GETTING THERE IN ONE PIECE
Resources for Disabled Travelers

by Jeff Cadwell

Jeff Cadwell's experience as a disabled traveler led him to compile the list of resources that follows. Today Jeff uses a walker, a wheelchair or a scooter, as travel circumstances dictate. His work as a Certified Maximum Life Coach (www.jeffcadwell.com) inspires him to tell other disabled travelers, "Live life to its fullest! There's no reason to stay home. Of course you can travel!"

 

Tod Steward's adventures in Phuket warmed my heart. It is wonderful to hear that a place still exists on this earth that not only accepts your disability, but also your sexuality.

Since I started having mobility issues due to a diagnosis of MS in 2003, my most recent travel experience was also my first. In January, 2005 I went on a seven-day family reunion cruise to the Eastern Caribbean on Celebrity Cruise Lines.

If you have not been on a cruise before, you don't know what you are missing. No matter where you find yourself aboard ship, there's a crew member ready to help.

One thing I found essential was having a wheelchair delivered to my room before I arrived. Scooters were available, too, for a more sizable fee. I discovered that no matter what time of day it was, if a family member was pushing my wheelchair, someone from the crew insisted on taking over and pushing me wherever I needed to go. Talk about pampering!

To top off service like that, the food was fantastic, 90% of the male crew were beautiful, and port excursions accessible to disabled travelers were always duly noted.

An extra bonus for me was a handsome steward who catered to my every need, everything from providing additional pillows to making sure the beverage of my choice was in my stateroom every night before bed.

Honestly, I can't wait to go on a cruise again. I am thinking of the Greek Isles, Hawaii, or Alaska. Care to join me?

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Assembled from a variety of sources, here are the disability travel links I've found useful.

 

Access-Able Travel
http://access-able.com/graphical_index.html

Accessible Journeys
http://www.disabilitytravel.com/

Disability Community Travel Resources http://www.travel.justcan.com/index.html

Disability Travel and Recreation Resources
http://www.makoa.org/travel.htm

Disabled Travelers
http://www.disabledtravelers.com/

Disabled World
http://www.disabled-world.com/artman/publish/cat_index_29.shtml

Get Connected
http://www.travelguides.org/

Guardian Traveler http://travel.guardian.co.uk/disabled/story/0,12549,817583,00.html

Medical Travel Inc.
http://www.medicaltravel.org/

Special Needs Travel
http://whispy.com/special-needs-disabilitytravel.html

Transitions Abroad http://www.transitionsabroad.com/listings/travel/disability/index.shtml

Traveling with a Disability http://www.tripspot.com/features/disability.htm

©2006 Jeff Cadwell

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BENT: A Journal of CripGay Voices/May 2006