The reason for this diary, apart from being something we can look back on an enjoy in years to come, is to perhaps help other people in wheelchairs who may be thinking of embarking on a trip such as ours. and would like some first-hand stories and advice. Of course the main piece of advice I can offer is "do it!"

We are a family of four - Donna, Neil (parents), Chelsea (13) and Richie (17). Richie has cerebral palsy which restricts his mobility. He can communicate normally but cannot walk unaided. His chair is a manual one which he can operate, but he usually depended on us during this trip. I do not think anyone could do the things we did by themselves in a wheelchair, for reasons that will become obvious later on.

10th December Singapore-Bangkok- Helsinki-London

Getting through Changi airport, arriving and departing was unbelievably easy, due, I suspect to the fact that we were a family with a wheelchair (it comes in handy sometimes!) In fact, on our arrival the airport personel could not do enough for us. We had a speedy navigation of customs and were outside the airport with the airport helper flagging down a taxi in record time.

We stayed at Changi Village Hotel, not far from the airport, as it is advertised as being wheelchair accessible and will store luggage after you check out until you return to catch your next flight. As far as accessibility goes, the room and the access to it we had no problems with. The only part of the hotel that was not accessible was the dining room. Fortunately Neil is able to haul a wheelchair with a person in it up stairs without too much trouble (depending on the number of stairs), but I certainly could not have managed it, and anyone on their own would be eating in the lobby! It became evident on our travels that while much of the western world is paying lip service to making things easier for people with disabilities, sometimes they haven't thought the whole thing through.

The area around Changi Village Hotel is interesting in that you can eat authentic asian cuisine along with the local population without feeling like a tourist. We shared the outdoor food area a couple of times while watching the soccer on tv (not much choice, really), had nice cheap Indian fare and were the only non-asians there. Good for the kids to experience. Only a couple of kerbs and steps to negotiate as well.

To get to and from Orchard Road we used taxis and trains. Taxis would take y0u no matter how bulky the baggage, and the trains, while very accessible, did not always have accessible stations. Here again the chair had to be pulled up a couple of steps. (On a number of occasions on our trip we actually put the chair on an escalator - not to be condoned, but it certainly saved a lot of grief in the long run).

Orchard Road shops were not particularly easy to access. Sometimes there were elevators, but they were often hidden. Some places just had steps and we avoided many of those. It did not stop Richie enjoying his one day in Singapore, however, as the most important shop, HMV, had 3 accessible floors!

We would have liked to have spent a bit more time in Singapore and gone to the zoo and cultural places, but we were on a strict schedule, so this time the one day had to do us. We went back to the hotel, collected our bags and took a shuttle to the airport to await out flight to Helsinki, leaving at 10.30pm.

11th December London

After stopping at Bangkok to pick up passengers, then spending the next 12 hours or so crossing Asia and Eastern Europe, and a final leg from Helsinki, we arrived at Heathrow, tired and glad to be there.

The flights were not problematic, apart from being too long, and if I were to use one word to describe Finnair, I would say "efficient". Whilst they definitely did not have the same happy-go-lucky attitude of the Aussie Qantas staff, they looked after us pretty well. The older MD-11 aircraft do not have the up-market accessories found on most larger airlines now (eg on-demand movies from the back of your seat), but we did fly overnight, which made them less necessary. The plane certainly was clean and tidy, as was the airport, or what we saw of it at Helsinki. Even though we had only 10 minutes to disembark and board our British Airways flight to Heathrow, it was done with the utmost efficiency and no bag was mislaid in the process.

Landing at Heathrow was interesting, however, as it was blowing a gale at the time and after circling for a while we oozed through the pea soup and touched down on a couple of wheels. I'm sure it was completely safe, and probably not out of the ordinary, but my hands didn't unclench until I got my bags!

Customs again was easy, and in no time we were in our taxi heading towards our accommodation. We rang one of the many taxi van companies on the free phone at the airport, got a quote then met them outside Terminal 4. I think it cost around 30 pounds, which was well worth it for ease of access. Actually it was quite competitive. The company is called Heathrow Car Services Ltd.

Our accommodation was at Rotherhithe at a hostel called the London Thameside Youth Hostel. I booked this because it looked relatively modern, was advertised as accessible and the price was cheaper than a motel, especially so close to attractions. We were indeed at the side of the Thames, and our first dinner was across the road at a quaint old pub looking towards Tower Bridge.

The room was a family room with our own bathroom, and we accessed this by the lift. We had a double bed and bunks - Richie of course took the bottom bunk and got around pretty easily. The only down side was that although they advertised a laundry and cooking facilities there were none. However breakfast was included in the price and it was good. Even the kids managed to get down before it closed on most mornings! There is also a bar with wide-screen TV and restaurant for dinner.

We did not hire a car in London, and found it easy to use the buses, which stopped just across the road from the hostel. As in all big cities, there are a number of saver tickets you can buy if you plan on using them a lot. Most of the buses are wheelchair friendly, with a hydraulic step that comes out. After a day or two we were using them quite confidently. The trains on the other hand, are not as friendly, and you need to find out beforehand which stations you can use. We found we did not need them, except to pick up our car at London City Airport on our way to Manchester.

14th December Manchester

During our stay in London we managed to squeeze in a number of attractions, including The London Dungeon, Harrods, Buckingham Palace, Hyde Park, the London Eye and lots of window shopping. We didn't buy much because of the high prices, but had fun looking.

All of the above were wheelchair-friendly, and by this stage we were running on a flat tyre, but it did not slow us down!

