Advertisement
Published: September 1st 2014
Edit Blog Post
Both My father and his partner are using wheelchairs. They are both using wheelchairs with motors, the wheelchairs are 150 KG each and unfoldable. Just to make it a bit challenging. Planning a trip to those requirements is pure art. It's impossible to just rent a car and go traveling, spontaneously looking for places to sleep in (the best way of travelling I guess...)
It's almost impossible to find a self-driven car for people with disabilities. The vans in Europe don't have automatic gear or a comfortable way to move from the wheelchair to the driver's seat.
So when planning a trip there's a need for lots of planning and adjustments around the main worries: car and accommodation.
This time we shared: My father looked for a car and accommodation in/around Zurich and I was looking for a hotel in Frankfurt. and planning the trip...
We found a near Zurich. a van with a ramp that required
others to drive, offered by a company "
Mietautu " and
Noffy hotel that is the one the best option for people with disabilities: placed in a lovely green village, it's a nursery place for elderly people and a guesthouse. Disabled free and kosher (as run by a Jewish family).
Noffy hotel offerד a good location for daily excursions, a helpful team and completely adjusted rooms. They flew in to Frankfurt, spent the first night at Noffi and on Tuesday we started the trip: Zurich to Frankfurt
- GPS is great! my days of maps and "excuse me, how do I get to.." are over. now I'm communicating with a small electric dives that whistlers in my ear: "in 2 kilometers, please bare right".. driving 400 km, two stops and one major traffic jam brought us to Frankfurt at 4ish. checking in at the
special - super - central - double -checked - hotel I'v booked especially to make it easier wheel chaired couple to explore the city reviled
to us that due to a serious misunderstanding the hotel is reserved for two nights and not three and they are going on vacation. Thanks to Angle Kristin who received a laptop and a phone from us she managed to get us a good deal at the Hilton Frankfurt. worth a try!
both hotels were very central and very good, The Spenerhaus had a serious problem with parking (not available for vans, very narrow street) so this is a downside. The rooms are also a bit noisy and have no air conditioning (which is usually unneeded in Frankfurt) but hey, it's just near the Frankfurt Cathedral (
Dom) .....
We checked in at the hotel and drove to our place - I really anted my family to see where we live, we especially rented a barrier free place (if you ignore the fact that in order to get into the building and avoid the stairs at the entrance. you have to go via the cellar...)
So we did, we went into the cellar, got into the elevator that says up to 1000 kg and - - -
got stuck in the elevator. for the
first time in my life, I'm stuck in an elevator, the emergency button speaks only German, Thomas and the few friends that arrived to our dinner are already at the biergarten and I can't call him. I'm stressed, sweating and exhausted. hysterically pressing all buttons.
Suddenly the doors opened. we jumped/rolled out and I said - -I'm sorry. I can't handle that. lets try again tomorrow... it's too much for me for one day....
so we went to the biergarten. being almost German - beer helps to distress!
Advertisement
Tot: 0.303s; Tpl: 0.011s; cc: 10; qc: 57; dbt: 0.0607s; 1; m:domysql w:travelblog (10.17.0.13); sld: 1;
; mem: 1.2mb