Lois Strachan

In this episode, Lois speaks with Poonam Vaidya from Bangladore, India. Poonam is 30 years old and became blind 9 years ago, and then the travel bug bit and she went from being an introvert to becoming an extrovert. Her life's philosophy is to always have fun, always try to seize every opportunity and live every day to its fullest. She likes travelling alone, saying she feels more of a traveller than when travelling with someone where she feels like a passenger.

Poonam has travelled around India, visiting all 4 major states in South India, and a couple of states in the north. Internationally she has travelled to the USA twice, visiting Colorado and San Fransisco, and to Saudi Arabia and Dubai and relies a lot on technology to navigate her way.

Our spotlight section takes us to the Stony Point Penguin Colony in Betty's Bay.

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

René Tembe is a learning & development practitioner and disability advisor.

She started out in recruitment where her introduction to disability was when she was tasked to start a disability desk, creating a database of candidates with disabilities. René moved into training and development and is a registered assessor, facilitor and moderator, also working with people with disability in terms of diversity and awareness programmes for the integration of people into the workplace.

In 1997 René was diagnosed with tendinitis and in 2016 with Fibromyalgia and now needs to use a wheelchair for travel.

Our service provider spotlight features Freedom Walkers who manufacture affordable walking frames for children with mobility challenges, giving them the gift of independence.

Our podcast is hosted by Lois Strachan. This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by André du Toit, The Big Positive Guy.

Lois Strachan chats with 8 x South African Surfing Champion, Roxy Davis about Surf Emporium's adaptive surfing clinics. Surf Emporium Muizenberg is the only officially SSA accredited Adaptive Surf School in South Africa.

Roxy founded her Surf School in 2002 with an umbrella on Muizenberg beach and a clear vision of where she wanted to go with the concept. Her dreams became a reality far sooner than she had anticipated.

An Adaptive Surfer is a surfer with a disability, including but not limited to, paralyses, cerebral palsy, blindness, amputations etc. These are just some of the many physical challenges that they overcome to share the stoke of simply catching waves (and invariably trying to ride them better). Adaptive Surfing, as a sport, has been rapidly growing & Surf Emporium are dedicated to assisting with this growth both locally and nationally. Adaptive Surfing aims to show people living with disabilities that surfing is a possibility and to make it a possibility.

For more information, visit www.surfemporium.co.za or contact Roxy Davis on [email protected]

Our spotlight section features the Sea Point Promenade as an accessible place to visit.

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

Josh Grisdale, from Toronto, Canada but now living in Tokyo, Japan, Has Cerebral Palsy and is quadriplegic. He has been using wheelchair for 34 years and travelled extensively as a child with his family. Josh moved to Tokyo in 2000 in pursuit of his IT career and fell in love with Japan. Japan had just started to become accessible at that time, with some laws being passed regarding transport. Josh created a website called Accessible Japan, sharing information on accessible travel, as well as an online networking platform called Accessible Travel Forum. Josh runs a podcast called "Have Disability, Will Travel".

Photo by Kiyoshi Sakasai

This episode edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg editing software : https://hindenburg.com/

Our host, Lois Strachan, chats to Charlene Sunkel who is the Founder and CEO of the Global Mental Health Peer Network. Charlene was diagnosed with Schizophrenia, one of the most severe mental illnesses, which led to her career in promoting the rights of people with psycho-social disabilities with a strong human-rights focus. Charlene serves on a number of national and international boards and committees and travels extensively, mostly for work, at least once a month.

Our service provider spotlight takes us to the Greenpoint Urban Park.

This episode was edited by Deirdre Gower using the Hindenburg software: www.hindenburg.com

Rene Moses is the owner and founder of Travel with René, a tour operator who accommodates the needs of travellers with disabilities. Rene had a car accident in 1995, resulting in C6/C7 quadriplegia, and has travelled both within South Africa and abroad. Her travel experiences with a disability led her to start her tour company to assist other travellers with disabilities.

Our service provider spotlight takes us on safari with Horse Rides at Pete's.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenberg editing software: https://hindenburg.com/

Our host, Lois Strachan, discusses universal access and travel with Ari Seirlis, the CEO of the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA).

Ari travels domestically regularly and occasionally internationally and shares advice for having the best travel experiences as a person with a disability and the importance of planning in advance.

Our service provider spotlight takes us on a trip through history with Chavonnes Battery Museum.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenberg editing software: https://hindenburg.com/

Our host, Lois Strachan, discusses universal access and travel with Ari Seirlis, the CEO of the QuadPara Association of South Africa (QASA).

Ari travels domestically regularly and occasionally internationally and shares advice for having the best travel experiences as a person with a disability and the importance of planning in advance.

Our service provider spotlight takes us on a trip through history with Chavonnes Battery Museum.

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenberg editing software: https://hindenburg.com/

Part 2 of the conversation between our host, Lois Strachan, and Marlene Le Roux.

Marlene is a well known South African disability activist and a thought leader in the areas of inclusion and accessibility. Marlene is also the CEO of the Artscape Theatre, in Cape Town, which has been described as the most accessible theatre complex in South Africa.

"We are whole people!" - Dr Marlene Le Roux

This episode's service provider spotlight features Epic Guest House, which has 4 accessible rooms with roll-in showers and other facilities that can accommodate guests with disabilities. Epic Guest House is situated in Noordhoek, Cape Town.

Photo credits: Xpression M3dia Photography

Connect with Dr Marlene Le Roux: www.facebook.com/drmarleneleroux/

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenberg editing software: https://hindenburg.com/

Our host, Lois Strachan, speaks with Marlene Le Roux, who is a well known South African disability activist and a thought leader in the areas of inclusion and accessibility. Marlene is also the CEO of the Artscape Theatre, in Cape Town, which has been described as the most accessible theatre complex in South Africa.

"No one must be invisible. Everybody must have a voice. Everybody must be treated with dignity." - Dr Marlene Le Roux

This episode's service provider spotlight features Epic Enabled, a tour operator providing tours for people with disabilities and whose company motto is "breaking boundaries"

Photo credits: Xpression M3dia Photography

Connect with Dr Marlene Le Roux: www.facebook.com/drmarleneleroux/

This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenberg editing software: https://hindenburg.com/