The first day we walked from Rotherhithe to the London Eye following the Thames which was really nice, and had very few complaints from the offspring so it must have been vaguely interesting. From the Eye we caught a bus back to the hostel. The next day we did Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Street, Harrods, Buckingham Palace and Hyde Park before meeting a newly-discovered relative of mine from New Zealand, Amanda and her partner, Joe, for dinner somewhere in the financial district. Even though we had just met, it was as if we had known each other for years. It was fun comparing notes on our shared Maori ancestor, Miriam Potiki, and her Imperial Army Major, Joseph Greenwood. After a few wines and a nice meal we bid them adieu and caught a bus back to the hostel.

On the 14th we left Rotherhithe by train to pick up our rental car from London City Airport. The train was accessible, although we had to change lines a couple of times. There were lifts, luckily. One thing I omitted to point out was the fact that we travelled with three large backpacks and a bag on the wheelchair. That way the person pushing the wheelchair had hands free. It was much easier getting on and off public transport as well, although by the end of the holiday they were rather heavy!

London City Airport, compared to Heathrow, is tiny, very clean and modern-looking. We did the paper-work and picked up our Skoda (diesel) in no time. We managed to fit all bags, people and wheelchair inside and headed off in the direction of Manchester. This was not immediate, however, as I was driving, and had trouble with indicators being on the opposite side, and London is not the easiest city to navigate through. After a couple of wrong turns we did end up in the right direction, on the M1.

Driving in England is definitely not a relaxing thing to do, especially not on the motorways; we were one of the slowest cars, even though our Skoda zapped along at 80 mph most of the time. As a result, when there is an accident it tends to be a big one and can hold traffic up for hours. Going to Manchester was relatively easy though, apart from having to watch out for crazy commuters.

We went to Manchester to see an old friend, Mary - old in age as well, being 80-something, but certainly not losing her mind in any way. She lived in a suburb not far from our motel, which was in Worsley. The motel was a Novotel, so quite modern, and the facilities were wheelchair friendly. Nearby was a lovely old pub, but not particularly accessible, so Richie stayed in the room and watched TV on the night we went up there. This was the time of the office parties and subsequently we were awakened in the wee hours by drunken renditions of Christmas carols.

While in the Manchester area we drove the half hour or so to Liverpool and went to the Beatles museum, something I have always wanted to do. There is a bell to ring for someone to come and operate the open lift, as the museum is downstairs. The lift is not an all-weather lift, and this day was the only day it rained on our whole trip! All survived. Once inside you are taken into the world of the Beatles and their lives since, and it cannot fail to impress, whatever your age. It's well worth a visit. The kids have an appreciation now of the importance of their music and the significance of events that have happened since, especially the senseless killing of John Lennon.

16th December Cornwall

The day of the 16th December was cold but sunny, which made driving down to Cornwall easier. I let Neil drive this one - one day was enough for me!

The trip took the best part of a day, including stops, and having to make a detour because of the inevitable pile-up on the motorway. Luckily we had the radio on which alerted us to what was happening, or we would have been sitting in a queue even longer.

At around 6pm we checked in at our timeshare, Carvynick Cottages, in Summercourt, near Newquay. This was a timeshare swap for our unit near Mogo, on the NSW South Coast. Usually we end up with much better units than ours, and this one was no exception. The only drawback was that it had stairs and the main living areas were on the top floor, which made it slow for Richie getting up there. Luckily he can crawl, so once he was up there he didn't go down except to go to the toilet or out in the car. We did not tell them beforehand that we had a wheelchair, as usually the units are accessible enough for us. They would not be for someone on their own, however.

During this week we did a lot of touring around, checking the area out, both with and without the kids. Fortunately TV was entertaining for them - ie reality shows - and they were happy to stay in one place for a few days, so we looked around a couple of times and went to dinner at the on-site restaurant by ourselves. Places we visited were Newquay, Land's End, Penzance, Truro, Redruth and Falmouth, all within an hour of our unit. I loved the village atmosphere and the countryside, and would love to go back one day. Neil enjoyed visiting Pendennis Castle near Falmouth - it belonged to Henry Vlll and was used as a fortress through to World War 2. The kids liked the friendly people and the television! Chelsea and I also went clothes shopping andto The Bear Works near Redruth where she chose and filled three stuffed animals, which was fun.

As far as wheelchair accessibility goes, this area is not particularly good as a lot of the buildings are old, and public transport is minimal. However our rental car solved the transport problem and apart from shopping for books and dvds, Richie was not worried about exploring the area. The resort did have a really nice pool indoors which Richie used without any problems.

As mentioned earlier, there is a restaurant on-site. It is called Viners Bar and Restaurant and it was originally a farmhouse built in the 17th century. It was at this restaurant that I tasted the best oysters ever, and for this reason I shall return!

On the morning of the 21st, after a very relaxing week, we packed up and headed off to Portsmouth, via Andover, where our friends Lynda and Colin live. At this time, Cornwall was the only part of England which did not seem to be covered in fog. Heathrow was closed and chaos reigned, but fortunately we were travelling by boat that evening. I knew I booked it for a reason! The weather did affect us a little, however, as the radiator in our diesel car almost froze, leaving us in limbo at a petrol station while it thawed out. It was only 1 degree outside. At this time Lynda phoned and mentioned that Stonehenge was on the way and we should have a look at it if we could see through the fog. We managed to find the carpark and after looking at the queue of both buses and people as well as the admission price I decided it was too much hassle at this particular time to view a bunch of old stones. However, on returning to the road out, what should we drive straight past, but the old stones themselves! So we got a good look through the fog for free.

After having tea with Lynda and Colin and drying our washing on their radiators (as you do) we set off for the hour or so drive down to the ferry at Portsmouth. I say "hour or so", but it turned out to be rather more than that because we got hopelessly lost trying to find the industrial area where we were to return the rental car. Even the taxi driver who picked us up had trouble. If we have learned nothing else from our travels, it is to pay the extra money to get a hire car with a GPS system attached.

