Posted: February 25th, 2010 | Author: admin | Filed under: Destination Guides, Travel For Disabled | Tags: California, disability, disabled, handicap, handicap travel, handicapped, san francisco | No Comments »
San Francisco is a place which tops the holiday lists. You can have fun, excitement and relax yourself. You are sure to enjoy your vacation there. It is a city s
Smaller than Los Angeles.
The city is along the San Francisco Bay that surrounds the city from three sides. Summer season is one of the busiest seasons and the city is crowded with the tourists. However in other seasons if you visit the place you will get cheaper accommodation.
There are number of places which can be a feast to your eyes. Some of the important and famous landmarks in the U.S. are found here. The Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island are the main attractions for the tourists. The prison in the Island is also a place to visit. Fisherman’s Wharf is another location that you should not miss. The Wharf is very much accessible by cable car. There are also a number of architectural places for the tourists to enjoy. The Giants at AT&T Park should be a must. Napa Valley, Sonoma valley wine country and Yosemite National Park are some of the major attractions.
The journey to Alcatraz Island is very much accessible. The guests with mobility challenges are taken care of. Special arrangements are made for them. There is an accessible tram which takes up the visitors to the prison and the disabled people are given the first preference. The seating is only to the slow walkers and wheel chair users.
Union Square is the prime shopping and dining place which is always buzzing with the tourists.
The Civic Centre area is one where there are museums, Library, UN centre and the Capital building. You can take a public transport to visit the place.
The restaurants and hotels are also very much accessible. At Fisherman’s Wharf, Sabella and La Torre have accessible seating arrangements inside the restaurant and also you can order from the street stand which is also accessible. It is a great place where you can taste the delicious seafood. The rooms are available at competitive prices. If you prefer a room in a central location nearer to the attractions then it will cost you high.
There are also public rest rooms nearby. But not all the bathrooms are accessible by wheel chair.
You can take a cruise to the Napa River Valley which will be a fascinating and exciting drive. The valley is the home for many beautiful birds. You can see a wide variety of them. The cruises are accessible to slow walkers but efforts are being made for the boat wheelchair also to be accessible. The restaurants at the valley are accessible from the floor. You can enjoy your food there.
Public transport is commonly used by the locals. San Francisco Municipal railway operates both light rail and the subway systems. There are also motor coaches, trolley buses and diesel hybrid coaches to travel round the city. Street cars are also available for going to the neighborhood places. BART operates the regional rapid transit systems. The San Francisco Port is the busiest and largest seaport. A number of ferries are available to the tourists from the Ferry Building. There are also cable cars which enables you to enjoy the scenic beauty of the city which ends in Fisherman’s
Wharf
So plan your next trip to San Francisco and enjoy its beauty.
Posted: January 31st, 2010 | Author: travel-people | Filed under: Destination Guides | Tags: auto, disability travel, disabled travel, handicap travel, Transportation | No Comments »
Traveling was difficult in the past but in the last century due to the number of inventions that have been made in various fields traveling has become very easy. Handicap travel to make us all feel free so it is important to come out of their loneliness.
But even now there is difficulty in travel for handicapped people. Though a lot of inventions have been made on the field of transportation only a very little care has been given to the needs of the handicapped people who are traveling. There aren’t given the due importance.
The entry and exit points of most of the vehicles have facilities suited for travel of only ordinary people but provisions are to be made to help handicapped people to travel. The seats too aren’t perfect for these people.
But there are some governments which have taken up this matter and have been creating vehicles that are suitable for use for both the handicapped people who travel and the fully abled people. These vehicles have special entry and exit for accommodating people on wheel chair. These vehicles also have seats which accommodate people on wheel chair.
When a person who is disabled is to be traveling in a vehicle over a long distance some points are to be taken into account why the person accompanying the disabled person. First the transportation that is comfortable for disabled person to travel must be chosen. This depends upon the types of disablement that the person have.
