Što je to wheelchair friendly hotel

Hotel Štacija - Kaštela

U prošlom postu dotaknuo sam se teme smještaja i poteškoća pri pronalasku istog s tim da sam većinom pisao o privatnom smještaju dok sam hotele spomenuo tek s nekoliko rečenica.

Spomenuo sam tada pitanje pristupa kao jedan od uvjeta za kategorizaciju hotela, dakle određivanje koliko će zvjezdica imati da bih nakon kraćeg istraživanja otkrio da pristup nije nikakav uvjet. Dakle ni hotel koji želi imati pet zvjezdica ne mora biti niti malo prilagođen i to mu svejedno neće predstavljati prepreku. Tko ne vjeruje, OVDJE sve ima crno na bijelo. Ipak, i u ovom našem kaosu koji nazivamo državom ima svijetlih primjera pa se idemo malo pozabaviti jednim od njih. 

Budući da sam prošli vikend (polu)neplanirano proveo u jednom hotelu koji sebe drži potpuno prilagođenim osobama s invaliditetom, red bi bio da napišem što taj opis ustvari podrazumijeva i koliko je u ovom slučaju točan.

No krenimo redom.

Prošli četvrtak Hajduk je igrao svoju europsku utakmicu (izvještaj s juga Poljuda pri dnu teksta) koju smo ja i moja bolja polovica odlučili pogledati i budući da nam se nije dalo odmah žuriti natrag doma, pao je dogovor da prespavamo noć-dvoje negdje u Splitu ili okolici. Baš kao i Dubrovnik, i grad pod Marjanom je doslovno krcat u ovim ljetnim mjesecima, a jedini privatni iznajmljivač čiji se apartman čini donekle prilagođen invalidskim kolicima se javno svađa s gostima na Airbnb-u tako da smo se umjesto privatnog smještaja ovog puta odlučili za hotel i nismo požalili. 

#Štacionirajse

Izbor je pao na hotel Štaciju u Kaštel Lukšiću i to iz dva razloga; prvo, od centra Splita udaljen je svega dvadesetak minuta vožnje i drugo i važnije, u mailu su tvrdili da su potpuno prilagođeni osobama u invalidskim kolicima. 

Spomenut ću još da ovaj hotel ima tri zvjezdice, ali po meni zaslužuje bar još jednu više i to ne samo zbog prilagođenosti sadržaja već i zbog idealne pozicije, ugodnog ambijenta, hrane i pića, osoblja. Inače, Kaštela su tipični srednjedalmatinski gradić čija se turistička strategija onako na prvi pogled svodi na četiri mjeseca guljenja naivnih stranaca koji se mogu, a i ne  moraju, vratiti i dogodine. Mjesto ima jednu slabo uređenu šetnicu, nekoliko trgovina, hrpu restorana i koktel barova nemaštovitih imena i preskupih cijena i lunapark s treštavom glazbom i svjetlima koja izazivaju epileptične napadaje tako da je naš hotel, čak i onako prosječan, u svemu tome djelovao kao Leo Messi okružen igračima Slaven Belupa. 

Ok, nakon ove male digresije, par fotografija koje će potkrijepiti tvrdnju o prilagođenosti osobama s invaliditetom. 

Osim prostrane sobe i kreveta koji nije ni previsok ni prenizak, i  kupaonica je prilagođena i to uz minimalna ulaganja. Sve što je potrebno za prilagodbu je „iščupati“ kadu i umjesto nje staviti ovu malko nepraktičnu, ali korisnu stolicu i staviti nekoliko rukohvata koji olakšavaju prebacivanje. 

Poseban bonus je ovaj željezni nastavak za umivaonik koji je, pretpostavljam, namijenjen ljudima u električnim kolicima kako bi lakše dosegli slavinu. Meni osobno ne trebaju ovakva pomagala, ali mi je super da netko i na to misli. 

Osim stvari koje sam spomenuo i fotografirao, moram pohvaliti i činjenicu da je čitav hotel potpuno prohodan i na sve vanjske terase, u restoran kao i na parking mogao sam stići bez ičije pomoći. Spominjem ovo jer sam od nekih „kolega“ u kolicima čuo kako to često nije slučaj i kako hoteli koji su nominalno wheelchair friendly često imaju terase ili restorane na teško dostupnim mjestima.

Knjiga žalbe

Ne bi ja bio ja da samo hvalim pa evo i dvije kritike i to poprilične.

