In general, the experience was great! Was the trip perfect, no? But I think most things were really good. I was a tad bit hesitant about going this far on a plane and that fear is mostly dead now. I will break that all down though. Comparing this trip to my Alaska cruise is something I am thinking will come up. Let me get that out of the way first. I am not sure it is really fair to compare that to this. Cruising is vastly different than a land destination. Both are great trips but cruising does have some better accessibilty options however that could have been the desitnation we chose. The big thing is to do you homework before you go. Nothing is going to be totally controlable and things go wrong, That is frustrating, but part of life I suppose. If you take any kind of electric chair, know the weight of it empty. Know the wattage of the battery or batteries and find tell them at checking because they will ask. If you can take the battery out, show them where and how because if they can, they will. I called ahead with all that information and they still asked. Always let them know.
Vancouver International Airport.
We arrived for our trip to Puerto Vallarta, early. We flew Westjet Airlines this time.
Check in was easy. They asked the basic questions and take all your reservation details, and this is where you check your bag, if you are doing that.This is likely going to be the place they are going to ask you what seems like a million questions. My chair is electric so they did not get anyone to push me, but,they will. After check in is security, at YVR that was very nicely streamed lined and if they see you they try and get you through fast. I think this is pretty routine, you put everything you can into a bin and instead of going through the metal detector, they bring you beside it and wand you. Be prepared for a pat down. You pick up your things and you are done. I had my daughter with me and she had her friend and they made my life so much easier. After that we went and a had a light breakfast, as I usually try to reframe myself from consuming anything that might make me want to use the bathroom on the plane. At that point we were at our gate and I was visited by an angent and she was a joy. They just find out about you and what they can or can not do. Normallly you would go up to the desk and ask. But this flight did not seem like it was full. You get to go on first you transfer into this small aisle chair and they wheel you on. It is at this point they will put your chair in stow area and it is there when you get off. It is at this point you they take you in. You transfer to your regular seat and you are done. If you have anyyhing with you they will make sure it is propery stored for you. I did not need that washroom for this four and thirty eight minute flight, but there is an aisles chair if you need to go during the flight. My daughter and her friend were seated with me and away we went. If you got question let me know, I will try and answer them if I can,.
Puerto Vallarta International Airport
We arrived!!!! The fIight was smooth and we have a tail wind so it was actually about four and a half hour in the air. Of course I was the last one off, the daugter and friend waited with me for most of it
.The aisle chair was exsctly the same. but just make sure you keep your arms in. I never needed the toilet and that was good. From there we collected the checked bags and we went through arrivals screening. Here they looked at my passport ask questions if they have any and let you throuigh. From there there is a small security check where they just scan your luggage and that was easy then you go through customs, my daughter filled my card out on the plane. We had nothing to to declare. They got us into the shortest line as well. They just scanned our passports again and they just asked what hotel we were staying at, I believe. You have to keep inind that most of the talking was done by my daughter. or her friend.. At this point the worst was way over and we found our driver. We had this prearranged and it was the best. They had a lift for me and they secure you in very good for our fifteen to twenty minute trip to our hotel.
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The check in. This part seemed like it took forever but really it was not too bad. They definitely do not go fast like we do here, and that took about twenty minutes to get used too. We got our wrist bands (this was an all inclusive) there was some paperwork the daughter, and her friend did. From there we got our keycards and once we found our room this is kind of where things went mildly south. But you get used to a lot of it. As you tend to do in the disabled world. The doorways needed to be a bit wider, the entrance to the bathroom was not good and I am not sure how a quadriplegic despite having two doors expects to be able to get in the bathroom . But maybe there was another room. Aside from the shower there was not one grab bar. So, like many places that say they are accessible I just used the sink and counter to hold and that was OK for me. The suite itself was huge however the few steps down to it had no railing, so I avoided it. We had to ask for a shower chair which turned out to be a plastic lawn chair. Do I complain or do just deal with it? I am not a complainer, so I just rolled with it and did not let it ruin my trip.
Now I could go into the enire trip, but I do not want to keep on going. But here are some cliffnotes:
The resort itself was great there were many option to dine in or do buffet style. There were a few bars around most places were easily accessed with the one exception of the skybar, I think this is an ideall place to take a family. Mind the downhill parts too. Transferring to a reorts chair was like anything, just be mindful. The service was excellent and the staff was very accomodating, I would say the majority of resort days you just chill and drink. My daughters friend hurt her toe on day two and that was interesting as she went for X Rays in Mexico, I stayed behind that and the daughter went with her. It was not broken and I do not think they even charged her. This was a great trip and I think I would do it again, maybe somewhere else though and maybe a bit longer,, Ten day maybe?. The trip home was almost exaclty the same but be a little more prepared for a language. Most parts are good. The flight was not as good, and a little longer. If you got questions and I am sure there are parts I left out but feel free as always to leave question or comments.
