The Matysek Family's Accessible Adventure to Europe: A Tale of 4 Cities!

Have you dreamed of traveling to Europe but not sure you can because of accessibility issues? Well, you CAN and the Matysek Family DID!  There were a party of 5 with Matthew using a wheelchair.  Below you will find a summary written by Andrea about their experiences in London, Amsterdam, Paris & Zurich. I have added my own commentary regarding the planning process and issues I encountered. These will be in italics.  Enjoy!!

"As we boarded the plane to start our first leg of our trip to Europe, it didn’t seem real. We had traveled to Bermuda, Jamaica, and around the states, but I never thought I’d ever be touring 4 countries overseas.

We had planned this trip as a big family trip, so it was my husband, Ron, and I, along with our 17 year old son, Matthew, our 23 year old daughter, Meagan, and her 25 year old husband, JC. We started by looking at river cruises, but discovered they were not wheelchair friendly at all. Then, a friend recommended Kristina, so I met with her and began planning our trip!

We decided to start in London and then take the Euro Train to various other locations. As we looked at hotels and Kristina checked handicap availability, we discovered that many hotels do not have much accessibility." European countries are not obligated to provide Handicap Accessibility. Many hotels do not have elevators. Much of these countries have extremely old architecture and it is near impossible to alter it. However, when the Olympics were held in London, accessibility became much more widespread and available.

"We started in London, where we had set up private transport to our hotel. This is necessary when you are dealing with five people and a wheelchair.

One thing I highly recommend is having a tour set up when you first land in England. We got there at 6 am and left the airport by 7. It was tempting to sleep because we were so off schedule, but by going to Stonehenge on a private tour allowed us to stay active and adjust to a new schedule. During the hour and a half drive from London, we all took short cat naps and then would gaze out on beautiful countryside. We all enjoyed Stonehenge and didn't purchase the audio guides. There were signs every where, so I'm not sure what else the audio guide would tell you. Unfortunately, we ran out of time to go to Windsor Castle, which was disappointing. I would have loved to spend the day there.

On our other two days in London, we had chosen to do the On Again, Off Again bus since the price was really good and it took us anywhere we wanted to go. We were able to see all the sights of London getting on, hearing the commentary, getting off and walking where we wanted to. We saw the Tower of London, the London Eye, Buckingham Palace and the changing of the Guard, plus many more things. One of our favorites that was included was a thirty minute cruise down the Thames. We had a great captain/guide. London was relatively accessible with a wheelchair, which was nice. We did have to push the chair due to the uneven roads, but it wasn't too bad. Most of the buses had working ramps to accommodate the wheelchair and even a special seating area for Matthew to lock into to. That was a great relief!" One of the issues they ran into in London was that the Hotel we had set up for them was on the older side with very small accommodations.  They assured me that they had an Accessible room. However, upon arrival, they claimed they did not have an Accessible room available. The hotel accommodated them as best they could and finally did move them to an appropriate room.

"We took the train to Amsterdam, with a layover in Brussels. One recommendation I would make if you are traveling via train, (especially if you have someone traveling with you who is unable to carry his own luggage), is to make sure you are using smaller luggage. We tried to lug 5 large suitcases on the trains, where you are responsible for your own luggage. We even tried to condense it down to 4, since one of us had to push a wheelchair and Ron uses a cane for walking, so he was unable to help as much as was needed. Traveling by high speed train is fantastic though. You see the countryside, but get where you want to go within a half day.

Amsterdam. One of my favorite cities, as well as the favorite of the whole family. It was fascinating, beautiful, and crowded but not as hectic as London. I think it was because so many people walk, ride bikes or take the tram. We saw bike garages just like our parking decks here in America, which probably held 1000 bikes.

In Amsterdam, we stayed at the Crowne Plaza. It wasn't the cheapest hotel around, but it was fantastic! We had tremendous service, and it was always clean. The staff was extremely helpful, especially when Matthew got sick and we had to postpone our trip to Paris." This is where having Travel Insurance is absolutely invaluable! Andi contacted Travel Guard and they advised her of what she needed to do and the documents she needed. They needed to stay and extra day in Amsterdam, missed their train and needed to cancel 1 night in Paris. Andi contacted me and I was working on my end to assist her as well. Once they arrived home, Travel Guard sent all the forms she needed and they will be reimbursed!! If they had opted to not purchase the Travel Insurance, they would have not had any assistance with the medical issues and would be out hundreds of dollars!

