Posts Tagged ‘Kanaren / Mittelmeer’

Annual Review 2018 – Part 2 Mallorca

Monday, December 31st, 2018

Sorry, this entry is only available in 中文 and Deutsch.

(Deutsch) Rolli-Exkursion Mallorca 2017

Sunday, June 25th, 2017

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks LXII

Monday, March 30th, 2015

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

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 Barrierefreier Kinderspielplatz in Malta.

Ein tolles Beispiel fĂĽr Inklusion, der Spielplatz wurde 2014 gebaut. Dort hatte ich am Tag zuvor auch ein Kind im Rolli gesehen.

Das mit dem Rolli befahrbare Kletter-SpielgerĂĽst fand ich super.

Die Rollifahrer-Schaukel

war der Knaller, die ich als bekennendes Spielkind natĂĽrlich gleich ausprobieren musste.

Man fährt über die Klappe auf die Schaukel, diese kommt hydraulisch hoch, dann  legt den Sicherheitsbügel um, und dann kann es losgehen / fahren.

Die Schaukel ist klasse und hat einen riesen SpaĂź gemacht, man sollte es aber nicht ĂĽbertreiben….

Bei meinem 360° Überschlag waren leider gerade die Akkus der Kamera leer ;-)

Eigude Shame Part XXVII

Friday, November 28th, 2014

Sorry, this entry is only available in Deutsch.

Ghost Bathroom

Friday, October 31st, 2014

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In a designated wheelchair hotel it goes without saying that the bathrooms are accessible and have an accessible shower.

Bathtubs are only used rarely by us wheelers.
Here some Spanish mechanics really have bricked up the former bath tub and made a storage rack out of it. I like!

My wife as a pedestrian felt discriminated.

Taking a closer examination, it could also be a

Sacrophagus of a tomb

You better don’t ask the question if there is still anybody lying in it.

Translator BL

Sport News V, Wheelchairgolf

Sunday, June 9th, 2013

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Trial lesson in Tenerife

I had already reported a year ago about an electric wheelchair with which you can play golf, (see older blogpost).

In Tenerife, you can rent such a golf wheelchair in the Hotel Mar y Sol in Los Cristianos, and also play a round with a coach on the golf course.

As I once played field hockey in my previous live and I would have liked to hit a ball again, my curiosity was even bigger.

This year I even had the possibility to meet the challenge of playing golf with my friend Christian Nachtwey, a former European champion and team captain of the German National Team in wheelchair golf.

Christian is not only an excellent golf player but also has a company which produces these golf wheelchairs. www.powerbasetec.de

In my former life I have driven many fork lifts, lifting platforms and similar vehicles with joystick, but such a delicate steering mechanism as it is in the golf wheelchair was new to me. Just driving around is really fun!

However, I was still in doubt how I should hold the golf club with my limited finger function and then even be able to hit the ball.
You have to take such “trifles” as a game, up to now we usually could think of a solution.

You are buckled up with knees and chest, similar to my Standing chair at home, and then you rise to the sky.

I have to admit, we were “just” on the Driving Range.

After we fixed the golf club with velcro straps and duct tape to my hand, the test series “Play Golf 1.0″ instead of “Drive Golf 12.1 years” could begin.

To my surprise you hardly need power, so that the ball even moves with me.

It seems to me that you can learn to play golf quicker as a “wheeler” than as a “footer” because you don’t twist the upper body during the shot due to the belts.

It is a lot of fun, I can recommend it to everybody to give it a try.

Wheelchair golf is also possible on Mallorca, this is there offered by “FUNDACIĂ“N HANDISPORT Mallorca”.

With them I was already sailing last year. It was a perfect day then, (see older blogpost).

A roll of duct tape is necessary per hole…

After I unpacked my “secret weapon”, the golf-ball from Eintracht Frankfurt which I brought along, Christian virtually didn’t have a chance any more ;-)

Translator BL

Technical Aids Tips and Tricks XXIX

Friday, March 1st, 2013

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Flying with a wheelchair!!!