It was with a sigh of relief that we boarded the Mont St Michel at 10.30 pm, ready to sail to Ouistreham/Caen, France at 23.15.

View full size

22nd December Paris

Because of the wheelchair we boarded last, and were escorted via the lift to the reception area on the boat. So far, so good. We had 2 cabins, one normal twin and one twin with disabled facilities - wider doorway, accessible shower, more room to move. The people at the reception had no idea which cabins were which and initially sent us to the wrong ones, and didn't seem at all concerned. However we sorted it out ourselves and embarked on a tour of the facilities including restaurants, bars, a games room, disco and a cinema. The only problem was that they nearly all closed at midnight, so we didn't have long to play.

The crossing I believed would be around seven hours, which left time for a few hours sleep, but after getting settled in, then crossing La Manche - beautifully calm and not fog-bound - and getting woken by a voice telling us it was 6 am (but really 5 am because of the hour time difference) there wasn't much time left for zzds.

Apart from the above minor hitches, the trip was well worth it. It was much cheaper than four seats on the Eurostar, and the kids could see that we were actually going to another country, even though it was dark. The view looking back on Portsmouth harbour at night was beautiful, and the early morning bus trip into Caen from the landing at Ouistreham was quite surreal. I say early, but really it was around 8 am, but still dark.

We managed to get Richie onto the bus to Caen because Neil could help him up the steps and the madame bus driver was very accommodating. However anyone on their own would need to get a taxi - probably quite expensive, but readily available. The trip takes around half an hour by bus, and the countryside and buildings are very pretty.

We got off at the railway station at Caen and I proceeded to use my best French to book four tickets to Paris. It was easier than I thought, and I even took the liberty of booking first class (42 Euros per adult), as I was hoping to sneak in some shut-eye during the two hour trip. I was to be thwarted in this endeavour, however, as I suddenly felt nauseous once the train had departed, and spent most of the trip either in the toilet or sitting on the floor outside it! To top it off, somehow I jammed my little finger in one of the automatic doors that go between cabins, and it immediately swelled up and went blue. At the time of writing I am booked in to have an X-ray, two months later, as it has never been the same since. Oh well, such are the perils of travelling the world! Everyone else had a pleasant trip, so that is the main thing.

We arrived at St Lazare, (with me feeling much better having emptied my stomach contents completely and the finger was numb rather than sore), at 11 o'clock, and were then taken under the wing of the very friendly porters and had an unofficial tour of the bowels of the Paris SNCF system. They decided that the RER train that we were going to catch to Noisiel, where our hotel was, was not easy to access, so they led us underground past all kinds of pipes and dirt and concrete, to emerge in the middle of Paris at a bus stop where we were to wait to go to the Gare de Lyon. The image of tiny French porter carrying Neil's 20kg back-pack will stay with me forever! They stayed with us until the bus arrived (in this we cannot praise the French rail staff enough) and then they made sure the driver knew where we were going. We did get a wonderful tour of Paris between St Lazare and the Gare de Lyon, but at this stage I should warn all intending disabled travellers in Paris - avoid the Gare de Lyon at all costs! We spent more time there trying to find a lift than we did actually getting to our destination at Noisiel. We did eventually find the lift that would take us to the track we needed, but guess what - it was hors de service! To cut a long (and boring) story short, we finally found someone who took us outside to a goods lift about twenty metres away, and we were then able to catch our RER train to Noisiel. Once at Noisiel I phoned the hotel, L'Hotel des Deux Parcs, and they gave us directions from the station. It involved walking across the road from the station and catching a bus, but it was easy. The buses there have the hydraulic platform that comes out once you push the wheelchair button. It should be noted that when you do this the doors close, and you think they are going without you, but it is the first part of the process of activating the step. Never fear!

After arriving in France at 7am, we were to take around eight hours to reach our hotel in Paris. I was glad to get there because at last I could sleep! Neil and the kids went for a walk but did not buy anything because they didn't speak French, but instead waited till I woke up, by which time it was a bit late to find a restaurant. We went to a Lidl (like Aldi) supermarket and bought snack food and strange tasting flavoured milk - yuk. Still, it filled a gap until the morning.

23rd December Eurodisney

We had only three full days to explore Paris, and that included visiting friends, so today had to be the day for Disney.

It was overcast and chilly, but not far to travel (only a couple of train stops from Noisiel). We had no problems buying tickets and there was a lift to the platform at Noisiel, which made our Paris stay relatively easy.

On arrival at Marne-la-Vallee, the Disney Station, we queued up with mostly British tourists over for the weekend (or the day), as the Eurostar goes from London to Disney daily. Also they (and Aussies on their Xmas holidays) are probably the only ones silly enough to brave a day outside in Paris in the middle of winter! As with Disneyland in LA, and most theme parks in Australia,we got a discount for Richie (and a free carers ticket, which we had come to expect but were to find out in the US later was not always an option). The full adult ticket was 54 Euros, and children 46 Euros, so if you almost double that for Aussie dollars, it could have been quite expensive. You can choose to visit only one section of the park, as there are actually two parks in one - Parcs Disneyland (rides) and Walt Disney Studios (backlot). But it would be a shame not to do both after travelling so far.

The day was ok, but unfortunately the weather turned so cold we ended up buying gloves and Chelsea and I bought warmer jackets from one of the many tourist traps in the park. We were to wear those jackets for the rest of the holiday, not because it was as cold as Paris, but because they were so nice (and expensive, but we didn't care at the time). Of course they will now hang in the wardrobe in Brisbane, only to be brought out for overseas winter trips!

Richie and I left Neil and Chelsea to enjoy the rides (which is the norm for us) while we tried to keep out of the cold. The thought of going on a roller coaster in zero degrees was not pleasant.

Our day finished in Planet Hollywood at around 7pm. We hadn't visited one of those for years because they all seem to be closing, so it was quite good to revisit. It was just as expensive as we remember it - around 85 Euros for our meal.

