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

A huge Christmas tree!
Photo by: Christa Richert

Hello and welcome to Disabled Travelers!

If you’ve been a long-time fan of the blog, you know that I usually spend New Year on a little journey: this year will see me in Tampa and Daytona Beach, two of my favorite places.

So, rather than wait ‘til the New Year, I like to take this chance to reflect on the blog and where it’s been over the last twelve months.

A bit ago, we talked about the future of the Disabled Travelers blog, so check that out if you want to get involved in 2012!

For now, here’s where we’ve been …

Some of Our Top Posts from 2011

How to Get Good Travel Advice Online: With the accessible travel community growing fast, I wanted to do a bit more to show my friends on the blog how to hunt up other great disabled travel resources. That was the spirit behind this post, which distills the wisdom of my experience as an intrepid web-crawler seeking out the best in travel. That’s not all, though, as we also chatted a bit about the best forums to get travel advice, putting you on the trail of some great general purpose travel boards, as well as several with a disabled travel twist. Valuable stuff here for you and your travel companions.

Disabled Travelers’ Best Places to Retire: France and Italy: Visit this post and check out the “best places to retire” tag along the side and you’ll find one of our longest-running sets of 2011. Many disabled travelers are reaching that wonderful age when they can leave work behind, and this series was inspired by some real-life questions I got on the topic of retiring abroad. You’ll find our best off-shore picks for retirement, with information on life issues like currency exchange and citizenship — and, of course, facts on the local accessibility standards.

More Good News for Paraplegic Travelers: New “eLegs” Validates Predictions: I love being able to give good news in the accessible travel world, and the eLegs prosthetic is one of the best things to happen in a long time. This experimental technology follows closely on the ReWalk, a similar set of “bionic legs” (or upright walking technology) that may enable wheelchair users to get up and walk. eLegs, a similar device, is designed by Ekso Bionics and go beyond rehabilitation purposes: it’s aimed at consumers. That means we just may see it put to use for travel purposes sometime in the future.

Disabled Travelers Visits China: A sprawling five-part series under the “Accessible Travel in China” tag, these posts aim to demystify the accessible travel secrets of the far east. With a compelling history and an intriguing future, this vast land has a lot to offer. Of course, finding the right disabled hotel or accessible tour operator can be difficult, so we’ve broken down the information in categories for your benefit: tour operators, Beijing, Shanghai, a big resource list, and a summary of all our findings.

Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree, New York
Photo by: David Lat (Stock Exchange)

Welcome back to Disabled Travelers!

As you know, we update every Friday, so our next time seeing you will be on the 23rd — “Christmas Eve eve!”

It’ll be a little late to make travel plans by then, and even folks who are getting ready to go visiting for New Years will be cutting it pretty close.

So here are a few last thoughts, ideas, and tips before you head out to whatever wonders the holidays have in store.

Cheers!

This Year Will be Better Than Last: While we still recommend all of the pointers in our recent holiday travel tips post, there’s just no question that this year will see easier travel conditions than last year. Winter 2010 was full of record blizzards, sudden snow storms, and see-sawing conditions all over the country; by comparison, this year has been pretty simple and straightforward. Be prepared, but also breathe a little sigh of relief.

You Don’t Have to Go Far to Enjoy: Naturally, many folks will be traveling to see family or friends over the holiday. If you’ve been bit by the travel bug, though, remember that you don’t have to go very far for terrific holiday sights. That may seem strange coming from Disabled Travelers, the #1 site for accessible travel news. But bear in mind that fantastic light displays and events are everywhere, even in your neck of the woods.

To find excellent holiday displays near you, visit Christmas Light Finder.

You Can Turn a Local Trip into an Adventure: Even if you’re not going far, you can transform a quick neighborhood trip into something great by looking for new, accessible ways to enjoy the holiday sights. For example, a piece featured in the Lewisville Leader website out of Plano, Texas tells a tale of a different way to see Christmas lights: from above in a private helicopter tour! What a great way to start a new tradition.

Likewise, those who live on the riverside will likely get to enjoy accessible river cruises this year. Just be sure to drop the tour operator a quick note to clarify any mobility issues or assistance that you may need. Getting onto the same page early is the fastest and easiest way to prevent misunderstandings and ensure a smooth, memorable journey.

Weather Can Change Fast, so Watch Out: It might be a little too late to snatch some of the annual holiday deals, but you still have to get where you’re going. Even if you’ve had great luck with a friendly, accessible airline, transportation to and from the airport, and all else that you need, the weather can change fast. In a weird way, the fact that it’s been (relatively!) mild makes me fear the worst. Stick near reliable sources like The Weather Channel for news from your destination. Winter weather systems emerge suddenly!

By the time we meet next, Santa will be packing up his sleigh. Happy holidays once again from Disabled Travelers, and we wish you the very best holiday travel experiences! I look forward to visiting with you again soon.

