3-2-1 Happy New Year!!!!!

I just wanted to pop in one last post for 2009. I hope that my journeys have been of some help and maybe a little entertainment for you all. I look forward to sharing my journeys in the comming year and some tips that may make your travels a bit smoother. I wish you safe travels wherever they may take you, and that you have a happy and safe new year.

Pimp My Rides

Since I was last in Disney land they have made some great strides to accessibilize some of their most popular rides. Haunted Mansion has a specific "Doombuggy" that allows a transfer straight across to the seat, and they can and will stop the ride if you need it (there is also a wheelchair ramp so no need to go through the broom closet). Big Thunder Mountain Railroad was an extremely tough transfer in 2005 as you needed to transfer up and over a rail into the seat bringing your feet through a narrow opening. Now BTR has a specific car that opens to a transfer seat (on both sides) and even the feet area opens, though it is still a quick transfer (between 30-40 seconds). The most impressive change for me was Space Mountain. They now have a car that is off the main track that you can take your time to get into (I have heard that there was a transfer seat upon request) then when you are safely secure in the ride vehicle the cast members hit a button and the car slides on to the main track and you are catapulted off into Walt's dark ride. It is very nice not to have to stress out about the transfer!

Toy Story Mania (at Disney's California Adventure) and Buzz Lightyear (at Disneyland, in Tomorrowland) both have roll in vehicles with a seat for one to accompany you (these were both a blast and I highly recommend both). The steam trains and monorail each have a special car that you and your party can ride on which I personally enjoyed. However the most impressive changes were on the Jungle Cruise and Small World. These rides both have a dedicated boat that has a lift to bring your chair on so absolutley no transfer is needed. This was nice because you can rest on these rides and save your strength for a tricky transfer like Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye.

As always Disney's California Adventure is ADA compliant and does its best to make accomodations. I do applaud Disneyland for making these accomodations and look forward to seeing what they will do in the future. Enjoy the pictures we were able to take and I hope this helps you with your ride planning.

Loading on the ramp Boat for Its a Small World.

Disneyland Railroad accessible rail car.

Loading Ramp for The Jungle Cruise.

Lift turned and a gentle lowering of the platform

Or 3 rides in 1.

Now where that head hunter.

Monster's INC ride vehicle (similar to Toy Story Mania and Buzz Lightyear Astro Blaster vehicle)

Improvise on Arrival

Greetings all and I hope everyone is having a great holiday season (whatever that holiday may be). I have returned from the Kingdom of the Mouse (better known as Disneyland) and I have much news that is good for mobility impared folks like myself as well as those who get around without assistance (or just able bodied). There is a ton to tell so I may break it into smaller details in later blogs but I will give an overview so that those of you traveling might use what I have found out in your trip planning.

First off the entire trip didn't go without glitches. The flight on Horizon/Alaska air was what I have come to expect from them, which is to say good and uneventful. We had a bit of a quick connection to meet up with our plane but it wasn't far and it was even in the same terminal (which is not always the case).

Where the trouble hit us was once we got to Orange County Airport. We had booked a shuttle to take us to Disneyland from the airport. Our travel agent (a good friend to us and this blog who has booked many DL trips) contacted the Disneyland Magical Express (operated by Greyline) who told her not once but twice that they had buses that were accessible that made the trek from Orange County airport to the Disney Resorts every half hour. They said if one bus didn't have a lift the next one would.

This as it turns out is only a half truth, or a lie depending on where you hear it. After we got off the plane and lugged our stuff to the ground transportation station we went to meet our bus. Once there an uninterested Greyline employee (who seemed to be irratated that we interrupted her) asked us what time we had been told that our bus would be there. We explained that we had not been given a time, and what our travel agent had been told. The Greyline employee informed us that not only did we need to make arrangements for an accessible bus, but that there were no accessible buses making the route to the Orange County Airport, only at LAX. When we asked her what suggestions she might be able to give us (as we had paid for the seats on their bus and had not been told about the need to make further arrangements), she just told my wife that "it wasn't her problem and that we should have made reservations" and told us to check at the Super Shuttle stand to ask for help as she packed up her belongings and left on the bus. Let it sink in, SHE left on a bus stranding two passengers with (as far as she knew) no knowledge of the strange city they were in, and one of whom was visibly disabled. Not the way I would have handled the situation (I was trained that if there is a problem that I was to find a solution to assist the customer). Needless to say we will never use a Greyline bus if we can avoid it, and I plan to contact their corporate offices because this would have been catastophic if it were a non-seasoned traveler.