24th December St Remy les Chevreuse

As tomorrow was Xmas Day and we were leaving for New York via London the next day, today was the day for visiting our friends, Louise and Stephane (and Stephane's daughter Emmeline).

Louise's sister Yvonne and I have been friends since we were five (that's a long time!) and Louise I remember, apart from being Yvonne's younger sister, was an accomplished pianist and later a French teacher (which I always wanted to be and have done on occasions when schools were desperate!) Over the years Yvonne has kept me informed of Louise's travels and recently her marriage to Stephane, with whom she lives in St Remy Les Chevreuse, on the outskirts of Paris.

Christmas Eve in France is traditionally when families get together in the evening to have dinner, so I was worried about being a pain, imposing our family on them for the day. However, it was not a problem, and we successfully ate and drank our way through lots of yummy French cuisine from noon until around 5pm. We found lots to talk about inbetween, sharing common interests, and Chelsea enjoyed meeting Emmeline, who is around her age and speaks English with a Kiwi accent (more points!)

Their house has a wonderful view out over the village, and has more land than you would expect to find within an hour and a half of the city. It also gets very hot in summer, so of course we must return to experience that.

The RER train trip was easy both ways, especially with local knowledge, so we knew where to change trains and also which trains to get the next day, Xmas Day, for our excursion to the Eiffel Tower.

Christmas Day Paris

We woke to another bleak day, but it didn't matter because it was Xmas and we had presents to open!

Neil and I went downstairs to breakfast and took a doggie bag of croissants up to the kids, who would now rather sleep than wake at 5am for Xmas (thank God!) We then rugged ourselves up and caught the train to the Eiffel Tower. We actually caught the RER Line A to Chatelet, then RER C to Notre-Dame and from there on the Metro to La Tour Eiffel. The first two trains were easy, with accessible platforms - we didn't even have to go up or down to get to line C. The metro, however, is a definite no-no for wheelchairs, unless you have someone with you who can haul a chair with a person in it up and down stairs. We expected this, but did it anyway. It got us to the Eiffel Tower quickly, but you can use another RER train to get there more easily.

We spent an hour or so at the tower, which was quite eerily shrouded in fog so we only saw the bottom half - makes for interesting photos! Neil and Richie went up to the second level using the lift, which does cater for wheelchairs. It cost 8,40 Euros for the two, which wasn't too bad.

After consulting our map we decided to visit the Louvre, and first investigated going by boat (Bateaux Mouches). However they are not necessarily wheelchair friendly from this departure point. Getting down there involved stairs, and not all boats were accessible apparently. Also the cost is exhorbitant if you're only going from A to B. So we decided to hop on a bus. This was not an easy mission either, as the bus we chose, which went pretty close to the Louvre, was not wheelchair friendly. Fortunately another passenger helped us get the chair on and off. Other buses are accessible, but you have to find out beforehand.

Once at the Louvre, we discovered that it is open every day except Xmas! It didn't matter really, as we then proceeded to walk through the Tuileries Gardens and then the whole way along the Champs Elysees to the Arc de Triomphe, which was a great experience, and took us all afternoon. All of Paris seemed to be doing the same walk (probably because nothing else was open), but it was nice to be sharing our Xmas day with other people. Chelsea and I walked under ground through the tunnel to come up immediately under the arch, which Richie couldn't access in his wheelchair. We then found an entrance to the RER line underground and made our way back to Noisiel. We had tea at the motel - and I should point out here that the owners and the staff were really accommodating at Les Deux Parcs. The rooms were clean and accessible by lift, and the bar/restaurant was good value. It was nice to have a yummy meal served by friendly people on our last night in France.

View full size

26th December Paris-London-New York

Another freezing day saw us bid adieu to Les Deux Parcs and make our way with heavier-than-before backpacks to the now familiar train station at Noisiel, en route to the airport. We had to catch two trains, the first to Chatelet-Les-Halles on Line A and the second on Line B to l'Aeroport Charles de Gaulle. Each segment took around half an hour, with no problems connecting, so we made it to the airport in good time. We got off at Terminal 2 and walked into where we thought we had to check in, only to discover that we had to be at 2B, and needed to get on a people-mover to do that. After wandering around trying to find out where to get on, we ended up where we were in the first place upstairs. It is quite confusing if you haven't been to Charles de Gaulle before.

Check-in was also interesting as we were moved from pillar to post. The British airways check-in desk was not operating, and even though we tried to check-in automatically, Neil's booking wouldn't go through, and an official took his passport away. Rather disconcerting! You have to advise them of your intended address in New York before leaving England or Europe, and the machines wouldn't process Neil's.

Eventually we got through and still had plenty of time to board. I had been worried that Heathrow would still not be operating because of the fog, but it was back in action. After calling in a machine to blast the ice off the plane (eek), they let us take off, and in 40 minutes we were back in London. This was when it got really interesting.

Because Heathrow is often (always) overcrowded, our plane had to pull in in the middle of nowhere and everybody except us and another lady in a wheelchair went off in a bus. We had to wait for a high-lift to come, and of course it didn't. So we sat on the plane with cleaning people around us and cabin crew bringing us snacks for about an hour, when finally we did what we had suggested in the first place - got Richie down the stairs. The British Airways crew were really embarassed and apologetic, so we didn't growl at them. The only thing on my mind was that we had so little time between landing and taking off again for New York we would miss our friends Jenni and Grant who might have turned up to see us. Thank goodness they didn't or it would have been a wasted trip for them.

At around 5.50pm we flew out from Terminal 4 at Heathrow on our eight hour trip to JFK International, New York, New York.

