What do you think about Manly and Bondi? I felt Bondi was very accessible, and I was very impressed with lockers and showers. It really shows that thought has been taken when designing it. I feel these disability accommodations at Bondi are relatively new. Wheres the most accessible beach you have visited? Preparing for a 24hr flight kzfaq.info/get/bejne/rrBjYNOC2pO1g3U.html How I boarded the Upper Deck of the a380 kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mK6fqNJjqbCZp5s.html Is Australia becoming more accessible? kzfaq.info/get/bejne/p7idhZZov7y0aac.html Disability access Disney Paris kzfaq.info/get/bejne/eLidp86UtdmoiXk.html

I have a love-hate relationship with those beach wheelchairs. Love because they're one of the few ways I can get access to the sea, and hate because they're just so cartoonishly huge and can't be self-propelled. I feel like I'm being dragged around in a bouncy castle! 😆

I used one of those beach wheelchairs. My wheelchair was locked up & when we tried to leave, the lifeguard who had the key disappeared. I was left on the sidewalk by myself for nearly an hour while my husband tried to track down someone with a key. People were jostling around me & I felt completely helpless. This was at Ocean City, Maryland USA.

This video pulled me out from feeling sad and made me believe that we can live our life to fullest and disability shouldn't stop us from doing that. you should know that these videos are helping people like me and giving hope that someday I will also be able to live like you. Thanks for sharing.

I've used my blue badge in the USA and talked to a policeman who said he would recognise it for what it is and allow me to park wherever an American permit would allow me to park. The doors on the fridge annoyed me, the cupboard opens a different way to the fridge so either way you have to lean over a door. Inspired by your videos it looks like a trip to Australia is on the cards for next year, though Perth would be the destination as there is more wildlife to see there.

Seriously feel like hotel chains should employ disabled people when architects are designing rooms. It’s quite clear only able body people are designing disabled rooms which is not really good enough. I know that Sydney especially has smaller rooms compared to places like Melbourne or Perth (but like going to London) but things like tea/coffee amenities should be at a height where you aren’t potentially going to scald yourself. My family has a degenerative muscle disease so whilst I am not yet in a position to need these rooms and accessible amenities, it does make me very conscious about it. I appreciate you sharing and bringing light to all issues or positive aspects to your trip. Thanks Gem! 😊

For the parking badges it differs, but you should be able to find what countries yours applies in. For example on the Belgian disabled parking badge there are a number of languages indicating part of the countries (or all, I'm not sure) where the badge is recognised. If you have an EU badge your badge is automatically recognised in; Belgium, The Netherlands, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, Estonia, Denmark, Finland, France Germany, Luxembourg, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain and Sweden. DO note that if you have a post brexit badge, you have to check each country individually to know if your badge is still allowed. Post brexit badges no longer have the symbol for the EU on it, so many countries no longer see it as valid. In some countries you also will need an extra note from the local government to make your badge valid, which you will have to get before entering the country. An example of such a country is Switzerland. If you travel within Europe this link should help you find where you can travel with your badge; www.gov.uk/government/publications/blue-badge-using-it-in-the-eu/using-a-blue-badge-in-the-european-union For Australia things differ per state, but this link should help for future visits; www.dss.gov.au/our-responsibilities/disability-and-carers/programmes-services/for-people-with-disability/australian-disability-parking-scheme

The bathroom door opening inwards is not advised in case someone is on the floor behind the door let alone in the shower!!

The foaming soap coming out of the toilet could indicate that the hotel is having issues with their drains & plumbing. Room above yours , the guest using way to much bubble bath in their bath

I went to Florida years ago with my family and we went to watch 4th of July fireworks on Siesta Key beach and when we were returning to the car there was a sheriff standing at the car writing things down 😐 All because my badge was different to the American one. Mine was orange at the time I think, but it clearly had a similar “person in a wheelchair” symbol. I also used a beach wheelchair as well. I didn’t like them. Mainly because I couldn’t use it independently and I didn’t like being seen being pushed in it. That was just me. It was also very hard for other people to push. Especially in the Florida summer heat!

