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Under the Italian sky: Part II

Under the Italian sky, the history’s coming back to life in thousands of colors. Every road is filled with memories of the Roman Empire and as you drive further into the country you can almost feel the Roman infantry marching behind you. It’s a wonderful experience, but Italy has got much more to offer. Sometimes it’s easy to get caught up in the past and forget the gifts of the present and that’s why I decided not only to taste a little bit of history but also explore the Italian motorization and nature. If  I was to make a list of things I absolutely love motorization would make it to my list, and it would probably be in the top 5.   Since Italy’s famous for Lamborghini and Ferrari, I knew I would visit their factories. After all, Italy and cars go together exceptionally well, but me and cars… even better! That’s precisely what you can accept from this post – it’s going to be all about cars and nature. My inner architecture lover had its time in the first part of the post, but now my need for speed’s taking over! Discover another face of Italy and get surprised  – accessibility, to-dos, and travel tips are all waiting for you below!

 

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Under the Italian sky: Part I

Under the Italian sky, everything feels fresh and evergreen. The colours come in different shades, but they blend into a spring-like mix of vibrating life and laidback vibes. Rushing under the Italian sky is against the rules; you have to stop by, even if just for a second and appreciate everything that’s around you. Trust me: been there, done that. My trip to Italy started in a lovely Bergamo, where my plane landed. The city’s a stone’s throw away from Milan, so it makes quite a great stop, especially considering it’s popular among low-fare airlines. Wallet-friendly travelling’s always in style, especially in Italy. My main objective – as always – was to explore as much as I could, but there was a specific theme: landmarks. The land of pasta, The Roman Empire and Ferraris has a lot to offer, but I wanted to check the hype behind the most famous, the most loved, the most photographed Italian touristic attractions. Leaving Bergamo, I headed straight to Milan, stopped at Pisa and Florence and that was just the beginning. What did I do and where did I head? How wheelchair friendly Italy actually was?  All answers are waiting for you below!

 

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Relaxing spa – weekend in the countryside

Blumil rides in the countryside

Once upon a time, my countryside trips would be limited to exploring whatever was a stone’s throw away from the hotel. Going off the beaten track was impossible: both my old manual and electric wheelchair wasn’t cut out for country adventures. While my friends were off to enjoy the nature, I would be looking at everything through a window.  Luckily, everything changed once I got my Blumil electric wheelchair. You see, unlike regular wheelchairs, Blumil’s very light and it’s easy to navigate it – even when the terrain’s  challenging. That’s what freedom feels like – I can go anywhere and do about anything. Most of the times my friends are the ones who need to catch up with me –  my Blumil’s faster than you would think. Doesn’t it sound perfect for countryside trips?  I thought it did so I packed my bags and headed to “Herbarium”. What’s that?  It’s a hotel and spa centre located in Chomiąża Szlachecka, Poland. Not too close, yet not too far away from Warsaw where I love, it made a perfect weekend getaway destination.

Let’s put it under the microscope!

 

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Into the unknown: Kenya

Flying to Kenya felt like going into the unknown. I’d visited Africa before, as I’d been to Egypt many times, but I knew the flavour wouldn’t be quite the same. After all, Africa’s amazingly diverse and I was more than happy to dive into the unknown. Once I landed in Mombasa, the beauty of the country struck me. My dream vacation ended just then because after I headed to my hotel… everything went downhill. A hotel, which advertised itself as accessible, probably didn’t know the definition of “accessible” too well, because it was everything but wheelchair friendly. That was the worst hotel experience in my entire life and since I travel a lot… I think it says everything. My Kenyan vacation story could be summed up like this: beautiful views spoilt by no accessibility.  What did I do there? How did everything look in practice? More about it below!

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Falling under Budapest’s spell

Falling under Budapest’s spell is inevitable once you set your eyes on everything the city has to offer.  I’ve seen many picturesque places in my life, and a handful of them stole my heart, but Budapest took things to a whole new level. It’s absolutely lovely and I would put it only a little bit behind Barcelona, which is my favourite place in the entire big old world. The city takes a notion of “beauty” very seriously, and it makes Budapest a marvellous capital. I was blown away by its charm, but could I say the same about its accessibility?  I am afraid that’s the moment where my Budapest fairytale ended. The city of great glamour turned out to be everything but wheelchair friendly.  What did I do there, how (in)accessible hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops were and more – below!