My wife and I decided that we were going to roll with the punches and I went to the Super Shuttle kiosk. They were extremely helpful. They informed me that they didn't have a vehicle with a lift in the area and that it would take a few hours to get one here (as they contract with a third party this did not come as a surprise) but they did ask me if I could transfer and when finding out that I could  they walked me over to the porter and explained my situation and were given a taxi to Disneyland (that we had to pay for but it did get refunded to us). Total props to our cab driver as he assisted my wife with folding my chair and sticking it in the trunk. All that and he got us there in record time. Way to go Yellow Cab of Anaheim!!!

Once we arived at the Grand Californian Hotel were told that our room was ready (even though we were early) and that we could head up any time (which we did as we were dressed for Seattle cold weather and were a bit warm). When we got to the room it was the exact room that we had stayed at for my 30th birthday. My travel agent (Mary @ AAA) had told the Disney folks some details about the last room we stayed in and they figured out where it was and made sure we got it again (Disney employees are great about these little touches). We freshened up a bit (ordered up some extra towels and a shower bench, thanks Kennedy at the Bell desk) and started exploring the Christmas decored hotel and parks. I loved all the decorations in the lobby and was amazed how great the tree looked all trimmed out in Mission style ornaments (with subtle holiday music in the background).

We made our way into Disney's California Adventure and headed to get some food at the Paridise Pier section of the park. I got to be honest after two and a half hours on a plane the mediocre Mexican food was pretty tasty (although the Asian style rice bowls a few days later was markedly better) and is usually how my wife start our park adventure. We then went over to Soarin Over California, a flight simulator style ride that takes the riderup and over an IMAX screen throught the various merits of the state of California. It is one of our favorite rides because it is an easy transfer (from the wheelchair to the ride chair which is about the same level and has many hand holds) and it is a slow immersion into park life.  Next post I will give some details about accesible rides (or newly accessible revanps) and some pitures too!!

Take what you need, need what you take

I have decided to give myself a little challenge for this next trip of mine and see if I can manage to get everything my wife and I need in two carry-on bags. In and of itself this may not sound like a Herculean feat but for me and my wife (both constant overpackers) it will be a challenge.

We will be in California for 5 days and for the most part it will be very casual clothing. However we also plan to go to a nice-ish eating establishment so we can't just be in shorts all the time. I am taking a page from noted one-bag traveler Rick Steves and not bringing anything I cannot buy at my destination, or wash out in the sink and dry. We are also skipping the uneccessary toiletries (like our own shampoo) as they do have that at the hotel (or the Target just a few blocks away).

As a disabled person there are things I have to take that will take up room. I manage these by being creative. Cathaters are basically like packing peanuts to buffer and fit in-between most anything in my bag. I have to take a supply of pills which fit in a quart size zip lock bag (they need to be in their Rx bottles or you will get to meet some very serious people from the NTSB). I also have to take a supply of latex gloves which I also remove from their boxes and stuff into a baggie. I am wearing my heavy clothing and shoes on the plane so that will take up less room. I am also layering so I will shed some of those layers when we get to the room and hanging up the extra clothes.

Hear is a list of what I have packed so far:

4 pair of underwear

2 t-shirts

2 shorts (one Khaki, one that can double as swim trunks)

1 polo shirt (for our nice night)

1 pair of socks

extra pair of jeans or khakis

1 pair of workout pants (yes I am one of those people who work out on vacation)

1 razor & travel shave kit

1 pair of sandals

5 days of catheters

5 days of latex gloves

Pills

1 spare pair of sunglasses (as I have lost them on vacation before)

spare inner tube

tire changing kit

Yes this seems like a long list but I assure you it does all fit nicely into a carry-on bag with some room to spare for souvenirs on the way back. We don't usually pre-pack, but since we're trying to limit ourselves to just two bags, we did a trial run last weekend and it all fit great and was under the weight limit. By the way, before you travel, check your specific airline's regulations about baggage size, weight, and contents. Don't forget the liquid restrictions and be sure to put all such items in a quart-size baggie.