Great video, Gem!! Thank you so much for making these -- they make me feel much more confident about tackling travel accessibility challenges in the future. I've only been to one beach -- Oak Island, in North Carolina, USA, near a few relatives and the hospital where I was born. We used to visit when I was a kid, before my disability made travel difficult, and if you go early or in the off-season it's a nice, quiet time with lovely food and local sightseeing. I've always wanted to visit the beaches of Goa or Kerala in India, though! 🇮🇳

Hey Gem, Sean and Daisy. Next time you’re up Noosa way….let me know. I might be able to get a lift down to you guys to try the accessible beach with you. I’m an hour away to the north (Gympie….cue Sean making duelling banjo noises 😆) and have a transportable power wheelchair I can throw in the back of a car. Probably shouldn’t get that one too close to the water though. ⚡️⚡️⚡️

My son has a Hippocampe wheelchair great on sand, floats in the sea and you can even put skis on it.

Blue badges can't be used worldwide (sadly). It was possible to use it in the EU, whilst we were still members, I don't know if that has changed or not (I haven't been since Brexit). Each US state is different, which is extremely tedious to look up, though I've tended to take the approach of just doing it, but, I lived in the US, so I know how often I forgot to put my US blue badge up and didn't get caught. I'm also more tuned into which localities are likely to be checked. E.g. I wouldn't have parked in a blue badge space in downtown Philadelphia without knowing they did allow UK Blue Badges, but I would park in one in a Walmart parking lot. Also, apparently, some countries simply don't care, Portugal and Cyprus are on that list.

I have used my blue badge in both the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands and never had any problems. There’s a list of countries on the government website stating which countries will and won’t accept it for disabled parking.

While I am glad that beach wheelchairs exist, you still need to bring a friend/family along, they are not self-propelled I would love to go to a beach, any beach, but I cannot

G-day. I visited Perth Western Australia November to beginning December 2022. I go every couple of years and always take my Blue Badge. I write to the disabled parking people over there every few trips to check still OK they except our Blue Badges in Oz. I have a copy of their email saying it is OK and I leave that on show. I have asked several of their traffic wardens and police whilst over there they say yes, we all know you can use your badge. I did the nonstop 17 hours trip to Perth much better than dropping down halfway.

I totally get ur feeling about the beach wheelchairs. However, I was sooo happy to find one during my holiday in Malta cause it made the beach and water accessible to me. Unfortunately, I am not light enough to be carried by my partner. If so I wd def choose him carrying me. 😊

Watching videos like these always makes me floored with how bad American or at least Texan acsesabliity is. We dont even have emergency cords here, when i went to norway i was like "damn, only seen these in a hospital at home". Was shocked and jealous ti find out you need a key for acsesable bathroom in both the UK and Australia 😅 here its just a wider stall with a single bar on the far side of the wall and people are in there with no need all the time

Wheelchair lockers sound great. I’ve been idly designing a tracked platform to take a users’ chair directly (though with power through the wheels as normal - geared down)

You should go to Panama city Beach in Florida. It's beautiful.

I have handicapped plates as I’m the primary driver of our mother who’s blind & in wheelchair. My siblings use the placards.

I loved Noosa too Gem, the colored sands were so beautiful.

I got the ick being offered a beach chair to Gem, I don’t know why either 🤣😂 I always feel so nervous at the beach as it’s the one thing we are most vulnerable as we can’t control the sea Thank you so much for allowing us to follow your trip Great informative post as always 🤗🤗

Badges aren’t necessary worldwide - always ask the local tourist board (and get it in writing).

I'm sardinian, so for me the most beautiful beaches are here in Sardinia (Italy), and even if I travel a lot, usually I don't travel to marittime destinations, but unfortunately I have to admit not a lot of our most beautiful beaches are wheelchair accessible, mainly due to "naturalistic barriers" (and some are difficult even for people who can walk) as "accessible only through 1 hour trekking" or "only from the sea". But the beaches closest to the cities are usually easily wheelchair accessible (or at least, part of the beach) and beautiful too. We are only a 2 hours flight from UK if you want to try by yourself 😁😁

How fun …. Looks like you had a blast!!! Makes want to go on vacation!!

