Unfortunately the Minitrac has not survived the flight undamaged again!
Apart from that I have collected enough material for new stories, more to come shortly.
Archive for the ‘Urlaub’ Category
Back from Tenerife!
星期五, 二月 24th, 2012Technical Aids Test Week Lanzarote Part 3
星期三, 一月 18th, 2012Crazy Flash Part XI
星期二, 一月 10th, 2012Spanish riddle
I`m puzzled, who is allowed to do what on this beach???
Phantastic that there is no wheelchair-symbol posted on this sign!!!
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Technical Aids Test Week Lanzarote part 2
星期一, 一月 9th, 2012Lanzarote, like Tenerife, is very accessible for handicapped, including a top service at the airport. Professional wheelchair pusher inclusive who also helps with additional perceived 100 kg medical devices luggage to get to the wheelchair taxi.
The island is a mecca for triathletes, people are training for the Ironman Hawaii there.
The fact that there are 2 bicycle lanes on the promenade might be a bit unusual for a holiday island, but is quite favourable for us wheelers. You could ride with your handcycle on the island until your arms fall off. In Puerto del Carmen you can borrow a recumbent handcycle which a former triathlete has provided who also moves around on 4 wheels now since a couple of years. Unfortunately only suitable for paraplegics 
Lanzarote is mostly accessible. OK, the curbs are sometimes lowered quite creatively, and the ramps have “Spanish 6 degrees” gradient, but we don’t want to be too pedantic here!
With all the hard work in the manual mode of my wheelchair (as I had to leave my Minitrac at home) I also had to deal with sand drifts.
With all this you have deserved a “hop blossom ice tea” (= cold beer) in the evening 
I have already seen a lot, but a
wheelchair bypass sign
to the next beer due to the steep ramp (in the background) into the Pub is somthing new.
Translator BL
Technical Aids Test Week Lanzarote part one
星期三, 一月 4th, 2012This time, the compatibility of my wheelchair-tractive “Minitrac”
with my leg orthosis should have been primarily in focus of this technical aids test week.
Well, this masterplan could not be realized hundred percent.
Following the freightage chaos with my Minitrac from Crete back to Frankfurt (see older post) in June I started a new attempt.
This time everything should have been organised better, I wanted to estimate all eventualities, the destination were the Canary Islands, Lanzarote to be precise.
The only plane that flies from Frankfurt to Lanzarote on Sundays already leaves the ground at five o’clock in the morning
And if it is Christmas day, to say December, 25th 2011, this case gets an extra kick.
My medical devices, the wheelchair and the Minitrac (a weight of roundabout 70 Kg) were registered at TUIfly by my travel agency. These medical devices are transported by airlines for free when you register them previously, but the Minitrac was not mentioned on the confirmation of TUIfly.
After an inquiry at the TUIfly Hotline they confirmed the registration, but only the IT-System knows why only half of the medical devices registration arrived at my travel agency in black and white (or: in writing).
Because I live nearby the airport (the sound of the new runway is an insistent proof of this outstanding infrastructure) I considered a pick-up time by the transport service at 02:45 o’clock reasonable. Therefore the giving time of christmas gifts on Decembre 24th had to be a little bit shorter…
Already a couple of months before I fixed this pick-up time with the wheelchair transport service. I repeat: Decembre, 25th 2011 at 02:45 o’clock in the morning. That’s a point…
Three days before departure I wanted to have a confirmation for this appointment again – I enjoy making phone calls often to chase things up.
Nobody could remember the date to pick me up at home for transport to the airport.
The wheelchair taxi that we have in our luxury city Frankfurt is at night on duty by direct call only, which makes sense when you have a flat tyre or are „flat“ in another sense while you are “on tour” in the middle of the night. Unfortunately making a reservation is not possible.
With assistance I can get on and off a normal taxi.
