Hello! I'm in my 30's and am just starting to travel as a less-mobile person. I'd like to hear about your experiences in how you plan your travel to the details of your actual trip. I'm learning how to adjust as I go along and hope to find out more through Fodors.com. I look forward to hearing from you!

(I'll be away from October 8-November 2.)

Check out:
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/1502/...dresources.htm

for tips and travel resources for the disabled traveler.

Two small tips I can offer - first, "newer" and flatter cities and newer buildings within these are generally more accessible than older ones. For example, some of the older, historic areas of Boston are hilly with narrow sidewalks and cobblestones. While in the US public areas must comply to certain accessibility rules, it is easier to build these in initially than retrofit them - and they generally work better that way.

Second, ask careful questions of any lodging about what a "handicapped room" actually has - same question of restaurants. I have had friends call a restaurant to be told it was accessible to wheelchairs and then find that it had "just one small step" - which might as well have been a mountain. You will learn what questions and facilities are most important to you.

You might want to check out the Disablity Travel Forum on www.flyertalk.com. Other possibilties for information:

Mobility International www.miusa.org

Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped www.sath.org

Access Outdoors www.accessoutdoors.org

Gimp on the Go www.gimponthego.com

Wilderness Inquiry www.wildernessinquiry.org

World TEAM Sports www.worldteamsports.org

According to National Geographic these last two organize trips geared toward, but not limited to PWD.

Safe travels!

Check out www.access-able.com. I found it to be very helpful in most cases.

Here's an article on disabled travelers and cruise ships to Caribbean destinations from this Sunday's NY Times:
http://travel2.nytimes.com/2005/09/1...NbogJ2xVwOXspA

My wife and I spent one month in Switzerland through the company www.untours.com. My wife uses crutches, but transfers to her wheelchair for long distances or if she is tired. The following site is a photo/narrative of a typical day, which includes some narrative/photos of handicapped facilities and the problems/solutions we encountered:

http://www.untours.com/albums/Bill%20Kover/album156.asp

Definitely get your airlines in on it, by helping you thru airports!

Mine was a temporary situation of being in pain and on a cane prior to a knee surgery, but they whisked me around behind the scenes, up and down secret elevators, assisted thru security checkpoint, right to my gates, etc. with such ease and friendliness.