Let's ask Candy some more travel questions

It would be difficult to find someone more published on the topic of travel by people with disabilities than Candy Harrington, founder of Emerging Horizons  magazine and author of several books on the subject (the latest is just out and titled "101 Accessible Vacations"). I recently had the opportunity to ask her a few questions about travel by people with disabilities and she was kind enough to answer. So I thought I'd share the q's and a's. Part one of the conversation is here. Following is part 2:

DH: How do you get ideas for where to write about?
Candy Harrington: Well, I'm pretty well known, so I get a lot of feedback and ideas -- from my fellow journalists, PR folks, people in the hospitality industry and of course readers. I don't think that a day goes by when someone doesn't send me a resource. It may only be an attraction or a restaurant or a hotel, but sometimes that resource sparks an idea and
I research the destination further. If it pans out, then I make a site visit and check things out in person, and then I cover it. Most of the places I visit I cover in a variety of ways in different outlets, but they all have to do with access. Sometimes I just look for interesting places -- like the Crooked Road in Virginia -- and then scout out the access. The research is pretty time consuming, but in the end it's worth it.

DH: What are the best and worst things about being an accessible travel expert?
Candy Harrington: The best thing is that I truly love what I do. I just couldn't do it if I didn't because it takes a *lot* of energy. I feel I'm making a contribution to society and not just writing fluff, which in the end is very important to me. And of course I get to work with my husband, who is a fantastic photographer, designer and web geek (and being a geek is a good thing). Not everyone can work with their spouse, but it works great for us. Plus he's the one who makes my work look good.
The downside is that sometimes this job takes a lot of patience on my part, as I have to interact with a lot of folks in the hospitality industry who are clueless about access. It's not their fault they are clueless, it's just that many have never been exposed to access issues before. I have to be careful that I take the time to clearly explain access issues to them -- like why blocking rooms is important or that different people have different access needs or that not all  wheelchair-users can use a tub/shower with grab bars. I can't come off as snippy or uppity or sassy, as I'm their first contact with accessible tourism and I want it to be a positive experience for them. And of course I seem to run into these folks on the days when I've missed a flight or gotten lost or just don't feel so good, so sometimes it also takes a lot of endurance.
But in the end the good outweighs the bad. If it didn't, then I just wouldn't do it.