It is actually no big secret, but I am asked again and again how I make it into the plane, because as is known I am neither able to walk, jump nor hop.

The answer is very easy, with a plane wheelchair and two strong guys!!

When the plane has docked at the gate I move with my own wheelchair to the plane door.

If you have an outside position you drive to the plane with a normal bus.
From there you move upwards to the height of the plane with a

plane lifting bus

If this “Beam me up Scotty Bus” is even working properly you should be the first at the upper door (the other passengers are coming from the other side of the plane).
I have already experienced this differently, (see older blogpost).

In this bus two kind airport employees help you with the transfer from your own wheelchair to the worldwide similar

plane wheelchair (model on the left)

On this piece of equipment you are pulled through the plane until you arrive at a special seat row where you can fold up the armrest to the aisle.

Then the famous “dwarf tossing” to the window seat can start…!!!

Don’t be afraid, the guys know what they are doing!!! ;-)

This time we have set a new record on the return flight, only 1 hour 40 minutes from landing until leaving the airport building. :-(

Click here on “Flying” to read stories all about “Flying with a wheelchair”.

Many years ago, I have worked at a beverage wholesaler, and the plane wheelchair always reminds me a bit of a sack truck with chair.

Translator BL

Back from Wheelchairgolf trial lesson from Tenerife!

Monday, February 25th, 2013

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Next Blogpost on 01.03.

Happy New Year!

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013

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Wishing you all a “Happy New Year”, especially health and always a smile in your face.

No joke, this actually happened directly on January 1st… I was speechless!!!

I was on Lanzarote for a couple of days for a FreeWheel test week and was flying back yesterday.

It’s nothing new that I divert all kind of things from their intended use and declare them to be technical aids.
In the plane a passenger who sat in the same row did the same.

I willingly pass on interesting and smart ideas.

Apparently he didn’t finish his tasty plane meal.

Thereupon he used to my surprise the airplane oral emission spitting bag* which is quite suitable for technical reasons because of its aluminium coating as doggy bag.

He stored it securely until he left the plane in the bag of the front seat and took it with him then.

Well, enjoy your meal then, I pass on this saving tip without prejudice!!!

*barf bag / air sickness bag

Translator BL

Sport News III

Thursday, August 30th, 2012

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Today is the start of the

Paralympics in London!

My personal tip, watch

Wheelchair Rugby and Wheelchair Basketball

on TV. It is unbelievable how fast one can move in a wheelchair!!!

In February 2012, when I was in Tenerife in the wheelchair hotel “Mar y Sol”, the Swedish national team was training for wheelchair rugby, (see older blogpost with video).

I tried myself in wheelchair hockey, “Sport News II”.

During the opening ceremony I even recognized a Swedish player.

Wheelchair basketball is just power:

Frankfurt “Mainhatten Sky-Wheelers”

Sailing is of course paralympic as well!

In Mallorca there is an organization FUNDACIĂ“N HANDISPORT
With them a wheelchair user can go waterskiing, golfing and driving beach buggy, and even sailing.

I have tried it of course, it was a perfect day:

What would have happened when my sailing teacher (behind me in the picture) would have fallen into the water?

For the next Paralympics I still have to practice a bit. ;-)

Translator BL

Wheelchair Excursion Mallorca Part V

Thursday, July 19th, 2012

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In Palma Nova there is a very long promenade which is dragging on over three beaches.
Good floor plates, the wheelchair is rolling and rolling and rolling…

On two of these three beaches there is a special roofed

beach area for handicapped like me and …ehhh… babies…

There is a

beach wheelchair

on each in which you get transferred from your own wheelchair by two nice helpers from the Spanish Red Cross and pulled across the beach into the water.

I knew these special wheelchairs already from Tenerife see older blogpost, but with a water temperature of 15°C I deferred a test series of these models for an indefinite time.