I will let you know when I get back how my little experiment went and if there were things that I needed that I had to hunt down while I am there.

Just a over a week until we are on vacation and I can't wait!

Wordless Wednesday (or I need a Vacation)

Quick post for a quick tip.

Keep all of your travel documents together. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen people juggling their carry-on, laptop case, and water bottle trying to get their tickets for the gate attendant. This just irritates the people behind you so here is an easy solution. REI, AAA, Target, and I am sure other fine retailers out there have cool little dossier holders that you can keep all of your travel paperwork together in a nice neat little case. This will alleviate your stress trying to not spill your triple shot non-fat mochaccino with whip. It will also let you not be the guy everyone wants to see seated by the bathrooms in the back of the plane (you know who you are, from my last trip. Like I said easy and quick.

Leave the driving to ART

I have not used the Anaheim Resort Transit system in my previous trips to the Disneyland Resorts because it was not set up as user friendly as it is now. The cost of gas going up must have made the folks of Orange County rethink mass transportation because from what I have been able to see it looks pretty manageable to use. Most all buses use Disneyland or the Anaheim Garden walk as a hub and do loops to and from the shopping center to the parks and back (they also make trips to the stadiums, convention center, and the Block at Orange , another large shopping complex). This allows you some away time when you get that bit of claustrophobia that is common when dealing with large crowds.

I think I will like it because I can hop the bus at Disneyland, ride comfortably to Target or Safeway, pick up some bottled water or snacks for the room (I get the craving for fruit or healthy-ish snacks after a day of park food) that won't make me need to take a mortgage on my house. All the buses are wheelchair accessible and if further assistance is needed they have other accommodations to help by calling them up. Prices seem to be reasonable as they sell passes for 1-5 days (1 day=$4, 3 day=$10, and 5 day=$16) and there are kiosks to purchase them at most of the major stops (Disneyland being one of them).

The ART web page is easy to navigate and has a good map, although you may want to print it out because otherwise you have to view it through a tiny window and don't get the whole map at one time. Our plan is to check this out on the trip and I will let you know any pros or cons to using this instead of, or in addition to, renting a car.

Your New Best Friend

OK, as I have stated many times, it is good to use a professional travel agent for some things. After all like all professionals they know things that you won't. It is their job to assist you in making your trip restful and (in our circumstances) affordable. You wouldn't think of doing home dentistry (or maybe you would in which case I would mock you incessantly).

I am lucky that I have two agents that I have regularly used for years. One for the local jaunts, and destination vacations. The other I use for things that are a little more adventurous. I consider them to both to be friends. So it in this spirit that I give out another tip. Make friends with your agent, get to know them and their families. Let them into your life. This will enhance both of your abilities (yours to trust that they will do their very best in planning, and theirs to know exactly what you may need even when you don't voice it).

My travel agents are great because they can anticipate some of my needs. I really love to visit them and find out what is going on with them outside the offices. I write this because after a tough week of work I went to the mail box to get my mail and my itinerary was in there. I went in to ceremoniously open it with my wife, and after stripping away the white AAA envelope we discovered....It was gift wrapped by the brilliant Mary at AAA Mt. Vernon. It was a nice way to start off the weekend. And AAA Incorporated if you are reading this, you really should give that woman a raise as she is a great representative for your company.

More later...

Free to Be

It's a funny thing, vacation. You save up your money, you plan, you research, and then when you finally get to your destination, almost inevitably there's someone in your group who will say "So this is it?". That's when you need to think about activities you can do in addition to the primary purpose or destination of your vacation.

I've done a lot of trips, and we've done a lot of research. The one thing that I'm proud to say is that when we do a destination trip, such as our upcoming Disneyland vacation, we usually have researched the subject enough to have come up with some alternative ideas, in the event we get restless. You may think that there's nothing else to do in the greater Anaheim area, but that's not the case.

If you decide you've just had enough of the parks (and who doesn't get to that point, sooner or later), you can rent a car and in less than an hour be on a beautiful sandy beach overlooking the ocean. You can head to San Diego for history, or LA for glamour. You can catch some nature by exploring the state parks in the area, and maybe get a little outdoor recreation in too.

