelchair friendly” establishments is the first step. Then, go to the individual webpages to see if their facilities do meet your needs.
If you like the venue, give them a call to confirm the facilities that you need are available, for example twin beds, an inter- leading room or roll-in shower. Also ensure that you can move between your room and the general areas like restaurants and facilities easily.
Getting all the paper work
Before a trip, it is important to check the expiry dates of the travel documents you need for yourself and your car. Passports, driver’s licence and vehicle licences all have expiry dates. It is much cheaper to renew these documents than reapplying.
For example, if your driver’s licence expires, you will have to re-take your eye test. If your vehicle licence expires, you have to put it through the roadworthy test again. All at a higher cost than renewing.
Meet the requirements
Please check the requirements of the visa that you are applying for well ahead of time. There might be medical requirements like yellow fever inoculation or anti-malaria medications or practises. Sometimes, there need to be arranged up to two weeks prior to departure.
It is highly recommended to have travel insurance even when travelling local as holidays are usually quite expensive. If the holiday needs to be cancelled for health reasons, then at least you will be able to get your money back.
It is imperative to have travel insurance when travelling outside of one’s country. This should include general cover cancellation, curtailment and delays, loss of items like your luggage or cash and documents, which can easily get stolen or lost, as well as comprehensive medical cover.
Converting to a foreign currency
Once you’ve booked your trip and made sure your passport is valid, you have to arrange foreign currency.
There are various ways of obtaining foreign currency such as banks, specific companies (some even offer the service to your door) or the Bureaux de Change. You can organise cash, traveller’s cheques, cash passports or allocate an amount on your existing credit card.
For a more in-depth look into everything accessible travel, download the full booklet here.
