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Travelers with Disabilities
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It is all too easy to wax lyrical over the attractions of Greece: the stepped, narrow alleys, the ease of travel by bus and ferry, the thrill of clambering around the great archeological sites. It is almost impossible, on the other hand, not to mention that some of these attractions as well as a number of accommodation may not be easily visited by someone who has difficulty in walking, is wheelchair-bound or suffers from some other disability. Nevertheless it is also vital to be honest with travel agencies, insurance companies, companions and, above all, yourself. Know your limits and make sure others know them. If you do not use a wheelchair all the time but your walking capabilities are limited, remember that you are likely to need to cover greater distances while travelling (often over tougher terrain and in hotter weather than you are used to. If you use a wheelchair, have it serviced before you go and carry a repair kit.
Read your travel insurance small print carefully to make sure that people with a pre-existing medical condition are not excluded. And use your travel agent to make your journey simpler: airlines or bus companies can cope better if they are expecting you, with a wheelchair provided at airports and staff primed to help. A medical certificate of your fitness to travel, provided by your doctor, is also extremely useful, some airlines or insurance companies may insist on it.
Make a list of all the facilities that will make your life easier while you are away, you may want a ground-floor room, or access to a large elevator; you may have special dietary requirements, or need level ground to enable you to reach shops, beaches, bars and places of interest. You should also keep track of all your other special needs. Making sure, for example, that you have extra supplies of drugs -carried with you if you fly - and a prescription including the generic name in case of emergency. Carry spares of any kind of drug, clothing or equipment that might be hard to find in Greece. | |
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