Citysearch.com is a great tool in these instances, and it's something that you can access easily at the last minute, even while you're away. If you don't want to bring a laptop or smart phone, check with the concierge at your hotel -- you might get some suggestions that only a local would know. Talk to other vacationers or staff members. What are their favorite places to go when they are in town, or in the area? Where do they like to eat, that is off the beaten path? They may not initially want to share their "secrets" with you, but if you're polite (and persistent) you may find some hidden gems.

In short, be open to being spontaneous. While traveling with a disability requires pre-planning and research, it does not require an itinerary that is set in stone. Be flexible and have fun -- this is your vacation after all, and you've definitely earned it!

Bring me something.....

For my fifth tip I have decided to share what my wife and I discovered on our trip to Seaside, Oregon. As with most tourists we always want to relive our trips. We have bought t-shirts, hats, an occasional bag or bumper sticker and this does let us have something that brings back memories of our travels.

However when we were on our engagement trip in Seaside we ended up in this cool little gallery. They had lots of nifty (and expensive) art pieces. We kept talking about a few pieces and how we would love to hang them in our house. Then as if in a cartoon, a light bulb popped on over our heads and we said in unison "why not just buy that instead of stuff that we will never use". And we did, and hung the piece up in our living room, where every day we would see it and think back on our wonderful trip.

This has led us to buy a cool print or art piece on each trip we have taken (I have even been inspired to take artistic photos for framing around the house). From Hawaii and St Thomas, we have prints of pieces by local artists. From Disney, we have maps and an upscale print, as well as reproductions of original posters for attractions like the Matterhorn. Some of these pieces may be used in our nursery, as we are hoping to infect the little one with the travel bug at an early age.

This will allow us to be able to decorate our house in the paraphernalia that we have accumulated over a lifetime of traveling. I mean really, would you rather be the cool family with the awesome collection of African figurines, or just another guy with a Tijuana t-Shirt?

5 Fave Friday-Top Hotels

These are five of the best hotels that we have stayed at.....so far.

5. Orlando Airport Hilton- You can sum this up with two words...excellent service. Every staff member here just exuded a level of friendliness and competence that you seldom see in a busy property like this.

4. Paris Hotel and Casino Las Vegas, NV- This is a sentimental favorite as I got married here. The grounds were great and we have a ton of gorgeous pictures. If you are in Vegas check it out.

3. Hotel Monaco Portland Oregon- Great location, friendly staff, beautiful room. Located near lots of cool restaurants, clubs, shops and for my wife Powells City of Books.

2. Disney's Grand Californian Hotel Anaheim, CA- True this could be summed up as another Disney attraction. However I have stayed here several times and it is truly a relaxing experience with some elegant touches that will appease everyone in your family.

1. The Inn at the Market Seattle, WA-A recent find. We have only stayed here once but it made a huge impression on us. It is steps from the world famous Pikes Place Market. Minutes away from the waterfront and right were everything is happening (Seattle Art Museum, Benaroya Hall, Washington Convention Center, Pioneer Square). The Staff was helpful, and courteous without being phony. The rooms were clean, maneuverable, and pretty. We plan on making the trek back to this little gem in the near future.


This was a very difficult post because I have had many great experiences in hotels of various levels and price ranges. If you have any hotels that you would like to bring to my attention let me know in the comments section.

What Can Brown Do For You?

(or for that matter, what can FedEx do for you?)

#4 -- My fourth tip for domestic travel is consider shipping some of your medical supplies or other items ahead of time to your hotel. I've done this on a couple of occasions, when luggage space was at a premium or if I was staying somewhere for an extended period of time. It would also be a huge help if I were traveling alone and wanted to cut down on the amount of stuff I had to lug around.

You'll need to check in advance with your hotel. This probably works best in a large hotel with a concierge, or a smaller boutique hotel that prides itself on service. Don't assume that this is a service they will offer or allow, as many hotels may not have ever come across this kind of request. You definitely don't want to count on them accepting and holding your package, only to get to your destination and find out they refused it.

