Chicago’s thoughtful guide for folks who have disabilities

by Jamie Rhein on

Over this past year, each time I’ve gone to the Columbus Zoo, I’ve looked at the hopefully temporary location of handicapped parking and thought, “This is not very handicapped friendly.” It’s too far from the main gate. By the time a person hoofs it to the main gate, it’s been a hike already. The main gate, to be fair, is going to be located elsewhere once the water park is finished, and the details for connecting the zoo to the new water park are completed. I’m assuming the gate will once more be closer to the parking lot. In the meantime, there’s a bit of a long walk. Possibly, the walk seems long because before the renovations started, handicapped parking was right at the gate.

For anyone who has a disability, or who travels with people who have disabilities–where accessibility to attractions is a concern, Chicago has developed a guide to help folks find the easy places to visit. “Easy Access Chicago” highlights all those spots that are handicapped accessible and provides details about visiting those places.

As people get older, but still have a desire to get out and enjoy travel, this type of guide is a great idea. I hope other cities follow suit if they haven’t already. It seems this guide would be useful for folks packing a stroller as well. You can download the guide at http://easyaccesschicago.org/ or call 1-800-226-6632 to order one. The guide is free.

Google shortcuts for the traveler

by Aaron Hotfelder on

I’ll admit it: I love Google. And not like the way I love cherry pie or guacamole– more like the way I love air.

So I was pleased to come across a new article on Vagabondish called “12 Google Shortcuts Every Traveler Should Know.”

Most of us already realize that Google allows us to check the weather of just about every city in the world and get info on restaurants, people, and, of course, ourselves.

But did you know that Google can help you check the status of your flight? Just type in the airline and flight number and you’ll have an instant status update.

Need to find out how far your US$1000 are going to go in the UK? It’s easy– type “1000 usd to pounds” and you’ll have your answer (roughly £3.50, given the current exchange rate).

Google also allows you to track the progress of packages, find the local time of anywhere in the world, and check airport conditions. Find out how here.

This reminds me of an open letter to Google I once read: “I ask you, Google, is there anything you cannot do? There is. You cannot love. But still. I love you.”

Me too.

Internet failure hits several continents

by Anna Brones on

Internet has undoubtedly changed the way we communicate, travel, think, and even live. So what happens when there is an all out Internet failure? A good bit of chaos.

That’s exactly what happened today across large parts of the Middle East, Asia and North Africa, when tens of millions of Internet users were without a connection. India’s bandwidth was cut in half, posing problems for not only the outsourcing industry that is dependent on Internet connections, but also the stock exchanges in Delhi and Bombay. The United Arab Emirates was also hit hard, as the outage affected telephone and television services. Dubai’s businesses, notoriously known for their billion dollar a day transactions, were also stuck without a way to conduct affairs. Basically, things got messy.

As for travelers? Although sources from Emirate Airlines denied that the Internet failure would lead to flight delays, Dnata, a government group in charge of air travel services in the Middle East, admitted that they would most likely be facing some problems. So if you are traveling in that area today or through the weekend, I would recommend to be flexible and prepared for anything.

Mardi Gras the green way: Think recycle

by Jamie Rhein on

When buying up those Mardi Gras beads and trinkets to feel festive with the best of them, look for beads that have been recycled. Every year beads by the bushels (lots and lots and lots of beads) are tossed into the crowd who watch the parade. These cheap plastic baubles from China (see post about bead safety) may be great around a person’s neck but not in a landfill.

The Sierra Club and Arc of Greater New Orleans have a joint effort going to get people to buy recycled beads from them. Not only are you helping the environment, but you’re helping these two organizations that are working towards rebuilding New Orleans. The thing is, the beads are sold in 30 pound bags. That’s a lot of beads. They also have other recycled Mardi Gras goods.

To find out how to get these recycle beads and other Mardi Gras trinkets, head to the Sierra Club Delta Chapter Web site. The phone number and email are listed there. While you’re at the site, check out the other efforts being made to help New Orleans ecologically rebuild. The Greater Arc of New Orleans is located at 925 S. Labarre Road. This is an organization that serves adults with developmental disabilities. You can also turn in beads for recycling here. There are two other locations. Call 504/837-5105 for information.

To buy artsy and interesting products made from recycled beads, check out Unique Products. There is a wide selection of night lights like the one pictured. The money from these purchases also goes to aid New Orleans. You can buy on-line.

Matador Travel acquires Brave New Traveler

by Abha Malpani on

Two of my favorite travel websites today announced their merger: global travel community portal Matador Travel and down-to-earth resourceful travel magazine Brave New Traveler. I’m excited to hear this news and will be watching out for more developments on that front with blazing enthusiasm.

One of the best things that happens to you when you travel is the experiences you have with the people you meet on the road. I’ve been lucky networking through travel communities as I have met wonderful people, who have never felt like strangers. On most of my travels through Europe last year, I put myself into touch with people I met through various travel communities; everyone was wonderful and I hardly ever paid for a bed at night.

The online community of travelers is extraordinarily intertwined. Thanks to the websites like Matador Travel, networking with other travel-enthusiasts and nurturing cross-continent cultural friendships is as easy as it is rewarding. I was one of the first members of Matador when it was still in Beta, and last year Ross Borden and Ben Polansky — founders of Matador — bunked at my house when they visited Madrid. Our passion for travel and connecting with travelers put us in touch and it was like we were dear friends even before we met. Also, I first came in touch with contributing editor of Brave New Traveler (BNT) Tim Patterson through Written Road, then Matador, then BNT — now they are one!

When you see two teams of young, travel-obsessed people combine forces in a quest to become an unparalleled platform for travel networking and resources, you can’t help but get excited. It’s like all us travelers who have always shared an undefined bond, can now be part of what may become a global movement allowing us to connect on different levels.

OK, OK, before I fall off the edge, the bottom-line is that I think this is fantastic news. Both these websites have grown and evolved rapidly into diverse, and more importantly, non-commercial sources of travel information over the last year and I have no doubt their unison will be explosive for the travel community in general. If you haven’t yet been to Matador, go there NOW — register, you will not be disappointed.