Does your travel agent specialize in travel for the mobility-impaired? If not, you should find one who does.

I would also recommend that you look at tours that specialize in travel for people with scooters and wheelchairs. I realize that (a) there is probably no one tour that will cover all the sights you want to see, and (b) you want to get beyond the bubble of being a tourist, but I think you should nonetheless look into the option of joining a tour for Italy, which presents some exceptional obstacles to sightseeing for the disabled.

Since your budget is so very large, I am thinking you might be able to afford to join a group sometimes, and be on your own in between.

At a minimum, I think you need to find a social network of disabled travelers with whom you can share tips, and perhaps leads on contacting groups abroad that would ease your way. They can share tips with you about the best airlines to fly and what to expect in the way of help using trains. Perhaps they can help you find a companion guide or helper in some cities who would speak the local language and assist you with trains, etc.

Can you drive? You might find it easier to rent a van in Italy and drive than take trains. But a tour group specializing in travel for the mobility challenged might get you where you really want to go, and it might be too difficult if you are always on your own.

http://www.disabledtravelersguide.com/

http://www.disabledtravelers.com/

http://www.globalaccessnews.com/books.htm

Do you have friends that would like to accompany you? They don't have to fly first class and perhaps you can help with their expense and use them as driver.

Thanks for the info. I won't go so far as to say my travel agent specializes in tours for the disabled but she takes her disabled mother with her on many trips so is familiar with making arrangements. Her mother also travels with a scooter.

One of the disadvantages of living in a very rural area is that there are few travel agents to choose from. I need to travel 90 miles to visit the one I selected. I contacted several travel agents before selecting this one. As soon as I would mention disabled and the scooter they became much less willing to help, in fact 2 told me they couldn't help me at all.

I'll definately look into the social sites as you suggested, thanks. I've found a few disabled tours and will provide that into to my travel agent today if she hasn't already found them. Thanks so much for the links

Yes, I can drive and considered renting a villa in both Italy and Greece but not knowing traffic laws (and the dang speed cameras) or even where to go would be big issues that would probably stress me out so much I wouldn't enjoy it. That's why I might be better off hiring a private guide and car for portions of my stay. Yes, I like the idea of spending time on my own as well as time with a group.

One thing I forgot to ask in my initial post is are there any festivals, etc., in Great Britain, Italy, or Greece that I might try to schedule in?

Thanks again

I would love to have a friend go with me but even flying coach this trip is more expensive than they can afford. I've asked most of my friends and always get the same answer. Would love to but can't afford it.

My experience is limited - but I did do a trip to Paris with a colleague that used a scooter - rented on the spot. (The hotel rented it for us and it was at the airport to meet us with the van. Public transit was basically inacessible (OK for wheelchairs but not scooters) and we had a van with driver for everywhere he needed to go. Large public buildings were OK - but at times we had to use alternate entrances to avoid steps. (He could walk short distances - no more than a half a block or so - with time and truoble - but basically needed the scooter to get anywhere. We also had to use a hotel with handicap access rooms - many in europe do not have any.)

I have no idea how this is handled on trains - but I know that many trains are NOT flat with a platform - but up 2 or 3 steep, narrow steps. I would definitely look at all of the rail websites and get info on handicapped access.

douggee,

Sounds to me like your present travel agent has enough comprehension of the situation to do a good job for you.

Picking up a local guide who speaks the local language plus English might be a great advantage for you. I wish I could offer some ready links for that, but I don't have any. If I come across any, I will be sure to add them to this post.

You might also try posting your questions on Slow Travel and TripAdvisor. Sometimes the people who post on those boards actually live in Europe and they might be able to find local organizations for you and answer your questions about trains.

Here's a start:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tombarlow/2011/10/18/need-help-when-you-travel-hire-a-companion/

http://www.disabledtravelers.com/travel_companions.htm

And one more:

http://z8.invisionfree.com/UK_DPS/index.php

Sorry -- this is the better link:

http://www.disabledphotographers.co.uk/phpbb3/

You need to check out what prescribed medication is allowed into each country. I know that it is illegal to take any coedine based medication into Greece - they confiscate it at the airport.

Rick Steves had a book Easy Access Europe. On his website, he has multiple links for resources including travel agents that specialize in this type of travel and a list of tour companies.
http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/easyaccess.htm

Reids Guides also has some links you might find useful.
http://www.reidsguides.com/t_tu/t_tu_disabled.html

This person wasn't traveling alone and was using a wheelchair, but you might find her trip report helpful. She may have encountered some obstacles that you hadn't considered.
http://www.fodors.com/community/europe/i-shouldnt-be-alive-spain-italyin-augustin-a-wheelchair.cfm

>>>My initial plans are to spend a week in England/Scotland/Ireland,<<<

Did you mean a week in each? If not, no, you can't do all three in a week.