Heavy hearted I decided to postpone my planned Minitrac-leg orthosis-compatibility-test, because I won’t expect any taxi driver to heave my Minitrac in and out of the car boot, sniiif…
I almost wanted to discharge my technical aids test travelling, but then I hoped to get some cognitions about the accessibility on Lanzarote.
I explained to the employee at the taxi office my handicaps in an explicit way, and that I couldn’t manage the height of the seat of an Opel Zafira. With an extra ordered „Stuttgartian estate car“ (Mercedes Benz (translator’s note)) the fifteen-minute-expedition to the airport, leaving my Minitrac at home, should start.
Wonder of wonders, after having a sleep for minimum one and a half hours, the taxi arrived very punctual at 02:40 o’clock. I went down the stairs with my stair lift (sometimes I will introduce that thing too) and was struck dumb at the sight of that stuttgartian car…!!!
My estate car with the star turned out to be a bus named „Vitara“. Seat height – no comment…
Now I know that at taxis busses and estate cars are the same and that you have to specify your wish when you order one. Strange thing…
With push, tear, press and shoveI I managed to get in and out of the bus still alive at the airport.
At the desk of TUIfly it was, like in the whole airport, still quiet at 03:15 o’clock in the morning. Checking the IT my medical devices weren’t registered at all.
Why am I calling hotlines at all??? However, my wheelchair was then declared without further ado.
At the security check my wheelchair was tested for explosives by adhesive strips. My question what will happen when I come back on January 1st and there were residues of gun powder from new year fireworks on my wheelchair, was answered succinctly, that I have to explain that to the German Federal Police then. And I wanted to get back from Lanzarote sometimes even before I got there.
The lifting bus took us to the plane and I was transferred to the airplane-wheelchair.
For me it is a bit of cheek when the aircraft is already fully occupied and you as a wheelchair user, placed on an airplane-wheelchair, are as the last passenger torn by two airport-employees through the corridor of the plane and thrown on the window seat .
As a crowning conclusion that plane had a special painting. I don’t have anything against the Peanuts or the “Maus” (German TV-comic mouse (translator’s note)), but why did it have to be this football club from Hannover?!? For me as a citizen of Frankfurt an absolutely no-go!
I would never have entered a plane with a label of Bayern Munich!
To be continued!!!
Translator Teo
Back from my technical aids test week in Lanzarote!
星期二, 一月 3rd, 2012New blogposts in process.
I am freezing, let’s get going!!!
星期五, 十一月 18th, 2011I took the ad hoc decision to follow the established tradition as German retiree and drive around on the canary islands in the coming winter.
Because the journey with the boat would be “going” a little bit too slow (actually it wouldn’t matter, I would have time and could “sit” it out easily) I decided anyhow in favour of flying.
Because I have already gone through a couple of flight miles with a wheelchair and experienced some weird things here are some tips.
Flight trips with wheelchair made easy!
When booking at your travel agency specify already any required medical devices with indication of size and weight, and if required additional assistance at the airport. Medical devices will be transported free of charge anywhere.
It came to my attention that if you need to take along any hard drugs, especially at the entry of the United States, a medical certificate and a lot of time is required.
At the check-in, approach an airport employee and get to the check-in counter with him from the side without any bad conscience, independent of the length of the queue.
Alternatively there is a “handicapped meeting point” in the terminals with an assistance button, after pressing of which a professional wheelchair pusher is coming who will manage everything.
In Frankfurt it is allowed to sit in your own wheelchair until you reach the door of the aircraft. Usually you are the first passenger on the flight. Then you are carried by two “volunteers” in a small plane wheelchair which reminds a bit of a sack truck to your seat, and then the “dwarf tossing” to the window seat begins.
Now it is advisable to pray.
Will your own wheelchair find its way into the cargo bay of the same aircraft?
Will your wheelchair be available and navigable at the destination airport?
In order to avoid that your wheelchair will be treated like ordinary luggage at the destination airport, but hopefully will be brought to the exit of the plane instead there is a label:
Delivery at Aircraft.
This means for the luggage guys at the plane as much as: Please be so kind not to load the object adherent to the label on the luggage cart and leave it here!!!