Also be sure to ship with a tracking number (that's where UPS or FedEx has it over the regular mail -- more expensive but worth it). That way you'll not only be able to check progress before you leave home, but also see who signed for it and when it arrived. Very helpful if you check in and no one knows what you're talking about!

This is not only a great way of saving luggage space, but with the new baggage fees in effect, and limits on weight and number of checked bags, it could end up saving you a lot. This is also good advice for anyone traveling with young kids, who tend to require lots of STUFF (ie diapers, formula, etc.). Save money by buying this stuff at home, rather than paying the resort price. That will leave you more money for those awesome oversized sunglasses and that t-shirt that says "I've been to California and all I got was this t-shirt."

More later!

Few Word Wednesday

Four weeks, and I'll be eating a $5 churro with this view in my sights.

Expect the unexpected.

#3. If you have any dependency on any type of mobility device (i.e. wheelchair, walker, crutches, cane, or anything else I might have missed) you should practice the boyscout motto: Always be prepared. Even if it is just having printed out a list of medical supply dealers near your destination that can do repairs.

I have learned this the hard way as on not one but two separate occasions I have had wheelchair issues. My last one was a simple flat tire. Simple if you are at home with your vehicle in the driveway and your spare chair in the garage. Not so simple when you are getting ready to go see the fireworks and have a nice meal. Luckily I was at a great and amenable hotel who made every effort to assist me in-house trying to inflate my deflated tire. When that failed they quickly looked up a repair place and hooked me up with one of the park,s loaners (which was shall we say a love seat on wheels--I only if I had a picture to show you, too funny).

This was the point where I said never again will I be stuck in a horseless chariot as my small, zippy chair gets a chance to see California without me. I now travel with 2 spare inner tubes, a tire-changing kit (available at a local bike shop), compressed air tire inflator (have you tried to fully inflate an inner tube lately? much more difficult than you would think), a few Allen wrenches, a screwdriver, replacement screws (if known what sizes), and a travel sewing kit. It may seem like overkill to have all of that taking up valuable luggage real estate but if you need it you will feel like a super-genius for having it (if only those Wile E. Coyote cartoons were real -- you could just dial Acme and in 5 seconds it would arrive).

Just remember one thing I have learned over the years. If it can happen it will, and usually at the most inopportune moment. With just a little preparation you can combat the gremlins that want to wreck your vacation.

Tip #2 getting from the airport to the hotel. There have not been as many choices for people with mobility issues as there are now. There are car rental agencies that can get you a vehicle with hand controls (with at least 48 hours notice see car rental post). You can hop a taxi which will set you back in the fundage department. Or you can do what I do and make a reservation for an airport shuttle. I have used both Supershuttle and Disney Magic Express and they are both pretty nice, clean, and as safe as you can get on a California freeway. You do have to let them know if you require a wheelchair lift as not all of their buses have them. The shuttle lets you sit back and relax as their driver navigates the chaos that is the SoCal highway system. It is reasonably priced and you might even get a deal booking a package.

I plan to go a bit more indepth in a later post about getting around Anaheim itself using the ART system as I am still checking out all the little intricacies of the system. Until Tomorrow.....

Will that be paper or plastic?

So I am now about thirty days out from my trip to Disneyland. We have received the itinerary it has been mailed to us by the wonderful Mary at AAA Travel (she puts stickers on it so it is very festive when we receive it) and now it is time to do some of the logistic work to make the trip smooth sailing.

With this in mind I have a couple of tips that we have found very useful. #1 is the Disney gift card. This was dropped into my brain by some very hardcore Disney-o-philes a few years ago. If you are on a budget (and who isn't) it will make you stick to it. Disney gift cards make carrying cash, credit cards, or travelers checks unnecessary as they can be used at most places in a the parks as well as around most of the Disney owned hotels. You can get these nifty little cards at any Disney Store, or at the parks or online. I have been told that if you lose them they can be reissued (although you need the directions from the back of the card so make a copy). If you have kids who want some independence in their spending you can get specific amounts and dole them out as the trip goes on (perhaps on a per day basis). This would allow you to make limits on the amounts they have without stifling them. And when its gone, its gone.