"Every where we went, we either walked or used our "I Amsterdam" card to use the tram. This card was helpful in getting discounts to certain museums, free entrance to other places, and discounts on food or shopping. We didn't find the shopping discounts to be great, but it was helpful when we went to the Van Gogh museum. It let us skip the line and go right in. Places to visit in Amsterdam: the Anne Frank house (get tickets online way in advance), the Van Gogh museum, the Reiks museum, a canal cruise, and a day trip to Zaans Schas. This is a village that has 6 working windmills, all for a different purpose. There is one windmill that was accessible, so Matthew was even able to see the inside workings of the sawmill windmill. It was a fascinating place. I wish we had been able to spend more time there. We had booked a trip to another city, which wasn’t worth the time we took to go there. While in Amsterdam, we were able to stroll the streets at our leisure and we found many wonderful restaurants, including the one at the hotel. I highly recommend eating Dutch pancakes. They are similar to ours but contain bacon and/or apples. Absolutely delicious!!! Meagan and JC truly enjoyed a tour through the Red Light District in the evening. They also explored Amsterdam after dinner our other nights there. It was nice to be able to walk to the train station from our hotel."

"Next stop: Paris. We had a shortened visit to Paris, due to Matthew’s illness in Amsterdam. In some respects, we missed out on a lot of sightseeing there, but in other respects, it was okay. Paris was extremely busy. The traffic was horrid and the people not very polite to us. We did have a fantastic tour of Versailles, with a guide that couldn’t have been better! We set this up through Accessible Tours Europe. She was so knowledgeable that we couldn’t take in all that she showed us. Our guide and driver dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower, which was huge. You don’t realize it until you stand below it. We did not go up in it, although that would be something I would do if we were to go back. Two things we learned were that the Louvre is closed on Tuesdays and the famous shopping areas close at 7:30. Both were disappointments to us, but we were happy we saw what we did."

"Our final destination was Zurich. Many people have asked me why Zurich. I am so glad we went there! It is a big city, but easy to walk around and has some beautiful scenery. We stayed at the Park Hyatt there and were spoiled beyond belief. It is not an inexpensive place to visit, so you need to be prepared for that. Dinners for five in a decent restaurant would cost around $150. It was super expensive, but I would go back there any time. We took a tour through Viator, called the Zurich City Tour. Our guide was absolutely wonderful. He helped with Matthew’s wheelchair and told us about everything we saw. We drove all around the city and took a ferry ride across the lake. Then we took an aerial tram to where we could see the surrounding area. The views were amazing. If I could do anything different, I would have made sure we had time to take the train to Lucerne, also."

"All in all, this was a great trip! I would change a few things. One would be to have at least 4 days in each country. We were on the go so much, that we became extremely tired. By the time, we reached Zurich, we didn’t have the energy to really enjoy it as much as we could have. The other would be to pack lighter,so it was easier to get on and off the trains."

Things I would keep and do again: a private tour in each country (a necessity with a wheelchair, if you aren’t going with a completely accessible tour group), sampling food that is typical for each country and staying in chain hotels that understand handicap accessibility. I want to go back and explore Switzerland and add a trip to several other countries, such as Ireland and Scotland. American chain hotels are more accommodating in terms of accessibility. However, they usually only have 2-4 Accessible rooms in their inventory so they fill up fast. As a Travel Consultant, it is my job to be sure that the room meets my clients needs. You would be amazed at how many hotels we went through in order to find accessible availability!

It was a pleasure planning this dream vacation for the Matysek Family!  I am honored that I was able to make their dream a reality. Just because you or a member of your family has special needs does not mean you cannot travel to your dream destination!

Dream Big and Happy Travels!!

Aspirin, Bandaids and Hand Sanitizer Oh My!