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

Christmas tree
Photo by: Uros Kotnick (Stock Exchange)

Welcome back to Disabled Travelers! Now that we’ve all had the chance to recover from another delicious Thanksgiving, it’s time to turn attention to the biggest and craziest travel event of the year: Christmas season. Although many folks will have a traditional holiday with family, there are also some great opportunities to go abroad. That leads to a big ol’ dust-up every year over which destinations and deals are best. Disabled Travelers will sort out the hype and give pointers for those bitten by the travel bug this December.

Global Grasshopper has a list of 10 Alternative Christmas Holidays and all of them sound really amazing. Note that this is not a list specific to accessible travel, but after reading it, I noticed that many of the places on Global Grasshopper’s short list have been covered here on Disabled Travelers; so if any of these catch your fancy, use the search function on the side of our blog to find out more. The top destination? Finland, one of Santa’s favorite haunts! The rest includes New York, Edinburgh, Sydney, and other hot spots.

Frommer’s is one of the most trusted names in travel, so even though this holiday travel article is from back in 2010, I just can’t pass it up. There are some selections here I’m not afraid to say I never would have thought of, such as Tunisia and Hanoi. Just a few of them go a bit further afield of accessibility than I’d normally like, but remember that Asia is also home to a growing number of handicapped-friendly tour operators who can help disabled travelers and their travel companions enjoy the ancient and exotic sights.

For tried and trusted travel spots around the U.S., nothing beats this: Top 10 Destinations for Holiday Lights. New York holds the top spot, naturally, but you might be surprised by some of the other high-rankers throughout the States: Newport Beach, CA, Denver, CO, and even good old Chicago, IL share the top five. Interested in Chicago? Don’t forget about our multi-part series over in the archives. In fact, I even spent a New over in New York City that you can read about for some trip planning tips!

As we get closer to the New Year, it gets tricky to avoid complications and get where you need to go. Start thinking ahead now and you can get the edge to make this the smoothest winter travel season yet! Disabled Travelers will be there to help you every stop along the way, so be sure to keep visiting us. We post in all seasons, 52 weeks out of the year, each and every Friday. Hope to see you next week, when we’ll be looking at the latest disabled travel news and showcasing more about the best travel spots and deals.

And remember: if you’ve got a travel tip, send it to me below!

Happy holidays,

Si

Mist at dawn
Photo by: jupiter60 (Stock Exchange)

Welcome back to Disabled Travelers!

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving — I know I did! In fact, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays: family fun, the best food of the year, and a mind to be grateful for what you have.

What more can you ask for? Of course, there’s nothing wrong with having high hopes for the future, either; and it’s right around now that, if you’ve been a good globetrotter, it might be high time to start writing that holiday wish list.

So, just for fun, here’s what I would ask for from accessible travel Santa — if I could figure out which resort he’s hanging out at!

A New Smartphone: A reliable smartphone is becoming a must-have accessory for the independent world traveler. There are so many new travel apps every month that it would be hard to even catalog them all! Of course, it’s not easy to keep up with the hardware, either; my trusty first-gen Droid is already showing its age, and there are who knows how many apps still to load on! For a good introduction to some of the most useful programs for travel all around Earth, try Best Smartphone Apps for Worldwide Travel. There are bound to be others, too; I’d wish for one that could hail a taxi anywhere in the world, but that seems to be a good ways off. Still, maybe we’ll see one someday!

A Cruise Around the World: Cruise Critic revealed that accessible cruises make up one of the fastest-growing and most welcoming segments of the accessible travel world. Holland America is still renowned as one of the best cruise experiences for disabled travelers, though there are many, many more. And just about every cruise line nowadays has something like the Holland America “Grand Voyage.” The Grand World Voyage is the most incredible of all, including nearly 50 ports of call! Of course, the price is equally astonishing: it ranges from about $19,000 on the low end to a whopping $67,000 for a 112-day round trip. Definitely my fondest travel dream! But I’d settle for …

A Trip to Oxford: Without a doubt my favorite destination, although Stockholm is a close second (I timed my last visit during the three days of summer.) A “quick jaunt” over to Oxford is a pricey prospect, but always rewarding. It’s one of the UK’s most gorgeous destinations, packed with culture; and as one of the world’s very first college towns, practically every building is historic. Although a lot of efforts have been launched to make even the ancient buildings somewhat accessible, Oxford does have a lot of cobblestones. That necessitates careful trip planning for wheelchair users. Browse the Oxford City Guide for more; as you’d expect, there are Oxford posts in our archives.

I hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season! Don’t forget, Disabled Travelers will continue its weekly updates every Friday throughout the whole shebang; my next trip isn’t until January, and I’ll even be posting from the road. So, catch you next week and every week! Happy holidays!

