Link to...Travel & Leisure
A road trip to Queensland Planning a trip to South-East Queensland? Covid permitting! Caitlin Maynard did just that in true wheelchair style.
“L
ike many people I love taking trips and going on holiday. Since flying with a disability is difficult and stressful, it is often easier to take a road trip. Driving means I can be sure my wheelchair will be safe and in sight and I am not limited to one suitcase so I can take things that make my daily life easier. My partner, Duncan, and I decided to take a road trip to Queensland. Neither of us are Australian so we were very excited to get out and explore a bit more of what this country has in store. We spent eight days driving through Queensland from NSW and had a wonderful time. Our trip was jam packed with activities but as a wheelchair user there were a few extra steps we had to take when planning this trip such as calling ahead to find accessible accommodation and check on accessible attractions. Everywhere that I called was very accommodating and it was easy to find out what I needed to know. The first two days were spent on the Gold Coast visiting Warner Bros Movie World and Sea World. When we arrived at both parks it was easy to find the main office and register as a visitor with disability. Office staff go through personal capabilities, issue you a wrist band detailing which rides you can go on and how much assistance you will need. This eliminates waiting in queues and having to explain your disability at each ride. It also avoids disappointment as I was told up front which rides I could or could not go on, so I could plan my day accordingly.
72
August/September 2021
linkonline.com.au
