Saturday, May 31, 2014

Vacationing Sure Isn't As Easy As It Seems

 I PROMISE I'll get back to last year's Portland trip (even my own mother pointed out that I still haven't talked about what exactly went so wrong last time) BUT for now I am taking on the much more tedious but much *less* emotionally taxing chore of deciding where to stay during my travels later this summer.

In planning last year's trip to Portland, I was so focused (largely due to time sensitivity) on just finding accommodations that would work for me that I didn't conduct a broader search of hotel websites generally. What I'm coming across is rather disappointing. So far, I've looked at hotel websites in Portland and Los Angeles, although the latter is mainly for funsies since I am from there and could stay with a number of friends or relatives. I haven't seen a single hotel website that so much as mentions ADA accommodations offered at the hotel. Furthermore, I've yet to be able to book an accessible room online. Why! It seems so obvious to me that one should be able to do this, not just because if everyone else can book a hotel room online, the courtesy should be extended to hotel guests with disabilities but because some hotel guests actually have disabilities which would prevent them from calling. It's so obvious to me that a variety of ways to book serves everyone's interests. And it's such an easy thing for the hotels to do from a technical standpoint. So what gives. 

Don't worry, I've been writing to every single hotel that doesn't mention ADA accommodations or allow to booking accessible rooms via an online process how easy and wonderful it would be make that available to its guests. I'll let y'all know what I hear back! 

-Kitty

Thursday, May 29, 2014

I heart typos



I'm currently in research mode to decide where I'll be staying this summer on vacation. I've realized that so many hotel websites just don't address ADA accommodation availability. Overwhelmingly, I am unable to book a wheelchair accessible room online. Like so many others, I just can't stand making calls. I need to make my reservations online in peace and quiet, as impersonally as possible just like everyone else, thank you! :)

I've had to resort to writing to the prospective hotels regarding their ADA accommodations, and was sent this gem of a typo in response to one of my inquiries tonight. I laughed *so* hard. 

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

It's Hard Out There For A Gimp

Hello loyal readers! Still there?
YEAH.....So.... I've been gone for a long time, and I'm sorry about that. My trip to Portland last year was honestly so much more difficult and emotionally draining than I'd ever thought it would be and it necessitated some major self care. Unfortunately for the blog, it meant backing away from writing so I could process my thoughts and feelings. And it took ALL YEAR. Yes. A year.

I've got to either develop thicker skin, better coping strategies, or just find a way to continue writing through the painful thoughts and experiences that I've pretty much set my self up to endure by taking on this writing project- I likely need to do all three of those things. In all honesty, the trip to Portland really made me confront how unready I was for the task at hand. And it's not that traveling is hard (although it is). It's the emotional toll the experience of having my basic needs neglected over and over that just isn't good for me emotionally. It's a ugly space to dwell in, so I pushed it away. I had to at the time. As much as I really REALLY want to write about my experiences traveling with a disability, as much as I realize what an important project it is to me, and hopefully for others... Honestly? Some days it's just too fucking hard to have to live the experiences, let alone have the time and space and heart to write about it as well. If I'm being perfectly honest, traveling to Portland reminded me *exactly* why I'd become a creature of habit and avoided exploring new places. But I truly love traveling, and so I must.

So. I hope you can be patient with me as I navigate both new and familiar streets, neighborhoods and feelings from here on out.

I'll try to be more consistent from now on. No matter what happens along the way. The good, the bad and the ugly will be recorded for posterity. Wish me luck!

Much love,
Kitty