Let’s start with this. What’s a travel experience that stands out? One of my favorite, favorite was swimming in Lake Bunyonyi in Kabale, Uganda:
Why Wheel Adventure Travel
Great Wall of China
I’m Matt & I like to travel. Wait–I like to travel to unique, international places and have breathtaking travel experiences. That’s more like it. I am a paraplegic in a wheelchair and I travel within an affordable budget. That’s the theme of this website.
I started this Wheel Adventure Travel website (or, one giant blog as my friends say) to help and inspire people to travel to interesting international places, show them where to stay, what to do and how to get around. I set out to find wheelchair accessible hotels that are centrally located and affordable. Where’ve I been? Europe, Asia, Africa, Central America and South America.
The Travel Issue: Man, it sucks to research hotels online for hours to find information on wheelchair accessible hotels–and nothing. Most travel websites have generic photos that don’t show features like ramps, door widths, steps, etc. A lot of hotels indicate having “facilities for disabled” but aren’t wheelchair accessible.
Denver International Airport to London
So, I’ve taken the wheelchair travel industry on. I’ve personally taken the pictures and videos of hotel entrances (and tourist attractions), cabs, trains, asked the hotel staff if the hotels had wheelchair accessible rooms–a bathroom with either roll-in showers or bathtubs with handles–etc.
Nitty Gritty
This website has tons of info, photos & videos on tourist attractions, streets, sidewalks, ramps, restaurants, bathrooms, daily life of people, etc. You’ll find tips on how to save money on travel. Use this Wheel Adventure Travel website to make informed, intelligent travel decisions.
What People Ask Me
Your favorite travel spot?
This is most frequently asked travel related question. Geez. If I have to pick, Beijing for its epic history in both attractions and culture, Prague for its aesthetic beauty, Cuenca, Ecuador because it’s like the Prague of South America.
Blanco Museum Ubud, Bali
Where do you live?
Colorado. I’ve been living here 4 years. Before that, 4 years in northern Indiana and 13 years in Los Angeles.
Do you work? How do you afford to travel so much?
Yes. I’ve been working since I was 16. I simply save up, research the cheapest ways to travel and go. Oh, did you just say you wanna contribute to my travel fund? Saweet! Email me!
What’s your favorite color?
No one actually asks me this. It’s orange and blue anyway. Thus, the color scheme of this site!
What happened?
This is the most common question by strangers (before greetings such as “How are you” or “What’s happening”) and my answer is that I was just born good-looking and there was nothing I could do to stop the handsome train. Okay, seriously, I had polio as a baby. How? You’re too young. I was born in Seoul, Korea and got it there. Fortunately, I was adopted by a caring American family. And, voila…I end up under a street performer in the Andes Mountains!
Street performer in Cuenca, Ecuador city center
What is my level of disability?
I honestly don’t know but I’m pretty darn mobile though. Also, no, I can’t use my legs at all but yes, I have feeling in them (so don’t tap my legs thinking you’re getting away with something!).
What kind of wheelchair do I use?
I’ve always stuck with a Quickie 2HP. I find folding chairs convenient to travel with because, well, they can fold up. If I climb into a tuk-tuk in Thailand, I need to fold up the chair. I looked into a rigid chair because they’re lighter but I found they are, well, rigid, and not as convenient for my travels.
Where have I been lately? You’ve disappeared for awhile. Your site was down and had lots of broken links.
First, sorry! Second, the latest destinations have been London, Uganda & Rwanda, Medellin, Colombia, and Panama City, Panama. They are all AWESOME!
Your tagline: Oil. Tighten. Pack. Roll. The heck?
These are the steps I take to travel: dismantle my wheelchair, oil it up, tighten all the parts, pack my stuff, and roll out! I have another: “laying tread around the world on a budget.” I quite like both.
Are you with me?!
Help and Strangers
Holy cow. There are so many great people I’ve met in various parts of the world. In places like the subway in Seoul, Korea and the ruins of Angkor Was, I’ve had a lot of help from people. Steep steps and multiple stairs pose the largest hurdle for wheelchair travel (narrow doorways, turnstyles and gates…).
Have fun. Kick ass. Enjoy life.