Nath, Author at The Wheelchair Traveller

Day 5 (Limassol) – The Larnaca Airport Experience (Part 2) + Where Next

One of the good things about these ‘touristy’ countries (as opposed to places such as Armenia) is that the infrastructure that they do have i.e. airports and accessible taxis are well used making for a smooth journey.

We booked our return taxi with Johns Cyprus Taxis once again and within a hour, we had arrived at Larnaca International Airport. As per Bristol, said airport has a dedicated special assistance service who guides you through check in (and translates if necessary) hence all that is required is for one to go through security and head to the gate to await the Ambulift.

Ones trip to Cyprus concludes the 2023 travels and you are now most likely wondering where 2024 will take me? As I mentioned previously, over the past two years, I have rolled around a large portion of Europe whilst the world has become accustom to COVID hence it seems the right time to venture further. In February, one is heading to the tourist city of Sousse in Tunisia with a day trip to El Jem (either via an accessible taxi or a non-accessible train depending if one wishes to take Superbunny for the day) followed by 5 days in Malta once again in May.

I mentioned previously that the next few years are shaping up to be a great time to travel as a wheelchair user, particularly in Asia where major infrastructure projects are being completed whether that be accessible metros in countries that don’t have access to accessible taxis or simply the importation of fully accessible vehicles. The world is definitely opening up (just need to source some portable ramps in said countries now and we will be sorted!)…

Day 4 (Cyprus) – Troodos Mountain Drive and Omodos Accessibility

Today we finally exited the city of Limassol and took a trip around the Troodos Mountains and the village of Omodus. As I mentioned previously, we were struggling to find a semi accessible way out of the city at a relatively low cost hence we decided to hire a car for the day from Enterprise. At least we were upgraded from a Nissan Note to a Kia Sportage which served it’s purpose well…

Last night, we tried out the Bolt app (equivalent to Uber) to order a taxi as we found a bar a little way out of the centre with good reviews (really not that great in reality!) which worked perfectly. However when we attempted to order a taxi to the Enterprise place which is a few miles from the hotel, every driver declined our request…wouldn’t get that in Yerevan would you?

After the hotel successfully booked a taxi, we picked up the keys and headed to the cooler climates of the Troodos Mountains. Our first stop was the village of Omodos which is one of these touristy places that people visit when in the Mountains…

On first glance, it seems like a quaint Cypriot village, that is until you drive down to the FREE car park (with disabled spaces and toilets) and see the hoards of coaches and tourists. One decided to pick the day when a cruise ship (comprising of mostly British) docked in Limassol, you could have almost imagined that you were visiting an English village bar the weather!

Accessibility wise, it’s relatively smooth until you reach the centre (where the shops and restaurants are) within which harsh cobbles have been laid, one thought that Riga was bad! Nonetheless we ploughed on and soon discovered a number of stray cats roaming the place hence one was able to dine outside (with said cats).

We then set ourselves a challenge to see how far we could drive up Mount Olympus (not the mythological one…that is in Greece) which we managed to do quite successfully until we reached barbed wire which we later discovered is due to the British owning the summit..

There are various lookout points along the very winding roads where you can pull up and admire the picturesque views…

Tomorrow we head back to Bristol via Lanarca airport for the final time for 2023. You can safely say that one has explored a VERY large proportion of Europe within the past two years…think it’s time to go further afield?

Day 3 (Limassol) – Lack of Public Transportation and The Paradox Museum

Well the answer to that cliff hanger was neither! I think that one has relied too much on public transportation systems on previous travels whether that be metro, train, bus or taxi hence becoming a stumbling block when these are almost non existent.

We began by asking the hotel to book us a taxi to a popular village in the Troodos Mountains for which reception gave us a look that said that it’s not possible, we then tried to book through the Cypriot version of Uber which only showed 5 taxis within a 10 mile radius, bearing in mind that we are in the middle of a bustling city let alone in the Mountains. There are buses from Limassol into the Mountains, however these are conventional coaches which are difficult enough in a manual wheelchair. Plan B was to visit the ancient city of Kourion via the Hop On, Hop Off bus until we discovered that it has been recently suspended leaving us with limited options. The other plan was to catch a boat from the Marina…could we find one! Anyway, we have decided to hire a conventional car for tomorrow (luckily one of us brought a driving license) as it seems that it will be the only semi accessible way to get out of this city and into the Mountains!

