Renee Balke caught the travel bug in 1991 and hasn’t let a summer go by without a domestic or foreign excursion ever since.
By Kelly Rouba
When it comes to exploring other parts of the world, Renee Balke, 41, and her family have left no stone unturned—well almost no stone. Aside from Alaska, the Balke family has toured almost everywhere, from the pyramids of Egypt to the jungles of Kenya.
Last summer was no different. In August, the Balkes packed their gear and headed to South Africa, stopping in London on the way in order to break up the 18-hour flight.
“We rented an accessible van from Wheelchair Travel in London, whom we’ve used in the past and found to be very reliable,” said Balke, who had a C4-5 incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI) since high school and lives in New Jersey. “As in the United States, virtually every place in Great Britain is accessible. Additionally, many of the historic sites and museums are available at a discounted rate.”
South African Adventure
Although the Balke family could not find an accessible vehicle to rent in South Africa, staff at Dollar Rent-A-Car removed the vehicle’s back seat to give them more space. Balke was, however, able to reserve accessible hotel rooms during their stay, including at the Buffelsdrift Game Lodge, where instead of an accessible room they had a large accessible tent.
Overall, “Cape Town was very accessible and there were ramps throughout Victoria and Alfred Waterfront,” Balke said. “Taking the gondola to the top of Table Mountain also was not a problem; even the penguin colony and Cape of Good Hope funicular was accessible. We only heard one, ‘No, I am sorry, your electric wheelchair will not fit.’ That ‘no’ came when making reservations to go whale watching. Apparently, the boat’s benches were bolted to the deck and didn’t allow enough room for my chair.”
Balke made the trip abroad with her husband Peter and their 10-year-old twins Madison and Maguire. Although Balke’s family never traveled much when she was younger, she and her husband have made it a point to plan a summer vacation every year since their honeymoon.
“My first trip out of the country was for my honeymoon,” Balke admits. “We went to Greece and that was in 1991. After my honeymoon, we enjoyed it so much, we planned a trip every summer since.”
Wide World of Travel
Over the past 18 years, Balke has journeyed across the world, touring China, Hong Kong, Thailand, Indonesia, Zimbabwe, Egypt, Tunisia, Kenya, Morocco, Malta, Greece, Spain, Gibraltar, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Italy, France, England, Ireland, Mexico, Canada, Scotland, Wales, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Dominican Republic—just to name a few.
“The European countries, you’re able to go to a couple of them in a one-week time period,” Balke noted. “It’s like going from New Jersey to Pennsylvania to New York. You can do it in one day.”
And although traveling in a motorized wheelchair can be difficult at times, Balke has found that many people in foreign countries are able to speak English and have been willing to lend her a hand when needed. “People in every country I have been to have been so helpful,” she said.
But before she seeks out the kindness of strangers, Balke knows she can turn to her husband for assistance. “He is really helpful and strong,” she said.
During a trip to Beijing, Peter’s strength came in handy when he had to lift her into a cable car so they could explore the Great Wall of China. “We really loved the Great Wall, but you have to take a little cable car to get up,” she explained.
Balke’s sister Paula Carmichael—both sisters’ families travel together often—also assisted by folding the wheelchair and placing it, along with the battery, onto one of the cable cars. “I don’t think I’ve ever gone on a vacation with just Pete and I,” Balke noted. “I just prefer to go with a group, another couple, or our family. Pete prefers it that way too.”
Favorite Spots
Although the couple likes to invite friends and family to travel with them for the added companionship, they always appreciate having a few additional helping hands around. Still, there have been times when that wasn’t enough. “There are things that I couldn’t do, like ride the camel in Egypt or go into one of the pyramids just because you had to stoop down real low to go inside.”
Despite a few disappointments, Balke still ranks Egypt as one of her top two favorite vacations. “It’s between Egypt and Kenya— Kenya because of the animals and Egypt because of the people and the culture. Watching my family riding these camels in front of the pyramids was just a sight to behold,” she said.
The Balkes also have some great memories of their safari in Kenya, where a tour guide drove them through different areas of the country. From lions to elephants to rhinoceros, the Balkes were able to observe a variety of wildlife up close. “We saw them all and lots of them. If you go to the right stops, you could see just herds of them,” Balke said.
Access Abroad
To date, Balke feels Hong Kong was the easiest place for her to get around in terms of accessibility. “The culture was intense yet, at the same time, it was a big city, so there were accessible hotels. There was accessible public transportation, a bus with a lift.”
Several other countries, Balke has found, also offer accessible transportation. While in Spain, she was able to get a taxi with a ramp in the back. Balke had also planned to rent an accessible van during her trip to Germany, Austria, Hungary, and the Czech Republic in August of 2007, but things did not work out as expected.
“These countries are in close proximity to each other. You can rent the car and drive around,” Balke said. “We planned on renting an accessible van from Promotours in Germany, but the woman in charge was not very dependable, so that plan fell through and we ended up renting a van at the airport.”
The rest of the trip went rather well, with a few exceptions. “The only accessibility issues that come to mind are lack of curb cuts, most restaurants had at least one step to enter although staff were always willing to assist, and many of the historical buildings or castles only had access to the first floor,” Balke said.
Overall, the Balke family found the vacation to be rather educational. “Our visit to Germany allowed us to explore what we learned in school many years ago about the Brandenburg Gate, the remainder of the Berlin Wall, ‘Checkpoint Charlie,’ and the concentration camp at Buchenwald, where the serene setting belies the horror that took place less than 70 years ago,” Balke said.
To make things easier, the Balkes always try to stay at a hotel that is centrally located in each country’s tourist areas. “Prague was no exception,” Balke said. “Our hotel was in walking distance to the Charles Bridge, Royal Palace, and Basilica, as well as the historic areas of town.”
Eastern European Sojourn
“One of our favorite little-known towns in the Czech Republic was Ceský Krumlov, a medieval fairy-tale town that is registered by UNESCO as a world heritage city,” Balke added. “This town was pedestrian only. It was small and, therefore, easy to see all of the historic sites, although the cobblestone streets did not provide the smoothest ride!”
While in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, the Balkes also visited the town of Bratislava, the hometown of Renee’s grandfather. “It was heart-warming to see many of the places where my grandfather lived,” she said.
In Budapest, the Balkes were able to walk from one site to another instead of traveling by car. “This is the perfect town for strolling since it is divided into two sections. The ‘Buda’ section, or Castle District, is elevated with an unbelievable view of the city and Danube River. This area has an accessible funicular that takes you to the top. Here, in addition to the Castle, you will find Fishermen’s Bastion, St. Matthew’s Cathedral, and many other sites, along with some great restaurants. The ‘Pest’ section is in the opposite direction, but was also in walking distance of our hotel. This area is perfect for those who like to shop for souvenirs, clothes, or food.”
While it may seem that the Balkes spent many of their vacations exploring abroad, they have toured quite a bit of their homeland, including Puerto Rico. “We did a cross country trip one year. We got to see the Hoover Dam and different places in the United States. That’s when we visited the Grand Canyon and Mount Rushmore. Mount Rushmore—that is really something to see.”
Although they won’t be vacationing in the United States this summer, Balke said they won’t be going too far from home. “Playa del Carmen and the Riviera Maya in Mexico will be our home away from home,” she said.
But no matter where they go, the Balkes always make sure they immerse themselves in the native culture. “These are nice life experiences we are having,” she said.
Kelly Rouba is a frequent contributor to Action.