Prva se odnosi na nepostojanje parking mjesta za invalide i malo mi je nevjerojatno da hotel koji je mislio na sve ove gore pobrojane stvari nije uspio riješiti taj detalj koji ovako na prvu zvuči minorno, ali ti postane bitan kad se vraćaš u jedan u noći i baš ti se ne da okolo tražiti parking i vraćati se u hotel po slabo osvijetljenoj stazi.  

Gornja fotografija je kritika broj dva i zahtjeva mrvicu dulje objašnjenje. Naime, moja Lozo je nekoliko dana prije nego smo stigli poslala hotelu upit o postojanju plaže prilagođene osobama s invaliditetom i čak im poslala fotografiju lifta koji inače koristim, ne samo ja nego svi ljudi u invalidskim kolicima. Njihov odgovor je bio da nikakvih problema nema – plaža postoji, prilagođena je i u neposrednoj blizini hotela. 

I tako se mi, ništa ne sumnjajući, zaputimo na kupanje. 

Vani je ugodnih 85 stupnjeva, gužva je ko u Konzuma na Badnji dan, ali boli nas briga, osvježenje je nadomak ruke. Ili nije? Poslije jedno dvadeset minuta što vožnje što šetnje napokon stižemo na plažu gdje nas dočeka kreacija s gornje fotografije. E sad, shvaćam ja ideju arhitekta ovog čuda: fino se kolicima odvezeš do dna, razina mora ti je negdje do pasa, uskočiš i netko vrati kolica sve dok ti ne zatrebaju za izlazak, ali u svemu tome postoji „mali“ problem. 

Kolica koja koristim ja i svi ostali invalidi na svijetu jednostavno nisu predviđena za ovo i ja bi ih u more mogao uvesti točno jednom nakon čega bi ih onako „zasoljena“ komotno mogao baciti na otpad. Pa eto jedan mali apel svim vlasnicima hotela, koncesionarima plaža, djelatnicima jedinica lokalne samouprave – ne pravite ova sranja, za tu lovu radije kupite ženi kakvu ogrlicu, platite djeci vozački, odvedite ljubavnicu na produljeni vikend. Ili dodajte još par tisuća kuna i napravite pošten lift koji izgleda ovako: 

Hajduk živi vječno

Na samom kraju ono što sam obećao na početku. Glavni motiv za ovo mini putovanje bila ja utakmica pretkola europske liga između Hajduka i FC SB (bivša Steaua) koju sam odgledao s poljudskog juga koji je, sa zadovoljstvom to mogu reći, sasvim lijepo prilagođen za dolazak u invalidskim kolicima. 

Ipak, i ovdje se vidi prostor za napredak i uz minimalna ulaganja (dodatne stolice za pratnju, trava oko gledališta, razrovani beton, natkrivanje tribine isl.) sve bi to moglo biti na puno većoj razini, ali to nije problem samo poljudskog juga već čitavog stadiona koji je dušu dao za jedan temeljiti face lifting.

I to bi bilo to. Malo nogometa, malo uživanja u hrani i piću, malo nerviranja oko „dodatnih sadržaja“. Ukratko, netipičan vikend s tipičnim problemima tipa u kolicima J

STARIJI POSTOVI: 

Mljet

I believe I can fly

Evanđelje po Airbnb-u

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

In the last post I mentioned accommodation and difficulties in finding the same as I mostly wrote about private accommodation while the hotels were mentioned only with a few sentences.

I also mentioned the issue of access as one of the conditions for hotel categorization, hence determining how many stars it would have and after a short survey I found that access was not a condition. So even a hotel that wants to have five stars does not have to be a bit adjusted, and that will not be an obstacle anyway. Yet, in our chaos that we call the state, there are bright examples, so let's take a little look at one of them.

Since I spent the weekend in a hotel that advertises as completely fit for people with disabilities, I would write what this description really implies and how accurate it is in this case.

But let's move step by step

Last Thursday Hajduk played his European match (report from south of Poljud at the bottom of the text) which I and my better half decided to look at and since we did not immediately hurry back home, we agreed to spend the night somewhere in Split or it's surrounding. Just like Dubrovnik, the city under Marjan is also literally packed in these summer months, and the only private landlord whose apartment is somewhat adapted to wheelchairs is publicly quarreling with guests at Airbnb so that instead of private accommodation this time we decided for the hotel and we did not regret it at all.

