Day 0 (Chennai) – Welcome to India
India has always been a destination that intrigues one whether it be the culture or the landscape, however, it may not be on all bucket lists due to the ‘supposed’ lack of accessibility in the country. Now, when you think of India, you are likely to think of the ‘Golden Triangle’ which consists of Delhi, Agra (famous for the Taj Mahal) and Jaipur. Due to this being one of the most ‘trodden’ routes by visitors, one has found that the majority of information regarding accessibility focuses on the states of Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh with little or no information on other parts of the worlds most populous country.
When one started planning this trip, the ‘Golden Triangle’ route was considered and then dismissed for several reasons. The first being that one doesn’t enjoy crowds on a regular basis (especially with fellow tourists!) but, more importantly, this beautiful country has so much more to offer which, as we know, is best experienced when we step off the tourist trail. I also want to gain a small insight into daily living in India, especially for wheelchair users hence one of the reasons why Superbunny has made the journey with us. The aim of the blog over the next two weeks is to paint a ‘true’ picture of what life is like for those living with a disability in addition to documenting the ‘dos’ and ‘do nots’ when travelling around Southern India with an electric wheelchair.
So why did I choose to explore the South rather than the North? Well, apart from wanting an adventure (as usual) and the tourism aspect, hours were spent on Street View and watching vlogs working out which cities appeared to be the most accessible for Superbunny to explore i.e. places with reasonable public transportation, most of which are located in the South. The South of India is also renowned for it’s stunning landscapes and reserves which we will be experiencing on this 14 day trip.
As in most countries, nearly all of India’s ‘accessible’ tour operators are based in the North, however one was lucky enough to stumble across The Swarga Foundation based in Coimbatore who have been kind enough to, not only provide wheelchair accessible transportation for the duration but also be ones ‘eyes on the ground’ assisting with accommodation and the booking of trains. Although based in the South (convenient for us!), they can provide accessible transportation across the length and breadth of the country if needed.
It is worth noting that a proportion of the ‘accessible’ tour operators based in the North claim to have wheelchair accessible vehicles, however, said vehicles have been designed for individuals who are able to transfer onto a conventional car seat rather than remaining in the wheelchair and also lack safety features such as tie-down points (upon request). It may cost a little more for a ‘proper’ accessible vehicle to drive from a different state, however, it is well worth while if you consider the safety (it is India after all!), ease and comfort aspect. One will definitely be paying the extra if the North is to be explored at a later date.
Although the South, especially Chennai have more resemblance of pavements compared to the North, Street View has shown that road signs, traffic lights, even ventilation shafts for the metro seem to be plonked in the middle making it almost impossible to get past in Superbunny meaning that one has to use the road which, can sometimes contain three lanes of crazy Indian traffic. There is then the slight issue of getting back onto the pavement once you have avoided said obstacle, no fear though as one has a new toy! Well, I call it a toy, its just a roll up ramp that one has strapped to Superbunny with bungee cords for when steps or curbs are too high to wheelie up.
Anyway, let’s go exploring!
