Travelling has been proven to be extremely beneficial for everyone. It has a lot of benefits and to understand why travelling is important we must look at all the ways it benefits us. It is no news that travelling is good for our mental and physical health, but sometimes travelling can be difficult. For example, travelling can be difficult when you have kids with you, or you are a wheelchair user. Wheelchair travel is often the most challenging since you have to be cautious about everything. That doesn’t mean wheelchair users don’t get to have fun! You just need to be a little creative about your wheelchair travel.
In this article, we will be discussing a number of tips that you can use when you are travelling in a wheelchair. No need to be scared of immersing yourself in other cultures, but of course, you still need to keep these things in mind. These things are important to make sure that you have an amazing travel experience with no issues. Below are a few tricks and tips that you should keep in mind whenever you are travelling as a wheelchair user. Don’t be scared to be adventurous; just be a little mindful of everything, and you’re all good!
Some of the tips that can benefit you as a wheelchair user are as follows:
Arrive Extra Early Before Your Flight:
Most airline companies suggest that you reach the airport at least one hour before any domestic flight. For international flights, though, you should arrive at the airport about two hours early. However, as a wheelchair user, you should always make sure to add an extra hour to your arrival time. This is because the last thing you would want to do is do your best to reach the gate one minute before the take-off. So, always be prepared before a flight and make sure that you arrive at least 2-3 hours before your flight is about to take off.
Another reason why it is important to reach the airport early is that if you are a wheelchair user, the security may request a pat-down. This takes so much more time than walking through security, and it can even hold up the line. So, you should do your best to reach the airport a little early. If it is possible and easy for you to leave the wheelchair for a minute and walk through the security, that can save time. But if it is not possible for you to do so, then you should always do your best to make sure that security clears you early. This can be done by reaching the airport earlier than usual.
Book Transportation Beforehand:
This part depends a lot on your destination. For example, in some cities, it is easier for you to find wheelchair-accessible vehicles from the airport. However, in the majority of cases, looking for a wheelchair-friendly vehicle to take you from the airport can be challenging. You might not find any accessible vehicles in a lot of cities. So, it is important to book your transportation before you arrive at your destination. You should also include research about wheelchair-accessible vehicles in your plan to be sure of it.
It is already tiring enough to be on an airplane for so long. You don’t want to be stuck at the airport looking for a vehicle for hours after just getting off a plane. To avoid such hassle, you should research the presence of wheelchair-accessible vehicles at your destination. If there are normally wheelchair-accessible vehicles going on around the area, you might not need to book them beforehand. Still, it is always better to do so. It’s important to be safe than sorry. You don’t want to be stuck at the airport just because you didn’t look into accessible vehicles beforehand.
Pack the Essentials:
You should make a list of all the essentials that you need to pack for your wheelchair travel. Packing is a huge chunk of your travel plans, so make sure to do this part as nicely as possible. Although your personal packing depends upon you only, you can use the things mentioned below to have an idea about what to pack. Still, take a look at everything you need to prioritize the items on the basis of how important they are. Then, pack all of the things that will help you when you are travelling.
Some of the things you should pack for your wheelchair travel include a seat cushion, fabric deodorizer, tube and tire changer, and all other essentials. Seat cushions are so helpful in making your wheelchair comfortable. You might get a sore back from travelling in a wheelchair, and a cushion is the way to avoid that. Fabric deodorizer is also important to ward off any bad smells that get accumulate on your seat cushion. Your wheelchair is prone to accidents, so always keep your tube and tire changer at hand.
Wheelchair travel is seen as difficult, but it doesn’t have to be. You can make your wheelchair travel easy by keeping a number of things in mind. You should keep in mind all the things that help you have a better travelling experience before you go on the journey to meet new people and indulge yourself in new cultures!