This was not the end of the day, of course, as we went back in time as we flew, arriving in the Big Apple at around 8.45pm. I was a little out of sorts, having enthusiastically consumed the three bottles of wine the nice British Airways man gave me on the way over! However our journey through customs was not nearly so long, and after being concerned about getting grilled about baggage - this was New York, after all- we whizzed through, after all except Chelsea were fingerprinted, and found a taxi big enough to take us. Actually, it probably wasn't a taxi, as he had no ID displayed, and he got hopelessly lost trying to get us to our hotel, the Ramada Plaza, which was supposed to be at the airport! It was actually quite a way from the terminal, the address being JFK Airport, JAMAICA, NY(!) but we did get there eventually. The kids immediately tuned into one of the many live courtroom dramas they were to watch on TV in the US, while we had a shower and hit the hay.

27th December New York, New York

From 27th December till New Year's Day we stayed at the Grand Union Hotel at 34 East 32nd Street, Manhattan, just a stone's throw from Macey's department store and the Empire State Building. It cost us US$1499.81, but for this part of town, and the accessibility, it was worth it. Actually, it wasn't as accessible as they said it would be because the ramp going into the hotel led to a locked door, behind which was a Xmas tree! On the one occasion I brought Richie back by myself I had to get the desk person to unlock the door and move the tree. The rest of the time Neil got the chair up the 2 or 3 steps at the front. Getting up to the room was no problem however as there was a lift, and the room itself was quite big, with a double bed and two singles (quite often in the US you get just 2 double beds). There was plenty of room to move and the bathroom was a good size, although there was a bath as opposed to a shower which would be difficult for someone without a carer.

Over the next five or so days we shopped and did the usual touristy things, except going up the Empire State Building as the queues since the Twin Towers disappeared are horrendous. Apparently it is a breeze after midnight, but we were long asleep by then.

The New York Waterways cruise around the Statue of Libery is worth taking, and much easier to get on than the much cheaper Staten Island Ferry, plus you get a commentary. It is also wheelchair friendly. All public transport catered for wheelchairs, but we used the buses rather than the subway as we wanted to see the sights.

One thing I would really recommend is the use of a "Greeter", courtesy of New York City. Our Greeter's name was Leigh Montville, a book publisher originally from Boston, who has adopted NYC and, like most people who live there, is intensely proud of it. He and other Greeters provide their services free of charge, and are eager to meet new people and make your visit to the city more enjoyable. It is a not-for-profit program supported by grants and donations. The good thing is that you pay your own way and are not expected to tip!

Leigh took us on a walking tour of mid-town Manhattan (including Washington Square, Greenwich Village, Chelsea and Soho)and explained things to us from a local's point of view. It was a most enjoyable four hours, followed by our excursion to the statue of Liberty, so we were fairly tired by the time we got back to our room.

Another place we visited was Madame Tussaud's, having run out of time to see it in London. Richie could see most of the exhibits on the various levels, although the elevator was pretty slow getting to us as it had to be operated by a satff member. Interestingly, this was the only place which asked me for ID when I paid with American Express. Everywhere else we had been didn't even bother looking at my signature as they do here, as no-one has cards with metallic strips any more in the US and UK. They have "smart cards". I didn't have any photo ID on me so I had to show them my Youth Hostel card, which the girl didn't seem impressed with. I carried my driver's licence after that.

The kids went to the movies and saw "The Holiday" by themselves. We kept our eyes on the theatre from a TGI (Thank God It's) Fridays bar across the road. We met a couple from DC who were there to go to the opera (looks can be deceiving), and Neil swapped the guy a tatty old AUD$5 note for a nice crisp US one and made 20c in the bargain!

On the night of the 30th Neil and I mangaged to get away on our own again to Harlem on a Soul Food and Jazz tour. It cost US$238 and included a tour of Harlem, driving past the Apollo Theatre where James Brown's memorial celebration was the day before, and then on to dinner at Sylvia's, a legendary soul food restaurant. The food was ok, but I wouldn't like to live on it (black-eyed peas, fried chicken and other down-home southern kinda fare). Richie would have liked it. After that we went to the Uptown Lounge bar at Minton's Playhouse where we heard a Latin Jazz group called Hymie's, named after the frontman. They were good, and the atmosphere was as you would expect in a NY Jazz Club. We were dropped back close to our hotel at around 1am after weaving our way through the crowds in Times Square getting in the mood for New Year's Eve the next night.

The next day we travelled by bus up to Central Park where we met some friends from Brisbane, Danielle and Alex. Danielle has always wanted to have a meal at the famed Tavern on the Green, and so we were fortunate enough to be included in her culinary plans. It was incredibly ornate, and the food was wonderful.

Whilst at Central Park we visited John's Lennon's memorial, Strawberry Fields, which was quite moving. I think the kids appreciated it as well, having been through the Beatles Museum in Liverpool.

That night, New Year's Eve, we had planned to go to Times Square with everybody else, but having seen the crowds milling around for days, we decided to stay in our hotel and have drinks at the bar. That turned out well, as Tony the Polish barman was happy to stay open (for guests, not the public) and we spent the night with his niece and her boyfriend, a businessman from the south, and a couple from Ireland who just got engaged and whose accents were so strong we could hardly understand them. It didn't matter though as Tony kept the drinks flowing - I'm sure we didn't pay for half of what we had. Richie took great delight in drinking a New Year's beer from a plastic cup, while Chelsea and I walked outside and listened for the fireworks from Times Square. We didn't miss the ball dropping either as the telly was on in the bar.

The next morning, late, we packed up and began the three or four block walk to Pennsylvania Station to catch our train to Chicago. It was raining for the first time since Liverpool, and the streets were very quiet.