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

Accessible airlines are ready to fly!
Photo by: Michael Towse (Stock Exchange)

A few weeks ago, the Disabled Travelers blog reported on an important new initiative from the U.S. Department of Transportation that will extend valuable accessibility features throughout airport terminals and on airline websites.

In that post, I mentioned that it’s critical Disabled Travelers fans participate in the federal government’s public comments on the measure, which are still ongoing.

This is so important to me that I’ve been keeping up with it, and there’s been some movement — so I’d like to take this time to inform disabled travelers and their travel companions about the progress.

Thanks to Regulation Room, a service of Cornell University Online, interested parties can now find out everything there is to know about the ongoing discussion surrounding new accessibility rules. The website combines news functions with social features that allow you to get a feel for how others understand the situation. I think Disabled Travelers readers can really make a positive difference by helping to explain to others, who might not have contact with disabled people in their family or social circle, just how vital it is to empower everyone to enjoy safe, efficient, friendly air travel.

Also remember that there are already a huge number of resources in place to help with airline accessibility. Air Accessibility at the Department of Transportation is a good capsule overview of how federal laws protect disabled travelers in the air. This includes guidelines on how security screenings can be modified to meet the needs of disabled travelers as well as facts on filing a complaint and understanding the responsibilities that each airline has toward every passenger. If you haven’t gotten involved with the public comments or the chatter on Regulation Room, I urge you to make a quick visit! It could really spell the difference in helping airlines serve you better.

For another quick treat for disabled air travelers, here’s an article originally from TravelLuxe e-Magazine: Who Really Offers Accessible Travel? It is a plug for one of our favorite sites, Accessible Journeys, but also outlines some of the best and most trusted airlines in the accessibility arena. There are some more detailed insights available from this article at Boots n’ All, which bills itself as a “One-Stop Indie Travel Guide” established all the way back in the internet’s wilderness days: 1998.

Tune in next week for more accessible travel news, destinations, and access guides from your world traveling blogger, Si. Don’t forget, you can get in touch with me any time; just leave me a note down below in the comments section and I’ll be in touch promptly! Some of our bests posts at Disabled Travelers have come directly from your suggestions and feedback. Hope to visit with you again next Friday!

Si

Sea lions in the Galapagos.
Photo by: hollyrereid (Stock Exchange)

Welcome one and all to the Disabled Travelers blog!

Last week we unveiled some exciting news when it became known Disabled Travelers was mentioned on no less a web destination than the travel section of The Today Show.

Today, we’re continuing our news coverage for the month with some new information and resources on travel for those with visual and hearing impairments.

We have some brand new resources, fresh off the internet and straight to your door – so let’s chat about them.

Adventures in Vision: A moving memoir by a Stanford professor in Feminist Studies who invites us into her world as she “loses sight and finds vision.” The full title of this volume is “Traveling Blind: Adventures in Vision With a Guide Dog by My Side.” While not devoted to travel exclusively, it’s such a gripping account that I wanted to include it as soon as we talked about (and with) blind travelers again. From the website, you can watch or listen to an author interview. As you’d expect, the book is available in accessible formats, which includes accessible PDF, digital audiobook, and Braille. You can listen to audio excerpts on the same page with the accessible version information.

Traveleyes International: Recently featured in the UK’s Guardian according to its front page, Traveleyes is a premier provider of “sensory experience holidays” that cater to the needs of travelers with visual impairments. Their 2011 catalogue includes Italy, China, Malta, Iceland, Turkey, Australia, India, Vietnam, and even a Caribbean cruise. Disabled travelers who choose Traveleyes can expect assistance from beginning to end. The company distinguishes itself as a business with a visually impaired founder, so you can be sure that your needs and expectations are well understood by everyone on the team. Sighted travelers are welcome to join in the fun at a discounted price. Register here.

Deaf Globetrotters: I’ve commented before on how so many deaf travelers seem to really love cruises, and from a tour operator like Deaf Globetrotters, you can enjoy “paradise cruises” to Alaska, Hawaii, the Galapagos Islands (!!!) and many more. But that’s really only the beginning for a tour operator that truly pushes the envelope on the growing world of deaf travel. If you’re interested in visiting Turkey for the upcoming Deaf Olympics in 2013, Deaf Globetrotters is your source for that trip, too! Even if you’re not up for a fantastic deaf-friendly adventure right now, you should still stop by the website for one of the best travel photo galleries I’ve seen on any disabled travel site.

At Disabled Travelers, we strive never to leave anyone out – everyone enjoys a travel adventure. So, I sincerely hope these links will help you bring your travel aspirations to life. Look for more coverage in deaf-friendly and visually impaired travel as we move into what I hope will be a phenomenal 2012 for a blog I love to write. Thanks for visiting and doing your part to make this website special for travelers just like you.

Si