Back to today, after a wander around the Marina trying to search for a boat, one decided to stop off at TGIs to make an alternate plan. Now, a member of staff was outside with a pigeon practically stroking it hence I’m guessing that they have an odd relationship but as soon as the individual came back inside, said bird followed…we ended up in McDonald’s! The pigeon is now following one around the city presumably because of the loss of earnings from me exiting the restaurant rather quickly…one is touched by the follower?

One of the main tourist attractions in Limassol is The Paradox Museum which is full of optical illusions i.e. upside down rooms. Disabled individuals gain FREE admission and the majority of exhibits are wheelchair accessible…

For those that aren’t, you may be able to make it work…

It’s a perfect way to spend an hour or two on a hot afternoon…

As I mentioned, we have rented a car (from good old Enterprise) with the aim of driving around the Troodos Mountains (finally!) and explore a few villages…

Day 2 (Limassol) – Castles and Churches

Limassol is a very walkable city and all the main sights within the boundaries are within a 20 minute radius. In addition to the existence of drop kerbs in appropriate places, the centre is laid with a smooth surface which is perfect for rolling around…

Another thing that I noted was the number of stray cats within the centre meaning that pigeons dare not to land…good news for me! Anyway, one of the sights is the Limassol Castle which dates back to 1590. Although one didn’t venture into the museum (which I believe is up a few steps, however there must be an accessible entrance I am sure), we did a lap around the outside, it’s a little more bumpy but still enjoyable…

It was then onto the Marina, not before passing some picturesque churches (via car parks)…

The Marina has recently been redeveloped with shops and restaurants lining the waterfront, the best bit though is that the same smooth surface has been laid here also…

Along the Marina and the promenade, there are various piers and boardwalks, however it is questionable how safe these structures actually are…

The plan for tomorrow is a little unknown at present, we either catch a taxi up to the slightly cooler temperatures of the Troodos mountains (and Superbunny stays at the hotel) or visit the ancient city of Kourion…decisions decisions!

Day 1 (Limassol) – The Larnaca Airport Experience

I swear that the more one flies to destinations, the quicker it feels! Anyway, to round off this years travels, I decided to head back down to the Mediterranean and explore Cyprus, in particular, the cosmopolitan city of Limassol.

As the city is located between Larnaca and Paphos, one had a choice of airports. I chose Larnaca as it is the islands biggest airport meaning less chance for Superbunny to be mishandled by the baggage handlers. After a 4 hour flight from old Bristol, we touched down at said airport where we were almost immediately greeted by the ambulift (partly due to the airport wishing to turnaround the plane before a thunderstorm rolled in), however they insisted on taking Superbunny with the rest of the luggage for us to collect inside the terminal. Instead of wheeling it into the terminal, said baggage handlers decided to haul the 105kg chair onto a trolley which they wheeled out and then simply walked off leaving us to get the thing ourselves…memories of Riga, don’t you think?

As the intercity transportation in Cyprus isn’t really geared up to accommodate electric wheelchairs, one booked an accessible taxi to the hotel courtesy of Johns Cyprus Taxis.

We are staying at the NYX Hotel in Limassol which is a stones throw (well a dual carriageway) away from the promenade and the Mediterranean. Although the room isn’t exactly accessible and makes one have vertigo with its swanky design, it does have a rooftop bar and pool overlooking the Mediterranean and the ever increasing skyline…

Tomorrow is about being a tourist and checking out the main sights of Limmasol…

Day 6 (Yerevan) – The Zvartnots International Airport Experience

Today we headed back to Zvartnots International Airport on the outskirts of Yerevan (with the help of VMA Assistance and a wheelchair accessible van from Yerevan Home Care) to catch our flight to the UK via Rome. It’s always helpful when the airport is on the smaller side for two reasons; there is less chance to loose wheelchairs plus you aren’t rushing if you need to explain everything under the sun at check in.

Luckily we were assisted by a manager who spoke great English (and directed questions at me for a change – seems to be a thing in Armenia!) who explained that the airport has the same protocol as Oslo and Paris CDG with regards to leaving Superbunny at check in. However, this time they asked for one of the PAs to assist them taking the chair to baggage handling to ensure that the ground crew knew exactly how it operated i.e. the battery rather than ripping it apart, no surprises then that it arrived in Rome the way that we left it!

