Travelling abroad with a disability can be a frightening thing. Depending on your needs and abilities your requirements will vary immensely from others.
Finding the right accommodation is the first major issue but it is also important to look at the surrounding area. On a recent trip to Vilamoura, in Portugal we found a fantastic flat location around a beautiful marina, accessibility was brilliant. We booked the hotel and flights independently after some extensive research – which all worked well. We chose to book the hotel on a B&B basis to allow us to venture out and about, explore the local area and experience different restaurants.
The marina in Vilamoura is packed with very good restaurants but one that kept coming up on Trip Advisor as excellent was off the front and set back, so off we went to try and find it.
Well we could see it- but couldn’t quite work out how we would get to it!!!
The restaurant was located on the first floor, so Joanne enquired how a wheelchair user (husband) could access the restaurant. We were directed around the side into a communal square where there were three sets of steps which apparently had been ‘ ramped’ however I would describe them as steps with a bit of cement filling in the gaps!!!
As you can see from the picture, some ramps abroad don’t follow UK Building Regulations!! I am sure we could have asked for help however most wheelchair users don’t like making a fuss or creating a scene.
The point I am trying to make is that to eat in the best places, or go see what you want to see will mean sometimes placing yourself out side of your own comfort zone, being adventurous and then sometimes asking for help. We went back to that restaurant a further two times.
I am sure we would be able to help and advise anyone who wishes to travel abroad, highlight some of the pitfalls, advise on suitable destinations.