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, March 31, 2008

Speaking at an Accessibility Advisory Symposium.

My former math teacher in high school has contacted me recently about speaking at a regional symposium in Welland, my hometown, in early May.

Mr. Findlay was a great teacher, and is in a chair now, but it hasn't slowed him down much as he is "chair" (lol) of the city's Accessibility Advisory Committee, and has recently returned from Botswana, where he taught back in the early '80s.

Reading over the selection of speakers scheduled to appear, it seems there are quite a few heavy hitters advocating for accessible venues, transit and workplaces. All those topics are near and dear to my heart.

I can only hope that my contribution will fit in there somewhere, but as you know, if you have been reading this blog, inclusive tourism is the wave of the future and in fact, is here now.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Blog article from the Lonely Planet !

The article about "Travels in a Blue Chair" has come out on the Lonely Planet website. The piece is done in a question and answer format and came out really well. I hope that any travellers who stumble upon it will find it informative and I am sure it will spark their interest.

Here is the blog...

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/blogs/community/entry/blue_chair

Many thanks to Venessa (that is the correct spelling) at Lonely Planet for her interest in my adventures! The word is spreading...

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

A documentary proposal for the NFB.

I am just putting on the finishing touches to a National Film Board documentary proposal. This is the first time preparing something like this and it has definitely been a learning experience. I am uncertain of what will happen next, but am hopeful that this project moves on to the next step.

The theme of my proposal revolves around the topic of "inclusive tourism", and how the disabled can benefit, both by participating in tourism and hosting it.

Special thanks to my new friend, Micol, who has really helped guide me through this process with her insights into the industry.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Lonely Planet !

I have been contacted by the online community liaison of the Lonely Planet travel guide about doing an interview for a community blog on their website!

The Australia based interviewer, Venessa, who goes by the moniker of "G_Woman", mentioned that Lonely Planet wanted to start celebrating the achievements of some of the members of their community. For anyone who may not be aware, L.P. is one of the great guide books that backpackers and other travellers use to find out more information regarding any travel destination in the world.

Getting a mention, and especially an interview, will really help get the word out about the existence of "Travels in a Blue Chair", and some of the adventures and reactions to my travels! I am really looking forward to it.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Access Anything! - magazine.

I was contacted yesterday by Andy at "Access Anything" magazine out in Colorado. Andy and Craig are two kindred spirits who also spend as much time as possible out on the road travelling and educating average people about the great strides in disabled tourism. They learned of "Travels in a Blue Chair", when my friend Scott Rains, of the "Rolling Rains Report", brought a copy of it to the January S.A.T.H. conference.

Andy (Andrea) is going to write a short story for her publication and is encouraging me to get out to some disabled Expos in the near future to spread the word about the book and my future adventures.

Please visit and bookmark their excellent website to learn more about each of them and their ventures....

http://www.accessanything.net/

A huge Thanks and hats off to Andy and Craig for all their positive energy!

I aim to write an article for their magazine in the near future, to return the favour.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Another Freelance Article coming up!

I have been very lucky since launching "Travels in a Blue Chair", with all the interest from people writing articles about my adventures.

Elizabeth, a freelance journalist from Ottawa, disabled herself, has now read halfway through the book (quite enjoying it), and will soon be sending me some questions for her article. The support from the disabled community, whether in the UK, way out in far-flung Eastern Europe, or here in North America, has been just fantastic.

With some of the media setbacks over the last week at CBC, the positive energy has been fantastic!! Cheers!

Thursday, March 13, 2008

YES Minister!

Today, I emailed (phoned first) the Heritage Minister, Ms. Josee Verner, updating her on the situation. She is the Minister responsible for CBC, so now we have reached the top of the mountain! Let's hope she can get to the bottom of this!

Meanwhile, Heather at the NFB has updated me and things are moving along nicely there!

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Mention on BBC's OUCH! podcast! Shunned by CBC.

News from London that my book was mentioned on the BBC last week. Actually the book is doing quite well in the UK.

BBC has a great disabled centric website called OUCH! The site highlights important disabled related issues, and news, complete with discussion forums and podcasts done by disabled BBC personalities.

The gang at BBC asked the listeners to check out my website and provide feedback as to whether I should be a telephone guest on the show! So, all you British readers, let them know you want me on!

Many thanks to the personalities at OUCH! and especially Emma, who is the researcher there.

Meanwhile back at the CBC...

I have hit a brick wall with the CBC Ombudsman of all people. Vince Carlin is passing the buck saying he can do nothing about my complaint, yet on the CBC website it says complaints are his #1 priority !??

For background, my book has been in CBC offices going into a 5th month now. I was shuttled between 2 NewsWorld morning programs, and more recently 3 radio programs, including one called "Sounds like Canada", but they rejected the Canadian backpacker in the blue chair as unsuitable for their show. The head of programming at CBC, Fred Fuchs, has totally ignored my phone call and emails.

Last week here in Canada, the CBC was criticised in the media for ignoring Francophone culture during a recent music awards program, when all the French language artists were chopped out.

It seems to me that disabled culture is under threat as well, when our milestones are not just ignored, but shunned.

CBC could learn a diversity lesson or two from Big Brother over at the BBC !

Looks like we're gonna have to "take this to the top". Let the CBC know what you think about this matter!

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Brave New Traveler online article.

Today an article about disabled travelers backpacking alone, which included some of my experiences, was published on the website, Brave New Traveler. The article entitled, "Does the World Discriminate Against Disabled Travelers?", shows that there are a few of us who try to go to unusual and exotic destinations, even if the ramps aren't built and things aren't in 5 star condition. You just have to try, if you can!

You can view the article online by clicking here...

http://www.bravenewtraveler.com/2008/03/05/does-the-world-discriminate-against-disabled-travelers/

Many thanks to Julie, who wrote the article.

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Rotary Club speaking engagements.

Kevin, from the Stratford chapter of the Rotary Club, wrote to me yesterday about coming to his town to speak to the local group about my book and some of the experiences I have had over the years. Apparently his daughter saw one of my TV interviews and alerted him to it. I am very excited about going to Stratford this summer, as it is one of the prettiest towns in all of North America! Thanks Kevin for all your interest.

Also, this month I am due to speak to the Welland Rotary chapter just after Easter, so I am really looking forward to talking to my hometown group and being introduced by Mr. Brown, who is a friend of mine and a past president of the Chapter.

Maybe the positive vibes will carry to the US home office of the Rotarian magazine? Here's hoping!

A portion of the royalties are heading out to support Rotary International's Polio Eradication program.