1st January 2007 NY - Chicago

Penn Station is large and busy, and New Years Day was probably busier than usual. We managed to check our bags through all the way to Flagstaff (hoping they would find their way off the Lakeshore Limited at Chicago onto the Southwest Chief to Flagstaff). After having brunch at a Roy Rogers western-style fast food joint and then sitting around on the floor with everyone else we discovered that being first class we could relax in the Metropolitan Lounge, which was like Shangri La by comparison. It is not unlike the first class airport lounges, with coffee and snacks on tap, comfy chairs and tv. There are guys wandering around there and in the main part of the terminal called "Red Caps" - yes, you guessed it, because they wear red caps - who look after disabled and elderly passengers. So we did not have to worry about finding the platform or the train because we were taken by them in the lift, and our hand luggage was put on a trolley, which made things much easier. We had to make sure we had enough clothes etc for three days on the train, but not too much as the cabins, although we were sleeping in them, did not have a lot of room, especially Chelsea's and mine. Neil and Richie had a disabled one with a shower, which was quite good, but the kids both ended up in that one on the last night for some reason.

The first train, the Lakeshore Limited, left at 3.50pm and went via Boston, Albany, Syracuse, Erie, Cleveland and Toledo to Chicago, where it arrived at 9.30am the next day. As it was winter, the sun went down around 5pm and rose around 7am so we didn't see much, unfortunately. What we did see was really pretty, especially the houses. As we paid for a sleeper, we had all meals included, and they were really good with a menu and full table service. You had to book a time and they pushed you through from 5pm onwards. You never knew who you would end up sitting with, which was quite a scary thought, but the people we met were really interesting. Richie could not access the dining car as it was upstairs, so he had all his meals delivered to his room. He was happy with that as he could still see out and had plenty of books to read.

As far as sleeping is concerned, the beds in the Viewliner Roomettes were quite comfy, but I couldn't fully relax, unlike the others who snored on through the night. The second and third nights I kept hearing the horn going, like in the old westerns, and was aware of the creaks and groans and changes in speed. Apparently the tracks are used by so many freight trains they are not as smooth as the ones in Oz. It was still pretty good though, and on the last night going to Flagstaff I spent a lot of time upstairs in the viewing area, which was much smoother for some reason and had nice soft chairs.

After we arrived in Chicago we made straight for the Metropolitan Lounge like seasoned travellers, and left our bags there while we explored the city for a few hours between trains.

Our first and lasting impression of the city was the impressive and modern buildings around the downtown/river area and the beautiful (huge) Lake Michigan. I was trying to picture Sandra Bullock and Keanu Reeves there, not finding each other in The Lakehouse. It was the middle of winter and around five degrees fahrenheit, but we had our winter woolies purchased in Europe. There was no wind,, so it was quite pleasant. A week or two after we left, we heard the city was at a standstill because of blizzard conditions, so we were lucky.

We had intended doing a tour but chose instead just to walk. Had lunch at McDonalds where we came across one of many vagrants trying to get free stuff. It was much more obvious here than in New York.

All too soon it was time to make our way back to Union Station and continue our trip westward to Flagstaff. Once again we were escorted to the train by a red cap, our bags carried for us. Nice.

3rd January Flagstaff

That's all very well, but how much did this train travel cost I hear you say. Well, if we had done it through Flight Centre it would have cost nearly $3000. Doing it myself by phone it cost US$1935.60. Never do through an agent what you can do yourself. After all, they are in it to make money. The only problem with Amtrak bookings is that if they are unusual (eg involving special needs) you cannot do it on line, so you have to phone. That isn't normally a problem unless you get a Hispanic receptionist who doesn't understand you and vice versa. I had this experience twice, not helped by having to spell Goodacre each time, throwing things into even more confusion! If your name is Smith you can rest easy. To break the fare down, Chelsea and I paid $798 and $939 respectively, and Neil and Richie paid $125 and $73 (carer and disabled). Richie comes in handy like that!

As far as accessibility goes, Amtrak is good as long as you don't want to go to the dining room or viewing lounge. The disabled rooms are spacious (compared to regular ones), and have large picture windows and full bathroom facilities. Just take plenty to read, or do as we did on this second leg, and hire a DVD Player loaded with 20 or more movies. We discovered this outside the lounge at the station, and it was $40 well spent. It kept both kids entertained for a day and a half, and when we got to Flagstaff we just dropped it into the nearest FedEx office for sending back to Chicago, already paid for.

The Southwest Chief is a double decker train with a viewing lounge, so the rooms are a little smaller to compensate. However the extra comfort and outlook from the glass surrounded viewing deck made it well worth it. I could have slept there quite easily (some people from second class did, although I don't think it is encouraged).

The trip itself was really interesting, as there had been a major dumping of snow over much of the northern part of the country the night before and we had to detour onto a track previously unused by Amtrak. The locals in the towns came out to wave as we went past, it was such an unusual sight! I can't really tell you where we went , but I know we visited a couple of states not on the itinerary, and some people had to get back home by other means. The original route was from Chicago via Kansas City, Topeka, Dodge City, Raton, Santa Fe, Albuquerque to Flagstaff. From there it went on to Los Angeles. About half way into the trip the train had to stop and take a "pilot" as they called him on board who knew the track so that he could navigate the train through this uncharted territory for Amtrak. The scenery with snow as far as the eye could see in places was beautiful, and despite having to go slower than usual in places, we actually arrived in Flagstaff early (around 9.30pm).

After waiting for our luggage to be released to us we phoned a taxi and stuffed all of our bags and wheelchair into his too small car and drove the short distance to the motel - the Radisson Woodlands on West Route 66.

The room was nice and only $75 for the night - and it was nice to sleep in a proper bed again.

The next morning after having breakfast and doing some much needed washing, Neil and I went to the airport to pick up our rental car. Then it was back to the room to wake the kids, check out and throw our bags (not unpacked for three days)in the back of the car and head off to Las Vegas on the wrong side of the road.

