Travels in a Blue Chair: Alaska to Zambia, Ushuaia to Uluru

A disabled adventurer backpacks the world - alone!! This book makes a great holiday gift or corporate prize! See my TV interviews... http://www.youtube.com/user/bluechairwalt








Monday, April 28, 2008

Some wonderful and encouraging feedback!

One of the things that has been great about writing "Travels in a Blue Chair", has been the feedback I receive from those who have read the book.

On the weekend I received an email from Mavis in Regina, who had read the Globe article after it was published and then bought the book. Although she hadn't completely read all the stories, she liked the fact that my message was to get out and travel, while not worrying too much about what you can't do. Mavis uses an electric wheelchair, though she can walk a bit. I was happy to learn that she is planning to visit Athens and enjoy a cruise to the Black Sea. Despite the fact that she does need to do some major planning around her oxygen tank, she has decided to not pre-plan the whole trip and will let some of the flow of the trip guide her. Mavis travelled extensively many years ago, so she is looking forward to getting back out there.

Way to go Mavis! She has promised to keep me updated. If I can help motivate both disabled and average people alike to travel or attempt things they have always wanted to do, then my job here is getting done!

In other feedback, many people I have met on the elevator in my building recently are really looking forward to getting their copy of the book. Wow! I know that they won't be disappointed.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

"Have wheels, will travel" - today in the Globe and Mail !

Many thanks to Allison at the Globe & Mail for including me in her article "Have wheels, will travel", about disabled travellers who are getting out to see the world despite the obstacles thrown at us....

Here is an excerpt from the Allison's article....also there were two colour photos included...

Toronto's Walt Balenovich, a wheelchair maverick who has written a book about his journeys, Travels in a Blue Chair, excels in choosing adventures far from the tourist traps.

He never books his hotels in advance and is always able to find someone to help him get around. He doesn't even worry about finding an accessible shower - there's always soap, water and a washcloth, he says.

"I travel alone so I have to rely on people to help me," he says. "Who wouldn't help somebody in a wheelchair? It takes five minutes out of your day and you come away from it feeling good."

He says that because he's "looking to rough it," he enjoys staying in hostels, where he meets interesting people and often has a more unique experience.

Even a medical emergency abroad did little to deter him. "I had a bad experience in Zambia where I fell out of the wheelchair and broke my leg." A doctor with a "blurry X-ray machine" slapped a cast on him, and Balenovich continued on his way.

He's proof that experiences are limitless for the traveller with a little chutzpah. He has soaked in the spray of Iguazu Falls in Argentina, visited rice paddies in Indonesia and floated on a catamaran over the Great Barrier Reef of Australia.

"I just find a destination. I don't worry about whether the wheelchair is going to be a problem or not. The world is not built with a ramp."

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20080423.DISABILITY23/TPStory//?pageRequested=1

The interview was done a week or so ago, and it turned out great! Hey, all my friends are now starting to call me The Maverick ! This article should really help get the news out about "Travels in a Blue Chair".

Monday, April 21, 2008

Writing again - eeeek !

It took me parts of three years to complete the writing of "Travels in a Blue Chair" and then another year to finish off the editing process prior to publishing. I am now writing again!

John, the editor of UK based, Disability Now, has approached me to write a composite story about my travels, with a special view to the issues encountered when a lonely backpacker in a blue chair travels alone. John asked that I choose some highlights from each of the continents, and try to provide some hints and tips.

I have already started to write the piece and hopefully it will motivate some readers who have wanted to try to travel overseas, but have been reluctant for whatever reason, to give it a go.

Really, that is also one of the main reasons I wrote the book!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

I'm too young to be in a Museum! ... or am I ?

My friend Tina alerted me to a Toronto Star article regarding the opening tonight, of a Royal Ontario Museum exhibit about the history of the disabled and our place in society. Tina has suggested that my book might deserve a place in the exhibit.

The interesting thing about this exhibit is that it was put together by the School of Disabled Studies at Ryerson University, here in Toronto. Now, I remember that just after my first T.V. interview on Breakfast Television back in January, I received an email from Ryerson. The note was sent by the librarian of the Disabled Studies program stating that she had seen the interview and had just ordered "Travels in a Blue Chair" for the university's collection.

