- Welcome Message and select excerpts of our first year blog
- Our New Blog
- Contact us
- Travel Advice
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Flying-all you need to know before you book your next plane ticket>
- Cruising-planning the perfect cruise>
- Car Travel
- Traveling by bus...in style
- Hotels-Creating the ideal autistic friendly hotel room>
- Packing -101>
- Ask away -Autistic Globetrotting Free advice service>
- Tid bits-travel advice from our readers in 100 words or less
- Autistic Travels' Golden Rules
- Guidelines for travel agents
- Autisticals-a personal view of autistic travel
- US 10 best in
- The 10 best of Boston
- The best 10 of Hilton Head,South Carolina
- The 10 best of New York
- The 10 best of Alaska
- The 10 best of Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- The 10 best of Santa Fe and the surroundings
- The 10 best of Arizone-Grand Canyon
- The 10 best of Colonial Williamsburg,Jamestown and surroundinds
- The 10 best of Washington D.C.
- The 10 best of Las Vegas
- The 10 best of Boston
- International 10 best
- Mini autisticals- the darnest travel stories you'll hear
- The Sleeps-our biased and un biased hotel reviews
- The Eats-Tasty challenges from around the globe
- The Shops-what you can buy next
- Collector's Corner-How did these travel trinkets become a collection
- Recommended products
- Giveaways
- Monthly news roundup
- Interviews
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Q&A with Tal managing director of ALUTEVA-autistic hotel in Israel
- Eva Bronstein-Greenwald-special needs travel agent and founder of We Belong
- Q&A with Trip it's
- Q&A with David Intercontinental Tel Aviv
- Keri Bowers- film producer of 'Normal people scare me'
- Jamie Grover-Autism on the seas
- Peter Shears
- Clive-guide dog extraordinaire
- John Brown of 'Devyn and Dad' -an inspirational adventure across the United States
- Rose Niehaus Olsen Morris inventor of the safety sleeper bed
- Annette White,counselor for Camp Autism
- Colin Brennan-Canada's new singing sensation
- Dennis Debbaudt-autism safety expert
- Gisela Sedlmayer- author of 'Talon'
- Q&A with Jackie Longino founder of Aspietravel
- Inspirational travel stories by our guest writers
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- Brian R. King-Meltdown at the airport
- Joy's visit to the Aquarium
- Denise Klipsic-An incredible encounter with Princess Tiana
- Tanya Savko- Hope on a river
- Tiffany Robison-Great Wolf Lodge
- Fiona Westner Ramsay -Making-room-for-autism-in-your-canoe
- Laura Shumacher-Traveling with autism: a true story
- Phyllis Fanzo Lombardi-s -Vacation Time with Joey
- Kristina Chew-18 Miles On the Bikes At the Beach
- Jeff Katz-Chicago
- Margaret Ann Franklin's visit to the Great Northern Carousel in Helena Montana
- Claire Sarcone-Chessington the aspie way
- Elaine Hall-Tips for summer vacation
- Steve LHeureux -Autism "Outings" need to be planned and appropriate
- Kelly Green-The Gardens of Gilroy
- Wolfie Blue-Tips I learnt by traveling with my family
- Gluten free Disney cruise experience
- Danette Schott's-Revisiting family vacations
- North,Central and South America-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Alaska Cruise-USA and Canada
- Florida,Orlando-Universal Studios-looking for Harry Potter
- Florida,Orlando-Macy's mini parade in Universal Studios
- Florida-Everglades Park ,Miami,Key West
- Hawaii's big island with a glimpse of Pearl Harbor
- Louisiana,New Orleans-French Quarter,Christmas Parade,Nanchez Steamboat
- Louisiana,New Orleans-in the footsteps of Katrina,Garden district
- Massachussetts-Boston ,New England Coastal towns of NH and Maine
- New York-NYC
- New Mexico-Santa Fe and Bandoliers National Park
- Pennsylvania-Philadelphia
- Texas-San Antonio and Galveston
- Canada-Niagara Falls,Montreal,Quebec,Toronto
- Caribbean-Bahamas- the Atlantis resort
- Caribbean-Castaway Cay-Disney's bahamian paradise
- Caribbean-Roatan,Honduras>
- Caribbean-Grand Caymans-Hell,Turtles,Wild Hens and Stingrays>
- Mexico-Cabo San Lucas(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Puerta Vallarta (Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Acapulco and Manzanillo
- Mexico-Mazatlan(Mex Riviera)
- Mexico-Playa del Carmen's Xcaret eco park>
- Mexico-Tulum and XelHa Eco Park
- Yucatan,Mexico- Chichen Itza,Cozumel's Paradise Beach
- Arizona,The Grand Canyon
- Europe,Asia,Australia and New Zealand,Cruise ships-pictures,videos and AG's tips
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Austria-Salzburg
- Belgium-Antwerp ,Brussels
- Canary Islands-Lazarote
- Croatia-the walled town of Dubrovnik
- Denmark-Copenhagen
- France-Normandy's D day beaches>
- France- Cannes,Nice,Eze
- France-Paris
- Finland,Helsinki
- Germany-Munich,Dachau
- Germany-Romantic Road
- Ireland-Dublin
- Ireland -Cork,Blarney,Kinsale>
- N. Ireland-Belfast>
- N. Ireland's Giant Causeway
- N.Ireland-Carrick -a -Rede-rope bridge>
- Italy-Venice,Pompeii,Rome
- Italy-Florence,Messina and Taoramina
- Israel-Jerusalem>
- Israel-Masada and the Dead Sea>
- Israel-Tel Aviv>
- Morocco-Casablanca
- New Zealand-Rotarua
- New Zealand-Fjord Park,Dunedin,Christchurch
- New Zealand - Auckland and sheep farm
- The Netherlands-Amsterdam,Delft,The Hague,Rotterdam,Madurodam
- Sweden-Stockholm and the Archipelago
- Russia-St Petersburg's Palaces
- Scotland-Royal Yacht Britannia in Edinburgh
- Scotland-Edinburgh>
- Scotland-Inverness>
- Scotland-Loch Lommond,Luss,Sottish sheep show>
- Spain-Barcelona
- Spain-Cadiz and Seville
- Spain-The Alhambra Palace,view of Malaga
- Tasmania-Hobart
- UK-Liverpool and the Beatles>
- UK-London>
- UK-Stonehenge,Bath,Warwick Castle,Stratford on Avon,Oxford
