How to Travel with a Disability

A few years ago I was asked to be one of the speakers at a state writer's group at their fall conference. I knew little about the writer's group, but the fall conference was an easy drive from home and at an Express motel built along the interstate. I didn't even think about calling ahead to ask about accessibility. It was a fairly new facility. Of course, there will be handicap accessibility. No problem.

Two days before the conference the main speaker had a heart attack and I was asked if I could take his speaking slots as well as my own. I agreed. In fact, I was looking forward to the opportunity to share with other authors.

A friend signed up for the conference and drove me, since I don't drive, to the location. Carrying our purses and all my books and supplies for the conference, we approached the front counter. I smiled at the receptionist and asked, "Where is the writer's conference."

She pointed behind me. Turning I looked up a flight of stairs. Ok. That didn't look too handicap accessible. Turning back, I smiled, confident the place was accessible. "Please direct us to the elevator."

She paused. "There isn't any."

I glanced at the stairs, at my friend and back at the stairs. This was a problem. I assumed that being a fairly new facility, there would be handicap accessibility. Most of the rooms, I later found out, were handicap accessible-meaning they were on ground level. But there were these set of rooms that were up those flight of stairs that were not in any way handicap accessible. That is where the conference was being held. I didn't see I had much choice. I couldn't back out. I had become the main speaker. One way or another, handicap accessibility aside, I was going up those stairs.

Stairs are not very handicap accessible. Stairs are a problem for me. Though I do not use a wheelchair (except after some surgeries for awhile), I still have considerable limitations. Stairs are not my friend.