#Stationyourself

The choice fell to the hotel Štacija in Kaštel Lukšić for two reasons; first, it is only twenty minutes  drive from the center of Split, and second and most importantly, in the mail they claimed that they were completely adapted to wheelchair users.

Le me also mention that this hotel has three stars but deserves at least one more, not only because of the content customization, but also because of its ideal position, pleasant ambience, food and drinks, staff. Kaštela is a typical Middle Dalmatian town whose tourism strategy looks at the first glance like four months of nailing naive tourists who can or do not have to come back again The place has one poorly designed promenade, several shops, a bunch of restaurants and cocktail bars of uncreative names and expensive prices and amusement park with dance music and lights that cause epileptic seizures so our hotel, even the average, looked like Leo Messi surrounded players of Slaven Belupo.

Okay, after this small digression, a couple of photos that will support the claim of adaptation to people with disabilities.

Apart from a spacious room and a bed that is neither too big nor too small, the bathroom is adapted with minimal investment. All you need to adjust is to remove the bathtub and instead put this little impractical but useful chair and put on a few handrails that make it easier to transfer.

A special bonus is this iron extension for the sink that, I suppose, is intended for people in the electric wheelchair for easier access to the tap. Personally, I do not need this kind of aids, but it's great that someone to thought about it.

Apart from the things I mentioned and photographed, I have to commend the fact that the whole hotel was completely suitable for wheelchair and all the outdoor terraces, the restaurant and the parking lot I could reach without any help. I mention this because I heard from some of the "colleagues" in the wheelchair that it is often not the case and how hotels that are nominally wheelchair friendly often have terraces or restaurants in hard-to-reach places.

Complaint Book

It would not be me to just praise, so here are two critiques and pretty big ones too.

The first one concerns the lack of parking places for disabled people and it is unbelievable that the hotel who thought of all these things listed above could not solve this detail that looks small at first, but it becomes important when you return one o'clock after midnight and you do not want to look around for parking and go back to the hotel on a poorly lit track.

The above photo is a critique of number two and requires a longer explanation. My Lozo, a few days before we arrived, sent a request to the hotel for a beach for people with disabilities and even sent them a photo of the elevator I usually use, not just me, but all people in the wheelchair. Their answer was that there's no problem at all - the beach exists, it is adapted and in the immediate vicinity of the hotel.

And so, without questioning anything, we go swimming.

Outside is a pleasant 85 degrees, the crowd is unbelievable, but we don't care, the refreshment is within reach. Or not? After about twenty minutes of driving, we finally get to the beach where we get the creation from the top picture. Now, I understand the idea that architect of this miracle had: you ride the wheelchair to the bottom, the level of sea is somewhere to your chest, you jump and somebody rolls back until you need to go out, but there is a "small" problem in all of this.

The wheelchair I use are simply not foreseen for this and I could put them in the sea exactly once, after which they could be thrown to the trash because of all the salt. Well, a small appeal to all hotel owners, beach concessionaires, local self-government units - do not make this crap, buy your wife a necklace instead, pay your kids a driving lessons, take the mistress for an extended weekend. Or add another couple of thousand kuna and make a decent lift that looks like this:

Evanđelje po Airbnb-u

Foto: Asistive Technolog Blog

Internetska stranica Airbnb.com u zadnjih nekoliko godina bilježi ogroman rast prometa i već se sa sigurnošću može reći da niti jedan servis prije nje nije ovako lako i efikasno posredovao između iznajmljivača i putnika koji traže smještaj na nekoj lokaciji.

Budući da su i kod nas i u inozemstvu svi iznajmljivači koji imalo drže do sebe postavili svoje sobe/apartmane/stanove na već spomenutu stranicu, moglo bi se također reći da nas od relativno jeftinog smještaja bilo gdje u svijetu dijele doslovno dva klika mišem i da nikad nije bilo lakše pronaći sebi „bazu“ za ljetni ili zimski odmor. 

Ipak, postoji jedna mala kvaka. Gornja tvrdnja točna je samo ukoliko niste osoba s invaliditetom. Jer ako jeste, stvari se ponešto kompliciraju.

Već sam spomenuo kako je Airbnb najbolji servis ovakve vrste i kao takav, jedini ima opciju pretrage smještaja za osobe s invaliditetom. Stvar je u biti vrlo jednostavna. Uz filtere koji vam dopuštaju da tražit smještaj s dječjim krevetićem, kaminom, teretanom ili bilo čime što smatrate da vam je potrebno za savršen odmor, postoji i zaseban filter koji se zove pristupačnost. 