4th January Las Vegas via grand Canyon

Originally I had booked a Ford Taurus or similar at around $45 a day without insurance, but when it came to picking it up we were persuaded by the Hertz man to upgrade to an Explorer RV with GPS and insurance for $71, and it was a good move as it turned out. We had so much more room and the GPS was a godsend, especially around LA.

When we left Flagstaff that morning it reminded me of Canberra - cold, but with a beautiful blue sky. There was the added bonus of snow (but not too much) around as well. The town itself seems friendly and clean, not too big or touristy. It would be nice to return one day and have a proper look at it.

The Hertz man also persuaded us to go to Las Vegas via the Grand Canyon since we were so close - another good decision. Last time Neil, Richie and I were in Las Vegas we declined the opportunity of going to the canyon as it was a couple of hours away, but from Flagstaff it was only an hour or so. To enter the park costs $25, which gives you a 7 day re-entry. I had thought, being winter, we would not be able to access everything, but all we really needed was the view, and we certainly got that. Even Richie could appreciate the enormity of it from the path outside the fence. You can get on a tour which caters for wheelchairs if you book ahead, but we didn't really need it. What an amazing hole in the ground.

The drive to Las Vegas from there was easy, being on the highway, but I still did not volunteer to take control. Neil reckons I nearly squashed a policeman last time I drove in Las Vegas, but I think he is exaggerating...a bit. He was doing a great job anyway, so why take that away from him?

As darkness set in we drove over the Hoover Dam - really spooky at night and quite awesome in size. I would like to see it in the daytime. You can do a Hoover Dam/Grand Canyon Tour, which sounds pretty groovy.

Coming into Las Vegas from the east is also awe-inspiring because of its size. I didn't realise just how a big a city is is. Apparently now it is the fastest growing city outside of LA, and in fact a lot of Los Angels(?) are moving there to get out of the rat-race (into a new one).

We checked in at Circus Circus and decided to stay an extra night since we did the extra time at the canyon, and at $50 a night it didn't break the bank. Chelsea was dying to check out the roller coaster at their indoor theme park, but she had to wait till the next day as it closed early that night. So we decided to go for a walk along the Strip and see the sights. Unfortunately the wind coming off the snow we had left behind was bitterly cold, so the walk wasn't incredibly pleasant. We took in the glitz and the seediness, and on our way back, walking past one of the many construction sites, Chelsea got some dust in her eye. We didn't think much of it and assured her that it would be gone by the morning, but when she opened her eye the next day she proved us wrong. It looked terrible, and after a few phone calls Neil took her to a doctor not far away. About $200 later, she came back with a prescription for her scratched cornea, which I had filled for around $50. I understand now why insurance is essential for travel in the States. Fortunately the condition was minor and treatable and we were able to claim most of it back when we got home.

A scratched cornea and an eye patch did not deter her from the roller coaster however, and she (with Neil attached) made the most of it that afternoon and evening. The next day we were leaving for Indio, near Palm Springs, where we had a Timeshare unit waiting for us. We were hoping to call into some factory outlets on the way, so wanted to get going fairly early, even though checkout wasn't until 11am. After hitting the Blackjack tables and the pokies (not the kids, who watched yet another reality courtroom tv program) we went to bed, having gambled a grand total of $20 ($18 more than last time!)

6th January Indio

We said goodbye to the bright lights of Las Vegas around 10 am, (although during the day it could be anywhere), and within a minute or two we were in the desert again, heading west towards LA, before veering south-west in the direction of Palm Springs. We found a factory outlet centre not far out of Las Vegas, and bought a couple of things to take back, but it wasn't very big so we didn't stay too long. From there it took about three hours to reach Indian Palms Vacation Club in the heart of Indio in the Coachella Valley.

Indian Palms sounds exotic, but it is far from it! At first glance the golfing resort seemed fairly exclusive, with its gated grounds and full-time security guards, but we soon learned that this was to keep the many undesirables in the area out. It doesn't always work, as we were to discover on going to dinner at the restaurant one night, when we drove past a policeman with his gun drawn, ready to blow the bad guy away! We were also mortified to discover one day that someone had sneaked in while the kids were there and stolen our last piece of chocolate cake - quelle horreur! And to top it all off we were in the midst of Hispanic workers - definitely not timeshare owners - who insisted on playing their Latin music loudly in their overgrown utes and tooting the horn at five in the morning. Grrr.

Our unit at Indian Palms was, like the one in England, two storeys, but Richie managed the same way, sliding down the stairs on his behind. He could have stayed downstairs but Chelsea got in first and commandeered the sofa bed with the cable tv, so he used our room upstairs to do the same - courtroom dramas yet again.

We went to the supermarket down the road when we got there and I think we were the only non-Hispanics in the place. They had an incredible array of beans and hardly any spaghetti (of course). There was a good variey of things though, and pretty cheap.

We did some interesting day trips, including one to Knotts Berry Farm, south of LA. I've always wanted to see it, and since the kids already did the Disney thing in Paris, it seemed an ideal opportunity. Also the day we went was the first day back at school for American kids, so there were no queues, and most of the visitors were Aussies and Kiwis. Getting in was pricey, as we had to buy four adult tickets - no discount for wheelchairs or carers. Not very impressive. Altogether it cost nearly $200. Chelsea and Neil had fun on the roller coasters though, and were both even too scared to go on one of them! We had just missed out on a day at Six Flags, the seventeen-roller-coaster-meca for teenagers, as it closed for the winter during the week, but it was probably a good thing as it was a lot further than Knotts, being in the north of LA, and as it was it took a couple of hours to get to Anaheim, even with the ever-so-helpful GPS. We nearly ran out of fuel on the freeway coming back, but it told us that there was a gas station up ahead, and we made it with 11 miles to spare.