If you are only allowed to use this beach area as wheelchair user when you have got a baby with you???

Translator BL

Wheelchair Excursion Mallorca Part IV

Monday, July 2nd, 2012

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The hotel complex Ponent Mar in Palma Nova is definitely recommendable. It has 3 accessible one room apartments and plenty of ramps with the known

Spanish 6° gradient.

(see older post)

Rampe

The hotel is up on a hill on a steep coast from which you have a great view to the beaches of Palma Nova.
A wheelchair tractive like my Minitrac to climb the hotel hill is beneficial.

Alternatively it should be considered to take along a well-trained human wheelchair pusher before booking. The hotel is approached by taxis as well which are available within short time.

Mallorca

Mallorca

Someone has really put good thoughts in the furnishing of the accessible rooms:

On grade shower with separable shower screens, adapted kitchenette, extra wide sliding door with extra ramp to the balcony, clothing hooks in hobbit height and even lowerable clothes rail in the closet.

Mallorca

After we have noticed on the first evening in the hotel restaurant that the tables were not high enough for my wheelchair I was routed on the next day by the good-humoured waiters with several holas:”

Without further ado they had placed a slightly higher table strategically well and reserved it for us for the duration of our stay.

You can quickly start a conversation with the other hotels guests in the languages Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch and English. German is rather uncommon.

I have been to Mallorca for the first time, but not one of my stereotypes was fulfilled:

The Sangria was only available in glass carafes and even without colourful straws.

Unfortunately I had to do without the battle with the English for the sunbeds at the pool, there were more than enough sunbeds available. Furthermore the other guests were deeply relaxed…

Not even the English rocked the corridor each night until 3:00 h.

Malloca

As single wheelchair user I was unasked “totally included” in the hotel, even though most of the hotel staff and guests probably never heard the word inclusion before 8-)

To be continued…

Translator BL

Wheelchair Excursion Mallorca Part III

Sunday, June 3rd, 2012

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I recommend to each wheeler to ring around 30 minutes before landing for the flight attendant, provided that you can reach the buzzer… and point out that you need assistance at destination to leave the plane.

To be on the safe side I ask additionally that my wheelchair and Minitrac, like officially tagged “Delivery at aircraft” (see older blogpost), should please stay at the plane and not be treated as piece of luggage.

If the wheelchair is lying on the belt for bulky luggage and you are still sitting in the plane the whole thing gets a little annoying.

I also ask for the reason that the pilot can leave some time because he has to wait until I have left the plane.

This can easily take 30 minutes until a kind assistant is coming who might even ask you if you are the “wheelchair“ and able to walk… everything already experienced!!!

During this waiting period you can kill the time by joking with the crew, bumming some nuts and watching the cleaners at work.
Don’t forget to send a crew member down the gangway to look for the wheelchair so that nobody throws it to the baggage cart.

Well, fine…!!!

We were on Mallorca!!!

As usual it took a little longer to leave the plane. I was pleased to hear from a flight attendant that my wheelchair was still standing in front of the plane. Ufff…

I could receive my Minitrac, as “NOT desired” at the baggage claim in the terminal.

A lady from the Spanish handicap service at the airport

sin barreras

with which I already made very good experiences in Tenerife and Lanzarote accompanied me to the baggage belt.

She reminded me a little of the stereotype about the grumpy Spanish waiters…!

The luggage was found quickly, it is anyway always the last on the belt. After the 50th round the sun lotion turns into butter ;-)
The lady wanted to back off already, but there was still something missing, where was my Minitrac!!!

There was no real consent where the Minitrac could be.

After around 20 minutes “Gate 2“ opened and I had won, my Trac was found. Yippie…

Quickly got out of the terminal, the taxi service to the hotel was already waiting, and in record time I was in the hotel in Palma Nova in my room!!!

To be continued

Translator BL

Wheelchair Excursion Mallorca Part II

Thursday, May 31st, 2012

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I was standing in the more or less private bus with my Minitrac in front of the plane on an outside position at Frankfurt Airport.