- UK-Guernsey>
- Carnival -Legend
- Aboard the Carnival Legend
- Carnival -Ecstasy
- Carnival- Fascination
- Carnival Spirit
- Celebrity-Century
- Crown Princess>
- Sapphire Princess
- Royal Caribbean-Brilliance of the Seas
- Royal Caribbean-Mariner of the Seas (parades)
- Royal Caribbean- Mariner of the Seas
- Australia-Sydney and Melbourne
- Monthly guest's -Travel videos and pictures
- Web sites and blogs we follow
- Face Book discussions
- Guest Book
Opting out-a TSA story
We flew out of Los Angeles International Airport last week ,for our weekend in New Orleans.My husband and two sons, all decided to be dutifully scanned and were checked quite fast and efficiently.I decided to try the much talked about 'OPT OUT' TSA concept that had caused such a news commotion in the last few weeks .
The minute I uttered the two magical words,I was asked to step aside and my request was whispered down a six person pip line ,"...she opted out,...she opted out...".
For a split second there I felt like Alice down that virtual rabbit hole,landing in uncharted territory.Noticing my family on in the other side ,impatiently waiting for me,I turned around and recanted,"...I think I'll do the scan,after all...".
"Oh no," was the rehearsed TSA agent's response,"Once you are in this line,you can't go back!".I felt trapped.
I could hear low dramatic music playing in the background.
Next,I was approached by a female officer who asked me politely whether I'd rather be checked in a private room versus a public setting.I chose public.
Drum roll please...
She proceeded methodically back to front, to describe exactly where she would be touching me and to what degree,in order to prevent any misunderstandings,as she conducted the search.The check was executed in a professional manner and lasted a grand total of two minutes.Nothing worth reporting,nada.No groping,mishandling, privacy invasion,abuse to note.Totally anticlimactic.
Dramatic music fading.
Do ask the TSA person to put a fresh set of gloves on, since after they touch you,they run the gloves through a machine to detect traces of explosives.
In summation -How annoying did I find it?
On a scale of one to ten ,a minimal one.
Autisticglobetrotting recommendations:
For the autistic globetrotter some preliminary(home) mental preparation would be wonderful The TSA should have some online printable material such as a pamphlet or flashcards with pictures describing the process,accompanied by a short demonstration video with cartoon characters in the near future .A bean bag doll for demonstration purpose(can be handed out to special needs persons as a gift later) and an i-pad application should also be considered by the TSA decision makers,as a possibility.The autisticglobetrotter should be allowed to be accompanied by a family member or care giver to the location of the pat down area.If at all possible ,a different waiting area and different special needs queue should be provided by the airport for the autisticglobetrotter and persons accompanying them.In the worst case scenario, body scans are still a short and painless possibility.
In sharp contrast,we all found the three hours flight delay,a high seven on the annoyance scale,but that's a different. story.
The minute I uttered the two magical words,I was asked to step aside and my request was whispered down a six person pip line ,"...she opted out,...she opted out...".
For a split second there I felt like Alice down that virtual rabbit hole,landing in uncharted territory.Noticing my family on in the other side ,impatiently waiting for me,I turned around and recanted,"...I think I'll do the scan,after all...".
"Oh no," was the rehearsed TSA agent's response,"Once you are in this line,you can't go back!".I felt trapped.
I could hear low dramatic music playing in the background.
Next,I was approached by a female officer who asked me politely whether I'd rather be checked in a private room versus a public setting.I chose public.
Drum roll please...
She proceeded methodically back to front, to describe exactly where she would be touching me and to what degree,in order to prevent any misunderstandings,as she conducted the search.The check was executed in a professional manner and lasted a grand total of two minutes.Nothing worth reporting,nada.No groping,mishandling, privacy invasion,abuse to note.Totally anticlimactic.
Dramatic music fading.
Do ask the TSA person to put a fresh set of gloves on, since after they touch you,they run the gloves through a machine to detect traces of explosives.
In summation -How annoying did I find it?
On a scale of one to ten ,a minimal one.
Autisticglobetrotting recommendations:
For the autistic globetrotter some preliminary(home) mental preparation would be wonderful The TSA should have some online printable material such as a pamphlet or flashcards with pictures describing the process,accompanied by a short demonstration video with cartoon characters in the near future .A bean bag doll for demonstration purpose(can be handed out to special needs persons as a gift later) and an i-pad application should also be considered by the TSA decision makers,as a possibility.The autisticglobetrotter should be allowed to be accompanied by a family member or care giver to the location of the pat down area.If at all possible ,a different waiting area and different special needs queue should be provided by the airport for the autisticglobetrotter and persons accompanying them.In the worst case scenario, body scans are still a short and painless possibility.
In sharp contrast,we all found the three hours flight delay,a high seven on the annoyance scale,but that's a different. story.