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Chasing the sun in Malaga, Spain

Chasing the sun in Malaga was perfect for long summer days when work could be put away and a body could go straight into the vacation mode. It was July 2006, when I decided to spend my holidays in a Spanish style and get a taste of  Costa del Sol.  Located in the south of Spain – Andalusia – region is said to be one of the most beautiful parts of Spanish coastline. It sounded great and given that its name means “Coast of the Sun”, I knew it was everything I needed. Sometimes to feel like a superhero, you need a little bit of vitamin D, so I made sure my body would get about enough of sun time. After all, Spain and good weather go together like a dream! My journey began in Malaga, but that was just the beginning. On my way down the coast, I visited Marbella and Puerto Banus. More about everything I did and saw below! Of course, accessibility’s included – after all… it can make or break any vacations.

 

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Discovering 50 shades of Gran Canaria

Discovering 50 shades of Gran Canaria filled me with a special kind of wanderlust, the one that keeps your eyes wide open with amazement. It was February, and I wanted to escape omnipresent snow and cold. The Canary Islands seemed like a great option and since I visited Fuerteventura two years earlier, I knew I wouldn’t be disappointed. Gran Canaria was waiting for me and I couldn’t be more excited to discover all of its shades.  The plan was simple: we rent a car and explore as much as we can in a week. Trust me, Gran Canaria is definitely not boring and we kept stumbling upon beautiful locations on every corner. Every time we thought we’d seen it all, there would be something else to take our breath away. With around 18°C, it was warm enough to embark on the ultimate adventure without thinking too much about gloves and scarves.  What else could you wish for in the middle of winter? Not much! Gran Canaria had it all. What to do there? How accessible everything is? Answers are waiting below!

 

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Extreme sports for wheelchair users

Since I can only remember, I’ve been in love with thrill. The thrill you get, when your body’s on the edge and you can feel the adrenaline rushing in your veins. I’ve always wanted not only to exist, but also to feel alive and as years were passing by, that desire wasn’t sinking into oblivion. No, quite the opposite – my appetite for life has been only becoming greater. I am hungry for adventure and every obstacle on my way makes a final success ever sweeter. Cars, bungee jumping, racing – you name it, it’s my fuel. Extreme sports are a wonderful option for all of us seeking thrill, and they’re suited for everybody. You’ve heard me correctly: extreme sports and wheelchair users actually go together well! The only thing you’ll need is a little bit of courage – freedom’s just a stone’s throw away from your safe zone.  What’s waiting for you below? A list of extreme sports for wheelchair users!

 

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Diving in Florida’s sunshine: Part III

Accessible travelling, travel with a wheelchair, Florida, USA, trip to USA, accessibility rating, Blumil wheelchair

Diving in Florida’s sunshine was anything but forgettable. It tasted like happiness, the warmth of the skin touched by the sunshine and adventure. Out all of these Florida was made for… adventure would make it to top 5, no doubt about it. If you are looking for the place to feel and taste like summer all year long, Florida might be the answer. I have my taste of Florida summer, since I visited it in August, and trust me: it was a flavour to remember. Florida may be just one of many states, but it certainly felt interesting enough on its own to explore it for weeks. As you might remember from The Part I and Part II of the post, my trip there was three-week long, but I am certain it still wasn’t enough to get to know Florida inside out. It was just enough to befriend it and hopefully come back for more one day.  The Sunshine State is not the one to forget – it leaves you with an aftertaste, and it’s full of vibrancy. Below, we’ll visit Florida one more time (for now!) and discuss its attractions, colours and accessibility to uncover the hidden side of the Alligator State!

 

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Diving in Florida’s sunshine: Part II

Milo's accessibility rating, wheechair friendly travelling, accessible travelling, accessible USA, Blumil wheelchair

Diving into Florida’s sunshine felt like entering the paradise and I wouldn’t  change a thing if I was to re-live these moments again. The Sunshine State is much more than it seems. It’s more than sunny beaches of Miami, Disneyland or luxurious resorts. We were looking for wonderful memories, but on our way, we also stumbled upon breathtaking stories we’d never expected to find.  Florida doesn’t come in one shade – 50 wouldn’t be enough to describe all of its flavours.  We’ve discovered some of them together, but there’s so much more to be explored and mentioned, so let’s continue diving in Florida’s sunshine! Trust me, once you fall in love with Florida there’s no coming back, but what a lovely experience it is! What to do, what to see, what to try and ultimately how accessible everything is – below!

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