You have packed your whole closet and you are ready to go! Are you sure?  What about the items that can help you stay healthy while on that Dream Vacation??  Are they still in your bathroom?  The Pepto Bismol will not do you any good sitting on the medicine cabinet shelf at home when you have a upset stomach in the Caribbean!  Here are some tips to think about to help avoid becoming sick or injured while on vacation.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL:

*Google the closest Emergency Room and/or Urgent Care Center at your destination. Print out the address, phone number and directions. Is there a Doctor or Medical Staff on site at the Resort where you are staying? How much will it cost to visit the medical center on the ship? Do they accept your insurance?

*Know your medical coverage.  Check whether your insurance pays for Urgent Care visits and out of town Doctors appointments. Be sure to carry your card with you at all times!

*Make a list of Primary Care Doctors names and contact information for each family member. Also include a list of any prescription and over the counter medications they are currently taking, any medical conditions such as Diabetes or High Blood Pressure and vaccination records. (Especially if traveling outside the US.)

*Place all the above information in an envelope you can carry in a purse or knapsack for easy accessibility. OR make a PDF of all the information on a flash drive!

*Be sure to pack the Policy # and 24 Hour Assistance phone number for your Travel Insurance! You never PLAN for something to happen, but it is there for you if and when you need it.

ON THE ROAD:

*Pack a soft insulated cooler or tote with healthy snacks and drinks. You can even make sandwiches ahead of time and have a picnic lunch! Pack things like fruit and peanut butter, pretzels and cheese and protein bars. Stay hydrated with water and avoid soda and sugary drinks.

*If traveling by car, stop every 2-3 hours to get out and walk. This will the kids a chance to run around and be crazy for a few minutes!  If you cannot stop that often, move and stretch in your seat every hour. Especially stretch your legs and feet to improve blood flow. If you are on a long flight, get up and walk the aisle every hour. Stretch in your seat too! (without annoying your seat mates!)

AT YOUR DESTINATION:

*ENJOY! But don't OVERDO!  When you are on vacation, you want to try it all and do it all and see it all!  Be prepared to deal with the consequences of over-indulgence and/or over-exertion. Pack over the counter remedies for diarrhea, heartburn and any other digestive maladies you can think of!  Also bring along ibuprofen or acetaminophen for muscle or head aches.  If you use Essential Oils, you can bring along your oils in a carrying case so they do not break. You can purchase small, portable Diffusers that run on batteries to bring along. Diffuse in you hotel room or cabin!

*DON'T FORGET THE SUNSCREEN!  Even if you are going to the Mountains in Winter, you can get a sunburn and be miserable on your vacation. Be sure EVERYONE wears at least a 30 SPF on all exposed skin.  Reapply every 2 hours (more often if swimming!) and wear a hat of you are especially sensitive.

*TRY to stick to a sleep schedule. It can be really hard to do this, especially if you are visiting a place like Disney. If you have young children, maybe work in a nap during the day to offset the late activities. If you are traveling between time zones, set your watch and phone to the new time as soon as you arrive. Try not to nap when you arrive, but turn in early instead to help reset your body clock.

*Is it a true emergency?  Know when to call in the professionals. A cut that won't stop bleeding or vomiting and diarrhea that just won't quit....this is a good time to visit the doctor. Better to take a few hours out of your day to get checked out than to miss several days of your trip.

*WASH YOUR HANDS!!!  OFTEN!!  I can't say this enough! Soap and water is best but alcohol-based hand sanitizer works if you can't get to a sink. Be especially diligent after coming in contact with airplane bathrooms, light switches, anything with a touch-screen and anything else germy!

SOOOOOO, what SHOULD you pack then??  Here is a list to get you thinking about what to bring:

*Over the counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

*Heartburn relief, nausea remedy, antacids and diarrhea medicines are a must have, especially if traveling to foreign countries.

*Antihistamines such as diphenhydramine for any suspect allergic reactions.

*Motion sickness medicines such as meclizine or the bands that apply pressure around your wrist. There are even some homeopathic remedies out there!

*Decongestants in case the sniffles wants to sneak in.

*Adhesive bandages, or a small First Aid kit with bandages and antibiotic ointment in it.

*Alcohol-based hand-sanitizer gel and/or wipes.