What we have done is figure out a per day amount of money for food multilpy it by the amount of days we are there and then split it between two cards. This allows one of us to find a place to set while the other goes and places the order. Also important to know is that most of the Downtown Disney places will not take it as they are all independent from the park itself (except the World of Disney Store they do take it).

I will be giving out a tip or thing of interest every day as part of National Blog Posting Month. Tomorrow maybe transportation :)

Planning a Disney Vacation

Well it has been a while since I have posted and I wanted to get back to it. We (my wife and I) are getting ready to visit Disneyland. We have been six times each but Mary has never been at Christmas time. We decided that needed to be changed so we are going in December. Now I know what you are thinking Disneyland at Christmas -- you're crazy!! But no. There is a brief time between Thanksgiving and Christmas that the park is all decked out for the holidays, and still considered part of the down time. We are going during the first week in December. We chose this time because it is statistically less crowded at the parks (as kids are still in school and college has not quite let out for winter break). The airports are less busy because people are headed home after turkey day and NOT to a tourist destination like DL (Disneyland). Finally we chose the destination because well even though I am not employed by Disney I believe that you can go to Disneyland Resort (or really any of their resorts) and once you walk through the gate stress and worry sort of melts away from you. As corny as it sounds it really is magic.

Now I do not have a kid (yet) but there are tons of things that you can do there that are not ALL kid oriented (or park oriented). Disney's Grand Californian Hotel has a world renowned spa that offers great therapeutic treatments (which I plan to avail myself of a massage). In between both parks there is much in the way of shopping, entertainment, and an awesome movie theater. There is something there for sports fans, music lovers, and shopaholics. Disney knows it has to keep the entire family when they are on vacation. With this said I am going to share my planning with you. Let you know what I know about the accessibility and inaccessibility of the parks, airplanes, and surrounding attractions.

I am flying out of our local airport and connecting to Sea Tac International Airport. I like doing this because you get to bypass going through the larger airport security (having gone through the local airport's security), nice people who will help you get in and out of the aisle chair. This also lets you experience flying as it should be -- smaller planes, nicer staff, no fighting a larger airport's traffic. I like Alaska Air for most of my traveling, they are relatively well-connected with travel partners. I also like Hawaiian Air but that is for another trip. I also like to fly into smaller airports (such as John Wayne International) for the same reasons (just better than navigating LAX).

We have decided to stay on property as a treat (Grand Californian). We have stayed there before and it is a very elegant place. Great landscaping, an inspiring lobby, and comfortable rooms. If you can afford to stay on property I highly recommend it. If not there are some fantastic "good neighbor" partners off property.

I will continue to let you in on some neat little secrets but here are some of the references that I have used for each trip to DL: Birnbaums Official Guide to Disneyland Resort, and the Unofficial Guide to Disneyland 2009. I also like Mouse Planet, and Laughing Place too. Those folks know more about Disneyland than most Disney historians. More to come.

Won't you let me take you on a sea cruise...

I have been on lots of different types of vacations and I must say that I have really taken a great shine to cruises. Now my experience is limited to just one Eastern Caribbean cruise. However my wife and I have done quite a bit of research for the cruise line, ports of call, and excursions. So we have a bit of knowledge on the subject. I will just give you my own opinion, take it in the way it was intended.

First off, consult a professional (my trusty AAA travel agent Theresa and Mary). These folks have extensive knowledge on ALL the cruise lines so they can direct you to the right one. This is important because if you are wanting to relax, perhaps the Spring Break Carnival Cruise with tons of college kids isn’t what you want. A travel expert will be able to let you know what the facilities will be on the ship, if the ports of calls are dockside or tendered (this is when they take you from the ship to a little boat and then to the dock..Most cruise lines will NOT assist you with this). The more information you can get the easier it is to start doing your own research (and you will need to do research).

So the great thing about cruising is that you only have to unpack once. For most lines the food and most of your entertainment in also included in the price of the ticket. All this plus there are partner airlines that will offer deals for your airfare. It is a great deal.

As I said I took an Eastern Caribbean cruise on Disney Cruiselines and I had an incredible time. We booked last minute but it was still a pretty great deal that included airline and a hotel for the night before the ship left. We ended up splurging on a wonderful couples massage (I totally reccommend if you can swing it. I was totally spasm free at the end of it). I have made some inquiries on other lines and have heard that Princess ships going to Alaska even hook up with an accessable rail line to their own private resort. Royal Caribbean is the nice halfway point between Carnival Cruiselines and Norwegian Cruise lines.