So, I am wondering if the book they received is in the exhibit? If not, could they possibly add it? Anyway, I have phoned the University and emailed the ROM, but have not heard anything back.

If you are in town, please visit the ROM website and check out the exhibit. The show runs until the middle of July and if you are disabled, you get to bring someone with you for free! Well worth the effort, no doubt.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Upcoming Globe & Mail article, CFRB interview on YouTube.

One of the tasks that I perform from time to time is mailing out a press blurb and biography to editors of newspapers in an effort to interest them into writing an article about "Travels in a Blue Chair", thus helping to spread the word.

I was pleased to receive an email from Allison, who writes freelance for the Globe and Mail, asking if I would be interested in being interviewed for a piece she is doing about the disabled and how they are starting to travel widely. She was particularly interested in some of the obstacles that we encounter and what methods disabled travellers use to overcome them.

Allison mentioned the article would be ready in a few weeks, so it will really be something to look forward to!

Also, I have created a slide show movie with the audio from the radio interview on the weekend, it is my first attempt at doing this, so I hope it came out OK.

If you would like to hear it, the video is the one on the right side bar with the picture of me sitting on Table Mountain is S. Africa, overlooking the ocean.

Friday, April 11, 2008

CFRB 1010 Radio and Ian Wright, Pilot Guides.

I was a guest on the John Moore show tonight, from the Travel Expo at the International Centre near the airport. It was great to be on, as we talked about the book and some of my experiences travelling the world alone in my chair.

The first guest on the program was Ian Wright, the English host of the Pilot Guides TV series, which is aired worldwide. He was really funny and a great guest.

After his appearance, when the crowd had left, he and I got to meet up and chat. Ian was quite interested in my travels and book. I gave him an autographed copy to take home with him tomorrow night to read on the plane trip.

Many thanks to John and Amy at CFRB for their great hospitality. The word about the book is getting out!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

CBC blocked in China, Meet the Producers (NFB)

Recently, I was pleased to be invited to attend a meeting with some of the upper management of the National Film Board. They were interested in updating new filmmakers as to how they select ideas, and what type of creative approaches attract their interest.

The meeting, organised by Heather, and including Silva, the NFB's Executive Producer, as well as Terry and Leah, their Creative Producers, began with an overview film, then some presentations and finally a question and answer feedback session.

I asked the final question of the day as to whether the NFB could put me in touch with a filmmaker who would be in a wheelchair, and could share my perspective? Silva mentioned that most were located in B.C., but that one of NFB's mandates this year was to develop disabled filmmakers, or promote documentaries from a disabled perspective here in this part of the country.

I then briefly explained my project and she seemed quite interested.

A good friend of mine, Rod, was born with Spina Bifida,in a Japanese internment camp in British Columbia, over 60 years ago and has lived his life in a chair. His story and those of similar people from all 6 continents, are stories that need to be told!

I also met some great contacts, Joseph, a composer and member of the Toronto Rotary club...Rashmi, originally from India, who is an Event Coordinator and Producer, and Gurbeen, who invited me to her Indie Arts festival which will be promoting a disabled theme!

What a great day and such enthusiasm ... thanks to you all !!

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On another note, I see that the CBC president is complaining to China about the fact that CBC has been blocked and that Canadians and others cannot get their message through!!

The irony is that the same thing has happened to me BY THE CBC, as I have not been able to get on TV, radio or a mention on their website....

http://travelsinabluechair.blogspot.com/2008/03/mention-on-bbcs-ouch-podcast-nada-at.html

I guess that the world has a way of evening things out ? CBC will find that being powerless against a large organization is no fun at all, and in this day and age, everyone, even disabled people, need to get their message out.

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Kevin McCann - Stratford Rotarian

This book has touched many people in their lives and now it has touched me in a very powerful and sudden way.

I learned this morning of the passing of Kevin McCann from the Stratford Rotary Club. Kevin had recently contacted me about speaking to their Rotary Club. We had only contacted each other by email, but I could easily tell from his first letter, that he was devoted to Rotary, its ideals and the community and family he was part of.