*Sunscreen

*Hydro-cortisone cream for strange itchy rashes and bug bites.

*Ear thermometer if you have young children traveling with you.

*All Prescription medicines you are taking. Try to keep them in the original bottles so you have the Pharmacy contact information if needed.

*TECH savvy?  Here are a few APPS you might want to download to your smartphone to help you before and during your vacation:

    

     *WAZE: offers real-time user-generated updates on traffic jams and accidents.

     

     *AroundMe: alerts you to the closest restaurants, gas stations, ATM's, pharmacies and hospitals.

     *GateGuru: lets you know what restaurants and services are near your airport gate.

     *American Red Cross First Aid: step-by-step instructions for various first- aid issues. This app also connects you to local EMS if needed!

Each vacation and destination is different, so use your best judgement when packing for your family and yourself. YOU ARE READY TO GO!  Happy Travels!!

Just How Big is the Caribbean Anyway?!

When people talk about the Caribbean, do you just think of The Bahamas??  There are only 700 islands that make up The Bahamas.  Only 700 you say??  Well, there are about 7,000 islands in the Caribbean region.  Here is a map for a geography lesson:

The Caribbean region includes The Bahamas, Bermuda (both of which are technically in the Atlantic!), west to the coast of Mexico and all the way down  the coast of Central and South America!  There is no "one Caribbean".  The regions are divided into several geographical areas based on climate and location. Below is a list of named islands/areas popular with visitors:

     *Atlantic Region: Bermuda, The Bahamas, Turks & Caicos.  The Turks & Caicos are actually at the end of the string of Bahamas but they are their own political entity.

     *The Northern Caribbean: Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands and Hispaniola.  Hispaniola is divided into 2 separate countries: Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

     *The Eastern Caribbean-Leeward Islands: St. Martin/Sint Maarten (one side is French and the other is Dutch!), Anguilla, St. Barthelemy, St. Eustatius, Saba, Antigua, Barduda, St. Kitts, Nevis and Montserrat. This last island has an active volcano on it!

     *The Eastern Caribbean-Windward Islands: Guadeloupe, Dominica, Martinique, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Barbados. Barbados is actually far out in the Atlantic, southeast of St Lucia but we consider it part of the Caribbean.

     *Southern Caribbean: Trinidad & Tobago, Margarita Island, Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao.

     *The Western Caribbean & The Coast of Latin America: Cuba, Cancun, Cozumel, Belize, the Bay Islands of Honduras, San Blas Island of Panama, Cartagena & San Andres in Columbia and Caracas and Margarita Island in Venezuela.

Bet you didn't think of Venezuela being in the Caribbean?!  The region is so large and diverse geographically and culturally!  If you were to say to me, "I want to go to the Caribbean!"  I would first have a little giggle inside, then I would ask you a series of questions to narrow down which part! For example, do you want to go lie on a beach all day and do absolutely nothing or do you want to explore nature, scuba dive, hike, learn about the local culture?  If you want to lie on a beach all day, I am going to send you to Anquilla because they have some of the most idyllic beaches in the world! If you are an avid Scuba Diver, I will send you to either Belize or Bonaire.  Nature your thing?  Then you will be visiting the island of Dominica or Guadeloupe!  Would you like to immerse yourself in the culture?  Carnival Celebrations in Trinidad & Tobago are not to be missed!

Now do you understand why I would have a giggle first then ask you question after question after question?!  The diversity of culture, language, geography and climate is amazing. No matter which island or area you choose, you will most likely be seeing this:

Would you like to see this?

I can help make it happen for you!  Just prepare yourself for the giggle and the questions!

Happy Travels!!

An Adults Perspective: Carnival Fascination January 17, 2015

I am finally getting to it!  Riley did a review from his perspective, now it is my turn! I will try to be as detailed as possible and include pictures as they pertain to the subject!