So much Love in your family 👪 ♥️

I have used a Swiss disabled parking permit in UK and US and my UK one in US and Italy. There are all kinds of agreements, I have never had a problem. I would try.

Another great video gem

Dis is so fun becaus i wacht bondi rescue al the time 😅 Much love from Belgium 🇧🇪✌️

I'm too much of a dumpling to lifted 🤦‍♀️🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I totally get you about the beach wheelchairs, I live in West Sussex near the beach and they have big beach chairs and basically said I was ungrateful for not wanting to use them, and told me it was the only access available. I am very much like yourself fiercely independent always have been, but at the age of 53 do I really want to be pushed on a beach .. I find abroad are much better catered for wheelchair users compared to uk .

I get what you mean about being uncomfortable in the water wheelchairs. It's a bit nerve-racking to suddenly have to use a different wheelchair that you're not familiar with. You don't know how easy it will be to maneuver, how comfortable it will be, where all the parts are, etc. Plus, most are not self-propelled, so if you can't self propel, you have to go with someone who can and will push you. And if you have kids with you, it can be really tricky to both deal with the water wheelchair and the kids.

My family has been going to various locations in the Outer Banks of North Carolina since I was a kid. Last year, we stayed up near Corolla, which was a bit less convenient for the shops and restaurants we were used to but we did find accessible beach access. It was ramped and a much shorter walk to the beach. Although next time I might look into renting a beach wheelchair for the week because it was still really hard for me to walk on the sand down to the water and everyone around me is usually carrying a ton of stuff.

I live a couple of miles from the beach here in Southern California, so this video made me feel at home.✌️🇺🇸🇬🇧🇦🇺✌️Thanks for sharing this video.🙏🏻

I take your point about not having the option if you have left side weakness, to swap, but all I could see was a very exciting, and very much lesser known, continuation of the handrail, right 'round your back. I may be proven wrong but I feel like I would utilise the section that WAS behind me, to push, up and around, to complete the transfer BACK to my chair, which I am finding increasing difficulty with lately

Going to Australia during in the month of December and January is definitely the right time for a while they have their Summers even myself that's in the northern hemisphere that I still mostly like a white Christmas and really going to a beach is really fun and also like seeing you with a wheelie down a ramp in your wheelchair.

Any beaches in st. Thomas are DREAMY! I go back as much as possible!

I stayed in Manly quite a few years ago during winter and even then it was really nice, it was definitely less busy and if you went past the beach at the relight time of night (I think around d 5ish) you got to see all the little fairy penguins on the beach, very cute ☺️. We caught the ferry into the main harbour most days which was a cool experience too.

Thank you so much, Gem, for that video, which is great and so important! The day seeing us within all others isn't worth any word or a second view, that'll be the day we will be included. But it needs us to help: tl make jokes about and with dus, too, bc we're a part of community, so part of good jokes. Fotos, professions and all, each of all pars of world. A long ay, first important steps made. Thanks so much!

ive checked this out if i go to nz with my aussie permit i have to apply prior to coming but even so you should be able to use your permit here and vice versa you can always check with service nsw

Quiberon grand plage beach in brittany is where I spent a lot of childhood beach time it's got ramps I don't know if it has beach chairs yet but it was great in the 80's being able to go to a beach and get my chair as far as the sand after that dad would carry me we also found I could access plage des vergnes just south of rouen when on holiday in that area

Great video! We don’t do beaches, despite living within easy driving distance, because sand and power wheelchairs are a bad combination.

We love Coolangatta beach, Noosa a second favourite. And Broadbeach because our favourite cafe is there 😂 We will visit Sydney at some point. Will look out for beach wheelchairs 👍🏻

I love Noosa beach too. I love that you can just float up and down in the rolling waves and when you go to bed that night I can still feel like I'm floating up and down. It looks like the Novatel just retro fitted a standard room as an after thought, hence all the things that aren't to standard. While they tried, they really should have consulted an OT. I love that the larger shopping centres have built electric door access for accessible toilets. One of my big frustrations is that many older accessible toilets in Australia while accessible once you're in have extremely heavy fire doors that prevent me from getting in/out without the help of someone to push/pull the door for me. If only they would just take off that sprung door bracket or automate it...