We had a lazy day after that, driving around the area, including the twenty or so miles into Palm Springs. The Coachella Valley is a group of communities in the desert, ranging from blue collar and farm workers in Indio to the rich and famous in Palm Springs. You can drive along Highway 111 and go from one extreme to the other. One place we visited on the way to Palm Springs was Rancho Mirage, where Richie discovered another Borders Books, and we found out the The Cheesecake Factory does not sell cheesecake! (It's a restaurant). The average age of the shoppers would be 65, all with blond hair, tans and false eyelashes - and that's just the men! We probably stood out like sore thumbs there, amongst the pristine shrubberies and cascading fountains. It's the desert, but there's no shortage of underground water.

All of the buildings in the valley are beige - shops, houses, everything. A bit of variety wouldn't hurt I feel. But that would go against the overwhelming desire be "acceptable" - no rocking the boat.

One person who was the perfect example of "the look" was Gayle, the tour guide on our trip down to Mexico the next day.

We had an early night as we had to be up at 5am to make it to Palm Springs to get the coach at six. Chelsea was not impressed!

10th January Rosarito Beach Mexico

After not having to wake early, even for planes, in over a month, it was a miracle that we did it! Of course it was dark, even when we got to Palm Springs, so we looked at Frank Sinatra's house just as dawn was rising. After learning all about the windmill farms as a power source (there are thousands of them - quite impressive), and doing a mini tour of various houses belonging to stars of yesteryear and listening to a few entertaining anecdotes (Gayle, having run this tour for 18 years, has a few contacts there), we headed south through San Diego to the Mexican border.

Crossing the border was no problem going this way - it's coming back that can be a pain. We made it to Rosarito Beach by 10 am, just in time for another breakfast - a full cooked English-style fry-up at the historic Rosarito Beach Hotel. This was followed by shopping at the nearby markets, where the stall owners had been alerted as to our arrival. They had had a lean tourist season, so were more than ready to pounce on us. We nearly had to beat them off with a stick, but all the same they had a sense of humour. We ended up buying a couple of bracelets and a ring (which Chelsea paid $20 for but it turned out to be worth about 20 cents. I think this visit was good in that it showed the kids a different culture and an experience of poverty. It was hard for them to comprehend that people live so close to affluence but are still shot trying to reach it.) On the way back to the hotel we sat in an outdoor bar and drank margaritas - that was fun.

Before meeting back at the bus we took a walk along the pier - a really long boardwalk jutting out into the Pacific Ocean. We could have been anywhere, even back in Australia. The only difference was the hawkers on the beach, and the helicopters flying overhead looking for desperate Mexicans trying to make a swim for the US, just a few kilometres away.

On the way back we went past the sites where Titanic, Pearl Harbour, James Bond and some Disney movies were filmed.

The border crossing was tedious, especially after the bus driver tried to beat the queues by taking a shortcut and ended up getting lost. He eventually made it to the border again, where we all had to get off the bus (a bit off a hassle for Richie) and walk across the border while the bus was inspected and then driven through).

Our final stop was in San Diego for an early tea and a brief look around the waterfront before driving the final leg back to the Marriott at Palm Desert where we boarded the bus. From there we drove back to the resort at Indio and collapsed into bed.

12th January LAX via Universal Studios

After the big day south of the border on Wednesday, we had a day around Indio on Thursday, before checking out and heading to LA in preparation for the 14 hour flight home, leaving at 11.55pm Friday (12th).

Our day off involved visiting a couple of really big factory outlets (the Desert Hills Facory Stores at Cabazon on the freeway between Palm Springs and LA). There we bought shoes, underwear, handbags and food. The complex is over 100 shops, so you need a few hours. We were there on late night (Thursday) which helped.

Friday morning, not too early, we checked out of Indian Palms and made our way to LA. I had heard from an ex-student, Lynda Brendish, who is now working for a film studio in Santa Monica, and was hoping to catch up with her, but time constraints and her work schedule didn't allow it. Never mind - I'll have to go back again!

We made it to LA after lunch and then cruised around the Hollywood hills (saw the sign, thanks to Ms GPS), and eventually ended up at Universal Studios around 2pm. We didn't have to leave till around seven to get to the airport, so we almost got our money's worth there. Once again we got no discount to speak of for Richie, paying over $200 plus $10 parking. What the hell, it was our last day!

We did the Backlot tour on the little train thingy, which is always good, and not hard to get Richie onto. Neil and Chelsea then did the ride thing while Richie and I waited around drinking hot chocolate. The weather that day turned really cold, and it was a shock after a week of wearing T-Shirts and shorts again. Getting down to the rides from the upper level of the studios involves an elevator or two for able bodied people, and wheelchairs get taken by a little bus. Sometimes the wait can be a while for that, but you get there.

We looked at the shops and saw an animal show, then made our way out to LAX. On finding the right terminal for the Qantas flight to Brisbane (not the same terminal as other flight to Australia - why am I not surprised), we parked the car and promptly lost the parking ticket for Neil to get out and return the car to the Hertz depot! After searching high and low the kids and I went into the terminal, while Neil continued to search (eventually found it somewhere) and then returned the car with no hassles. The hassles started while checking our bags in.

LAX is the lonly airport we came across where you have your bags checked twice! After queuing up in the usual fashion, we had to take our bags down to the other end of the terminal and get them scanned again while we waited. I saw an Hispanic man take my bags away on a trolley and panicked because no-one told us the bags would be taken by a porter back to the first check-in. I chased him through the airport yelling out "he's got my bag!", while he looked at me totally oblivious to my predicament because he didn't speak English! What a circus. Neil had a few words to say to people in authority about information dissemination, but I'm sure it fell on deaf ears. In the whole trip, this was the only customs problem we had.

Once through, everything was fine - we had food and whiled away the time, which we didn't have much of because of the lost parking ticket/check-in sagas, until our flight home.

View full size