I thought while I’m going to be spending a considerable amount of time in Brazil, I may as well switch some of my attention to this beautiful country and try to highlight the good and the bad in terms of accessibility here. With that in mind, I’ve set up a new Instagram account called Accessible Brazil to accompany my quest (@accessiblebrazil), and I invite you all to check it out and give it a follow – if you’d be so kind.
At first, the predominant focus of the Accessible Brazil content will be centred on Rio Grande Do Sul, given that this is the region of Brazil that I’ll be staying in for the vast majority of the time that I’m here. I’ve roped Fernanda into joining me on this newfound mission and so as the popularity steadily grows, the plan is to branch out and explore much more of this gigantic, beautiful nation.
We’ll be looking to collaborate and partner with many businesses within the travel industry and local businesses in various cities, not only to showcase what positive accessibility they may have, but to also advise them on areas that they could look to improve on. The latter being something which I feel is vital when it comes to seeking to create a more inclusive society.
It’s easy to overlook matters relating to disability access. Fernanda (@fe_kuster) admitted before I arrived in Brazil that she had suddenly found herself increasingly noticing how inaccessible certain places were in her city. I can see for myself now that I’m here that even in places where it seems barrier-free access was attempted, it falls short of the regulatory standards of which I’m accustomed to back home in the U.K. That is in as much to say that where there may be a ramp somewhere here in Brazil, you may also find that it’s far too steep to negotiate independently, or it’s in such disrepair that the surface has become uneven and hazardous. There is much to improve on, but at the same time, I’m emboldened by the fact that attempts have been made to make even the smallest of towns wheelchair friendly.
To accompany this newfound interest in updating you all about Brazil’s access, I’ve made the conscious decision to be far more present on my Geordie Travels (@geordietraveller) Instagram account. My plan is to ask travel-related questions a few times a week and to engage with those who reply – as well as updating friends, family, and followers on my general day-to-day activities. It’s also where I will continue to provide links to blog updates and so forth – including this one!
Going Beyond Accessible Brazil
As my time in Brazil increases, I’d ideally like to see an expansion of my accessibility reviews throughout more of South America. We’re situated close to Uruguay, Paraguay, and Argentina, meaning that it shouldn’t be too difficult to do a little exploring in these countries also. Once we’ve gotten ourselves a new car we’ll be planning our first major road trip. I have my heart set on Beunos Aires – but we’ll see if we need to take a shorter tester trip first, as we’ll be travelling as a trio, with Fe’s daughter accompanying us on our adventures. Little does she know but even at the tender age of 3, she’s about to become our chief navigator.