Lois Strachan

Lois Strachan speaks to Claudette Medefindt, who is one of the founders and Head of Science at Retina SA, and deputy president of Retina International.

Claudette has travelled to 47 different countries and shares advice and tips on how to travel, things to avoid, and things to do - and not just for travellers with visual impairments, not just for travellers with physical disabilities, but for all travellers and this episode is really packed with great information.

In our Travel Tech Corner, we launch our partnership with Edit Microsystems, an assistive technology company based in Cape Town, South Africa. Each episode will spotlight an assistive device that will assist travellers with disabilities. This episode introduces the Victor Reader Trek which is GPS for the blind, designed by Humanware.

[If you are interested in purchasing this device, quote the reference ASA when contacting Edit Microsystems for a discounted quote]

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by Musa E Zulu.

To contact us email [email protected] and visit our website www.accessiblesouthafrica.co.za

Today on the podcast our host, Lois Strachan, chats to Hillary Lane who has Cerebral Palsy and has travelled extensively across Africa and other parts of the world. Lois & Hillary have also travelled together to Ghana 2 years ago for the Afri-Need Conference.

Hillary says: "The reason I feel you should travel is that it really does broaden your horizons. Seeing things on television is not the same as experiencing it. Be very clear in your mind why you're travelling, where you're going, and how you're going, because you don't want to have a bad experience of travelling."

Hillary can be contacted on email at [email protected].

Our Travel Tech Corner features a website called spintheglobe.net, created by Sylvia Longmire who has visited 57 countries as a power wheelchair-user.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by Musa E Zulu.

To contact us email [email protected] and visit our website www.accessiblesouthafrica.co.za

Russell Vollmer is the founder of CapeAble, an organisation that provides consulting services and training on universal access. Russell had a diving accident during his national service in the navy when he was 19 years old, and has used a wheelchair for more than 40 years. He is passionate about the sport of sailing and as such has crossed the Atlantic, and has represented South Africa in the paralympic games in Sydney in 2000.

Russell can be contacted at www.capable.co.za or email [email protected]

Our service provider spotlight features a brand new guest house, Somerset View situated in Somerset West which has a number of features for travellers who are wheelchair users.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by André du Toit, the Big Positive Guy.

Lois Strachan chats to Razia Hisham about travelling as a family with their daughter, 15 year old Nura who has cerebral palsy. Nura had a spinal fusion procedure due to scoliosis and has titanium rods in her back, resulting in her parents affectionately calling her their Titanium Warrior. Their primary goal has to provide Nura with a comfortable but full life, and as such have travelled extensively and enjoyed many adventures together.

Our travel tech corner features two online resources to help with the planning phase of travelling to prevent unwelcome surprises as travellers with disabilities:

The Accessible Travel Forum - www.accessibletravelforum.com – is a collection and community of travellers with disabilities sharing information about accessible travel.

The Facebook Group called Accessible Travel Club has over 9000 members posting questions and receiving feedback from other travellers around the world with valuable insights into overcoming challenges as travellers with disabilities. The group can be found at https://www.facebook.com/groups/AccessibleTravelClub/

“I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” Susan Sontag

Lois Strachan takes this travel podcast international, currently in Paris, France, and interviewing Sristi K.C. from Nepal, India!

Sristi is the owner and founder of the Blind Rocks organisation based in Nepal. She became blind at the age of 16 due to the incorrect medical prescription.

"When I lost my sight I got the vision of my life. I was completely shocked, but then decided to tranform my shocking life into a rocking life."

Sristi presents workshops across the globe and seeks support people with visual impairments living in Nepal. Workshops include dance, interpersonal skills, and fashion, and they also arrange various adventures like river rafting.

Our service provider spotlight features the Knysna Elephant Park, situated near Plettenberg Bay on the Garden Route.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by André du Toit, the Big Positive Guy.