Here are some excerpts from a Stratford newspaper article about his life, that Kevin's wife Ying forwarded to me...

Born and raised in the city, McCann was president of the Rotary Club in 1999-2000 was made a Paul Harris Fellow in 2002.His legacy to the club may be the idea of a dragon boat festival on the Avon River. With support from experienced paddlers Brian McNeil-Smith and brother-in-law Ken Gene, McCann pitched the idea to skeptical club members in 1993.

McCann also was involved with the Rotary Club’s Sports Celebrity Dinner, bringing in a young Eric Lindros in 1992 to help raise a record of close to $7,000 for the club’s work with disabled children.He took up paddling himself and with the Silvermasters, a team of 45-55 year-olds, competed in over 60 events in North America and one in Germany in 2001.

He also helped to develop many other dragon boat festivals in Ontario and the U.S. He was involved in a Rotary Club paddle-a-thon to raise money for a cleanup of the Avon River and was one of the initiators of the Aquabox program within the club.

Here is the original email I received from Kevin, introducing himself and his Rotary Club....

"Hi Walt

My daughter saw your recent program on Breakfast Television and sent me the link to your web site.............

I am a member of The Rotary Club of Stratford and also sit on our program committee. Our club has a membership of about 135 and we also have another club in town with about 30 members. As you are aware, Rotary is spearheading the eradication of polio and although we have made great strides, we still have a long ways to go. Our web site is
www.rotarystratford.com

I am wondering if you might be interested in speaking to our clubs at some future meeting. We meet Thursdays at noon but might be able to change that to a special meeting to accommodate your schedule. Generally, we are able to attract many visitors to our meetings in the summer because of The Stratford Shakespeare Festival. This might be a great time to visit our great community.I am not sure if you are a patron of our theatre but if you were coming here to the theatre, it might be a great tie in.

We are members of Rotary District 6330 which stretches from the Georgian peninsula into Michigan and our clubs are quite active in doing great things. I believe that having you speak to our clubs would be a tremendous motivator to some of our Rotarians to get behind our Polio Plus program. I also think that the membership would be quite interested in purchasing your book as well.

Also, Stratford is a wonderful place in the summertime and I can assure you that you would be treated royally. And finally, I found your web site to be tremendously interesting.

If you are interested, please contact me so we can start making arrangements. If it doesn't work for you now, please consider this invitation for sometime down the road.

Best regards
Kevin McCann"


Up until his death, we had not been able to set a date for me to speak in Stratford, but I am hopeful that will be arranged, so that I can meet some of his family and friends to learn more about the man and his wonderful life.

You can read more about Kevin and his life in this article...

http://www.southwesternontario.ca/stratford/article/45938

My sorrows go out to Kevin's wife Ying (Gene) McCann and daughters Megan, Lyndsey and Laura.

I never knew Kevin, but I feel in some way, that had I met him, we would have become friends. I know he had many friends, and they and Rotary will all miss him greatly.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

March had over 11,000 hits on the website!

Well, I think that the message is getting out on "Travels in a Blue Chair". We had over 11,000 hits on the website last month and our YouTube views has now exceeded 1,550 interviews watched.

Interestingly, in reviewing the stats provided by my web host, we also have well over 100 links to the website...

http://www.bluechairbook.com

....from other websites, including the New York Times, Lonely Planet, BBC and the Guardian in the UK.

Some of the weirdest search strings input that found my website .... "Japan broom" and "lady in Kenya with lions" ... lol.

It doesn't matter to me how you find out about the book as long as you do! By the way this blog has almost 1000 views too!

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

The Adventurer - April issue of "Access Anything"

The gang at the Access Anything website, have come out with the April issue of their "webzine", The Traveler. On page 9 you'll find an article entitled "The Adventurer", featuring myself and a great piece about the book "Travels in a Blue Chair"! You can access the article here....

http://www.accessanything.net/text/AATraveler_0308.pdf

The webzine newsletter looks great and many thanks goes out to Andy (Andrea) for all the exposure it is sure to bring.