Now here is the beautiful thing. If you don't feel like getting off the ship to battle the throngs of shoppers most lines offer discounts on shipboard services. You may even find duty-free liquor and other goodies for the same prices as at the island shops. Just something to think about. I will talk more about this in detail in another post.

Lunch at the Convention

Just wanted to give these folks some good buzz. I have a savory crepe with goat cheese and roasted red pepper. If you are in Seattle by the convention center stop by and have some great food. Also if like me you have your camera batteries die mid picture Kinko has batteries for reasonable prices.

Man I feel normal.

OK so it is no secret that I am a huge comic book fan, and even though it is a little late I wanted to post about the Emerald City Comic Convention. I must say this is a very fun day trip even if you are not into the four color books. The people watching is fantastic, and thanks to it being held at the Washington State Convention Center the food choices were pretty good to. (WSCC is just a few blocks from Pike Place Market, and very near awesome shopping of down.) The whole place was very nice and extremely accessible. Lots of parking in both buildings, and there are plenty of elevators. My only complaint was that the building that I was parked in locked up right at the time the convention closed. Enjoy the pictures of the folks in costumes.

Great weekend away (5th anniversary)

I have just gotten back from a great weekend trip celebrating my 5th wedding anniversary. We went and stayed in Seattle down by Pike Place Market (after taking a mandatory adoptive parenting class). We stayed at the Inn at the Market which is a nice modern boutique hotel located half a block from the from the Market and very close to lots of neat shops and entertainment ( The Showbox, Benaroya Hall, Seattle Aquarium, and the Seattle Art Museum). It all started when we pulled to the valet parking which was on the street and the great valet name Lance offered to let me unload in their underground parking lot. I checked in and the great people at the bell desk held our bags so we could head out into the city. My wife is a huge book freak so we went to Elliot Bay Books and poked around for a while. Afterward we went to an amazing restaurant, Pan Africa Market. The food is Awesome I had the Spicy Lamb stew, curried split pea, and Yams. This is love on a plate spicy, sweet, and smokey. If you are in Seattle ever, check out this out you won't regret it.

We hit the SAM and checked out the Yale traveling exhibit, and hit the market. Now if I haven't let it be known one of my guilty pleasures are comic books, and at Pike Place Market there is a pretty great comic shop there (Golden Age Comics). Really what a comic shop should be smells of decaying paper, lots of choices in both mainstream and Indy comics, lots of toys and posters. Lots of fun really. We wandered in and out many cool and eclectic shops and stalls (Chukar Cherries).

Pros and Cons.

The Inn at the Market is a great hotel. It has a great bunch of disabled rooms located on the 3rd floor it is very luxurious, it has a large open bathroom and a great staff. Cons are that like all of the waterfront there are many hills and if you are on wheels you will need to have help or be in very good shape (I am speaking as someone who is in OK shape and got winded several times).

Pan Africa Market has great food and amazingly friendly service. the prices are cheap and the portions are good. The accessibility is very good for an older building. No real cons in my opinion.

Pike Place Market. This is a landmark of Seattle that has been around for a century. While they have made great strides at accessibility it is still an old structure which means very steep ramps, and very small elevators. Plus there are cobble stones in most of the walkway so if you are in a walker this may be a problem.

Overall if you are in good shape, or if you are with a good group willing to assist you the waterfront is a fun and romantic destination. Go and have fun!!

Take a trip to fantasy land..

Here is what I mean by short trips being extremely theraputic. My wife's boss planned a belated Christmas party at a very funky, and fun place called Teatro ZinZanni (in Seattle). This is a amalgam of a caberet show, vaudeville comedic acts, live music and singing, sprinkled with a little Cirque du Soleil or Broadway, oh and there is also dinner (a 5 course meal that was excellent). I must admit I was a bit unsure what to expect because their website doesn't really tell you much (they don't want to ruin anything). This show was amazing and well worth every penny. What I found to be really great was that it was well performed but it had some mistakes. The table in front of us (right by the stage) had a juggler pin accidentally dropped on it getting everyone wet, and in the grand finale my wife got meringued (you just have to go to see what I mean).

