What I learned from my Barcelona trip in July 2009

Read carefully what it says about your hotel. Use Google maps (maps.google.com), and print it out so that you really know where your hotel is. That Shuttle bus to the hotel can be expensive (Oslo Airport hotels), ask what it cost. Not to trust the hotels website about how easy it is to find your hotel. And it so many things that you would not think about until you are there. In Barcelona in was just a baldakin with Hotel written on, and then there was an elevator up to the reception floor, and always dial nine to the reception.

My hotel in Oslo was Quality Airport Gardermoen and I liked it a lot except that it was a bit cold in the hotel room and I thought the shuttle bus was a bit expensive with 60 NOK each way. My Barcelona hotel was Hotel Continental Barcelona which I found OK except that it was hard to find and all the electric doors executed from the reception that was a bit odd in the beginning. It was a hot hour in the Placa Catalunya until I found my hotel.

I still like to book my hotel via HRS.de. But sometime a phone to the hotel can make your trip a better experience. Like if you have a real heavy luggage and when you phone you find that the hotel have steps up to the lobby and maybe you have to use the stairs to come to your room, then you really should try to get a better hotel unless you are very fit and find that exercise to your liking. Many hotels ought to have warnings for things like that, what you were handicapped and needed your chair there and because of the steps and such you would need help all the time. How people can build new buildings without universal availabity is beyond me. Don't they know the cheapest time to make it work well is in the planning and building period. Of course my hotel in Barcelona was in an old building but it had an elevator but I do not think it still would be wheel chair friendly environment. My hotel in Oslo was new and I would guess better for wheel chair users, but really, how would I know who don't need it.

I am just happy I don't have a disability that could make travelling a nightmare, but it should have been unnecessary for me to be happy about that. All should have the same access. I cringe when I read about somebody who offers travels and accommodation for all but at the same time take no responsibility for things like giving you your correct diet or other things. They really can't be bothered. So if you really want that vacation but really need the your diet to be the right for you, you might need to give that up. On my flight from Barcelona or to B. did I find such a travel brochure with you can ask for everything but WE will not take responsibility for giving it to you. I could go to these kind of travel just because I am lucky to not NEED things that THEY deem unnecessary. It should not be luxury to give people what they need for health and availability.



For more reviews from my travels, see www.operaduetstravel.com