Green island in Queensland, it’s got coral, so less sand more Shelly and not many waves which is really nice

Hi Gem I feel the same in big crowds but only at night love from TEXAS

Are you still up there! We lived in Australia for 3 years and a good part of it was in manly warringa . Manly beach was one of our favorites. Hobart beach was our favorite

UK handicap badge looks very similar to US one

Parked in Germany (from US) no problem 99.9% of the time with my badge. Did get 1 ticket but actually cleared it via email..no problem.

I’ve never even heard of emergency cords…I’m disabled too. I’ve never seen them anywhere in New Zealand or Australia

Cape Town has some lovely beaches

You can use in Italy.😊

No! You can’t use your badge in Los Angeles when i went in 2008, but you can apply to get a form from their council, but our friends took as round.

From what I’ve heard, generally your badge will be valid or you can contact local authorities on your location to ask about it and maybe in some way ensure your badge is valid or give you some extra note to put up with your badge. I have the EU badge as I’m Swedish so I know it’s valid within the EU, so I will for example bring my badge when visiting my boyfriend in the Netherlands in case we rent a car to travel around a bit. My boyfriend doesn’t drive but I do, so yeah, it’s not completely unlikely that we will take road trips sometime so I may as well bring my badge to make it more easy with parking. I think a Facebook friend of mine has used his Swedish EU badge in USA, but I’d have to ask him about it because I’m not completely sure

I hope someday I will be so upbeat as you.I’m still at the being crippled is awful,

I think you used to be able to use the blue badge in Europe but not sure now they are not EU - does it say in the booklet that came with your new badge. I’m getting a new one in a month so I can see!

I've only just started using a chair as I'm an Ambulatory user and I was wondering if you have a video for tips on how to use the chair on things like slopes etc? I saw you leaning back going down in part of this video and I think I'd be too scared to do that with my balance. Any tips welcome

On my norwegian handicap parking card, it says I can use it in the whole of Europe. Even though it looks different. I have heard rumours that I might be able to use it in the us, but that is not verified.

I have just visited your KZfaq page congratulation you are fantastic. you know, I am handicap but I don't use any wheelchaire or any other rehabilitating instruments and I live in Iran and holding a Phd of media administration I admire you. I want to suggest you to have closer friendship best regards

My Mummy and Daddy have been to the Maldives

My brain said”just get up” I feel so bad

The blue badge can't be used in Germany. I got ticketed. It's valid in Ireland. France it used to be valid but I haven't checked since Brexit

I don't do beaches! Never liked them even before becoming a wheelchair user!

Did your legs get a bit sunburned?

hi

What’s DDA mean I seen your short

Parking badges in UE are for UE only.

I live in ire land and use mine when I'm in the UK and I believe u will be refunded if you prove your disabled xx

I am new here but what is Sean to Gemma en what is the relationship with the girl who is there to

You husband is so funny about the toilet

I used my badge in UK and got a ticket because I forgot my clock :(

6:05 - I don't like chairs you can't move your self. Like the chairs they put you in at the airports

Had to fast-forward through the ocean bits where the camera goes underwater (PTSD trigger), but I have to say it is time there was an International Disabled Parking Permit. ♿

Our parking badges, are specific to each city, AND the badge is only for disabled parking, you don't get free public parking at all... AND the disabled parking is very badly abused here, to a ludicrous degree. Able people get aggressive and threatening if you approach them and they are in a disabled parking bay

I think I understand your 'beach wheelchair thing'. While I don't feel the same, is it that it's for general use and therefore not set up to fit you whatsoever? So you're kinda just wobbling and weebling about in an ill-fitting seat?

When these foreign countries dismiss our disabled cards, does this make us disabled??? I would wish...lol

Gem, I live in Brisbane and am going to Noosa tomorrow! I also just booked my very first solo flight over to LA, after seeing your video about Qantas it gave me the confidence to fly with them. Thanks so much. 🫶🏼✨

Accessible 🏖 for people in wheelchairs 🦽 ❤❤❤❤❤ 19:51

I can use my card al over the world. But in some city in Holland use a registratiesysteem. Amsterdam for example. Was it difficult to sit in the waves?