So here are the nuts & bolts for us mobility impared folks. It is an older building but they have nice ramps to get in, and there are ramps throughout the inside of the building. You will need to book the main floor and it probably would be good to let them know a wheelchair is coming. The mens room had one accessible stall for when you need to use the restroom (and you will the performance is long), and I have been told the ladies room had much the same layout. Overall it was great and it was nice to be right down in front instead of shoved off in the corner like wheelchairs so often are.

Bottom line: hilarious, tons of fun, great food, and somewhat awe-inspiring. Check it out!

Wordless Wednesday

Wish I were here.

Sick day

Well folks, here I sit in my recliner thinking about getting away. No big trips recently but I did do kind of a cool day trip. The Seattle Science Center was hosting the Lucy exibit (I am kind of a geek so I thought this was fun). It was linked with the Hidden Tresures of Ethiopia. There was so much about that Country I didn't know. The reason I bring this up is because I am in the process of adopting from Ethiopia. This means I will also be traveling to that country. I do not have to say that it is not very wheelchair friendly but I will do better at keeping you involved in trips.

Viva Las Vegas BABY!!!

Happy New Year everybody!! Today I was out doing errands and I saw a sight that gave me a short vacation flashback. I saw a jet over Bellingham Bay headed of to Sin City for what I am sure was a respectable and quiet weekend (yeah right). You see folks I was married in Vegas and I have some great memories there. Before you say it, NO it wasn't one of those "Vegas Weddings" (not that there is anything wrong with them. My wife had the big white dress, I had the suit and we wed in the Paris Hotel and Casino. I really have to say those folks know what they are doing at the Chapel du Paris, as we have referred to them. All we had to do was pick the package, the flowers, and whether we wanted photos or videos or both. Alas this is not my wedding blog it is travel so on to the nuts and bolts. The Paris Hotel has very nice accessible rooms we stayed in a moderate priced one so we didn't have any view. The bed was comfortable, the bathroom was maneuverable and we were not to near the elevator to be hearing foot traffic all night. The chapels are all accessible for those of you wondering, as well as being very pretty.

We hit the buffet at the Bellagio, Paris, and the Aladdin and even though I am kind of a foodie both the Bellagio and Paris had great food (pricey but great) and the Aladdin was pretty good also. Here is something to note if you are in a wheelchair going to the buffet. It is helpful to have someone with you to negotiate these places as they are very large and really full of people.

We went to Circe du Solie (sp??) where we had some of the best seating in the house, right in the middle and away from the creepy clowns (clowns freak me out). AWESOME SHOW!! a must see if you can swing it. We also saw the fountain show a couple of times at the Bellagio. Just a tip get there and find a place early. It is not like the ending of Ocean's 11 where they are virtually alone. Loads of people were there to see the water fly. There are some wheelchair areas but people park strollers there and there are no people enforcing wheelchair seating.

Making your way up and down the strip is not as easy as you might think. Look at a map and you think I can walk/roll it is all straight lines. Lies!! These casinos are giant and there is NO SUCH THING as a direct walkway. They go in and out of Casinos and attractions, and over catwalks or through tunnels. My wife and I walked from Mandalay Bay to the Paris and it took about an hour. Plus my wife who is very fair complected got burned. There are cabs that are wheelchair accessible that can get you from one place to another and are not terribly expensive all things considered.

I must give props to the guys at the Art of Shaving where I went to get a straight razor shave before my wedding. These guys didn't even blink when I needed a hand into the barber chair. Also the folks at the Spa in the Paris were great helping my wife get her sunburn to go away the day before we got married. (sure it cost us but she really looks great in our wedding pictures).

The bad side. I had some awful customer service by a Limo service on the way home. The driver was a very high maintenance lady who kept snapping her fingers at the wedding party when she was suppose to be putting the bags in the trunk. She also dropped my chair in traffic at the airport. Mandelay bay also needs to get a brush up in the customer service area. I asked for help at their help desk in getting a cab and they looked at me like I was a Martian.

On the whole though I would recommend this city as very accessible and a ton of fun. Worth a visit. Until next time!!!!!