FreeWheeling™ Around the World by Cindy Krieg
January 30, 2011
Traveling is an adventure. When you are in a wheelchair traveling can be more of an adventure than planned. Whether traversing the urban jungle of New York City, grass at an outdoor bluegrass concert, a beach in Costa Rica, cobblestones of Prague, or sandy trails in Egypt, if you are in a wheelchair, the FreeWheel is the one piece of adaptive equipment you ought to know about.
“Eight years ago I was injured in a motocross accident that resulted in a spinal cord injury,” says Patrick Dougherty, inventor of the FreeWheel. “I still remember my first trip out to the mail box after my accident. It seemed easy until I hit the curb. Next thing I knew my small casters got stuck and I found myself sprawled in the street.”
The small front casters on wheelchairs are designed for indoor use. Outdoors, once you hit any type of obstacle caster make being in a wheelchair more than difficult. “I knew the trick was to get the front casters off the ground and put a larger third-wheel out front making my wheelchair an all-terrain chair, without the cost or hassle factor,” explains Patrick.
The result of his effort is the FreeWheel Wheelchair Attachment. It smoothly lifts the front casters off the ground allowing the user to quickly and safely attack any terrain. Weighing just 5 lbs., it is easy to securely clamp onto the footrest of a rigid-framed wheelchair and when indoors hang it on the perch located on the back of your chair.
Pat in New York
Last summer Pat made his first trip to NYC. “I hadn’t really thought about the obstacles a city presents,” said Pat. “I had used my FreeWheel on camping trips and going through the snow in Colorado when I went skiing, but it didn’t really hit me what a blessing it would be in the city.”
Cruising from Penn Station to Rockefeller Center, Pat truly experienced the Big Apple. He was able to view the city like any other person. “I felt involved, not separate. Instead of staring at my feet worrying about each pothole, cobblestone, bump in the sidewalk, or curb, I was looking around taking it all in.”
The FreeWheel is also moving people from a motorized chair to a manual. Previous concerns about the strength needed to push a manual chair practically disappear with a FreeWheel. “It makes the best use of your momentum by not stopping you every time you hit a bump,” states Pat. Plus you don’t have to worry about battery life or a wet and muddy trail.
To see the product in action, go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2u-T4Oc4_M
For more information go to: www.gofreewheel.com.
The Ultimate Luxury Retreat for Special-Needs Travelers
January 19, 2011
There’s no doubt that traveling with special needs can be challenging. From planning a trip to finding the right accommodations that cater to special needs, transportation to and from a destination to additional special services one might need while away, a vacation can seem like more of a hassle than an enjoyable getaway. But it doesn’t have to be this way. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if travelers with special needs could experience a trip of a lifetime that catered to their specific needs and made traveling a breeze?
At Hills of Africa, we work diligently on our customized Africa safari itineraries and tailor each to our clients’ specific needs—no matter their needs. Special needs travelers can rest assured that each and every detail is accounted for when we create their customized itinerary. Because we want them to feel as comfortable as possible while on vacation, we ensure that all of our clients’ needs are taken care of—from special transportation to 
handicap accessible accommodations, and special interest tours to personal preferences, we’ve got it covered.
Accommodations: Safari camps generally have a ratio of 5 staff members to 1 guest, making every trip highly personalized. All of the accommodations we use boast superior staff, amenities, and services and we always consider client specific preferences when booking accommodations.
With regards to handicap accessible facilities, we have access to a very large database of establishments, making it easy for disabled individuals to choose an accommodation that fits their specific preferences.
Before we use a lodge or hotel for the first time, we send the accommodation a very comprehensive questionnaire, asking them for details on all areas of accessibility, including door entries, bathrooms (roll-in shower or bath with hand rails), space next to the toilet, ramps, lifts, etc. We also request photographs. This ensures that all necessary accommodation factors are taken into account prior to sending any special needs clients to these locations.
In addition to our initial itinerary questionnaire where we ask clients about their interests and preferences, we also offer a brief questionnaire to clients that focuses on their specific special needs. Some questions we ask in this questionnaire include:
1. Do you use a wheelchair or walking aid? If so, is your wheelchair electric or manual? Is it foldable? What are the dimensions of the wheelchair?
