Customer Reviews

Wheelchair Around the World

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I found this book extremely disappointing. The title suggested one would read about the author's experiences as a wheelchair traveler, the obstacles faced, the solutions available, and the recommendations to other such travelers. Instead, the author was healthy, and although his wife had a physical impairment, she did not appear to be disabled (her activities of daily living were not restricted). She did use a wheelchair, but she was not wheelchair-dependent. The book suggested she could walk, climb steps, use normal restrooms, drive, use normal hotel rooms, and public transportation, where a truly wheelchair-dependent individual can do none of these. The book is not focused on `wheelchair travel'; just on `travel'. As such, the title is misleading to wheelchair-dependent individuals who are considering travel, as it presents a rosy picture that I do not find realistic. I am an internist who has been wheelchair-dependent for a long time, and who has also traveled considerably. I am not a pessimist; it can be done, but it requires enormous, pre-trip, homework and planning to the smallest detail, a very large checkbook, and a very strong and very, very loving companion. I just returned from two weeks in Europe and this is some of what I found:

* Transferring from your wheelchair to an aisle chair to get to and from your seat is very cumbersome and time consuming. Allow ample time for connecting flights.
* Airplanes' restrooms are not wheelchair accessible; a transatlantic flight is a real challenge in this sense. A `Foley' leg bag could help.
* My wheelchair was totally wrecked on arriving at our destination. Consider taking a backup.
* I could not find one single wheelchair accessible restroom in London's Gatwick airport. Again, consider the leg bag.
* Access to public transport such as buses, trains, and boats is extremely limited to very new ones with adequate ramps, etc. do your homework before you leave, and not on airport arrival. I frequently had to rely on limo services. Taxis are frequently reluctant to load the wheelchair in the trunk.
* There are steps everywhere and few curb cuts. A travel chair with four small wheels handles much better than your standard wheelchair.
* There are few wheelchair accessible restaurant restrooms. Do your homework.
* Wheelchair accessible hotel rooms in Europe frequently address the toilet but not the bathing facilities. Ask before booking, or bathing will be a mayor obstacle. Usually, the newer, more expensive hotels offer better facilities.
* Cruise ship gangplanks are usually in steps, impossible to manage in a wheelchair. There are bumps and lips everywhere in the floor of most ships. Again, the travel chair is helpful- not the wheelchair.
* Many of the monuments, churches, etc. are simply not accessible and you will have to limit yourself to watching from your vehicle.
* The Americans With Disabilities Act does not apply to Europe. What may be your right in America is merely a courtesy in Europe. Don't expect to be moved to the front of the line everywhere.
* Avoid arrivals at night when services are limited.

Good luck!

An inspiring story of courage and love. This story will help you to see the world through the eyes of someone else and may even help you to grow emotionally as a person. It is essentially the story of a husband's devoted love for his wife who must spend much of her time in a wheelchair. The couple sets out with high hopes and a lot of love together to see the world.

Lots of compassion and sincerity. I would recommend this for anyone who has ever been a caregiver or is facing a situation where they must give a significant amount of time and energy to someone else. It is helpful to see a story told through the eyes of a devoted husband. I recommend this story.

Wheelchair Around the World is not a detailed travel guide like Fodor's or Frommer's - a book that would require annual updates - it's the heartwarming and inspiring account of Patrick and Anne Simpson living out their not so uncommon dream - to travel around the world after retirement. But they had to cross a major obstacle: Anne - debilitated by a rare joint disease and in spite of nearly overwhelming odds - would have to travel by wheelchair. But Wheelchair Around the World is more than just about a trip: it's about overcoming unforeseen problems as they occur; it's about opening our hearts and minds to God's love in God's world; it's about courage, faith, hope and - yes - love.

Patrick and Anne hope to help pave the way for other physically challenged travelers. This book will undoubtedly entertain armchair and wheelchair globetrotters alike, who will get a sense of these faraway places through Simpson's firsthand accounts. The book also includes several appendixes and an extensive bibliography intended to help other physically challenged travelers plan their own trips with some foreknowledge of wheelchair accessible facilities, hotels and transportation.

"Wheelchair Around the World is the Simpsons' inspirational story of how this husband and wife team fulfilled their lifelong dream to travel around the world. A light, entertaining travel log, Wheelchair Around the World is a daily account of the couple's adventures-and-misadventures-from the glorious sights they visited to the obstacles they faced due to Anne's handicap. Through stunning photos and vivid detail, Simpson teases each of our senses, beginning with images of Ireland's dazzling spray-covered Cliffs of Moher, Hawaii's breathtaking volcanoes, and the daunting height of Japan's infamous Mt. Fuji. The Simpsons' advice serves as a resourceful guide for all, yet their story exudes an addictive spirit of adventure and faith in God that makes Wheelchair Around the World a motivational, delightfully fun read." Malverne, NY National Amputation Chapter #76, Disabled American Veterans. About the Author: A resident of North Carolina, he has written travel articles for "Fifty Plus" and has served as editor and publisher of the North Raleigh Gideons International Newsletter. A retired IBM information developer, he is a former IBM instructor and a lay speaker at a local Methodist Church.

At the NC Writer's Network conference, I saw others pick up this book, published by Pentland Press, and found that they were just as intrigued as me by the fact the book offers a new glimpse of travel in a very difficult fashion. The book offers hope and sound advice for the senior traveler as well as a profound wealth of knowledge for the young traveler based on the experiences supplied by this couple who love travel. Each and every part of the book exmplifies their love for adventure and travel. I hope to see more writings by this author.

Life wont stop me either,just like Anne.Painful as life might be they proved you can never give up! When is the next book due?