Pre-cruise, we traveled to Jacksonville by car. It took about 6 hours and 45 minutes of drive time. We were all ready to be out of the car when we arrived at our hotel. We stayed at the Hampton Inn: Regency East. One, because we used Hilton Honors points for the stay and Two, because it was very convenient to the port.  It took us only about 10 minutes to get there! The room was surprisingly large, but we were put in a poor location. We were right near the elevators and directly over the car port/entrance. We could hear the doors opening and closing and did not have much view of anything due to the carport. The room was clean and breakfast was adequate.  Here is Riley enjoying his huge bed all to himself!

Day 1: The day had finally arrived. Riley and I had been counting down for months!  We loaded up in the car and headed to the port.  As I mentioned, it only took about 10 minutes to get to the port and it was super easy to find. We had purchased Faster to the Fun through Carnival. This meant that we could be among the first to board the ship. (After Diamond & Platinum passengers of course!)  We arrived at the port at about 10:30 or so and were allowed to board at 11:30. Our room was ready (another perk of Faster to the Fun) so we went to go check that out first. We had a Triple, which consisted of a King bed for us and a bunk for Riley.  He really loved being up there!

There was a ladder and the bunk folded up for more space.  Having cruised before, the room was no surprise to us. However, we did have a "connecting" cabin this time.  Our beds were on the wall with the connecting door.  I am not exaggerating when I say that this door was "paper thin!"  We could hear our neighbors conversation clearly. (and they were not loud people!) I will never book a connecting stateroom again unless we are traveling with friends or family and actually open and use the door!

Riley enjoyed sitting in the window!

 After checking out our cabin, we headed out to explore the ship.  Having sailed on a Fantasy class prior, it was easy to navigate.  Riley was not as impressed as we thought he would be!  He even made the comment that he "preferred the Queen Mary 2!"  Like he has EVER been on that ship!  Well, excuse me!!!  Anyway, he had a blast but doesn't like to admit it!

After exploring, a round of Mini-Golf, marathon unpacking and lunch, it was time to "sail-away." Well, according to our watches, it was time. However, a rather large ship blocking the river had other ideas.  We were late leaving and I missed going under the bridge because I had to attend a Camp Carnival meeting. Ronnie and I have always sailed alone so this was new to us.  I have to say that Riley loved Camp Carnival and was there a lot!  He made some great friends and had a blast!

Here is a video of the ship going under the bridge. It got chilly during sail away so I had to have a cup of coffee to warm me up.  Before we knew it, it was time for dinner.  We had Late Seating so dinner was not until 8:15 every night. Ronnie and I decided to go for early dining from now on because we feel like we missed shows and activities that were going on while we were eating.  The service in the Dining Room really left much to be desired this time around.  Our wait staff was very pleasant, but we were almost the very last table to leave every night.  Very SLOW service and they would often forget our requests.

Day 2: Sea Day.  We headed to Sea Day Brunch and were not disappointment!  Riley had Chocolate Chip Pancakes, I had some Mexican dish that was super yummy and Ronnie had several things that I can't remember!  The beauty of cruising is that you can order whatever you want and as much as you want!  Riley wanted to try some coffee, so we got him some Decaf!  He said he liked it!

Here is a video of Riley trying the coffee! The coffee on the ship was really not that bad.  I have had better, but definitely have had worse!! After Brunch, Riley was off to Camp Carnival.  I can't remember everything that Ronnie and I did this day.  I know that I went to Tea Time and the Thriller Dance Class.  We both did a lot of lounging around and reading......which is unusual but welcome for us!!  After lunch, Riley wanted to swim and play on the waterslides.  The water was freezing, but the kids did not care because the pool was full of them!  Not for me! I sat my bum down in a lounge chair and read!!

BRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!  This night was Elegant night and much to Riley's dismay, we got all dressed up. He only had dinner in the dining room with us twice...the rest of the time he enjoyed dinner at Camp Carnival.  This night, however, he had the Ribs and destroyed them!

 Posing on the Grand Staircase.

When we arrived back in our cabin, there was a friend waiting for Riley! He was absolutely exhausted from his day, and fell off to sleep quickly!