When traveling with a disabled person one has to ensure that the traveling arrangements are made correctly and in advance. One should also know whether the transportation that he uses has the facilities so that the handicapped person can travel with out any difficulty. One should ensure whether the vehicle has special seats, entry and exit ways for the disabled person. The person who is traveling with the disabled person must also know about the eating habits of the disabled person. He has to feed the person depending upon the eating habits of the person.
The next thing that is to be taken into account is the eating pattern that the person follows. It should be ensued that the eating pattern of the disable person is not disturbed. The person who is accompanying the disabled person must also ensure that the medicines used by the disabled person are in the vicinity.
Even though you may plan the travel there may be some stoppages and hence the place for accommodation of the disabled person too should be taking into account. There are many cottages which have facilities that help in accommodation of a disabled person. You can accommodate the disabled person in such cottages.
- Planning your day out (mobilityproducts4u.co.uk)
Posted: October 9th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Transportation, Travel For Disabled | Tags: accessibility, accessible, auto, car, handicap travel, handicapped travel, van | 90 Comments »
Thanks to the lawmakers, the world has seen the introduction of facilities for handicap travel. Although, there is a lot more ground to cover in these areas but major building, vehicles such as buses, ships and planes contain specials ramps and elevators for traveling. It is easy nowadays then it used to be a few years back. Almost all travel services now contain special privileges for handicapped people.
There are a few important points to keep in mind and benefit from if you are such a person but would like to travel on your own either for work or for pleasure. While acquiring yourself a vehicle for traveling, look for specialized ones that include ramps, lifts and plenty of space if you have a wheelchair or crutches.
In case if you are looking for a car or a van, find out what options are available. On the internet, you’ll find several automobile shops offering specialized disability vehicles. Some shops even offer vehicle modifications to suit the needs of people with disability issues. So, this can be a good option if you do not want to or have a budget to buy a completely new vehicle. A few tips below can help you make a checklist of your needs while looking for a vehicle or for going forward to modify your vehicle.
You can look for powerful navigation built in your van. Keep it programmed for all possible destinations. Also, go for vehicles with automatic controls for opening doors, wearing seatbelt, gears etc. Etc. To make driving easier and comfortable. Always buy vehicles with low floors and seats. This will make it easy to get in and out of the van.
Consider vehicles that have lots of space to keep the disability equipment with you such as wheel chairs, crutches etc. And the space should be such that when you have to load and unload the equipment it should be easy.
Build in ramps and lifts that move on their own are best ones for disabled because you wouldn’t want to manually push them in and out when getting in or out of the vehicle. Automatically moving ramps are also good for moving your wheelchair in and out of the vehicles on their own accord.
Consider modifying an already existing vehicle as it would save you a lot of money. Another good point about modifying is that you can adjust and modify the vehicle as you like. As disability varies from individual to individual modifying the existing vehicle will also let you have the freedom of choosing which options you would like to have in the vehicle and which options and equipment you want to leave out. For example some people with less severe disability would like to have less automated car driving options and some depending upon severe disability would like a completely automated van.
Handicap travel should not be a problem nowadays since many handicapped friendly laws have been passed and many countries have laws for vehicles manufacturing companies to install handicapped friendly equipment. Such vehicles have made it easy for handicapped to travel without an escort.
Posted: October 7th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Travel For Disabled | Tags: disability travel, disabled travel, handicap travel, handicapped travel, recommendations, suggestions, tips | 113 Comments »
At one time, it was simply not possible for people with disabilities like handicapped, mobility issues to travel. If they could somehow do that, they had to face serious issues like getting in places with stairs or high-rise buildings etc. Nowadays, it has become very easy for people with disabilities to travel. Several laws have been passed that have forced buildings and vehicles to have equipment that make disability travel easy.
Buildings now have ramps, lifts and even specially fitted rooms for such people. If you are a huge fan of traveling but are handicapped, you should feel happy that with the advancement of science and technology, traveling has been made easy. Now, it is not difficult for handicapped people to travel as it used to be at one time.
