India - but can we get there by car?
(24 Reviews)
100% Recommended
Carole Burns
Oak Creek, WI
Special Needs and LGBTQ+ Adventure Specialist
I am dedicated to making travel accessible for everyone, believing that opportunities to travel should be limitless.
Travel can seem simple—just search online, book, and go! But what happens when unexpected challenges arise?
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I am dedicated to making travel accessible for everyone, believing that opportunities to travel should be limitless.
Travel can seem simple—just search online, book, and go! But what happens when unexpected challenges arise?
Whether it’s securing an unplanned accommodation, navigating accessibility needs, or ensuring peace of mind before departure, that’s where I come in.I have extensive experience with accessibility needs, hearing impairments, low vision, and mobility challenges.
As a Certified Autism Travel Professional, I can assist clients with sensory sensitivities. I work with Special Needs at Sea and Autism on the Seas and collaborate with a network of agents across the United States to ensure seamless, inclusive travel.
What are you waiting for? Give me a call and let's meet!
Can Be Reached At
1-262-227-8165
In my years of working in as an educator I have been fortunate to travel on business to many locations across the United States, but the one opportunity that truly stands out for me was when I was asked to travel abroad to help research the possibility for a student journalism program.
It would not only be the first time I would use the passport I had purchased in order to audition for 'Survivor' (yes I was interviewed, but never cast), but also the first time I would have no option but to fly. Not only that - but the flight plus layover would take 30 hours.
I have never been a good air passenger. I worry - not about crashing, but the thought of having someone I don't know 'drive' me to a location is terrifying. I mean, is this the type of person that didn't pass his driving test on the first time? Do they run red lights, not allow others to merge? Or even worse, do they drive slow and not make left hand turns?
Knowing that I would be trapped in a steel box for more than a full day didn't stop me. This would be my chance to really push myself beyond my comfort zone. Now that was the understatement of the year!
We had to apply and purchase VISA's, get special immunizations for diseases that I had never heard of, and plan a trip where we would be in countries that I had a hard time finding on my atlas.
I took control of the planning phase. I found a travel advisor to help me make sure that all the steps were processed and ready for when we would fly out - which just so happened to be the day after Christmas!
Finding regulations and restrictions as to what we could and could not take along became the biggest obstacle. But I trusted my travel advisor and followed his suggestions. I called the airlines and worked out a special arrangement for the equipment we would be carrying along. Over $100,000 worth of computer, video and audio pieces would be packed in special cases and sent through to meet us at the end of the final flight.
I am so glad that we worked out what needed to happen before hand - because we were traveling to India. We had a coordinator there that made sure we had transportation and followed rules on what we could and couldn't eat from street vendors. He made sure we had an interpreter with us when we toured the local area and shopped in the market (she was a great negotiator, too). Most importantly, he sent us research material beforehand to make sure we didn't have such a huge shock when we arrived.
I walked out of the airport and into the noisy streets. There were cars, buses, Vespa Scooters, rickshaws, camel carts, elephant carts, bikes, cows, and people all sharing the same space on the street. Every vehicle was using the horn as a means of passing, and exhaust was thick in the air. There were people everywhere, some carrying paper or sticks on their heads - the smell of these items being burned in the night to stay warm would soon fill the air.
It was loud and vibrant and dusty. I fell in love! This was sensory overload so strong that it felt normal. The people were wonderful, I was treated like a royal visitor. I was asked to pose for pictures, had flowers handed to me at stores, and had doors held for me.
We stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel (thanks again to my travel advisor) which was beautiful inside and out. My room looked out over the street and I could watch the traffic slow to a trickle as the sun went down and families went home.
The hotel had a nice lounge for our morning and late night meals (we ate with our host for lunch), again the travel advisor came through by making sure my dietary restrictions were taken care of (I'm diabetic).
The time passed quickly in India and we headed home. Thankful to the preparation we had made prior to the trip. We knew we could comfortably conduct a student trip to this area (Ahmedabad, Gujarat) and did so on 4 annual trips.
I am still not a fan of the 30 hour flight time, but would not pass up this opportunity - ever. It was this trip that really triggered my love of travel and my interest in becoming a Travel Advisor. I knew how important it was for us to have someone we could trust to work with on planning our trips. The work we had done together was an education and eye opener of what a great advisor needs to know. It was so much more than finding flights and hotels, it was knowing the culture, the people, the food and the restrictions. We would have been lost without his knowledge.
The trip was for educational purposes and I became a student of travel as a result.
My biggest piece of advice once again came fro the advisor. When I was wavering about the length of the flight he said 'never pass up an opportunity to learn by traveling to a destination and meeting the people and culture face to face'.
I'm so happy I listened.