A Great Travelogue

In searching the net for other websites and blogs dealing with travel and disability, I came across a wonderful website called The Gorge maintained by British web designer, Flash Wilson. She specializes in designing accessible websites.

Flash is open about her disability. I love the pragmatic way she describes what she she can and cannot do. Functionality is central to her description, not categorization. That is what we hope to accomplish with The Ample Traveler© and our emphasis on universal design. It is important to accommodate all abilities rather than divide people into groupings.

Flash writes a wonderful description of her trips to a festival and how she managed the event while walking with crutches. It is one of the best descriptions of the ins and outs of working with spatial considerations.

I highly recommend reading Glastonbury Onna Stick!: Experiences of a disabled person at Glastonbury Festival

Here is an example of the great practical advice, she gives:

"The best loo was backstage at Jazz World, because there is a great vibe (and it's near the backstage bar!) but it is used by lots of (able-bodied) people so you need to take extra time and supplies to clean it before use. The sink was hard to find - it's round the back!

The worst loo was publicly accessible near the Leftfield, next to the regular cattle-pen toilets. Suffice to say it was full and could only be used by a contortionist - it was absolutely disgusting and unusable."

BTW, if, like my American butt, you had no idea what the Glastonbury Festival was all about, you can learn more about it here.

Thank you Flash for sharing a wonderful travel experience and for remaining mobile.