‘Not a niche market': Accessibility for disabled business travellers takes centre stage

This articles focuses on the important of accessibility when it comes to hotel rooms. It states that even though the room is advertises as accessible, there is always something that is inaccessible to everyone. Whether it be the shower, closets there is always something.

“They can’t afford not to redesign all facilities for the disabled. Improved accessibility can be a competitive advantage for businesses, opening up a whole new market of travellers”.“It would be nice if when I went to Paris, or Montreal or New York, we all talk the same language when it comes to accessibility,”

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/12/15/not-a-niche-market-accessibility-for-disabled-business-travellers-takes-centre-stage/

Adventures in Scotland!

For those of you who are thinking about traveling to Scotland, and are worried about the level of accessibility, there is no need. Scotland is VERY accessible.  It is so much more accessible than Toronto is.  A few years ago, I went on a vacation to Glasgow and was extremely pleased.  In this article, I will outline all the things that I was impressed with.

First of all, all of the sidewalks are ramped.  You never have to worry about going on the road or popping a wheelie to get onto the sidewalk.  Also on the sidewalk, when you are getting close to the curb there are little bumps.  I asked why they were there.  I was informed that the sidewalk was made like that to let blind people aware that they were getting close to the curb. The only thing people have to be careful of is walking on them in they are wet.  Some of them are brass so they get extremely slippery when they are wet.  Even the wheels on my wheelchair slipped when I went over them.

Secondly, everywhere you go, an accessible washroom is not hard to find. If there is not an accessible stall within the washroom, there is a separate accessible one right next door.  If it is a separate one, it is like a room.  It is very spacious so a person in a wheelchair has plenty of room to get around.  In most washrooms in Glasgow, there is a red cord you can pull in case of emergency.  If a person is by himself or herself in the washroom and something goes wrong (if they fall), they can pull this cord and someone comes to help them.  And when the sign says accessible, it means accessible. The washrooms are not like here when they say they are accessible when in reality they are not. The toilets are at the right height, the toilet paper dispenser is at the perfect height and easy to reach. The sinks and soap dispenser is low so you don’t have to strain yourself to reach it.

Lastly, the transportation is unbelievable.  In Toronto, when you want to go somewhere, you have to call ahead to get a ride, whether it be Wheel-Trans or a cab if need be.  In Scotland, ALL of the taxis are accessible.  Like Toronto, there are mini-vans in Scotland.  However, they have regular sized taxis that are accessible.  That’s right, anyone in a wheelchair can be on the side of the street and hail a taxi and not have to worry.  So, if you have to be somewhere in a hurry, there is no need to panic.  You don’t have to call ahead and order an accessible cab ahead of time. The other form of transportation that is more advanced than Toronto are the buses. Anyone with a mobility issue can get into a bus.  The floor lowers and a ramp comes down.  The only thing I would caution is that there is nothing there to tether you in place.  You are on your own.  The last form of transportation I was extremely impressed with was the train.  I went on a train ride from Glasgow to Edinburgh.  To gain access to the train itself, there is a portable ramp available.  Once you enter the train, there are special places designated for people in wheelchairs. Again, the only thing I would caution is that, like the buses, there is nothing there to tether you in place.  However, unlike the bus, the train ride is extremely smooth so it is unlikely you would move.

So I will say it again, anyone who is thinking about taking a trip to Scotland, there is NO need to worry.  They are very much more ahead of Toronto as far as accessibility goes. I would highly recommend people take a trip there.  Even though I travelled with my family, I would not hesitate to go there by myself!

My Adventure in Whitehorse

A few weeks ago I took a trip of a lifetime to Whitehorse. I was very excited as well as a little nervous. I was excited at the prospect of seeing a friend I had not seen in many years. I was nervous because this was going to be the first time I flew by myself EVER!

I had to wake up at 4:30 because I had to leave for the airport at 5:00AM. When I got to the airport, my mom accompanied me to the Air Canada desk to help me check-in, and to make sure my luggage was going straight to Whitehorse and I wouldn’t have to get in when I arrived in Vancouver for my layover. After a small glitch with the computer, my luggage was checked in and they put a tag on my wheelchair.  When I was all checked in my mom accompanied me as far as she could. We said goodbye when we got to security. At that time of the morning security was not busy. It only took a few minutes to get through. I was unsure of where to go after I cleared security so I asked one of the guards. He told me I had to take the elevator to where the gates are. I thanked him and was on my way. Once I found my gate, I got a coffee and waited until the time I could board.

Once it was time to board, everyone was extremely helpful. One of the airport employees pushed me down the ramp to the airplane. There, two attendants helped me into the aisle chair. While they were strapping me in, one of the stewardesses took my purse and carry-on bag to my seat. Once I arrived at my seat the stewardess helped me get settled and said if I needed ANYTHING just to let them know. The flight was long and a little turbulent but other than that it was uneventful.

When I arrived in Vancouver, the stewardess took care of my belongings while I was being assisted into the aisle chair. Once I was off the plane, one of the employees of the airport helped me to the gate where I needed to catch my second flight. Once I was there, I found a place where I could get something to eat. Even though I was in Vancouver for almost two hours, the time went very quickly. I was then ready for the last leg of my journey. The flight from Vancouver to Whitehorse was shorter, however there was a little bit of turbulence again.

After almost eight hours of travelling I was FINALLY in Whitehorse. Even from the window of the airplane, I could tell Whitehorse was very picturesque. The very first picture I took was from the airplane. The people there were extremely helpful as well. After I was helped into my wheelchair, there was no indoor walkway from the plane, so we had to walk off the tarmac. I was escorted into the airport and someone helped me to the baggage claim. The airport in Whitehorse is very small so as soon as I got to where the baggage claim was, my friends were waiting there for me. The employee made sure I was okay before they left me. I thanked them for their help. I was exhausted but I was very excited to be in Whitehorse!

Once we left the airport my friends drove me around to show me some of the sights. They knew I was exhausted so they only showed me a few things. Then we went to my hotel, The Edgewater and checked in.  My hotel room was very nice and cozy. There were a couple minor things that needed to be changed to make it more accessible, but the hotel staff was very accommodating and they were rectified quickly. After I rested for a while my friends picked me up and we had a nice dinner.

While travelling though Whitehorse, I could not believe how beautiful it is. I saw breathtaking scenery every day. I couldn’t get enough. I even saw two bears. I was hoping to see more wildlife (bald eagle, moose) but I did not. Oh well, that just means I have to go back. I’ve been trying to put into words how beautiful it is, but that doesn’t do it justice. I am hoping to print out my pictures and make it into a book. If anyone tells me they are thinking about going to Whitehorse, I will tell them to stop thinking about it AND GO!