Travel tips

1. Always phone up and see if the accommodation where you will be staying is suitable for you and your party. Reading that something is wheelchair friendly isn’t enough! If you are unsure about whether the accommodation will meet your needs consider taking a folding commode and a net sling.
2. A net sling can also be useful for getting in and out of the sea or a swimming pool. This process is not easy and needs 3 or 4 people to help with the lifting.
3. Phone up the people who will be taking you to where ever you’re going and make sure to book it, if you have already told them of any special requirements you or a member of the party has e.g. any essential medical equipment which any of you need to bring.
4. Label your essential medical equipment, to make it easier to track down if it gets lost and also to make sure people know what it is.
5. Try to book a vehicle in advance or means of getting to where ever you’re going at the other end of your travel.
6. Make sure you have a large piece of material, drawing pins and safety pins with you. Often we found that a wheelchair could get into the bathroom only when the door was removed. The opening was wide enough for a wheelchair but the actual door wasn’t, so sometimes we had to take the door off. Then it was helpful that we had a curtain and drawing pins to cover up for privacy. Remember to bring a screwdriver, allen key and spanner.
7. You may need to use the net sling to take a shower.
8. If the bed does not have enough room underneath it, you may need to use four bricks to prop it up. I do think that if you just ask at the reception they will have four bricks, or will be able to tell you where to find them i.e. a building site.
9. Remember you might have to take footplates off to fit in a small lift while your carer runs upstairs to meet you at the other end!
10. Worse you may even need to go to the toilet sitting in the sling. So always keep a net sling in your day bag all the time.
11. Remember to buy holiday insurance for yourself and all your essential medical equipment.
12. Remember there is no substitute for phoning if there’s an activity which you like to do but you’re not sure if it’s possible.
13. Email us at wickedworldtour.com if you have had a good holiday to let us know where you went and if you have any tips you would like to share.
14. Enjoy yourself and always remember you may have to be ingenious to make some situations work.