Lois Strachan speaks with Hilton & Loretta Purvis as they share their insights on their travels in South Africa & overseas, their thoughts on the concept of Universal Access, and the challenges they face as a married couple travelling where one person uses a wheelchair.

The Travel Tech Corner features an app called Microsoft Seeing AI. The app uses artificial intelligence to make sense of print & visual images by converting to audio. It can be used to read documents, travel brochures, restaurant menus and bills, as well as to read street signs and other text at tourist attractions. The currency feature identifies monetary notes, which is useful when travelling in a foreign country. A number of other features make travelling easier for people who are blind or visually impaired.

Credits read by André du Toi, the Big Positive Guy.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software.

In this special episode, our first anniversary of the podcast and our 20th episode, Lois Strachan chats to Larissa Sparg, the founder and owner of The Gallivanting Goose.

The Gallivanting Goose presents a scavenger hunt, called The Wild Goose Chase Game, using an app, in various locations around Cape Town and Johannesburg. The game is popular for teambuilding, social celebrations and educationals. It is fun, engaging, and educational with an element of competition while activities are tracked in real time. Challenges are delivered with a photo or video on the app, and teams accumulate points which can be viewed live by all teams on a leaderboard. Teams need to work together using good communication, applying strategy & creativity.

In collaboration with Warrior On Wheels Foundation & Accessible South Africa, The Gallivanting Goose launched the first wheelchair accessible game at the V&A Waterfront in May 2019.

WATCH THE FIRST WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE WILD GOOSE CHASE GAME >> bit.ly/WildGooseChaseGame

For more information visit www.thegg.co.za

Thank you to all of our previous guests for the wonderful messages, helping us celebrate our first birthday!

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg Software. Credits read by Andre du Toit, the Big Positive Guy.

Will Scott, of Will Scott Media, shares his insights on his on travels and his interventions in the hospitality and travel industry in South Africa.

Will was born in South Africa and grew up in Port Elizabeth. At 16 years old, a gymnastics accident while preparing for world championships, resulted in him having a disability. He has travelled both locally and abroad and shares about the challenges and rewards of travelling with a disability.

The biggest hurdle we face is the mindset of other people. People mean well and want to help, but it's not always easy for an able-bodied person to put themselves in the position of a traveller with a disability. People need to become part of the narrative in a contributing way, not in a way of playing catch-up in order to raise awareness about changes that need to be implemented to become inclusive..

"I am a person who will travel as much as the next person will travel. I will spend as much money as the next person will spend money. In fact I may spend a great deal more considering that I need a few more things than the next person may need."

Photo credit: Julian Goldswain

Our Travel Tech Corner is taking a bit of a different direction than we set out with. In the interim, we'd like to hear about assistive technology, devices or apps that you use on your travels. Send us an email on [email protected]

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg Software. Credits read by André du Toit, The Big Positive Guy.

In this episode Lois chats with Nikki Kemp, who has hemiplegic cerebral palsy. Nikki is trained and practiced as tour guide in and around the Cape Town area. She shares her insights about the level of accessibility of the tourism industry in South Africa.

Our service provider spotlight features Walking on Waves in Jeffrey's Bay, a service provider who teaches adaptive surfing.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by André du Toit, the Big Positive Guy.

In this episode Lois chats to the team from Edit Microsystems, a Cape Town based company providing assistive devices for people with disabilities The conversation provides valuable information about the role assistive technology plays in travel as well as the business case for making accessible travel a part of the hospitality industry

We also introduce the partnership between Accessible South Africa and Edit Microsystems, with the new Tech Talk segment which will be featured every second episode. These episodes will introduce a new device that will be implemented on trial in a tourism establishment where we welcome travellers to go and test the device and provide feedback.

Tune in to the next episode for exciting news on the first device being introduced into the tourism sector and where it will be implemented!

Our spotlight section features an event - the upcoming Outeniqua Wheelchair Challenge taking place in George on 14 September 2019 at 13h30.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the HIndenburg software. Credits read by Andre du Toit, The Big Positive Guy.