Nekada ste pored te riječi samo stavljali kvačicu i stranica vam je sama filtrirala sadržaj, no u zadnjih godinu ili dvije, Airbnb se zbilja potrudio i kada kliknete na spomenuti filter, otvara vam se barem dvadesetak stavki te zasebno odabirete onu koja vam je potrebna.

Ovako to izgleda u praksi 

Za razliku od Airbnb-a, vrlo popularni Booking.com nema nikakav filter vezan za pristupačnost kao ni internetska stranica Trivago koja se reklamira češće nego piva za vrijeme Svjetskog prvenstva, ali nije se odlučila platiti kakvom bucmastom programeru s fudbalerkom da im postavi tu jednostavnu opciju. 

Može se, dakle, reći da je Airbnb svoj posao odradio i više nego korektno. Pa što onda kukaš i gdje je uopće zapelo, upitat ćete se možda. 

Na iznajmljivačima, naravno. 

I ne, nikako ne želim da ovo ispadne tipično kukanje o diskriminaciji niti mislim da bi itko trebao uložiti petsto tisuća kuna da bih ja mogao ući u svaki stambeni objekt u Hrvatskoj. Ipak, situacija je daleko od idealne, a to se lijepo može vidjeti i po ovoj karti. 

Gornja fotografija: izbor smještaja prilagođenog osobama s invaliditetom

Donja fotografija: smještaj bez prilagodbe.

Za ovu priliku napravio sam mali eksperiment. Pokušao sam rezervirati smještaj za dvije osobe u Dubrovniku za razdoblje od 01. do 03.09. s tim da nisam filtrirao cijenu jer mi za ovu priliku nije bilo potrebno (Ma nije ni inače, pun sam ko brod!!).

U prvom slučaju koristio sam filtere pristupačnosti uz napomenu da sam stavio samo one osnovne: ulazak u zgradu bez stepenica, pristup kupaonici bez stepenica, ulaze dovoljno široke za invalidska kolica. Rezultat – jedan jedini smještaj u Gradu i na njegovu užem području!

Druga fotografija je bez ikakvih filtera, dakle nešto što bi koristila osoba koja nema nikakve smetnje pri kretanju. Rezultat je oko trideset smještaja u navedenom razdoblju.

Ok, znam da u Dubrovniku početkom rujna još uvijek na veliko traje turistička sezona, ali mjesta očito ima (ako vam pristupačnost nije bitan faktor). 

A što je s hotelima? 

Što se hotela tiče, tu je situacija ipak nešto bolja, ne jer žele nego jer moraju. Koliko čujem i koliko sam upućen (a nisam previše), gotovo svi bolji hoteli, dakle ekipa s četiri i više zvjezdica, imaju bar nekoliko soba prilagođenih invalidskim kolicima, a osim toga imaju i prilično široke liftove, parking isl. Minus im je naravno cijena, ali i dodatni sadržaji poput pristupa bazenu ili plaži, a koji bi se mogli relativno lako „srediti“.

Poseban je bonus kad rampa ili lift postoji, ali iz nekog razloga nije u funkciji što je situacija koja mi se svako toliko dogodi i svaki put me iznova oduševi.

Ekvivalent ovoga bi otprilike bio da ti netko reče da se možeš malo provozat njegovim Ferrarijem, ali ti onako usput napomene da mu fale kotači.

*Jedno pitanje za moje fejs prijatelje koji rade u hotelima: postoji li neki uvjet za dobivanje zvjezdice, a koji je vezan za pristupačnost tj. prilagođenost hotelskih sadržaja? Odgovore očekujem u komentarima :))

Sve se može kad se hoće. Ok, ne sve, ali dosta toga

Ponovit ću da zaista ne mislim da bi netko trebao montirati lift u svoje apartmane niti razbijati hodnik kako bi bio dovoljno širok za invalidska kolica, ali nekada i sitne preinake jako mnogo znače. 

Foto: Njuškalo

Aluminijske ili limene rampe poput ove prilično su jeftine i lako dostupne, a nekada znače razliku između potpuno prilagođenog i potpuno neprilagođenog doma.

Hoćete li od onih pet-šest dodatnih gostiju godišnje koje bi zbog ove rampe mogli imati profitirati toliko da za tri sezone podignete još jedan kat? Vrlo teško. Ipak, nekome biste mogli priuštiti savršen odmor u jednom od najljepših gradova na svijetu. Priznajte, nije ni to toliko loše.

