I am not talking here about those with a disability that means a person will require a wheelchair or other suitable mobility aids, a carer, companion or other higher levels of assistance. There are superb websites for such travellers and I would not presume to add anything to their work.
But there are those with lesser issues. It may be temporary (the broken limb, the torn tendon or muscle), a chronic issue (arthritis, joint or back weakness, scoliosis of the spine and so on), recovering from a stroke or the onset of a degenerative condition (such as Parkinson’s). Any one of those myriad of conditions that mean visiting a tourist site, going to an event or taking in an environment on foot is not the simple thing so many tourist websites and books make an assumption it will be.
Our mobility constraints mean that, both before and when we travel, we must research points that are not always easy to pin down. We have to consider the ease of use of hotels and rental properties or how we visit museums, galleries, performance venues and sports arenas. We have to consider simple things such as the availability of a lift in a hotel, the amount of walking needed to reach the point from which we can use transport and the usability of that transport. In taking road trips we have to consider how comfortable a rental car will be for long drives and we have to ensure we extend driving times to take account of regular breaks to unfurl bodies and stretch limbs. In moving around any environment we have to take into consideration things that are non-obstacles for many: how long we need to be on our feet, the steepness of slopes, number of steps between levels, cobblestones (a nightmare for fragile joints) and broken ground. Like many others who live with the limited mobility constraints that we have, we can manage some walking and cope with some stairs and slopes but being on our feet for too long can be a problem and we need to build in recovery time.
Part of managing our constraints means that we use mobility tools, such as wheelchairs, buggies and portable stools, to assist us in certain situations. The most obvious is our use of mobility assistance services, particularly at airports where standing in queues for check-in, security and to board the plane, and also walking the immense distances to and from gates in most large international airports, can be seriously problematic. But it also means that we use self-push wheelchairs (one to push, one to be pushed) or, more often, portable stools when visiting large exhibitions in galleries and museums. Fortunately the number of places that have available either wheelchairs or portable stools (or both) is increasing.
So this blog will touch on the practicalities as we have faced them in either the planning or execution of our travels. It will not be comprehensive but will suggest some ways to aid you from our experience. For those with the sort of mobility constraints I have described I have marked my comments and suggestions with a traffic light system:
- red for places it is almost impractical to go or activities it is almost impractical to undertake,
- amber for those which may be practical but there will be some issues that cause difficulties for some people or which may make the activity impractical in part,
- green for those which should be straightforward to undertake even if you have such mobility constraints, so long as a little bit of thought or preparation is done beforehand.
I have titled the relevant text with the appropriate colour as ‘Mobility Access’. Be warned, my assessments are wholly subjective. They are based on my own sense of what might be achievable having been to the relevant place. But the constraints I am relying on are those we have to deal with. As I have said elsewhere, each person has their own particular concerns and issues and you may find my assessment does not wholly match your own.