Monday, November 26, 2007

Harrington book a great accessible vacation idea resource

The coming of the holiday season means a lot of things, including, of course the traditions of gift-giving and receiving. To me it also means the time of year when I begin planning my next big summer vacation.
If you follow this routine too, than this is a fortunate holiday season indeed. The most recent book by Candy Harrington, editor, blogger and accessible travel expert, can let you combine both pursuits. You can give this insightful work to someone who would enjoy it or even yourself.
"101 Accessible Vacations" is a unique guidebook in that it is more a source of ideas than everything you want to know about a specific locale.
The book's organization is unique, grouped as it is around types of destinations. There are chapters on Family Friendly Fun, Historic Haunts and Off the Beaten Path, to name just a few. Says Candy: "Unlike traditional travel books that are organized geographically, 101 Accessible Vacations is organized by area of interest. ... That way you can focus on the sections that most match your travel style and area of interest. ... It’s organized so you can find an accessible vacation choice that suits your lifestyle, personality and travel tastes."
My favorite section is the one titled "Active Holidays." Because it is the most adventurous, I find it the most inspiring. It is also the most illustrative of how far accessible travel is coming. I can only imagine it wasn't too long ago that many of these adventurous and sometimes downright rugged sounding activities would not have been anything like accessible. I'm sure that it is the chapter that would most likely surprise those not familiar with the subject of accessible travel. "People with disabilities can go can really go scuba diving?" I picture them asking.
This book, for any specific location, is not an exhaustive resource. You're going to have to do other research. But the beauty of this well-done volume is it's a wealth of ideas and possibilities. For someone like me, looking to plan next year's travels, it could supply inspiration -- and enough good info to get a good feel for whether a destination is right for you -- to last for years.

Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Need more darrenh? Check out Disaboom too

If you can't get enough of the wisdom (?) of yours truly here at Get Around Guide, you're in luck. I recently also began blogging at Disaboom, an exciting new Web site for those interested in the community of people with disabilities. I'll be writing mostly about travel by people with disabilities there as well, like I do here. But I expect to write somewhat longer, more involved posts there, than the quick update kind of posts you usually see here. Come visit.
(Photo by Alex via morgueFile.com)

Saturday, November 10, 2007

Outrigger canoeing for those with disabilites -- in Rome???


You might plan a trip to Rome for a lot of reasons. See the ancient sites. Visit the Vatican. Experience real Italian food. I'm sure there's more.
Add outrigger canoing to the list.
Huh?
This article reports that outrigger canoing is available in of all places Rome. And there's an added bonus to traveling to pursue this sport, be it in Rome or perhaps in a more traditional Pacific Ocean locale. Writes Marco Zoppas:

"One of the attractions of outrigger canoeing is that it is a sport accessible to all, with no age limits or language barriers. It is also growing in popularity among disabled athletes. The Makai centre is planning to add special seats to the OC4 and OC6 canoes, enabling athletes with a wide range of disabilities to join canoeing activities at some point in the future.

Another mode of travel conquered?

Photo by Princess Sarah via morgueFile.com.

Monday, November 05, 2007

Stretching access to luxury

Depending on your situation, this stretch limo designed for people with physical disabilities, might provide you a way to travel in style. (Photo via businbesswire.com)

The hip joint is connected to -- frequent airport hassle

Here's an airport security hassle I hadn't thought of before. Artificial joints -- which typically are metal. Speaking of his own artificial hip, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Seth Coren said: “Since I’ve gotten it, I must have traveled 100 times. I’ve gotten stopped 100 times, and I’ve gotten the full search 100 times.” (Photo by Clara Natoli via morgueFile.com)