Prijašnji postovi: 

Mljet 

I believe I can fly

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Airbnb Gospel 

The Airbnb.com website has seen enormous growth in traffic over the last few years and it can be safely said that no service before it has so easily and efficiently mediated between renters and travelers seeking accommodation at a certain location.

Since all renters in Croatia and around the world already put their rooms / homes/ apartments on the above-mentioned page, we could also say that we are literally two mouse clicks from relatively cheap accommodation anywhere in the world and it was never so easy to find a "base" for summer or winter vacation.

Still, there is one small catch. The above statement is only true if you are not a disabled person. Because if you are, things get somewhat complicated.

I have already mentioned that Airbnb is the best service of this kind and as such, the only one has the option of finding accommodation for people with disabilities. The thing is, in fact, very simple. Among filters that allow you to look for accommodation with a baby cot, a fireplace, a gym, or whatever you think you need for a perfect vacation, there is also a separate filter that is called accessibility.

There used to be only one filter, a checkmark next to a paraplegic sign and the site itself filtered content, but for the past year or two, Airbnb has really struggled and when you click on that filter, you open at least twenty items and select the one you need.

Unlike Airbnb, the very popular Booking.com does not have any accessibility filters as well as the Trivago Web site that advertises more frequently than beer during the World Championship, but has not decided to pay a chubby programmer with a funny hair to set this simple option.

It can therefore be said that Airbnb did its job more than correctly. So why are you whining and where's the problem, you might ask.

On the landlords, of course.

And no, I do not want this to be the usual story about discrimination, nor do I think anyone should have to invest five hundred thousand kunas so I would be able to enter any residential building in Croatia. Still, the situation is far from ideal, and this is nice to see on this map as well.

For this occasion I made a small experiment. I tried to book accommodation for two people in Dubrovnik for the period from 01. to 03.09. I did not filter the price because it didn't matter in this particular case. (It doesn't matter otherwise, I'm loaded with money!!) LOL.

In the first case, I used accessibility filters with the remark that I put only the basic ones: entering the building without a staircase, accessing the bathroom without a staircase, enter a wide wheelchair access. Result - only one accommodation in the city and its immediate area!

The second photo is without any filters, so something that would be used by a person with no movement problems. The result is about thirty accommodations in that period.

Okay, I know that in Dubrovnik in early September is still a peak of tourist season, but there is obviously enough places to stay. (if accessibility is not an important factor).

And what about hotels?

As for the hotels, this situation is better, not because they want it because they have to. As far as i know (and I really don't know a lot), almost all the better hotels, that is, the four or more star hotels, have at least a few wheelchair-friendly rooms, and besides they have quite large lifts, parking and such. Price is a big minus but also lack of additional facilities such as swimming pool access or beach access, which could be relatively easy to solve.

There is a special bonus when there is a ramp or lift, but for some reason it is not a functional and that's something that happens to me from time to time time and every time I am thrilled again.

Everything can be solved when there's will. Ok, not everything but a lot

I will repeat once more that I do not really think that someone should mount a lift in their apartments or break a corridor to be wide enough for a wheelchair, but sometimes tiny changes mean much.

Aluminum or limestone ramps like this are fairly cheap and easy to access, and sometimes make the difference between a fully customized and completely inadequate home.

Will you benefit from those five or six additional guests a year so much that you raise another floor for three seasons? Very difficult. Still, you could afford someone a perfect vacation in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Admit it, that's not that bad either.

I believe I can fly. S Croatiom, dašta

Foto: Cratia Week

Draga naša Croatia Airlines često je s pravom na udaru bijesnih korisnika zbog previsokih cijena, kašnjenja ili otkazivanja letova ili već nečega trećeg što su taj tjedan skrivili. Ipak, ovaj post neće se previše doticati tih tema, već će se bazirati na iskustvo letenja nekoga tko se koristi invalidskim kolicima. 

Odmah je važno napomenuti da čitava procedura transfera u avion i iz aviona uopće nije u nadležnosti aviokompanije već aerodroma s kojeg polijećete/slijećete, a kojeg aviokompanija obavještava o vrsti pomoći koja vam je potrebna. 

I tu nastaje prvi problem.

