Buyer Beware!

 

 

Living in a environment not designed for my own daily challenges isn't always easy, but it's a choice I am glad I have made.  My work as an artists and arts worker takes me all over-our great country. At country to always accommodating.

 

Now if you know me - you know I am a tough nut! Yep I admit I a bit 'nutty'.  I am the perfect example of a rule breaker and refuse to stay inside my box.

 

Instead finding ways to extend or escape the box.  This was one intended reason for my recent try to Sydney.  But someone told the box it wasn't allow to follow me.

 

 

I wasn't surprised to arrive at accommodation that wasn't accessible. What is often labelled accessible is not.  Accessible accommodation beings with a building plan.  Just like parking a car I need turning space.  Well lucky for me I packed my lightweight can and I can stand up and walk in to the bathroom, cause it was the only way in.

 

Often I will let management know the room doesn't meet my access needs, occasionally the place me in a larger room.  Most have one accessible feature, but never before have I encounter steps at the entrance to accommodation claiming to be accessible.  There were no steps on the webpage photos.

 

Although it said accessible on the website I emailed to check.  Silly me - made the same mistake quizzing them about the bathroom.

 

 

Not dreaming that this would be the welcome I would received.  I was taken back the manager of the Outback Lodge, was defensive and blamed me for not telling her of my access needs. As I had paid cash they had a no refund policy.

 

As always I tired to be positive and assured myself I could make it work.  As you can see it was not possible to get round the my room in my wheelchair, but that's nothing new to me and moving things around would help.

But still there was no motivation to unpack. . . I was over whelming disappointed.  How could I tell my friend I didn't want to stay. So I went in search of fish n chips!

Returning back to the unit exhausted I manage the step but my legs wouldn't last much longer, when a stranger offered to help "I blurted out I don't want to stay here!

 

I could not use the path unaided and felt that the pathway was so unsafe that it put my travelling companion at risk of injury.  Never have I left any accommodation before due to inaccessibility. I have discovered there are no standards when it comes to accessible accommodation

I was taken back with the correspondence with the owner.  I never apologize too.  Instead I and my travel agent was blamed.  So if you don't have a wheelchair and you don't mine rude people then the Outback Lodge may suit you.