Written by Chillie Falls for AccessAdventure.net, March 31, 2021
The lead story on today’s Travel and Cruise Industry News, March 31, 2023 with Chillie Falls, dealt with the cruise boom currently underway in Columbia. Before there is a huge run of expected success, maybe Columbia, and especially Cartagena could look at the accessibility issues I found there on March 4, 2023.
Cartagena is a large, industrial port where the Cartagena cruise dock is right in between the container docks. From the cruise dock you will see a white striped path that will lead to the Cartagena cruise terminal.
When I got off ms Zaandam, the pier was lined with excursion buses and vans. none offered any accessibility or way of loading my scooter. So, I opted to roll to the cruise terminal building and bird sanctuary. I followed the path, actually a lane of the bus road though containers on one side and several freighters on the other. I am guessing this was about a mile or so to the terminal, plus I had already discovered it was 2 1/2 miles from the taxi stand to Old Town.
After rolling around part of the sanctuary, I investigated available cabs and vans who claimed to be accessible. However, when I asked about how they would load me and the scooter, I was told , “No Problem. I will take it apart.”
“No, thank you,” I replied.
I could have attempted to roll into Old Town, but had no idea what the roads and traffic was like or if there were sidewalks I could roll on with curb risers. Not something I find in many places outside the US and the ADA rules. Conceivably, I could be at a little over 2 miles usage on my battery, plus a 2 1/2 mile roll to Old Town, and say a mile around town. And rolling back to the ship, I might be approaching 11 miles. That is pushing the battery a little further than I like. In a way of saving carrying weight, I do not carry a back up battery.
So, I spent a little more time in the sanctuary enjoying the birds, a couple of anteaters, some monkeys and even a sloth. Unfortunately, I did not have my phone.
My opinion of Cartagena, and of Columbia as a whole, might totally change if I could access some type of public or accessible transportation. Maybe, by my next visit, some things might change. Stay tuned. I will be back in Cartagena on May 6, 2023.