This Saturday morning I am continuing to plan my vacation to Iceland next year. According to "Iceland" by Lonely Planet (available on Amazon Prime for free) June-August are the busiest times for tourists in Iceland, so I am planning my trip in mid-September. I was having trouble deciding if I wanted to go in the Summer when it's warmest and the days are endless, or in the Winter so I could view the beautiful Northern Lights, but then I realized I've never been to Iceland so I really just want to see Iceland. I don't like crowds and it's less expensive to go during off-peak anyway, so mid-September 2019 it is! This gives me more time to save and plan anyway.
According to the aforementioned book, there is a road that traverses the perimeter of the entire country/island called Ring Road. So far, my plan is to rent a vehicle and drive this road seeing as many sites as I can along the way. I will stop at pre-planned destinations and stay a day or two, taking in everything each site has to offer. I can't wait!
As far as lodging goes, the options are almost limitless. You can stay in anything from a tent (cheapest) to a farmhouse to a luxury hotel. I want to stay in as many varied places as possible. Some hostels offer sleeping capsules and I must try one! According to the reviews it's an amazing experience all its own! There are camping cabins that are basically just a tiny cabin with a sleeping area and a sitting area and I must stay in one of these as well.
I can't wait to experience the culture the most. I know that Iceland's scenery is breathtaking, but most of all I want to experience its people. Reading travel guides and planning ahead will help me to familiarize myself that much more with my destination so as to help ease my anxiety about traveling so far alone. Traveling alone can be daunting enough, but when you are doing it in a wheelchair and are completely unfamiliar with the area and it's accessibility, it can be terrifying. So far, from what I've read and researched, Iceland seems to be largely accessible! This makes me very happy. I do follow a few people on Instagram (@fromheelstowheels) who use wheelchairs and who have been to Iceland and I will contact them to find out more about accessibility.
I want to take a whale watching tour, but most of all I want to drive Ring Road and take in Iceland's beauty along the way. Driving during the day a couple of hours and then stopping to take in its culture.
Have you ever been to Iceland? Share your experience in the comments!
Visit Iceland: visiticeland.com
Showing posts with label fear of traveling with a disability. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fear of traveling with a disability. Show all posts
Saturday, October 27, 2018
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Traveling Alone With Disabilities
Traveling alone for some can be a daunting thought, but traveling alone when you are disabled takes on a whole new meaning of scary. There is so much unknown. Will there be accessibility? Will people be willing to help me? What if I go somewhere and I can't get around? These are just a few of the questions that run through a disabled individuals mind when thinking about going anywhere, let alone traveling to somewhere they've never been.
I can answer these questions fairly simply. Being disabled myself, and requiring the use of a wheelchair, I am familiar with traveling and venturing into the unknown. It is definitely scary at times, but I've learned to overcome that fear by remembering a few key things. First, no matter where you go, you got there somehow, so if things aren't accessible simply turn around and go back the way you came. This isn't exactly a solution to seeing the thing you may have wanted to see, or doing the thing you may have wanted to do, but it's just a way of overcoming the fear of even trying. You can always just turn around and go back the way you came. No harm, no foul.
Second, sometimes people are TOO willing to help; in other words, I've had numerous people ask me if I need help even when I'm quite obviously fine. I've also had people actually physically try to force me through something I didn't fit through (don't do this BTW), and more often than not people will ask me if I need a hand reaching something on a shelf just because I looked up! Generally people are good and decent and if you are in need of assistance you will more than likely find it without much effort. If you can't find help from a stranger, you should be able to find someone who works for whatever establishment you're visiting who will more than likely be happy to help you in whatever way possible.
My third question I suppose is very similar to the first; "what if I go somewhere and I can't get around?" Well, that's the same answer as the answer to "will there be accessibility?" Anywhere you go, you arrived there somehow, so if you can't get around simply turn around and go back the way you came, or find another area to visit that is accessible.
Obviously, before going anywhere, it's a great idea to do your research. Most places, whether they are large tourist attractions or not, will have at least general information available. Calling ahead and simply asking is a viable option as well, but remember that able bodied people don't always realize what the true meaning is of "accessible". I've gone a few places that claimed to be wheelchair accessible, but in fact were not. I can't even count the number of botched ramps, hidden door buttons, etc that I've encountered.
Accessibility has come a long way in the last 20 years, and it will only improve with time. Newer establishments are more likely to be fully accessible, another thing to keep in mind when traveling. Going to older historic places can be a big challenge unless they've been retro-fitted with wider doorways and ramps.
It took me many, many years to overcome my fears of going anywhere alone. I guess you could say I had a bit of a phobia of it. I learned to overcome my fears and have been traveling alone for a while now. It's not as difficult as it might seem, and there are lots of ways to stay safe and still have a great time! I will touch on the safety issues in another post. Just remember to do your research. Call ahead and express you needs if you must. Plan accordingly. Life's too short to let anything hold you back from doing the things you love!
I can answer these questions fairly simply. Being disabled myself, and requiring the use of a wheelchair, I am familiar with traveling and venturing into the unknown. It is definitely scary at times, but I've learned to overcome that fear by remembering a few key things. First, no matter where you go, you got there somehow, so if things aren't accessible simply turn around and go back the way you came. This isn't exactly a solution to seeing the thing you may have wanted to see, or doing the thing you may have wanted to do, but it's just a way of overcoming the fear of even trying. You can always just turn around and go back the way you came. No harm, no foul.
Second, sometimes people are TOO willing to help; in other words, I've had numerous people ask me if I need help even when I'm quite obviously fine. I've also had people actually physically try to force me through something I didn't fit through (don't do this BTW), and more often than not people will ask me if I need a hand reaching something on a shelf just because I looked up! Generally people are good and decent and if you are in need of assistance you will more than likely find it without much effort. If you can't find help from a stranger, you should be able to find someone who works for whatever establishment you're visiting who will more than likely be happy to help you in whatever way possible.
My third question I suppose is very similar to the first; "what if I go somewhere and I can't get around?" Well, that's the same answer as the answer to "will there be accessibility?" Anywhere you go, you arrived there somehow, so if you can't get around simply turn around and go back the way you came, or find another area to visit that is accessible.
Obviously, before going anywhere, it's a great idea to do your research. Most places, whether they are large tourist attractions or not, will have at least general information available. Calling ahead and simply asking is a viable option as well, but remember that able bodied people don't always realize what the true meaning is of "accessible". I've gone a few places that claimed to be wheelchair accessible, but in fact were not. I can't even count the number of botched ramps, hidden door buttons, etc that I've encountered.
Accessibility has come a long way in the last 20 years, and it will only improve with time. Newer establishments are more likely to be fully accessible, another thing to keep in mind when traveling. Going to older historic places can be a big challenge unless they've been retro-fitted with wider doorways and ramps.
It took me many, many years to overcome my fears of going anywhere alone. I guess you could say I had a bit of a phobia of it. I learned to overcome my fears and have been traveling alone for a while now. It's not as difficult as it might seem, and there are lots of ways to stay safe and still have a great time! I will touch on the safety issues in another post. Just remember to do your research. Call ahead and express you needs if you must. Plan accordingly. Life's too short to let anything hold you back from doing the things you love!
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