A few thoughts before I’m off to work. First, I admire your spirit to go on this trip of a lifetime alone. It will not be easy, but with your spirit, you will have memories that cannot be replaced. I always say to those you want to travel, do it now, because we don’t know if we will be physically able to do it “tomorrow." I travel with my husband who uses a manuel wheelchair and it can be done!

Below are a few websites which I have found helpful in planning past trips. Hopefully copy and paste will work:

http://access-able.com

http://www.disabledholidaydirectory.co.uk/
(destination also outside of UK)

http://www.gimponthego.com/

http://www.goodaccessguide.co.uk/

Sorry need to leave now.

I am sure you will have a fabulous time! It may take a bit more research but that can be part of the fun!!

1 week is not enough to cover all the areas you want to in England/Scotland/Ireland unless you mean 1 week in each. I think you will find that larger centres (London, Edinburgh) will have more things accessible to you. 1 week in London would give you a great amount of time to do all that you want to see!

Or a week split between Edinburgh and London.

Here are some websites for London to get you started:

http://www.visitlondon.com/maps/accessibility/

http://www.alondonguide.com/london_disabled.htm

http://www.londonforfun.com/info-for-London-attractions.htm

http://www.hotelsin-london.co.uk/infofordisabled.html

http://ableize.com/access-and-travel/city-and-town-access-guides/London-Disabled-Access-Guides/

I hope this helps!

If you have time and money - would you take a cruise? A trans-atlantic cruise, or 2 - to London and back? Maybe same price as 1st class flight but so much more convenient!

I don't think you'll find first class service offered on any inter-Europe flight, but you will find business class offered on many flights.

At many airports (even high-volume ones), you board and de-plane most inter-Europe (and some international) flights out on the tarmac. Passengers are shuttled between the terminal and the plane on buses. Old-school, steep, metal stairs are rolled up to the plane for ingress/egress.

Use www.seatguru.com to compare airline seat configurations, legroom measurements, notations about 'good' and 'poor' seat selections, etc.

If you decide to add a cruise, ask tons of questions. In some ports, passengers are ferried to the dock on small tenders. I don't know if a scooter could be accommodated.

Others may disagree, but I would choose destinations based on accessibility over "I really want to see xyz!" For me, overall enjoyment would trump a wish list. I would also choose a group tour geared to the disabled over traveling solo.

Good luck with your planning. I hope it all works out and that you have a great trip.

Post your query on the Slow Trav website and you should get
some good information on travelling with a disabiity from
posters who do so regularly.

http://slowtalk.com

or google: slowtrav

I second Dayenu's idea of a cruise. A Rhine or Danube cruise would take you to a lot of places without you having to negotiate airports. I don't know how you'd get a scooter on the trains. I think many people with restricted mobility go for cruises and they are set up for people who have tricky health situations, with doctors on board.

My husband's aunt just took her wheelchair-bound octogenarian husband on a cruise around New Zealand and it worked out OK. In Sydney, where the cruise left from, they had to hire disabled taxis to get round (they are from Perth) so all that had to be booked in advance as there aren't hundreds of them on the road. They also found that there wasn't much they could do in the city as even parks don't all have disabled access (ramps, etc) and she had to push him as that was the type of wheelchair he had. We did manage to find a pub which had an easy entrance and a lift inside which took chairs down to the dining area, so we could have lunch with them.

I do feel though that about 90% of the problems they would have had were due to not knowing the lie of the land - a disabled person resident here would have known where the disabled ramps were, and what were easy-to-navigate sights to be seen, good pubs, etc. They mostly weren't with us but spent some time with my father-in-law, who also doesn't know the city that well. Maybe bigger cities have websites on disabled travel for that city and can give tips.

Lavandula

oops, "a lift inside which took chairs" should read "a lift inside which took wheelchairs".

Lavandula

I want to recommend to you a site that was really helpful to us last year in Paris, it is www.sagetraveling.com. This is a travel agency specializing in European travel for persons with disabilities. While we didn't use the services, the website alone was invaluable for information on what is accessible in many European cities, with specifics like how to get to the top of the Eiffel Tower, for example. Hope it's helpful.

Thank you to the many kind posts and suggestions. I'm learning quickly that this trip is turning into a nightmare. When tour companies say "wheelchair accessible" they mean manual wheelchairs, not power chairs, not scooters. I do not have the upper body strenth to use a manual wheelchair so unless I have a travelling companion or can hire someone to push me, I'm back to the beginning again.

Most are recommending hiring a private van with guide which increases the cost a great deal which means I may have to cut way back on the time I am able to spend.