Naime, Croatia uopće nema opciju prema kojoj možete na brz i jednostavan način dati do znanja da vam je kretanje otežano te da vam je potrebna pomoć za ulazak u avion. Umjesto toga morate zvati na njihov telefon ili slati mailove te se pritom nadati da ćete naići na nekoga dovoljno profesionalnog tko će vam pomoći. Ili si naći neku „vezu“ koja će vam to sve lijepo srediti. Pozdrav mojoj vezi Marini ako ovo čita <3 

Foto: Vueling

 Primjer kako bi to trebalo izgledati. Čak i klošarski low cost Vueling to ima sasvim lijepo razrađeno. 

Jednom kad ste dali do znanja da vam treba asistencija kod ulaza, sve teče po ustaljenom planu i programu. Nakon što ste uzeli boarding kartu, najčešće vas dočeka neki od zaposlenika aerodroma koji vas uputi do carine gdje netko tko je u kolicima prolazi malo drukčiju vrstu pregleda. Budući da kolica ne mogu proći kroz detektor metala (jer je preuzak, a i jer su i ona većinom od metala), carinski službenik vas pregleda onim malim uređajem, a ako je tog dana posebno kinky raspoložen, možda vas i takne koji put po leđima ili nogama. 

Ulazak u avion (isto vrijedi i kod izlaska)

Budući da Croatia, a i većina ostalih aviokompanija nema dovoljno velike i prostrane avione da uđem u njih s kolicima pa se sam prebacim na sjedište, prisiljen sam ulaziti pomoću jednog od ovih čuda. Stvar funkcionira tako da stanete na ovu platformu, uđete, malo se vozikate po pisti i zatim se „priključite“ na avion i s druge strane uđete. 

Foto: Wheelchair Travel

Osobno, puno mi je draža opcija s ovim mostovima koje, boguhvala, već neko vrijeme ima i naš aerodrom, ali naravno, ne za sve letove. Draže mi je jer nema vozikanja po pisti, čekanja lifta da se podigne i priključi, a vrijeme provedeno u najneudobnijim kolicima na svijetu svedeno je na minimum. Most kojim jednostavno stignete od zgrade do aviona:

Kad već spominjem najneudobnija kolica na svijetu, evo i slika. Pošto se klasičnim kolicima ne može proći kroz prolaz između sjedišta u avionu, osoba s invaliditetom prisiljena se na nekoliko minuta koristiti ovom simpatičnom spravom za mučenje koja je toliko uska, toliko nepraktična i toliko tvrda za leđa i guzicu da je i onih pet minuta u njoj previše. 

Foto: rechtaufklo.de

E da, skoro zaboravih. Ne znam je li to politika aviokompanije (Marina, piši ako znaš) ili nije, ali do sada sam uvijek dobivao mjesto pored prozora, negdje na sredini aviona. Negdje sam čitao da je i to dio sigurnosne politike prema kojoj se to radi iz predostrožnosti kako osoba sa smanjenom pokretljivošću ne bi blokirala put u slučaju evakuacije ostaloj dvojici koji sjede pored nje. Tko će u slučaju požara ili prodiranja vode evakuirati tu osobu koja sjedi skroz do prozora – nisu rekli, a ja nisam pitao. Fuck it, volim živjeti na rubu.

I tako...letenje avionom, kao uostalom i sve ostalo, ima svoje prednosti i svoje mane. Neke stvari koje mi smetaju i koje me nerviraju će se sigurno popraviti kroz godine, neke neće nikada, ali letenje avionom će mi i dalje biti omiljeno sredstvo transporta. Spravici za mučenje unatoč.

Stariji postovi:
Mljet

ENGLISH TRANSLATION - JUST IN CASE

I believe i can fl. With Croatia, of course

Dear our Croatia Airlines is often rightly criticized by angry users because of the high prices, delays or cancellations of flights, or something else they had been messing up this week. However, this post will not touch these issues much, but will be based on the experience of flying someone using a wheelchair.

It is important to mention that the entire transfer procedure is not at within the competence of the airline, but the airport you are leaving from and which the airline informs about the type of assistance you need.

And here comes the first problem.

Namely, Croatia does not have the option to quickly and easily inform that it is difficult for you to travel and that you need assistance to enter the plane. Instead, you have to call on their phone or send mails and hoping to find someone professional enough to help you. Or you will find a "link" that will make it all nice to you. Hello my connection to Marina if she reads this <3

An example of how this should look like. Even the low-cost Vueling taxi fare has done quite well.

