Initial Awareness: 2007 Travels

My experience as a traveling companion in the land of accessibility began with our September, 2007 honeymoon in San Diego.  Frank and I stayed at the elegant, historic Sofia Hotel. Our beautifully appointed corner room was spacious, the result of combining two smaller rooms during remodeling completed in 2006.  The bathroom was a delight of shiny new black and white hexagonal tiles, with a large roll-in shower that drained into the center of the bathing area.  n my naiveté, I assumed that all handicap-access bathrooms would be of similar practical, efficient design.  As I soon discovered, that is not the reality.  I didn't take any photos of the room but all all my memories of that lovely space and the time spent within its walls are positive.

Thanksgiving that same year found us in Idaho, visiting my parents.  We stayed at the Hampton Inn & Suites a couple of miles from their home.  The room was laid out nicely with plenty of room to move around. There is a small kitchenette area (sink, microwave, mini-fridge) for snacks and left-overs.  The desk is well-placed away from the bed and close to a couch with sufficient reading light.  We slept well in the king-sized bed, cushioned and supported by the wonderful variety of pillows that are a special touch of Hampton Inns.  My favorite is the lumbar pillow, which offers perfect back support for reading or watching TV in bed.  The wealth of pillows is a much-appreciated (especially by this traveling couple) acknowledgement that even in matters of pillows, there is no "one size fits all" solution. 

The main room is comfortable, providing more than adequate space for work and rest. The bathroom, while also spacious, is not as well designed.  The shower was installed within the footprint intended for a standard-width bathtub.  The shower head (a hand-held sprayer) is mounted onto the long wall, facing toward the center of the room.  A second bracket for the sprayer is attached to the shorter wall.  This would be a preferable solution for keeping water inside the curtained area but the mounting screws are stripped and the bracket swivels in its fastenings, unable to hold the weight of sprayer and water.  (We stayed in the same room in 2009; the bracket had not been repaired.)

In retro-fitting the bathroom for a shower, the installer used the existing tub drain - a convenient shortcut for the installer but the source of frustration for users of the remodeled room.  The drain's location allows water to pool and the force of water spraying toward the shower curtain pushes water out onto the tile floor, creating a wet, slippery hazard.  Also, as the photo reveals, the shower surround and tray are inadequately sealed; water has seeped behind them, causing untold damage to the wall and floor.

I wasn't previously in the habit of photographing hotel bathrooms, but after staying in this particular room twice - and finding no repairs made in a period of 2 years - I began to occasionally document our vacation environment.  A week-long stay at the Best Western in Ithaca, New York turned the light on for me:  our travel experiences could be field work for my interests in space/place, aging, and accessibility.  I'll be learning as I go...wherever we go.

The Adventure of a Lifetime

When Frank and I married in 2007, our wedding invitation asked loved ones to celebrate with us as we embarked upon “the adventure of a lifetime.”  At that moment, I had no idea that many of our adventures would be complicated by the challenge of “accessing” facilities that do not readily accommodate Frank’s particular form of disability.  Along the way, we have been confounded by the lack of awareness regarding the myriad shapes and forms of disabilities.  Still, most people are simply ignorant of the challenges that exist in a given venue despite a prominently displayed “handicap accessible” placard.   Certainly I was clueless prior to my status as traveling companion - beyond the frustrations posed by being "height challenged," I never gave much thought to the adaptations required by those whose physical forms do not fit into the one-size-fits-all design of hotel bathrooms or theater seating.  

I do not presume to understand the vast variety of challenges faced by every differently-abled person.  The goal of this blog, therefore, is not to berate any particular establishment or individual for operating within their own ignorance, so much as it is to generate awareness and perhaps a needed “ah-ha!” moment for those in the design, travel, and entertainment industries.

My observations are informed by my studies in gerontology, an interest in design for "aging in place," and my emotional responses to the level of distress or satisfaction experienced by Frank in a given venue.  He may choose to weigh in on some topics.  I hope to also include the reflections of other people who can speak to additional aspects of the issue of accessibility in travel.

Thanks for joining me on this journey...