Cambodia 2020 #judithwheeltravel
On 29 December 2019 my husband Nathan and I started
our long journey for our next adventure to Cambodia and Vietnam. We were going
to Vietnam for a family wedding as I am half Vietnamese but this blog will
focus on Cambodia as I have travelled to Vietnam and around before so will
review that another time!
We travelled from Carlisle to London Heathrow via Trains. We used the Avianti
West Coast Journey Care assistance to help me on and off the trains with a
wheelchair space and a wheelchair ramp. 24 hours prior to travelling we also called
London Heathrow Airport to make them aware of my wheelchair access needs&
for assistance at the airport. We arrived into London Euston station, walked a
ten minute walk to Kings Cross then got on the tube to Heathrow Airport, which
took just under an hour. Kings Cross tube station has accessible lifts and
step free access onto the tube, unlike Euston. We checked in and made the
airline aware of the wheelchair assistance I needed, two seats together,
assistance on and off the plane and the wheelchair aisle chair. We were
changing in Beijing Airport in China so we asked at check-in if my wheelchair
would go straight to Cambodia or if we would get it in Beijing. They said we
would get my wheelchair in Beijing for the transit. The wheelchair wasn't there
on arrival at Beijing Airport and we were using Google translate to ask the
airport where it was who told us it was on the next plane to Cambodia. So we had to hope and pray it was going
straight onto Cambodia and it did!! Tip: check your wheelchair tag the airport
gives you as it stated Cambodia but London Heathrow told us China so trust the
wheelchair tag and keep hold of your wheelchair receipt as they can track the
chair if it is lost!
We arrived in Cambodia to Phnom Penh around 12.30am so we had been
travelling for over 24 hours. Our taxis that we had pre-booked wasn't there as
we were an hour late so we had no option just to use an airport taxis. It was a
car with no large boot so Nathan somehow pulled me in from one side of the car and
I lay across the back seats. Somehow with the little muscle movement I have
left, Nath pulled my body and I pushed my way out of the car! Anything is
possible through teamwork and a strong husband!
We had 3 days to begin with in Phomn Penh,
which is the capital of Cambodia. Prior to travelling I do some research to see
how other wheelchair users have travelled or to look at suitable transport
alternatives. I came across Mobilituk which is basically where 2 Tuk Tuks have
been converted into wheelchair tuk tuks. I was so happy! I was given two
contact numbers for the Tuk Tuk drivers as one was based in Phomn Penh and the
other in the north of Cambodia, in Siem Reap. We spent the 3 days exploring the
city on foot visiting local markets, temples, bars and restaurants. On one of
the days we hired the tuk tuk for the day which cost around $25 and we visited
larger temples that were further away from our hotel and the Killing Fields
museum. Being disabled I did not have to pay! I was amazed the Killing
Fields Museum had wheelchair ramps to view the cells where Cambodians had been
held and tortured during the Khmer Rouge Rein and they had a wheelchair accessible toilet. I
don't always expect full wheelchair access when visiting Asia and accept that I
may just have to view the temples/sights outside but was really excited and
happy that there was wheelchair access. In the town itself wheelchair toilets
are not visible but we used Cafe Amazon toilets which were normal but with the
support from my husband I was able to use or we went back to our hotel and
planned our drinks and bars around next stop toilets. It definitely didn't stop
us enjoying ourselves!
The people of Cambodia were lovely and always helped if they saw Nathan struggling with steps or doors. We usually walked on the road as it's completely flat and easier with the wheelchair and when crossing tuk tuks or cars would either slow down or stop. We therefore felt completely safe and at ease just walking around the area. We found a local bar to celebrate New Year’s Eve as we like to where possible to stay away from the Tourist areas and try normal Cambodia life. We sat on the streets outside a tiny bar with music playing and were given free spring rolls, chicken feet and shots at midnight! Everyone made us feel welcome and we loved seeing 2020 in with the locals!
On the 3 January we used the wheelchair tuk tuk to get back to the airport. We flew over to Ho Chi minh city in Vietnam as I have family there and we had a family wedding. We stayed in Bien Hoa which is near my Uncle’s house at a hotel called The Mira Central Park Hotel . It had great wheelchair access, large rooms, separate walk in shower to the toilet and bath. The lift went to the Sky Bar on the 22nd Floor! We hired a van that took a set of seats out so I could be lifted straight into the van by the driver, Nath and any other strong men around! After the family wedding we flew from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap which is north Cambodia in particular as we wanted to visit Angkor Wat which is a huge temple from the 12th century. In Siem Reap like Phomh Penh we didn’t find any disabled toilets in the main town so we would nip back to our hotel if needing the toilet so if you are looking to travel to Cambodia it might be worth checking out a central hotel. We did find some bars that had toilets that I could use but none had air conditioning and with the heat it was more comfortable to go back to the hotel. Also after a few drinks this would not be possible!