The wind blew us to Rome in good time meaning that we had a 6 hour wait in the Italian capital to sunbathe and eat at the Hilton. Although the assistance in Rome is debatable compared to Milan, it was still nice to be surrounded by ground crew who had some knowledge of electric wheelchairs…

My final adventure of the year begins in just under a week when I head back to the Mediterranean to explore Cyprus, in particular, Limassol and the ancient city of Kourion. Surprisingly this has been the hardest trip to plan this year due to the accessibility for Superbunny but let’s see how we get on regardless…

Day 5 (Yerevan) – Cascade Complex Accessibility

One of the main tourist attractions in Yerevan is the Cascade Complex which links the Monument neighbourhood with the downtown. As the name ‘Cascade’ implies, it consists of many many steps which isn’t great for a wheelchair user in addition to the lack of lifts inside the complex, just narrow escalators. No worries though as one can still enjoy the views presented if you know where to look (and prepared to wander down a few ‘not so glamorous’ streets!)…

As the above photo shows, there is also a sculpture garden at the bottom of said complex which comprises of some of the most strangest sculptures…

Now, if you look closely at the Cascade Complex on Maps, you will notice various bridges leading to backstreets at different heights. It is therefore possible for a wheelchair user to use said bridges to access different levels. However it is useful to be guided by a map as these bridges are not signposted and one wouldn’t recommend navigating the streets at night either…

We chose to hunt down the bridge that brings you halfway up the Cascade, it doesn’t feel the safest bridge in the world and Superbunny wouldn’t be able to get onto the structure as only the street end has a ramp but the bridge still provides panoramic views of the city if the step is too big…

Yerevan is also home to a metro system which only means one thing, I have to go for a gander! None of the stations have lifts installed (otherwise you would have heard all about it by now!), however I have it on good authority that the operator is currently working with a Spanish firm to do this in the future. At present (2023), stations either consist of steps or the worlds fastest escalators…no thanks!

As I keep mentioning, due to the current situation with Azerbaijan, it’s been a little difficult to walk around the city at night without encountering a protest, however, as we are leaving tomorrow, we took the plunge and explored Republic Square and the surrounding areas…

Whilst in Yerevan, we are staying at the Holiday Inn Express which, apart from the road outside being quite tricky for a wheelchair, is a pretty standard hotel, the bathroom is a little narrow though!

Tomorrow we head back to Zvartnots International Airport (which is named after the nearby cathedral…fun fact!) to catch the flight to Rome and then onto Bristol.

Day 4 (Yerevan) – Majestic Lake Sevan

As I mentioned yesterday, we ditched the idea of catching the train to Lake Sevan and ggTaxi’d it instead (seems like most people opt to do this) costing around $17.50 each way. Although the route is mostly motorway (the rules of the motorways do not make sense in the slightest I must say…who cares about road markings anyway), it provides an insight into life outside Yerevan. Once outside the city, the landscape changes into mountainous baroness akin to driving through Kazakhstan. However, there are occasional statutes and monasteries to marvel at…

Soon enough, we turned off the M4 to an area called the Sevan Peninsula which turns out to be one of the main tourist hotspots along the lake. When we pulled up, I was a little dubious as it seemed full of tourist ‘tat’, however one only needs to go 30 seconds towards the lake for it all to disappear.

One of the things that we had planned was to attempt to commandeer a boat to take us for a spin on the lake which is overshadowed by the Caucasian Mountains and the border with Azerbaijan. This was easier than expected as a few locals were waiting to ambush tourists with boats. After pushing health and safety out of the window by manhandling the wheelchair onto the boat, we were treated to a 20 minute trip providing majestic views of the Caucasians and the Sevanavank Monastery…

As per usual, it was only right for one to take a dip…

Taking a stroll along the waterfront (which is a little bumpy but manageable), it was clear that we visited ‘out of season’, however there were also numerous abandoned beach resorts (a few presumably constructed as part of the Soviet ideology of a ‘fun’ holiday by the lake) with a lot of potential if reopened. Taking a stroll through one of these abandoned resorts (legally that is!) very much gives you a glimpse of what was trying to be achieved.

One of the things about Lake Sevan is that my furry friends i.e. seagulls seem quite contempt simply chilling on roofs with the lake being a source of food rather than hassling people for fish and chips. This allowed one the rare occasion to eat outside with a mountainous view…

The Sevanavank Monastery is one of the main tourist attractions on the the Sevan Peninsula, however it is up quite a few flights of steps hence not accessible but offers panoramic views of the lake and surrounding mountains from the top…

Now, the plan was to catch the train back to Yerevan from the Sevan Peninsula station, however the only train was scheduled to depart at 6pm. This would have meant a 3 hour wait whilst the prospect of a taxi back was dangling under our noses. Eventually it was agreed that we would utilise the ggTaxi app back to the hotel. Whilst exiting, one passed said station which it seems as if you have to cross the M4 motorway using the ‘U’ filter lane to reach followed by a flight of steps.