2. Do you prefer a roll-in shower or bath?
3. Do you prefer twin beds or double?
4. Do you require a caregiver?
Once we have all of a client’s requirements, we can then choose specific accommodations that will suit their needs and interests.
Activities: We offer group tours and private tours, so whichever preference a client has, we can accommodate. We have our own private tour guides and private safari guides who we work with in Cape Town, Victoria Falls, Cape Winelands, Arusha, and many more destinations.
A Sample Itinerary: To give you a better idea of what a client with special needs might expect while visiting Africa, we’ve created a sample itinerary that caters to clients who are disabled. Note that our itineraries can be changed / amended to suit clients’ particular needs. Here is just a brief glimpse into what a trip to Africa could look like.
Authentic Botswana & Cape Town
This safari will take you into two different areas: Okavango Delta and Cape Town. Starting in Maun (Botswana) and ending in Cape Town (South Africa), this 10-night safari features 5 nights in en-suite safari tents and 5 nights in a hotel—giving you the best of adventure and luxury.
This ever-popular tour is particularly great for first-time visitors to Africa, as it combines two of the most renowned destinations in Southern Africa. We incorporate a 5-night stay in Botswana’s Moremi Area, situated within one of the richest, most diverse natural wildlife areas—namely the Okavango Delta—the largest inland river delta in the world and Botswana’s prime game-viewing location. Here you will enjoy a true African bush experience, while camping in pristine private campsites, surrounded by the sights and sounds of the magical African bush.
After spending 5 nights in the wildernesses of Africa, experiencing the endless African skies and remote wilderness areas, you will be whisked away to South Africa’s popular Mother City—Cape Town—for a 4 night stay in a comfortable hotel. During your stay in Cape Town, you’ll experience all the local touring highlights such as a scenic drive along the spectacular Cape Peninsula coastline and, of course, no visit to Cape Town would be complete without a cable car ride to the top of Cape Town’s Table Mountain.
Pricing: Since we tailor each itinerary, there is never one set price for a trip to Africa. But the general range is $5,000 – $10,000 per person. We’ve also planned several Africa safari vacations that are roughly $20,000 per person—price really all depends on where you’re traveling and the activities you wish to partake in.
Also, we have just introduced a private escorted service, where a Hills of Africa team member travels with the client(s) from the United States to South / East Africa to assist with arrangements.
by Sandy Salle
Building an Adventure
January 10, 2011
You don’t have to travel to exotic locations for excitement or meaningful new experiences. Sometimes the real journeys we take are close to hand. Since we moved to Asheville, NC we’ve been looking for a modestly-sized and priced handicapped accessible house, unfortunately without success. After seeing so many houses in new developments that almost worked, we’ve decided to build a true home for ourselves that would meet our needs, not just the builder’s.
Now that we’re about to embark on this exciting new venture, we’ve decided to memorialize the process from start to finish. We hope that by sharing our experiences, we’ll help any of our members who might want to take this step for themselves.
We started by looking at lots just north of Asheville in the small town of Weaverville. No doubt there are less expensive places further away, but we wanted to be located no more than 20 minutes out of Asheville so we could easily avail ourselves of the town’s cultural and culinary offerings.
We looked at a few lots in the area and settled on one. Here’s a picture, taken in late afternoon on blustery winter day.
A Smart Vacation
January 8, 2011
It’s snowing here in Asheville and the views are beautiful. Still, I find myself thinking about places I’d like to visit. At the moment, those places are snow-free and warm enough to visit without a winter jacket.
But what will I do when I actually travel? Most of us go on vacation to “get away from it all,” but I’ve found that I’m accompanied by my share of everyday patterns. First, I lug my computer with me to check email and news, as though the world somehow can’t be trusted to carry on its business without my oversight. Second, to make sure I am taking advantage of all the wonderful things that the vacation site offers, I pack my schedule tight instead of allowing the adventures to happen in their own sweet time. Third, whenever I start to relax, my mind wanders to thoughts of what else I could be doing at that very moment. I’m the kind of guy who worries whether he’s ordering the right main course at the new restaurant in town.
Oddly, having a wife with MS has helped me. I see how she has to “listen to her body,” which stops her from over scheduling herself. I think it actually helps her see what she really wants to do, rather than what she thinks she ought to do. And that, I think, is the essence of smart vacationing.
