Finding Pride, an Accessible Cruise Cabin Review, and Blind Fencing in San Francisco!

Hey folks!

Anthony here. How are we all doing? I have a question to ask you: what does it actually mean to feel proud during Disability Pride Month? It's something which I've been wrestling with all July, after a recent project stirred up feelings I thought I'd long since packed away.

I get into it all in this week's lead piece. It's a personal one — less travel, more truth — and I'd love for you to read it without me spoiling anything here. All I'll say is: the comments sections of the internet have a lot to answer for.

Read: The Pride That I Could Not Find.

Our friend and valued community member, Danielle Connolly, recently took a cruise on the Norwegian Aqua. We saw a fantastic video tour of her cabin on her YouTube channel and wanted to support her work by sharing it on our website, whilst also giving you guys a written blog piece as an accompaniment.

See this accessible cabin for yourself!

Speak to an accessible travel planner …

Accessible travel (and accessibility) news stories from around the world, curated for your convenience. Click on any of the headlines below to read the respective article.

Extra: In light of the horrendous news about natural disasters in Japan, check out Accessible Japan’s guide on how disabled travelers can prepare for potential earthquakes.

A while back, I shared a review of the easyHotel Paris Charles de Gaulle Villepinte on Zamonos. See for yourself and also discover how easy it is to search for reviews and add your own. With 175 accessibility features to choose from, it’s by far the most comprehensive I’ve ever seen.

Read my review.

Whilst planning a US road trip for my friend, I stumbled across the San Francisco Fencing Academy, which has many fencers on its books who are either blind or physically disabled.

"We (Brandon and Stacey) see fencing as a sport for all people, and one that people of all abilities can do together. We routinely have wheelchair fencers seated against a blind fencer, or an able-bodied fencer wearing a blindfold on the piste against a blind fencer, or any combination you like. Set the system up to be equal from the get-go, and disabled people get to empower themselves."

You can visit their website at www.sffencingacademy.com, where you can also book a session if you’re ever in the Bay Area and want to try something new!

This week’s featured stay is Neeltje’s Cottage, a wooden chalet tucked into the woods of Gellik, Belgium — just 15 minutes from Maastricht.

Plenty of places call themselves accessible, but Neeltje’s has something we rarely see: a Handimove ceiling track hoist running continuously from above the beds, through the bathroom, over the toilet, and into the shower. One seamless track from bed to toilet — that alone puts it in a category of its own.

Add ramped entrances, a roll-in shower, adjustable beds, and locally arranged nursing care, and you’ve got a forest retreat where accessibility is done right.

Find out more …

That’s it for this one. As always, I welcome your feedback!

A gente se fala! Anthony

Looking for someone extra to read? Why not check out these three recent newsletters from our partners:

Feeding Rambo, and Why Right Now Is the Time to Go — Access2Africa Safaris

The Access Dispatch: Theme Park Special! — Accessible Japan