You've been told this by your family and your friends over and over again, "Don't let your disability get the best of you - go out and do things!" You're more than likely sick of hearing this phrase but they're absolutely right. But before you start dreaming of the Eiffel Tower and the Great Barrier Reef, you've got to remember to plan, plan, plan! Handicapped travel is in no way a hindrance, in fact, because of all the extra little things you've got to think about, you'll end up planning it far more carefully and have a much greater time that those without disabilities.

The first thing to consider is your physical abilities. And by that, I don't mean what's wrong with you, but your physical capabilities. Think about how far you can walk comfortably and for how long? What kind of activities do you find the most difficult to do i.e. standing, walking, going uphill, etc?

Next think about what kind of trip you want to take. You really should keep in mind that handicapped travel will play a big part in this. Will the trip you're taking require a lot of physical activity? Are you planning to attempt a lot of sports and strenuous activity?

Lastly, decide what tools you'll be needing for your trip. One very handy accessory for handicapped travel is the Handi-Hook. This attaches onto the handle grips of walkers so you can hang your purse, shopping bag or almost anything else securely without having to worry about it. For long haul flights, consider purchasing a pillow that wraps around your neck. These are almost always readily available at most bath and bed stores for a cheap price. You also don't need to be handicapped to benefit from this one!

If you're going to be staying in youth hostels, you also might want to consider purchasing a bath stool with suction on it's legs so it's stable. This will give you extra support when taking showers. You can also purchase folding bath benches which are longer but will also give you the support you need.

Other helpful handicapped travel tools include reachers which depending on the tool, can grip items up to 5lbs. Special bed cane standers can enable you to get in and out of bed more easily. This is particularly useful if you are travelling on your own. Of course the most obvious handy tool is the walking cane. These days you can get adjustable folding canes, folding seat canes and even super micro walking sticks. They come at a variety of prices so a quick look online will give you a wide range to choose from.

In all, there are lots of new technology and gadgets that are helpful to handicapped travel. Just do your research and test them out before purchasing and you should be able to head out there more confidently.