GO READER GO: Joan Scalesanswers your travel queries
We’ve a wedding in Copenhagen: where to start?
Q We are travelling to Copenhagen, in Denmark, next May for a wedding. We are a family of four and will be travelling with two other families. I am interested in our travel options. I was also wondering if self-catering would be a possibility, as I believe it is easier when children are involved. We will probably stay 10 days or so. We will also need to hire cars.
TW, Wexford
Scandinavian Airlines (www. flysas.ie) flies from Dublin to Copenhagen every day. Book early, as prices only go up. Copenhagen does not have as many holiday homes or apartments to rent as other cities, but you can check www.visitcopenhagen.com for apartments in the city and www.novasol.com for holiday cottages. You could also consider making it a two-centre holiday, with a few days in Copenhagen and then some time by the seaside, in a resort such as Gilleleje, in North Zeeland, a two-hour drive from the city. Have a look at www.danskfolkeferie.dk. For car hire you should shop around, trying company sites such as www.europcar.com, www.hertz.ie and www.avis.ie and comparison sites such as www.arguscarhire.com.
For more about Denmark, see www.visitdenmark.com.
Q We have three children, ages 12, nine and seven, and would love to take them on a skiing holiday next winter. My nine-year-old son has cerebral palsy, and of course we want him to come with us and participate to the best of his ability. My son uses a walker to get around. I have heard that US resorts have great facilities for disabled skiers, but with the short school holidays it would suit us better to go to Europe. Can you suggest any ski resorts in Europe that facilitate people with disabilities who want to ski and not just watch?
LK, Dublin
Topflight (01-2401700, www.topflight.ie) has been a pioneer in offering ski holidays for people with disabilities. Through its work with the National Council for the Blind in Ireland and others, it has built up a team of experts. I would also recommend talking to Ski Club of Ireland (01-2955658, www.skiclub.ie), as many of its instructors are trained in disability skiing, both physical and intellectual.
For a physical disability such as cerebral palsy, plus walker, you should bear some key issues in mind. Your son will require one-to-one instruction, which is the biggest cost, at about €160 per day. The instructor needs to be strong, as lifting is involved. Half-day lessons, at about €80, may be better, to ensure your son does not get tired.
You or another adult would need to be on hand, to help with lifting on and off lifts and for toilet and food breaks.
You will also need to take care when fitting boots. Neal Smith of Great Outdoors’ branch on Chatham Street in Dublin (01-6794293, www.greatoutdoors.ie) is a boot-fitting expert who can advise on the correct equipment for people with disabilities.
Wilder Kaiser ski school, in St Johann in Tirol, has one of Austria’s top disability skiing instructors. Lermoos has also built up a knowledge base of disability skiing. Alpe d’Huez, in France, has some expert instructors, too.
In the US, Killington, in Vermot, is an excellent centre for disability skiing, as is Breckenridge, in Colorado.
You would need to plan this trip with the advice of the tour operator.
Q My family would like to visit friends who have moved to Oman. Our budget is limited, and we would like to know the best time – any school holiday period – and the cheapest return flights available for a week’s holiday, either to Muscat or Abu Dhabi.
MCD, Galway
If you are going in school holidays, the best time would probably be the October midterm, when the weather is cooler after the summer and the fares a little bit cheaper. Etihad Airways (www.etihad.com) flies from Dublin to Abu Dhabi and onwards to Muscat, the Omani capital. Prices to Abu Dhabi in October are €468 to Abu Dhabi and €692 to Muscat, with a small discount for children. Your travel agent will also be able to tell you about offers from other airlines as they arise. Just watch out for the taxes: some routes have very high charges.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com