Barrier Free Travels

I get a lot of e-mails from readers who want to know what to do during the muster drills on cruise ships. After all, as one person claimed, "They are a waste of time and as a wheelchair-user it takes forever to get an elevator to get back to my cabin." I've also received tips from people about "how to avid muster drills", which in one case involved a passenger hiding under a blanket on the floor of her cabin.

I have to agree they can be a hassle, and they aren't exactly the highlight of the cruise experience, however given last weeks news of the fire on the Star Princess, I think they are essential. Apparently the fire was started by a cigarette (another reason to ban smoking) and it left one passenger dead and 11 passengers injured.

It was an unfortunate incident, but again it goes to show you that those muster drills are important. What would you do if the fire alarm went off in the middle of the night? You should be able to answer that question before the ship sails, especially if you use any type of a mobility device.

So what should you do to ensure your safety? As soon as you are settled in your room, ask you cabin attendant about the correct procedure for wheelchair-users and slow walkers in the event of an emergency. You have to assume that the elevators will not be operational, so if you are a slow walker who cannot do stairs, you need to find out where you should go if the alarm sounds. In most cases there is a designated meeting place for disabled passengers who use wheelchairs or scooters. Find out where this is, and ask about the procedure for getting you to the life boat deck.

Does this mean you can pass on the muster drill? Not a good idea in my book, as it never hurts to be prepared. The crew will get you to the life boat deck, but you should know what to do after that. That's the purpose of the drill. So go early and just accept the fact that you'll have to stick around for a bit after the drill.

Bottom line; the muster drill is for your safety, so you know what to do in the event of an emergency. Don't skip it!!

I recently read a letter of complaint about a non-us airline refusing to board a couple of wheelchair-users traveling together. They made all the proper arrangements and even informed the ticket agent that they would need assistance boarding, however the lead flight attendant refused to board them because "they would not be able to use the toilet unassisted."

When the gate agent relayed this information to the passengers, they assured him they would not need to use the toilet for the entire Transatlantic flight. Now mind you, they did not tell the gate agent why they would not need to use the toilet (catheters), so the discussion went on and on, and the flight attendant stood his ground. As general boarding commenced the problem was still not resolved. The passengers were very upset and one was near tears.

Then, (after about 25 minutes of arguing) the passengers mentioned that they both have catheters. The gate agent grabbed his handbook and noted that there was an exception for catheters and quickly informed the flight attendant of this new development. The flight attendant backed down and the passengers were allowed to board, but they were somewhat of a spectacle as they missed their pre-boarding opportunity. And of course they were even more upset.

OK, I'm sure you know where I'm going with this.

Granted, you just don't walk up to a gate agent and say "Hi, I'm John and I wear a catheter," but it just seems prudent to share this pertinent information with airline personnel in some cases, especially when the airline is denying you boarding because of toileting issues. If this was mentioned in the beginning it would not have been an issue and the passengers would have been allowed to pre-board. And it would have saved everyone a whole lot of frustration.

Telling somebody you will not use the toilet is not the same as explaining why. OK, I know it's private stuff, but I have to say that it's easy to promise you won't use the toilet while you are safely on the ground, but (if you don't use a cath) after a six-hour flight, that promise pretty much goes out the window (or down the drain, depending on how you look at it). And I'm sure flight attendants have seem that happen -- hey those folks have seen everything happen!

I'm not unsympathetic to the travelers, but it just seems that at times it pays to share a little personal information. Especially when it gets you on an airplane!

As usual the weather forecasters were wrong, which in this case is a very good thing. The weather here in Boise has been great – clear skies and pleasant temperatures, and from the looks of things we will have more of the same today.

Although I’ve visited Boise before, it’s been a while so I’ve had fun reacquainting myself. As far as access goes, I’d highly recommend it as it’s a pretty nice walking town, with a very accessible downtown area (BoDo) and a pleasant greenbelt which runs along the Boise River. And of course there’s lot’s to see and do. If you like museums, parks and restaurants, then Boise is the place for you.

Speaking of great restaurants, last night we had some excellent Basque food in a little restaurant just outside of town. Located on Main Street in Meridian, Epi’s is a family-owned restaurant with a hefy dose of old country charm. Named for the owner’s grandmother, the food is to-die-for. I also must add that reservations are essential at this popular spot, so plan ahead.

If you are not familiar with Basque food, it is traditionally served family style, and in most cases there is plenty of it. And no, it’s not all lamb. The menu at Epi’s is varied and includes steak, chicken and fish; and all entrees come with soup, salad and side dishes. I had the nightly special (always a good way to go) which was a grilled ono covered in cream sauce and topped with some bay shrimp. It just fell apart on my fork.

I was also impressed with the access at Epi’s, as even though the restaurant is located in an older restored home, there is ramp access, a level entry and accessible parking just steps from the door. Be sure and tell them you are in a wheelchair when you make your reservation, as some of the tables are more accessible than others in this small restaurant. The staff is very happy to accommodate folks if they know about access needs in advance. Anyway, if you are in the area, give Epi’s a try. You won’t be disappointed.

Well, I’d better shake a leg here, as we are off to explore more of Boise today. There’s really a lot to see here, and most of it is accessible.

Well, we are off to Boise in the morning for some editorial research. Why Boise? Well, why not; after all people take vacations every where. I haven't been to Boise for some nine years so I'm looking forward to this trip. On my last visit I discovered a beautiful greenbelt area and had some great Basque food. And I'm looking forward to repeating both experiences this time.

Of course I'll also be checking out some accessible lodging options for Emerging Horizons readers. That's kind of a good-news bad new situation. It's good news for travelers because it seems that most of the accessible rooms are booked (some hotels even have disabled groups there) so apparently wheelers and slow walkers are visiting Boise. Of course it makes my job a little more difficult when all the rooms are booked, but I'm always happy to work around travelers. After all, that's what Emerging Horizons is all about -- giving people accessible travel options and encouraging them to hit the road.

Hmm..I just had a glance at the weather in Boise. Brrrrr!! I guess I'd better pack my long underwear. OK, time to print my boarding passes and hit the sack. I wonder if I'll dream about potatoes tonight?

Recently I've received a lot of e-mail from people who have already booked their flights and hotel rooms to some foreign destination, inquiring about accessible transportation in that locale. More specifically they are looking for self-drive accessible (lift-equipped) rental vans. The problem is, most of these travelers are visiting small Caribbean destinations, which for the most part don't offer many (or any) accessible transportation options.

There are a few private tour operators throughout the Caribbean who do offer tours in accessible vans, but that's about as far as it goes. I also have to say that when their van breaks, many of these operators just get rid of that adapted vehicle. They are very expensive to maintain and it's hard to find parts for specialized vans in the Caribbean.

But outside of Puerto Rico, I don't know of any place in the Caribbean where you can actually rent a self-drive adapted van.

When I share this information with these would-be travelers they all seem to say the same thing, "I thought it would be easy to find an accessible rental van there."

Well, it's not. In fact, in most cases it's impossible as accessible vans are non-existent.

So remember that, the next time you plan your vacation. If you require accessible transportation, make sure to inquire about the availability of it before you purchase those air tickets. In the long run it will save you a lot of frustration.

Remember, destination selection is an essential element in planning an accessible vacation.