As often before, I was waiting for the

lifting bus

to beam me up to the plane.

Meanwhile my Minitrac was loaded to the plane.

In the meantime also the other passengers had arrived with busses and were waiting on the other side of the plane which I didn’t know.

The lifting bus didn’t have its best day and acted a little stubbornly. It absolutely didn’t want to lift upwards. After at least 10 minutes I finally arrived at the door of the plane.

Then everything went fast. Two strong paramedics lifted me on the small plane wheelchair which is nothing else than a sack truck in chair format and pushed me almost through the whole plane to my seat.

Then they lifted/threw me as usual across two other seats on to the window seat.
I learnt on the return flight from a flight attendant that as of late due to the anti-discrimination-law you don’t have to necessarily accept a window seat even as wheelchair user.

What a nonsense… the seat neighbour on the window seat in the plane would certainly be happy if I had the middle seat and he would have to proof his sportiness in high and long jump when going to the toilet!!!

In each aircraft there are specially labelled handicap seats with pictogram on the wall. My intelligence wasn’t sufficient yet to understand why the seats are so far at the rear end of the plane.

This time I didnâ€t have one of these labelled VIP seats, what a shame!

(photo from return flight.)

After I was finally “stowed away” properly in the plane the other passengers were allowed to board as well.
It was my fault again, we had about 15 minutes delay.

Short before take-off there was as usual an announcement from the cockpit, roughly like this:

Dear passengers,

We are pleased to welcome you on board of the flight from Frankfurt to Palma de Mallorca.

I would like to apologize that you had to wait in the busses.

We have a wheelchair user on board for whom the boarding took a little bit longer!!!

Ehhh…… I have been in a plane quite often, but a, let’s call it personal welcome from the captain was new to me.

I was a little sorry for the two pedestrians who were sitting two rows ahead of me on the two VIP seats with handicap pictogram on the wall, they probably got some nice looks ;-)

I was briefly considering to ask a flight attendant if they had smoked something up front in the cockpit, but I didn’t, I was in a good mood and had a good day.

I plead guilty as aircraft take-off delayer.

Translator BL

Wheelchair Excursion Mallorca Part I

Tuesday, May 29th, 2012

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After I have tested the canary islands for accessibility already several times (see older blogpost), the choice was Mallorca this time.

Although I have never been to “Malle” before the challenge shouldn’t be too big, German is spoken… ok, English and some Spanish are there as well ;-)

The number of accessible accommodations seemed rather limited, if you know any please write a comment.

I selected one of 3 accessible studio apartments in a normal hotel complex in Palma Nova. I had the suspicion to be the only wheelchair user in the complex, this could be funny.

ATTENTION, PRODUCT PLACEMENT OUT OF CONVICTION:

I have booked like several times before through a special travel agency for handicapped www.runa-reisen.de, with whom I always made good experiences. They additionally organized a vertically adjustable bed and a shower commode chair.

Should you need an ambulant nursing service on Mallorca the situation gets a little bit tricky.
In the internet you find immediately around 10 addresses of nursing services. Some of these don’t exist anymore for years, but the website is still online. Great…!!!

I talked to a physician in Germany who has sold his nursing service on Mallorca 10 years ago which is bankrupt in the meantime. The doc is still named in the website credits and doesn’t get his name deleted ;-)

I had some nice conversations with private persons who had involuntarily taken over the contact phone numbers of these websites, but they have given me other possible addresses of nursing services which they knew.
At some stage even I was successful, German nursing service, top service, address on request.

After extensive planning, I “only” wanted to go for 12 days to Mallorca to the sea and not to climb the Kilimanjaro, we finally started.

Without major difficulties I arrived at some stage after transfer, check-in and security check in the handicap service private shuttle on an outside position at Frankfurt Airport in front of the plane to Mallorca!!!

To be continued…

Translator BL