I have yet to find a river cruise company that wants to deal with a scooter. Many say that even if they were to assist me getting it off the boat there are often stairs and steps leading to street level which the scooter would not be able to negotiate.

Something I hadn't even considered until I ran across an advertisement is renting a motorhome. Yes, they are much smaller than those in the U.S. but with the price of fuel, that could be a blessing. With a motorhome I would be able to disassemble and reassemble a scooter at my leisure and carry it inside the motorhome.

Has anyone ever rented a motorhome in Europe? With the potential cost savings I might be able to make 2 trips instead of one "trip of a lifetime". If anyone has ideas or comments, I'm all ears.

douggee

The problem with renting a camper is the cost of fuel which is horrendous in Europe.

Maybe you could consider renting, or even buying a collapsible mobility scooter or electric wheelchair either before you travel or on arrival. That would make things easier for you. Airports provide help for physically challenged passengers and can get you on and off planes no trouble, provided they know in advance.

Trains in the Netherlands can take mobility scooters on most of them but you need to arrange for a ramp to be available. All stations that need them now have elevators too.

I don't think a river cruise would work, as you say getting a scooter on and off would be very difficult - the boats are not very big, and the docks not intended for such things. Maybe with an electric wheelchair you could do it.
Have a look athttp://www.accessibletravel.co.uk/rivercruises - the Alegria is adapted for disabled.

Here is a blog about a family that rented a motor home and traveled around Europe for three years. Perhaps you will find it helpful.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/

They may have purchased a motor home, not rented.

A link to another forum with info for disabled travelers, I don't know if it would be of any help to you. Sorry I don't have any info on renting a motor home in Europe.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forum.jspa?forumID=38

With a $40,000 budget, I would pay for a close friend/family member to accompany me. You could pay for their coach class, your hotel/apartment will be rented anyway, and perhaps they could pay for their food (they have to eat no matter where they are anyway). My husband is in a wheelchair and I would throw myself in front of his wheelchair before I would let him go on a venture like this alone. However, he is brave (like you) and would probably try it.

With a companion, you could take a manual wheelchair which would be much lighter, foldable, and easier to get on and off whatever you would need to get on and off of. There is also a lot of baggage, etc. to tote around and a companion would be helpful.

Personally, I would cut costs somewhere else in order to pay for a companion to go with me. Besides, it's so much fun to share the experience with others!

Good luck and have a great time!

Rather than bring a companion, I think it would be better to hire locals in each country to travel with you, since they would be able to help you the best figure out transportation and be your advocate for getting assistance at sights, etc.

I am wondering if this would be affordable and doable for you:

Fly to the UK for one week with a conventional wheelchair. Meet a hired companion at airport, a UK citizen, who will travel with you for 1 week to assist you with sightseeing, and ultimately part company with you in Dublin, where you take a flight to Amsterdam and they return home. Total cost for 2 people for 1 week plus payment to companion: $7,000.

You are met in Amsterdam by a American friend whose air fare you have paid. Together, you take the cruise to Budapest (you have paid both fares). Your friend finally takes you to the Budapest airport, where you take a flight to Greece and your friend takes a flight to Amsterdam to return to US. Total cost of 2 river cruise passages and RT airfare for friend: $18,000

George the Driver in Greece meets you at the airport and takes you everywhere for one week, and finally the airport, where you fly to Rome. Total cost for Taxi Services and food and lodging (for 2): $8,000

You are met in Rome by an Italian resident with a van who will accompany you through Italy for one week. Total cost for 2 people: $6,000

That would be $37,000 -- or am I wildly off with these estimates? If anything, I tried to lean toward expensive when figuring out hotel and food costs, but most people would not spend more than $5,000 for a week in the UK or a week in Italy, even if they rented a van for a week.

So where would you find these people to go with you?

I would try posting on the Slow Travel message board and see what ideas and contacts those people come up with if this approach appeals to you.

Based on the limitations of my colleague with scooter I think using a powered wheelchair would make a lot more places accessible - although I think you would still need someone to help you manage it and your luggage.

I know buses in NYC take wheelchairs (they kneel) but I don;t think take a scooter and the handicap cabs take a lightweight or folding wheelchair only.

If you can go during first month of "summer" (late May), you surely might find a male nursing student (on summer break) who'd be happy to get a free trip to Europe! (Or any college student, for that matter.)

Truly, I think you'd just feel so much more comfortable with a companion, even if that means staying at less expensive accommodations. There are plenty of 2- and 3-star hotels that are perfectly lovely.

If you are staying in one city for 3-4 days or longer, you should certainly look into apartment stays. They usually list "ground floor" or "3rd floor with lift", etc.

I am behind you 100% and I hope you keep this dream going. Nobody guarantees "easy"... not even for able-bodied folks. You've given yourself plenty of time to look at your options.