Once you told them that you need an assistance, everything runs on a regular schedule and program. After you have taken a boarding ticket, someone from he airport staff will wait for you to go to the customs where someone in the wheelchair passes a slightly different kind of review. Since the wheelchairs can not pass through the metal detector (because it is too small, and because they are  mostly metal), the customs officer looks at you with that small device, and if he feels particularly kinky on that day, he may touch your legs and back a few times.

Entering the plane (same goes for exiting)

Since Croatia, and most other airline companies do not have enough large and spacious aircraft to enter the wheelchair, I'm forced to enter with the help from one of these wonders. First I go on the platform, enter, drive a little by the dirt and then "connect" to the plane and enter the other side.

Personally, I prefer the option with these bridges which, our Dubrovnik airport have for a while now, but of course not for all flights. I prefer this because there is no driving, waiting for the lift to lift and join, and the time spent on the world's most uncomfortable chair is minimized. The bridge you can easily get from the building to the plane:

Since i mentioned the most uncommon chair in the world, here's the picture. Since a classic wheelchair can not pass through the passage between a seat on a plane, people with disabilities are forced to use this cute torture device for a few minutes, but it's so unpractical and so hard for back and ass that those five minutes in it too much.

  Oh, I almost forgot. I do not know if this is the airline's   policy (Marina, write if you know) or not, but so far I've   always got a place next to the window somewhere in the   middle of the plane. Somewhere I've read that this is also   part of the security policy that is being worked on because a   person with reduced mobility would not block the way of   evacuation to the other two sitting next to him. Who in the   case of a fire or water penetration will evacuate this person   sitting up to the window - they did not say, and I did not ask.   Fuck it, I like to live on the edge.



And so ... flying on a plane, as well as everything else, has its own advantages and disadvantages. Some things that annoy me and make me nervous will certainly be repaired over the years, some will never, but flying on the plane will still be my favorite way of transport. Despite the little torturing device.

Mljet

Izvor: Morski.hr

Za temu svog prvog posta odabrao sam posjet našem prelijepom otoku Mljetu na kojem sam proveo dva nezaboravna dana nakon kojih definitivno mogu potvrditi sve one epitete koje sam slušao o tom otoku.

Od Dubrovnika do Mljeta najbrže i najlakše se stiže kombinacijom cestovnog i morskog prijevoza - dakle autom do Prapratnog na poluotoku Pelješcu, a zatim 45-minutna vožnja trajektom do luke u Sobri. Od Sobre do stana kojeg smo unajmili u Babinom Polju još je desetak minuta ugodne vožnje po cesti koja vijuga kroz borove šume koje su jedan od zaštitnih znakova otoka i stanište milijuna zrikavaca koji će vam biti zvučna kulisa tijekom čitavog boravka.

Bitno je napomenuti da na Mljetu, ako je vjerovati popularnoj stranici Airbnb, postoje samo dva smještaja potpuno prilagođena osobama s invaliditetom pri čemu smo se mi odlučili za mali bungalov koji, iako nema više od 30-40 kvadrata, na prvi pogled nudi dovoljno udobnosti za jedan cijeli vikend.

Naš bungalov u Babinom Polju.
Izvor. airbnb.com

Iznajmljivači na Airbnb-u su posebna sorta ljudi (o čemu ću pisati u jednom od narednih postova) pa je tako i ovog puta ispalo da nije sve baš savršeno prilagođeno kretanju u invalidskim kolicima i da sam kojim slučajem bio sam, priznajem da bih se teško snašao. Ipak, stvar je u nekoliko navrata spasila moja Lozo koja je savršen traveling partner i bez koje se ionako ne bih odlučio na ovaj put.

Zabavni sadržaji na Mljetu mogu se svesti na tri stvari: restorani, kafići i deseci kilometara predivnih biciklističkih staza. Teško ćete pronaći nešto van toga, ali po meni, to je sasvim u redu jer otok je ionako poznat po svojoj zadivljujućoj prirodi te miru i tišini koje pruža dok je nešto "dinamičnije" svakako moguće pronaći drugdje na našoj obali.

Kao jedinu isključivo negativnu primjedbu mogu navesti nepostojanje plaže s pristupom osobama sa smanjenom pokretljivošću što bi se uz minimalna ulaganja lako moglo riješiti. S druge strane,  pristup restoranima i kafićima prilično je dobar (većinom su u razini ceste), ali to nekako više pripisujem sretnoj slučajnosti nego posebnom trudu vlasnika.

