Bahamas 2012, #9: Final Thoughts

I’ve received a lot of questions from readers, so I’ll format this final vacation post as a Q and A:


Mitch, would you go this same vacation again?

It depends. If I maintain my current level of functionality, which is unlikely, then I might consider returning to Sandals Royal Bahamian in the future. I can't recommend this resort to other handicapped people, but because I spent time there I would know exactly what I was getting myself into.

Christina, our liaison in the guest services department at Sandals, recommends three other resorts that have more legitimate wheelchair accessibility. I can't personally vouch for these resorts, but if I ever again consider an all-inclusive Caribbean vacation, I'll research them:

• Sandals Grande Antigua Resort – Antigua (Venetian suite is the best recommendation)
• Sandals Emerald Bay – Great Exuma, Bahamas
• Sandals Grande St. Lucian – St. Lucia
• Sandals Royal Plantation - Jamaica

Mitch, are you really as sexy as you appear in these photos?

Yes, yes I am. Although Kim has let herself go a little bit at her advanced age, I, on the other hand, maintain my perfect physique despite the fact that I get absolutely no exercise, at all, ever. Kim is a very lucky girl.


Mitch, should I go on vacation to Sandals Royal Bahamian?

If you are a healthy person who likes some excitement, but places a higher value on luxury, food, drink, relaxation, and scenery then I think you would be very happy at Sandals.

If you're a healthy person who likes big crowds; shiny, new buildings; wet T-shirt contests; or big name entertainment; then you might try some other type of vacation, like Vegas.

If you are a disabled person you need to carefully determine what your needs are and whether they will be met. Work all these details out with Sandals or any other resort before you book your vacation. Ask for pictures of the room, including the bathroom. Ask for guarantees in writing. Even then, when you travel remain flexible and try not to allow setbacks to ruin your vacation. If, in order to have an enjoyable vacation, you need everything to work perfectly then you are almost certainly going to be disappointed.


Mitch, are you really as humble and self-effacing as you seem in your blog posts?

Yes. In fact, I wrote the book on humble. And when you look up self-effacing on Wikipedia there is a picture of me. Does that answer your question?

Mitch, what is it like to go on a vacation in your iBot?

My iBot draws a lot of attention in my own community, but it seems to attract even more attention when I'm on vacation. I'm an introvert by nature, so the iBot becomes my own personal icebreaker. At long last, I’ve become the cool kid at the party. The iBot acts as my social lubricant, kind of the equivalent to having a couple of drinks under my belt.

Because I am generally upbeat, positive, and appear to be having fun on my iBot vacations, I think I’ve become a half decent ambassador for the disabled cause. I elaborated on this observation in a previous post.

As you may or may not know, the iBot is no longer being manufactured or sold, and in essence has less than two years life left in it. On January 1, 2014, service and parts replacement for the iBot will no longer be available. Although the iBot is relatively low maintenance, it is such a complex machine that most iBots will wind up on the scrap heap within the first year after support is discontinued.

If you'd like to know what you can do to help resurrect the iBot, click here.


Mitch, is there anyone you'd like to thank for this vacation?

Where do I begin?

First, I'd like to thank the readers of this blog for allowing me to share my story with you. I'm still amazed that so many people take an interest in what I write.

I’d also like to thank Jeannie at Snail's Pace Travel for all her hard work in putting together this vacation for us. Jeannie specializes in cruises for disabled people, but is now trying to branch out into resort vacations for disabled people as well. Jeannie is a hard worker, very responsive, and really knows the travel business.

I'd like to thank the local staff and management at Sandals Royal Bahamian for their outstanding customer service. It's not their fault that the room was poorly designed in terms of accessibility, but they did everything in their power to make up for this shortcoming. I've never experienced a quality of customer service better than what I did at Sandals during this vacation.

I’m thankful that my parents were so hard-working and thrifty as to have built a modest nest egg to leave for my brothers and me. Without that inheritance, we probably would've been governed by our genetic predisposition toward frugality and not parted with the money for such a lavish vacation.

I’d like to thank my brothers, Tom and Andy, and their wives Diane and Karen, for assisting me throughout the week, and for being patient as we navigated so many accessibility issues together. But most importantly, I thank them for being such wonderful travel companions and for helping Kim and I have a memorable experience.

Most of all I need to thank Kim. She worked her butt off all day, every day helping to keep me afloat in so many ways. But she managed to remain energetic and positive all week long, and this great attitude only enhanced everyone's enjoyment of the vacation, especially mine. I joke around a lot about Kim, but I am the luckiest guy in the world to have her.

Thanks for such an enjoyable vacation, Kim. Heck, thanks for such a wonderful life.

Click for previous post: Bahamas 2012, #8: Getting Home