- preparation
- transport
- bathroom
- money
- health
- transfers
- chair care
- useful links
| Personal assistance |
| If you wish to use a personal assistant from the country you're visiting, then this should be organised in advance. This is cheaper (no flight costs) and has the advantage that you then know someone local who can assist in organising travel arrangements and smoothing out any other bureaurocratic problems. It also gives you a great insight into the culture of the country without the usual tourist-local relationship boundaries. The biggest obvious risk is that you don't know the assistant except by email. Ask for as much information as you can beforehand, or for photos. The more you know, the more you can judge what the person is like. |
Itinerary
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| You may want to make a fairly structured plan of places to be and when.. However, it's good to be impulsive, and things don't always go as you expect (especially on adventurous trips!) so it's best to be prepared for change! If you need more time for ablutions, transfers and general getting around, then be sure to make your itinerary as relaxed as possible. |
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| Planes, |
| Ensure that everybody - from the agent you buy your ticket from to the airport staff - knows exactly what your needs are, both in the airports and during the flights. Airline and ground staff are generally extremely efficient when given good instruction. |
| Seating. During check-in, ask for the seats most suitable for you - bulkhead (more legroom), moveable armrests, close to toilet etc. |
| Tools. Wheelchair users, pack your tools in your main baggage, or they'll be confiscated at security checkpoints. |
Medication. It's possible your main baggage will go astray en route. To avoid major problems, pack essential medication and a few items such as catheters and urine bags in your hand luggage.
Stay in your own chair until the door of the aeroplane. There may be boarding delays and ten hours sitting in the departure lounge in a standard airport chair is nobody's ideal day out. |
| Swop cushions. Ask the stewardess/steward nicely if you can exchange the aeroplane cushion with your own. They are only ever fixed with Velcro and not only is yours more comfortable but it'sbetter for your skin. The staff may suggest you just place your cushion on top of the original, but tell them (nicely) that you'll be uncomfortably high. |
| Toilet tricks on board. Everyone has their own needs; iIt may be best to work the toilet routine around the flights. If you have a foley catheter, then for long flights you can connect an overnight bag and have your assistant/travel partner takes this surreptitiously to the toilet for emptying. |
| trains |
| Most countries' railways have individual rules and regulations governing assistance for disabled travellers. See the country resources for specific advice. |
| ...and automobiles |
| Check that you'll be able to enter the vehicle and be safely fixed once inside (are there wheelchair restraints?) If you're using the vehicle's seats then, as with flying, you may want to use your own pressure relieving cushion. |
| Many hotels in developing countries, even the more expensive ones, don't have a bathroom catering for disabled people (roll-in shower etc). So if you don't want to be severely restricted in your travel plans, you must improvise! |
| Toilet |
| Everyone's needs differ, but if the toilet is out of reach then It may be possible to adapt your manual wheelchair so it can be used as a toilet/commode chair. Exchange your normal cushion with a pressure relieving padded toilet cushion, and never forget to make skin care your priority! |
| Washing |
| If you can't reach the shower or bath, then you will either need to be happy with regular bedbaths or, if you are visiting a warm country, a bucket of water over your head. You can throw a bin liner over your wheelchair backrest for these showers, then let it dry in the sun afterwards. |
| This is advice only. You are responsible for care of your body - don't take unnecessary risks! |
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| Security |
| As with our able-bodied counterparts, disabled travellers are wealthy compared to the local population in developing countries. Don't be flashing money in public places; apart from being rude, it's asking to be robbed. Spread it around. Under your cushion, inside your backrest, in your socks or in a money belt under your T-shirt. Because of your mobility problems you may be more vulnerable, but being alert and vigilant, and acting confident and in control all reduce your chances of theft. |
| Denominations of hard currency if there are few credit card facilities |
| Try to predict approximate costs of travel and accommodation so you know how much local currency/hard currency cash and traveller's cheques to carry. Hard currency is normally US dollars, Euros or GB pounds. A good rule of thumb is to have one third of your hard currency cash and two thirds in traveller's cheques. It's often more difficult to exchange travellers cheques than cash, so try to keep the cash as long as you can. Carry only enough local currency for the next few days as it is often bulkier and can be difficult to change in your own country. |
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| Temperature control |
| If your body doesn't regulate temperature in the normal ways (sweating, shivering etc), then overheating or getting too cold is not only uncomfortable but dangerous. To stay warm is easy - double layers of warm clothing. Staying cool is also not impossible - use a plant spray bottle (found in garden centres) and regularly drench your head, face, arms and legs. |
| Avoiding pressure wounds |
| Use your pressure-relieving cushion as much as possible in cars and don't stay in places where you don't trust the mattress. You could take an inflatable 'Thermarest' which, if only half inflated, provides a comfortable base on a bad mattress. It's possible to buy pressure-relieving blow-up mattresses; these are certainly better for your skin but can be heavy and expensive. |
| Eating and drinking |
| Different bugs live in different climates. Your body will have no natural resistance to tropical bacteria, but if you're careful, it's possible to avoid illness. Eat freshly cooked food only. Only eat fresh fruits and salads when you know they've been washed in clean water. Drink a lot of water (sterilised or bottled) or beer! Be sensible and certainly don't eat or drink less, this will only lead to illness and dehydration. |
| Vaccinations and medication |
| Speak to your doctor before leaving home. Find out exactly what's recommended for the country(s) you're going to and take it all! |
| Hospitals |
| Depending on your destination, hospitals may not be as good or well equipped as they are at home. Take everything you may need (catheter equipment etc) with you and either know how to use it yourself or be able to instruct others. You'll need to pay for hospital treatment there, then recoup the money from your insurance when you get home. Make sure you get valid receipts for everything. |
| Insurance |
| Most reputable insurance companies will give disabled people equally good insurance at no extra cost, although some specialise in ravellers with pre-existing medical codition. See World Resources for more infor info. |
| Everyone transfers in and out of beds, cars and chairs in different ways, so just a few general guidelines: |
| Care |
| You're not at home, so more than ever you don't want to spend valuable time in bed waiting for a sore to heal. Be extra vigilant during transfers to not damage your skin! |
| Help |
| It's generally easy to find people to help you with lifts and transfers, but over enthusiasm may be the next problem. Choose who you want to lift you, explain clearly how you want it done and stay in control of the situation. |
| Patience |
| If you need help and no-one is there, be patient, it will arrive! If people don't understand what you want or need, explain it again, you'll probably have much more time than you think. |
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| Before you go |
| Clean and oil all moving parts, check for cracks in the frame and spoke tightness. Either use solid (puncture-proof) tyres or pack a puncture repair kit and two spare inner tubes.It may be worthwhile packing a spare tyre. Pack whatever tools your chair needs in your main baggage, because since 9/11 your hand luggage can contain no 'weapons'. |
| On the flight |
| If you have a powerchair you will need to remove or disconnect the batteries. Do your best to remove or protect other, easily damaged parts. For users of lightweight, manual chairs, don't tell the crew they can fold it and remove the wheels. There's less chance of the it becoming lost or broken if it's in one piece in the hold. |
| During the trip |
| Common sense. When you're not in your chair, be sure you know where it is and who's looking after it. After showers or if it gets dirty or dusty, clean it thoroughly! Sand is especially abrasive so same applies after desert adventures or beach breaks! |
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