Travel Advise

Hi :) I am leaving on 1/4/06 with my best friend and her mother for Honolulu. Her mother is 83 (84 on 1/12) and we have been informed that she has very aggressive cancer. They predict that she has approximately 4 to 5 months left with us. Her dream is to go to Hawaii.

What can we do to make this trip everything she ever dreamed of? She is using oxgyen and it wheelchair bound at this time.

I want to make this trip prefect for her. I welcome all suggestions.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Travel Advise

If you haven%26#39;t already, contact your airline immediately about providing oxygen. You%26#39;re required to use theirs in flight. You may also need a letter from her doctor permitting her to fly. Wheelchair shouldn%26#39;t be a problem, but you might want to try and reserve a bulkhead aisle seat.

Travel Advise

Blessings and prayers to your friend%26#39;s mother. Also to you for helping to make the trip a reality. I hope the healing spirit of Aloha helps her realize her dream. I assume you will either bring enough oxygen with you, or have a provider lined up on Oahu. Your friend%26#39;s mother can use her own oxygen concentrator during the flight if she has one of those. And she will almost certainly need a note from her doctor dated within 30 days of departure.

If you%26#39;re only on Oahu for your trip, you should find many activities that are wheelchair accessible like Pearl Harbor, shopping areas and just sitting on the beach.

Perhaps some of the Oahu folks here can suggest some more activities that would be not too stressful.

Good luck to you and have a great trip.

So nice for you all to take her there -- I know she will love it. Do make all the appropriate arrangements for traveling with oxygen -- also let the airlines know you will be traveling with a wheelchair, and someone will be there to assist you on and off the planes.

As far as making it special ... a couple of things come to mind:

1. Arrange for a lei greeting at the airport. This is the typical television scenario, right? But of course, there%26#39;s no one in Hawaii to really meet and greet you with a lei unless you pay them. Do a search on the internet for Honolulu lei greetings and find a company that will meet you at your gate. (I%26#39;m pretty sure there are some who have access to the gate area and some that meet you at baggage claim.)

2. Are you renting a car? If so, let the car rental company know that you are traveling with a wheelchair -- they can help you find the right car. If not, arrange for limo transport from the airport. Who wouldn%26#39;t like that?

3. Where are you staying? Will she like Waikiki or prefer something quieter? You will probably have to stick with the major hotels/resorts because they will all be handicap accessible, while local B%26amp;Bs may not be. There are some beautiful resorts on Oahu. In Waikiki, I love the Sheraton Moana Surfrider b/c it is very ';old Hawaii'; -- their Banyan Courtyard is fabulous. The Royal Hawaiian next door is the ';pink palace'; -- if she likes ostentatious things, try this. The Halekulani is super nice; so is the Outrigger. Turtle Bay resort on the north shore is very nice and a bit more quiet.

4. Try a helicopter tour -- this will let you see things you may not be able to access otherwise. Plus most companies will make a video that you can take home and share with friends -- and half of traveling is sharing it with someone!

5. Eat as many oceanfront meals as you can. There are some fabulous places to eat in Hawaii -- in all price ranges -- and many are right on the ocean. Make sure you enjoy as many as you can -- take in the sunset every night. That%26#39;s one of my favorite things to do there ... and it costs nothing.

6. Go to a luau. I just took my parents to Hawaii and we went to one -- they loved it even though it is a bit cheesy. I suppose it%26#39;s what they think of when they think of Hawaii. Check these boards for recommendations on Oahu luaus.

Of course Pearl Harbor is one of the best tours on Oahu -- definitely moving. The Punchbowl Memorial is another must visit. THere are so many more things to do -- this only scratches the surface. I am sure you will have a wonderful time!!

kwils, you have to arrange for the airline to provide oxygen. I don%26#39;t know of any airline that will allow you to use your own. You also have to arrange for a provider at your destination, as you%26#39;re not permitted to carry any oxygen supply even in your checked bags.

I wasn%26#39;t sure about oxygen tanks - it would seem they are a little bulky (and hazardous) to be transporting. But, if they let you bring scuba tanks....

The Hawaiian Airlines website says a passenger may bring a portable oxygen concentrator (POC). Not sure about other airlines. It%26#39;s a battery powered machine that makes it%26#39;s own oxygen.

See the page at:

http://www.hawaiianair.com/flightinfo/poc.asp

Empty scuba tanks with the valve removed, AFAIK.

Dunno, never traveled with a tank - no need to. But I sure wouldn%26#39;t take the valve off. That would guarantee a visual inspection and recertification. Gotta keep a couple hundred psi in it so no outside air and moisture gets in. Then again, I%26#39;m sure the airline would probably snap the valve off anyway! LOL!

Can you say ';football?';

I%26#39;ve actually seen baggage handlers playing basketball with Priority packages.

We have the portable oxygen concentrator (POC) for her not the oxygen tanks. Thank you for the adivce.

Where should I take her to eat? Places to see? etc.

Sheesh, we need some Oahu regulars in here!!

Let me see if I can find some!