A review of our Australian guest in wheelchair accessible Apartment. He travelled with his Thai wife and daughter. We like to thank him for this review and hope to meet him again in Hua Hin.
Travel! Just do it!
If you have a disability, especially one requiring a wheelchair, the trepidation and anxiety that can fill your mind can be enough to put you off going anywhere.
Even when you do commit it’s hard to muster that natural excitement you should be allowed when going abroad. On the flipside the rewards for ‘just doing it!’ can be well worth it and to get some peace of mind before setting off- Research!
My recent trip to Hua Hin in Thailand was wonderful and it came down to the homework I did. You are not the only one in the world with a disability who wants to enjoy their life. Duh! I found a couple from Holland who have a villa and an apartment in Hua Hin that I could rest assured was wheelchair accessible as he needs it to be as he has muscular atrophy. And they have thought of everything from roll-in showers, electric beds, private pool hoist, air-con, beach wheelchairs, portable ramps, airport transfers and transport in an accessible van right through to recommending a competent nursing agency that can assist anyone who requires it.
Hua Hin itself is a quite laid back and mellow town when compared to Bangkok, Pattaya or Phuket. It is where the King lives and where many Thai people themselves choose to holiday. Thai hospitality in my opinion is unsurpassed and Hua Hin is a non-threatening place not so renowned for sex tourism as other places. The healthy fresh seafood and Thai offerings are a sumptuous delight and combined with swimming and massages I left with more vitality than I arrived with no doubt.
Not all the shops are accessible and the curbs can be high but if cautious you can just use the roads and find the places you can get into, like wonderful restaurants on stilts where the water is lapping under you and the seafood is still alive in brine tanks nearby. That’s fresh! Go onto the jetty and watch the boats come in or right near the apartment you have the night market for shopping and more eateries. Don’t be afraid to get a real cheap feed from the street vendors either- satay sticks, dried and rolled flat squid and banana roti’s or corn on the cob with spiced sugar, Thai grapefruit with a sugar/chili blend. Yum!
I write this for anyone who thinks of travelling but lets the perceived difficulties get in their way. Yes things can go wrong and awkward moments may arise but that goes for anybody disabled or not. The comforts of home are great but so are the experiences to be had away from your own doorstep.
Hanneke Fronik