Keep the labels, don’t throw them away, you might need them for the return flight.
Sometimes there are no more labels available, which might end up extremely annoying when you are still sitting in the plane, and the wheelchair is already lying on the bulky luggage belt in the terminal.
The airport employees around the world are trained so well, they even manage to fold a wheelchair with a rigid-welded frame.
Although I have a foldable wheelchair it has a cross bar to attach an electric wheelchair-tractive type Minitrac. What I have experienced with that, see older blog post.
When the luggage loaders tried to fold my wheelchair it ended with little crashes several times already. Meanwhile I have a reversible, bilingual label on the seat:
Wheelchair not foldable.
It helped the last two times.
I have another label to offer:
Handle with care!
It probably doesn’t help, but brightens the wheelchair up with its red and blue design.
You shouldn’t forget to remind a flight attendant approximately 30 minutes before landing that you are a wheelchair user.
The pilot then hopefully won’t forget the notification at the destination airport, and the probability to leave the aircraft in a reasonable time increases dramatically.
Have fun with your next flight trip!!!
When I think about it, maybe I should better take the boat after all!
Translator BL
Crazy Flash Part X
星期日, 十一月 6th, 2011That a 40 year old wheelchair user is put on the scrap heap is more than just a rumour, especially if you receive a pension.
On inquiry at the travel agency about possible assistance at the holiday destination I was referred to a
Service for Elderly People
German Nursing Service
That gave me something to think about…
Cool Thing !!!
星期四, 九月 1st, 2011Biblis of the Alps
(Biblis is an old nuclear plant in Germany)
The decision for nuclear phase out was taken, we all have to save energy.
Innovative ideas are wanted!!!
The Bavarian alp cows are setting a good example.
Ingeniously simple, a solar powered electric fence. Hopefully the originator has already patented it.
Thanks to a big soft drink company for the generous donation of a special casing and semiautomatic transport cart.
The company P. is seriously active in the area of solar power.
Translator BL
Hand cycle boot camp Part II
星期五, 八月 26th, 2011“McDonald’s”, a town in Bavaria???
(sign points to an underpass)
Wheelchair crossing???
I reach such a high speed with cycling that my wife can walk next to me.
Hand cycle boot camp Part I
星期二, 八月 23rd, 2011I got persuaded to travel to the “near abroad” last week for a hand cycle boot camp
Oberstdorf im Allgäu (Bavaria).
I have been to many countries already and was able to communicate with the respective inhabitants in English or French quite well.
Apart from the language barrier, the weather has disturbed my whole training schedule.
My since months proven and tested training schedule with several rides in the rain per day was ruined totally by one week of everlasting sunshine. In London (Paralympics 2012) it rains the whole year, as everybody knows, so you have to be prepared.
My equipment had to be converted rapidly from high speed rain jacket to strongly braking cooling cap and vest.
Due to the beautiful sunsets every day the coaches got so melancholic that there was nothing to do with them any more. They were occupied with writing post cards and painting by numbers.
The signage of the race track must have been the result of
Fools at work.
signs in both directions meaning: all trails
Meanwhile I had completely lost my way, so that I ended up on the
Nebelhorn
middle sign meaning: panorama trail – wheelchair and stroller accessible
and finally on the
Way of St James
(in German: Jakobsweg)
OK, this was driven back quickly .
Back in Frankfurt at last.
Last night I was finally able to exercise reasonably again with 16°C and 20 litres of rain/m²!
Translator BL
Back from the hand cycle boot camp in Bavaria!
星期日, 八月 21st, 2011
London ist near!
Chock Part IIX
星期一, 七月 25th, 2011Addendum to the fairy tale from June 29th
星期一, 七月 11th, 2011Technical Aids tips and tricks XL
星期日, 七月 10th, 2011Look at this, a
Jacuzzi Hoist!
Producer is Sunrise Medical (Sopur).
Could be difficult to integrate this thing in my bathroom.