We had 4 days in Siem Reap. We hired the wheelchair tuk tuk for one of the days which cost around $30. It was probably a 45 minute drive to Angkor Wat. Prior to getting there we had to stop to get our entrance ticket which enables you to visit many more temples after Ankor Wat. Again the ticket office and outside Angkor Wat I was amazed to find a wheelchair accessible toilet, woop!! We were told to enter via the East Gate as this was a flat entrance and they would allow us to enter with the Tuk Tuk , otherwise it would be a 30 minute walk in to see Angkor Wat. We went at 11.30am as being on holiday we like to sleep in, enjoy breakfast and then do sightseeing though a lot of people go at sunrise. We were absolutely amazed at how quiet it was, it was so peaceful of very few tourists we could have stayed all day. The heat is really strong 12-2pm so maybe that is why there were less people. My husband and the Tuk Tuk driver pushed me around the site and lifted me up the 6 steps to be closer to it. I didn’t go inside as it was around 20 old steps so it wasn't safe or practical but I was so happy to have been able to see Angkor Wat and how beautiful and large it is!! We spent the afternoon visiting more temples and again although they were mostly flat to get to once there it's too difficult to take a wheelchair inside so my husband went in and I sat outside enjoying the sunshine and views!
On the 11th January we flew back from Siem Reap to Phomn Penh and chose a different hotel near the Golden Palace. Hotels are really cheap in Cambodia so we decided to treat ourselves to a 5 star hotel to end our holiday at the Golden Palace Hotel which was directly opposite the Golden Palace. They had ramps into the hotel front entrance and garden area of the restaurant though they had a ramp down to the restaurant then had two steps up to get to the level of the restaurant . So again when travelling you have to be ready for the challenges, understand that different countries don’t always fully understand do you have wheelchair access into and around your hotel and be willing to ask for help from staff to help lift the chair in.
We visited the Golden Palace and where there was steps they had a ramp (bumpy ramps but at least they had them!) And the grounds were all flat. Again I couldn't get up the 20-30 steps to see inside but the grounds were magical and stunning.
Cambodia was stunning. The food and drink was amazing and so cheap. We ate lots of seafood, bbq grills, hotspots, noodle soups, curries, spring rolls and local dishes. The people were so helpful, friendly and welcoming and it was a fantastic place to visit. What made our holiday really was the Wheelchair Tuk Tuk, it gave Nathan and I the freedom to see attractions easily, be driven around the city and countryside, airport transfers made easy and being able to enjoy the experience of being in an Cambodian Tuk Tuk amongst everyone.
Our journey back was via Shenzhen Airport and we arrived back to London airport after a 13.5hour flight. We had assistance to meet us though there was a communication error so had to wait an hour for my wheelchair to be brought to the plane. We got a wheelchair taxis outside the airport to a nearby hotel. The next day we got a bus that had a wheelchair ramp to Hownslow West. They had a stair lift to take me to the platform where it has been raised for wheelchairs. We took the tube to kings cross, walked to Euston and again had pre booked assistance onto our final journey to our home in Carlisle.
We often take for granted the simple things in life like access and freedom to explore. So when someone has invented and adapted a standard tuk tuk to have a wheelchair ramp and for a wheelchair user to access it, it makes a holiday so much more enjoyable. With my weak muscle condition my husband really is my arms and legs. Nathan pushes me in the heat, lifts me in and out of vehicles, buildings, temples, and hotels, carries two large backpacks and pushes me through airports and helps me transfers onto the airline chairs. It really isn't easy with 7 flights to do and when travelling in a wheelchair with the long flights and a 27 hour journey. However through team work and wanting to enjoy our dreams and passion for travelling the world together to see different countries it is made possible by Nathan making the impossible possible. I truly am so very lucky to have Nathan as my husband and for him to share our love for travelling and holidays together and helping me the way he does. He's the best!
We are simply living the dream!
Judith Smale xxx
#judithwheeltravel
#feckitbookit #judith_wheel_travel
#maketheimpossiblepossible
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