Za kraj ću izdvojiti još i posjet Nacionalnom parku Mljet i plovidbu brodom do otočića koji se nalazi na Velikom jezeru, a koji na žalost nije previše prohodan za invalidska kolica. Samo kupovanje karata za Nacionalni park i organiziranje prijevoza dan prije bilo je genijalno iskustvo jer smo naišli na najnesposobniju i najkompliciraniju osobu s ove strane Jadranske obale no čitav posjet prošao je savršeno između ostalog i jer spomenuta dama tog dana nije radila. Mala digresija: mnogo toga vam ovisi o osobi na koju negdje "naletite". netko će vam u startu reći da je nešto nemoguće dok će se pojedinci zbilja potruditi. Dakle, kupili smo karte, prošetali bajkovitim stazama i jednostavno pričekali brod. Do otočića inače voze dva broda i sve što sam ja trebao učiniti je pričekati veći u koji sam ušao uz pomoć po malo osebujnih, ali simpatičnih otočana.

Na putu za otočić Sv. Marija

Sve u svemu, Mljet je bio savršeno iskustvo. Ipak, prije nego se osoba u invalidskim kolicima odluči na ovaj put, trebala bi znati par stvari. Prvo, ne bojte se izaći iz svoje zone komfora. Smještaj postoji, udoban je, ali nije savršen. Drugo, bez auta nigdje. Iako sve izgleda blizu, baš i nije i auto je jedini način da obiđete i vidite sve što želite. Treće i najvažnije; planirajte samo onoliko koliko je potrebno. Nabacite osmjeh i sunčane cvike, uzmite nekoga zanimljivog za ruku i neka avantura počne :))

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

  ENGLISH TRANSLATION...JUST IN CASE

For the subject of my first post, I selected a visit to our beautiful island Mljet where I spent two unforgettable days and now I can definitely confirm all the epithets I have heard about this island.


The fastest and easiest way to get to Mljet from Dubrovnik is the combination of road and sea transport - first by car to Prapratno on the peninsula Pelješac and then a 45-minute ferry ride to the port of Sobra. From Sobra to the apartment we rented in Babino Polje, there is a ten minute pleasant ride on the road that winds through the pine forests that are one of the trademarks of the island and the habitat for millions of crickets that will be your sound background for the whole of your stay.

It is important to mention that on Mljet, if you trust the popular Airbnb site, there are only two fully adaptable accommodation for disabled people, and we have chosen a small bungalow that, although no more than 30-40 square meters, offers at first glance enough comfort for one whole weekend.


Airbnb renters are a special kind of people (I will write about that in one of the following posts) so this time it turned out that not everything was perfectly adapted to the movement in the wheelchairs and if in some case I was alone, I admit that I would have a hard time managing everything. Still, the thing has saved my Lozo, who is a perfect traveling partner and without her I would not have decided to go on a trip anyway.

Fun activities on Mljet can be reduced to three things: restaurants, cafes and tens of kilometers of beautiful cycling trails. It's hard to find something besides that but that's fine because the island is known for its amazing nature and the peace and quiet it provides while something "more dynamic" can certainly be found elsewhere on our coast.

As an only negative comment, I can point out the lack of beach access to people with reduced mobility, which could easily be solved with minimal investment. On the other hand, access to restaurants and cafes is fairly good (mostly at the road level), but I somehow attribute it to a lucky coincidence rather than a special owner's effort.


Finally, I will also mention the visit the National Park Mljet and sail to the isle of the Big Lake, which unfortunately is not too wheelchair friendly. Buying the National Park tickets and organizing the transportation a day before was a brilliant experience as we came across the most uncapable and most complicaated person on this side of the Adriatic coast but the whole visit was perfect, among other things, and because that lady did not work that day. Small digression: Much depends on the person you meet somewhere. Someone will start telling you that something is impossible while people are really taking the effort. So, we bought tickets, walked on beautiful trails, and just waited for the boat. There are two ships to tje island, and all I had to do is wait for the bigger, with which I went in with the help of the peculiar, but nice islanders.

All in all, Mljet was a perfect experience. However, before a person in a wheelchair decides on this trip, he/she should know a few things. First, do not be afraid to get out of your comfort zone. Accommodation is there, it is comfortable but is not perfect. Second, nowhere without a car. Even though everything seems close, it is not and a car is the only way to go and see everything you want. Third and most important; plan only as much as you need. Put on a smile and sunglasses, get someone interesting by the hand and let an adventure begin :))