Day 3: Nassau, Bahamas. We were off the ship early to get some shopping done before our scheduled excursion.  We had originally booked the Sea World Explorer but they apparently had equipment issues, so we re-booked the Glass Bottom Boat. After a short walk from the ship to the pier, we boarded the glass bottom boat for our tour.  We headed out of the Harbor and past the Atlantis Resort and homes of the rich and famous! The harbor was beautiful and the water was amazingly blue!  When we arrived at the Marine Park, we were allowed to go down to the viewing deck. There were 2 "wells" where you could view beneath the boat. They moved the boat back and forth over the reef so we could see as much as possible.  One of the deck hands was down stairs talking about the fish and coral, but we were unable to hear due to the engines. Up top, they handed out bread so we could feed the fish.  Riley really enjoyed this part!  There was a bit of a frenzy at one point!

The staff was very friendly and we had a great time on this tour!

After Lunch, we visited the Pirate's Museum.  I was really excited for this tour, but it was a bit of a let down. We learned a lot about Pirates, but it really was not very interactive for Riley.  He was a bit bored to be honest. (and he really like pirates!)

Ronnie apparently felt like Riley and I required a "Time Out!"

Here are some various photos we took during our time in Nassau.

Day 4: Half Moon Cay, Bahamas. This is a private island and is absolutely beautiful. I think this was my favorite day...even though we almost got run over by a truck. This was a Tender port and one of the perks of Faster to the Fun was Priority Tender.  We did not have to wait at all!

 The water was crystal clear (but cold!) and the sand was like silk between your toes. It was my favorite day because it forced Ronnie and I to just sit and be.

 We did not plan any excursions, so we sat on our bums and watched Riley and his friends play all day!  Sometime during the morning, I got the brilliant idea in my head that it would be great to take a nature walk. There are walking/running trails that go around part of the island. Riley and I were enjoying the feel of the sand between our toes as we walked. At one point, we came to a bend in the road. We could hear a vehicle coming so we stopped and stood on the side of the road. A truck came speeding around the bend, not slowing down or moving away from us. I had to push Riley into the bushes and Ronnie had to push me into the bushes to avoid being struck!  The driver did not even slow down or acknowledge us!  It was terrifying! After catching our breath, we headed back to our loungers.  As we sat there, the true magnitude of what just happened and what could have happened started to sink in. I actually started to cry...it was really upsetting. Ronnie decided to go speak to someone about the incident. He spoke with the Manager of the island and he assured Ronnie that he would look into the matter. He even offered us a free excursion, which we graciously declined. We did not want or expect anything...we simply wanted to make him aware that this happened. We later found out that our dinner table mates had a similar experience. Moral of the story......if you are going to take a nature walk on Half Moon Cay, be very aware of oncoming vehicles!!

The rest of our day was uneventful and very relaxing. We did not want to leave and look forward to going back someday!

Day 5: Second Sea Day.  Riley spent a lot of time at Camp Carnival and playing on the slides again.  We did some Trivia and lots of lounging and reading.  Riley was somewhat cranky this day......I think he was exhausted! In the morning, we took a Behind the Fun Tour.  We got to visit the Galley, Crew areas, Engine Control room and the Bridge!  We got to meet the captain and have our photo taken with him.  He was very patient and friendly with Riley. We received souvenir hats, lanyards and chocolate covered strawberries! It was a great tour and I recommend taking advantage of it if you can. You have to sign up for it as soon as you board because it fills up fast!

Day 6: Arrival back in Jacksonville. We were sad to go!  It was a great first cruise for Riley. Even though he doesn't like to admit it, I think he had the time of his life. We chose to do Self Assist off the ship. This means we did not put our luggage out in the hall the night before to be collected. We carried it off ourselves with little trouble.  Another perk of Faster to the Fun was Priority Debarkation. We were off the ship and in our car by 9:15 AM!

Final Thoughts:  The Carnival Fascination is a smaller and older ship.  It will be going into dry-dock for some upgrades very soon.  Having sailed 5 times previously, we knew what to expect and went with the flow.  If you have never cruised before, a smaller ship might be a good first choice to get you hooked!  Cruising is a great value for your money!  Where else can you have everything included and see many different places in one week!?

If this sounds intriguing to you, give me a call or email me to get more information about cruising! 980-533-1167 or escapetravelandcruises@gmail.com

Wherever your Travels may take you, I hope they are Safe and Happy!!