Tomorrow is our last day in Yerevan with the plan of visiting the Cascade Complex (and seek out a walkway that I have been researching for some time!) followed by a general wander before the mammoth flight back to the UK via Rome.

Day 3 (Yerevan) – Trekking to The Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial

Well I can’t say that we weren’t warned about the lack of accessibility outside the city! One planned the route to The Genocide Memorial on Maps which looked pretty easy for Superbunny, however one forgot that we are in a former Soviet state. If you followed my travels around Riga etc, you may remember reading my quarrels with Soviet road design, mainly the construction of wide avenues that can only be crossed using underpasses with steps being the only way down and up. Granted, Yerevan has many more street level crossings and even a few stairlifts on some underpasses, however it still means extra planning.

Since I stepped foot in Armenia, society has been very welcoming and willing to lend a hand if they see you struggling or need help despite the language barrier. On our route to the Memorial, it was necessary to cross one of these avenues but unfortunately the stairlift down to the underpass was out of order. No worries though, a passerby pointed for us to cross the road and proceeded to stop 6 lanes of traffic for us (the drivers all seemed to adhere and stop).

Despite this, as soon as you step out the city centre, the road layout makes it difficult for even an abled person to cross, let alone an electric wheelchair…

The climax of all this happened when the pavement on a 6 lane road became too narrow for a wheelchair and the opposite pavement contained steps…we tried! It was thus back to the hotel for a change of wheelchair and a taxi (costing around £2) before eventually reaching the The Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex.

As we visited on Independence Day, the museum element was closed, however there is an accessible entrance. The memorial is situated atop of a hill overlooking the city of Yerevan and in the shadows of Mount Ararat (supposedly the resting place of Noahs Ark…fun fact of the day) hence providing majestic views…

The next mission was to reach the Dalma Garden Mall which is almost adjacent to said memorial, for some food, easy right? Well no, road designs strike again as there is a dual carriageway separating the two with the only safe crossing being a footbridge with steps, how many times are we going to dice with death on this trip? Dalma Garden Mall is just your average shopping mall containing a variety of shops and a food court, nothing special to see…

As one was using the manual wheelchair, we decided to try our luck using the ggTaxi app (the Armenian version of Uber) where 95% of the vehicles are big enough to fit such wheelchair, worked perfectly!

As the conflict with Azerbaijan worsens, it has been difficult to navigate the city without getting caught up in protests or road blocks so our eating options are limited this week, however, still enough to sample the Armenian cuisine.

The original plan for tomorrow was to catch the train to Lake Sevan (largest lake in the Caucasus), however the only train leaves at 8am with the station being a 25 minute drive from the hotel. As Superbunny is going to stay at the hotel regardless and the drive to the Lake is only around 67 minutes, we are now going to taxi it (costing around $17.50 each way), let’s see what Armenian motorways are like!

Day 2 (Yerevan) – The Pink City

Before I start discussing the accessibility of Yerevan aka The Pink City, I have been reliably informed that the cost of the accessible bus from the airport costs around $0.70 each way, we were definitely ripped off there!

Before visiting Yerevan, I found little information on the accessibility of the city bar the fact that there are drop curbs in existence (only from a quick scout on Google) so I was unsure what to expect. One was therefore surprised to discover that the city centre is very easy to roll around in Superbunny with drop curbs in appropriate places in addition to ramps wherever steps are located.

One of the only good things of the original Soviet built streets is the wide pavements as we also saw in Zagreb, perfect for a smooth roll.

As today was a recovery day from the mammoth travel day, we took a general wander around the city (which is very walkable) taking in the sights such as Republic Square…

As I mentioned yesterday, we had planned a meeting with the president of the Disability Rights Agenda NGO. We discussed various subjects gaining an insight into the lives of disabled people in Armenia and the negative consequences that the current conflict with Azerbaijan is having on said individuals. Regarding the accessibility of Yerevan, we learnt that it has increased in the past few years with the introduction of low-floor buses etc.

Tomorrow we take a stroll outside the centre to Tsitsernakaberd Armenian Genocide Memorial Complex. We have been warned not to expect the same level of accessibility outside the centre, see how we get on!

Nath