I keep a spreadsheet for each trip I'm planning. One tab has possible restaurants. One has hotels and/or apartments I've looked at and liked. One has my travel costs on it (and keeps a running total... in Euro), etc.

If you have any friends or family members who are good organizers, you might ask for their assistance in the planning stages.

Good luck! Have a wonderful trip!

First, I would suggest that you get real experts in travels for handicapped involved. With all due respect for your travel agent, your case is different and you need professionals that know their business so you won't get stuck somewhere on your trip.

The medication you mentioned will probably not fall under the general liberal customs regulations of personal use of prescription drugs. Again, you need a doctor or other specialist who has a thorough knowledge of EU regulations. Maybe you need to have a prepare a special form or application prepared, maybe not. I would not arrive at any port of entry with narcotics without having a clear idea if I was following necessary legal procedures. And don't expect to get a "refill" on a narcotics / controlled substance prescription issued in the US.

Public transportation in Germany can be very "wheelchair friendly", at least on long-distance trains and most public transportation in major cities. The latter usually have trams or buses not only kneeling but with step-free ramps so you can actually drive on board. Train stations have lifts and special teams for assistance, but those need to be reserved (at no cost) in advance. This service may not be available at smaller train stations.

Larger cities operate wheelchair-accessile taxi service which look a bit like the Popemobil, so you drive on board from the rear via a ramp. And won't have to get out of your wheelchair for the ride.

Visiting sights is a mixed bag. Buildings like the well-known museums or similar will offer step-free entrances and lifts.
But many historic building have building restrictions so you can't expect 18th century palaces or 12th century castle to be fitted with ramps and lifts. Or you may be limited to visit only the accessible part of a historic building but not the upper floors. This shall require some advance planning, too. So you won't discover on location that all efforts to get there had been futile.

Private businesses like pubs or restaurants are again a very mixed bag. In Berlin, for example, most districts had their building boom around 1900. At that time it was common to have steps leading to the front entrance. Most cities' tourist informations offer leaflets or broschures with information on how to get around, though.

Learning another language will probably the least you need to worry about. I'd put that at the very end of your "to do" list.

For the UK I did a search and found this company that sounds like it would be perfect for you - they specialise in travel for people with wheelchairs AND scooters!! They do transfers but also rentals for self- hire: http://www.wheelchair-travel.co.uk/index.shtml

Here is also a site that lists services and companies around the uk
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/consumer_e/consumer1_travel_leisure_and_food_e/consumer1_public_transport_e/transport_options_for_disabled_people.htm#Organisations_which_give_help_and_advice

I will keep searching!!

This is also a travel company that specialises in travel for handicapped travellers that may be able to help or give advice http://www.access-travel.co.uk/index.html

And a couple more http://www.accessibletravel.co.uk/

http://www.canbedone.co.uk/

http://www.disabledtravelers.com/travel_agents.htm

http://www.disabledtraveladvice.co.uk/

Some German sites

http://www.cometogermany.com/ENU/infocenter/disabled_travel.htm

This one has info for around the world http://www.disabledtravelersguide.com/travel/travel_germany.

http://www.able-travel.com/resources.php

If you would enjoy learning and using a little of another language I'd go for Greek, because it uses a different alphabet. Even if you can't understand more than a few words, you'll be able to read signs once you've learnt to read the alphabet, and I find that makes a lot of difference in my confidence in a foreign country.
It isn't too hard as Greek is rather more phonetic than English, but if you learnt any (classical) Greek at school be aware that some of the letters have changed their sounds since then, e.g. the letter beta is now pronounced "v".

There's no need to learn Dutch as most people in the Netherlands speak excellent English. Also, because Dutch is quite close to English (apart from the spelling!) I often find I can understand explanatory paragraphs in Dutch museums if I stare at them and defocus my brain in a funny way.

Many Germans (particularly the younger generation) also speak quite good English, and you should also find enough English speakers in the tourist areas of Italy and Greece not to have many difficulties as long as you can read the signs.

It can be fun learning and using a few words of another language, though, even if just enough to read a menu, and locals usually appreciate it.

As others have said, check what medications you are allowed to bring into each country. Also bring your prescription with you - it proves that your medications were prescribed by a doctor (sometimes certain medications are allowed into a country only if prescribed by a doctor). Also it could be useful if you ose any medications and need more.

Check with your travel insurance position, as it would be awful to book everything then find you can't go because you csn't get travel insurance. If your insurers won't cover certain things, does your budget include enough to pay the costs in case of accidents or illness, including repatriation if needed?

Finally, check out flat beds in business class on some transatlantic flights. If these are suitable for you, business class is a lot cheaper than first class, saving you money you can use elsewhere.

Good luck!