5 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROS

SHARE THEIR BEST “HACKS”

Ashley Lyn Olson Hack 2: Consider a folding manual:

A lot of manual wheelchairs fold in half. Once the leg rests are removed, the chair will fit in an airline jet’s closet. 

“Airlines are legally required to store the chair on board if it fits in the closet. 

Some crews are reluctant, but it’s the law,” says Ashley.

Hack 3: Educate, educate, educate

“Quickly, firmly and politely educate the person taking your wheelchair from the gate downstairs to store in the plane’s cargo hold that it is a costly piece of equipment and that it is your legs,” says Ashley. 

They must understand what your wheelchair means to you.

 

 

5 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROS

SHARE THEIR BEST “HACKS”

Ashley Lyn Olson Hack 1: Embrace the Vibe

“Traveling in a wheelchair can be magical because you don’t know what to expect,” says Ashley.

She embraces flexibility and a love of the unexpected. 

“The main route is blocked, so you take a different route and stumble on things.”

She recounts a trip to Berlin with a friend.

“Not every train station was accessible, so we stopped a mile away from our destination and made our way back. 

We stumbled on this festival with music playing, a beer garden and art – all with this amazing vibe.”

5 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROS

SHARE THEIR BEST “HACKS”

Ashley Lyn Olson crafted wheelchairtraveling.com in 2006 to share her love of traveling.

She shares info on destinations, products and tips from herself and other wheelchair users.

Ashley, a paraplegic since age 14, is also behind the Access 2 Parks Project, which seeks to increase accessibility to outdoor recreation at national, state and local parks.

5 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROS

SHARE THEIR BEST “HACKS”

Martn Heng Hack 2: Suss out ground transit ahead of time.

Martin urges fellow wheelchair users to research accessible public transportation and wheelchair-accessible taxis at their destinations. 

“You don’t go somewhere just to stay in a hotel,” he says.

Hack 3: Trust yourself

“If something goes wrong, like a broken lift or another barrier to access, you know the best course of action to remedy the situation according to your abilities.

It’s up to you to explain what that is and how people can help you to best effect,” he said.

“As people with disabilities, we are very good at troubleshooting and finding solutions to problems, particularly access issues. 

It’s almost like a superpower and shouldn’t be underestimated!”

5 WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL PROS

SHARE THEIR BEST “HACKS”

Martin Heng Hack 1: Stealth cathing

Inaccessible airplane bathrooms are such an issue for many wheelchair users that passengers often restrict their food or drinks before flying.

“I think that’s a mistake, says Martin, a quadriplegia since 2010.

“The best hack I have for long-haul flights is to take a 2-liter overnight bag and a rubberized connector to connect to a leg bag. 

You or your companion can empty it discreetly into the overnight bag while sitting in your seat. 

Not even the person sitting next to you will be aware of what’s going on! 

The overnight bag can then be taken to the bathroom to be emptied.”

THRILLED TO BE WORKING ON ANOTHER PBS DOCUMENTARY

WITH AN AWARD-WINNING, MIAMI-BASED FILMMAKER

I spent hours touring architectural and cultural wonders of Little Havana.

I talked about the joy I get from my Cuban neighbors and my Latino friends from Calle Ocho to Coral Way back to the Miami River.

I sprinkled in my Spanish to speak in Spanglish, as we do in la corazon de la pequena Habana.

I worked with Joe Cardona, a national award-winning documentary film maker with dozens of Miami-grown films to his credit.

Cardona rose to national prominence when he was awarded the National Emmy for his 2014 historic documentary “The day it snowed in Miami”, a film that he wrote, produced and directed for PBS national network.

Joe interviewed me with his professional sound and camera crew.

Can’t wait for the film to air in the first quarter of 2024. 

PUBLIC RELATIONS AND MARKETING EXPERTISE FROM A LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS

TEAMED WITH A HALL OF FAMER.

My roots in Miami go back a quarter century.

I have teamed with Mark Winter of Identity PR to provide full services to businesses involved in real estate/development, design, finance and making the world a better place.

We also help leading and local nonprofits. 

Mark has done so much as a professional and member of his community in my native Midwest, that he recently was inducted into the Public Relations Hall of Fame.

Take a moment this week to visit www.identitypr.com

Then reach out to me and we can set up a Zoom to see how we can help your business leave a mark.