Web offers a lot of tips and tricks for people who have issues but want to travel. You can now do booking online for traveling such as finding airlines, ships and buses to travel for sight-seeing. Using online means to learn about traveling advantages and disadvantages for you is very important. This way you’ll know before hand what problems you will face during traveling and you can be prepared for them.
There are also many organizations and agencies that help people who are handicapped or other problems to travel and even provide escorts that stay with them throughout the trip. Some agencies arrange group tours and help you with arranging the tickets, rent vehicles for you and reservation for your stay.
If you would still like to plan your trip on your own, then as said before online and web are the best possible ways to do that. Learn as much as you can online about your destination and if there are any laws for handicapped people. Also, do your booking well in advance and don’t forget to inform the airline, ship or whichever service you are using to go there about your disability.
Also, find out about places that you will want to visit during your trip to check if they have lifts, elevators, ramps and other equipment to handle people with issues. This is very important as this is the main purpose of your trip, that is, sight-seeing. Although most buildings and places contain services for handicapped people but one has to make sure and understand what problems will come while you are there.
Also, if you are going to a place which as a lot of ancient architecture, it might not have ramps, lifts and escalators etc. So, you might eventually have to contact an agency or an agent who would help you explore such places.
Although, it is relatively easy for people with disabilities to travel but it is good to be informed about the procedures and problems that can be encountered during traveling with disabilities. Always let your relatives know at every point while traveling and always keep the numbers and contact addresses of your doctor and your relative at every point during your traveling. It will make it easier for your loved ones to know that you are safe and to reach you and for you to reach them instantly in case of emergencies.
Posted: October 4th, 2009 | Author: admin | Filed under: Travel For Disabled | Tags: disabled travel, handicap travel, plan, planning, travel disability, travel handicapped, trip | 19 Comments »
There are many considerations to be made when an individual is preparing to travel with disability that may require special accommodations. Different countries have different standards for dealing with disabilities and it is important to know what to expect and be prepared when planning a vacation.
Once the location has been decided upon most people begin making travel and living arrangements for their vacation. This is not the case when scheduling to travel with disability. To make the trip seamless and enjoyable it is important that the following suggestions be considered.
It is important to make a list of all of the equipment and medication that is used on a daily basis including any special equipment that may be needed if something unexpected happens. Having the complete list will make preparation for the trip much easier.
When going on vacation to another country it is very important that an individual be prepared for the need to seek medical care in that country. The US State Department has Consular Information which contains medical facilities and health information for every country in the world. The information includes the type of medical services provided as well as the locations of the facilities.
Make a list of all medications that are taken by their generic and medical names. In many countries the brand names used in the US are not the same as those used in other countries. If a person needs to get medication, having the generic and medical name of the information will allow them to acquire the medication much more quickly.
A card should be kept with an individual’s passport that lists the primary doctor’s name and phone numbers for day and off hours as well as the name of a back-up physician and his phone numbers. This card should also contain HMO or insurance information and embassy contact information.
Get a letter from the doctor on the physician’s letterhead that clearly states all of the medications and equipment that is required for the individual. Make two copies of this letter and keep one copy available to show security at airports and one copy to be placed in the box with medications and medical equipment.
When taking a wheelchair on vacation be sure that a box containing spare parts, wheels, controls, batteries, and an air valve are included. Also be sure to include wrenches, and other tools that would be required to fix the wheelchair. Most European countries have different size valves than the US does and use tools with metric measurements. If the wheelchair tire needs to be fixed in a foreign country go to a bicycle shop to get the repair.
Pack all medical supplies for the length of the trip in a hard case box with the letter from the physician mentioned above on top of the supplies. It is important that the individual making the trip pack this box carefully and assume that these items will not be available in the country they are visiting. Carrying enough medical supplies on the airplane to last for a few days will assure that if the luggage is late in arriving that the person traveling will not be left without medication.