After finishing my post yesterday, I kept thinking that it was not sufficient somehow. I had not included all the research, planning and organizing necessary for me to take this trip.
I am glad in my young adulthood that I had enough forethought to take a course in travel and tourism. It has sure come in handy now. I have Muscular Dystrophy,so, many things have to be taken into consideration above just booking a room or bed and breakfast, transportation, or bus tour. I can`t just take whatever and go with it. Not if I want a fun trip. As many people who are in wheelchairs or have some restriction can attest, most travel agents are not able to help. Many mainstream professional travel agents don`t have the first idea where to start, and in my case, many I have encountered don`t really care to. I have seen great strides in Europe and in North America to present information to disabled travellers about accessibility in accommodation, transportation and tourist sites.
Well enough of that for now. Let us go on to my planning strategy. I don`t always plan to the last minute what I will be doing, but it all depends on the type of trip I am taking. Sometimes we all need adventures. That is when I don`t plan anything except for the airline ticket and the first night`s stay.
Airlines are mostly standard coming from Canada. I haven`t had problems in general with the exception of a few grumpy staff members. My first point of research turned therefore to ground transportation in Ireland. Often you can tell if assistance for people with limited mobility will be available by the way information is presented on the website. If there has been an effort made to talk about accessibility on the website, as well as the wording, then at least the company is aware of the demographic. As most of us know, what is put on paper and what actually happens is a very different thing. The bus system is very extensive and Bus Eireann seems to be very conducive to helping passengers with mobility issues. The Rail pass in UK and Ireland seems to be good bang for the buck. I found several documents and information for both bus and train that state their position on disability. There are also documents stating the features of specific stations. So, I will see when I arrive, whether the information is accurate or just regulatory.
After getting
an idea of the general transport system I decided to look for some way to see
Northern Ireland and parts of the west coast as comprehensively as possible, since
I was meeting my family in Limerick 9 days from landing in Glasgow. This proved
to be a little more difficult than I thought because most organized bus tours
do not accept mobility challenged individuals and people using wheelchairs or
scooters. Unless you are wealthy, a person cannot take special, individualized tours.
Those that cater to small groups and people with special needs really take the
niche market for what it is worth. Once again I don`t fit into the general
group. I don`t need all the activities and travel planned; I just need people
who can do the follow through. I was also not travelling with anyone that wanted to drive, so I had to
find a bus tour that was willing to take me on and also take my walker. After
searching several options, I booked with CIE tours. Right now I have an itinerary that is great
and I am keeping an open mind as to the way it will go. I will keep you posted
on this.
So the first
leg of the trip is very preplanned, and the second is semi planned. I prefer it
that way. I will probably need a slower pace after the first 2 weeks of
travelling. As soon as we hit Cardiff Wales, we will decide one day to the next
what is the plan. The rough schedule is south to north. OK, that was a sad joke
since Cardiff is the southernmost coastal city in Wales.
Stay tuned
for the details and adventure on the Green Isle.
