It was a beautiful day on the slopes as John Sage checked his gear and looked forward to the downhill run. That sun-kissed day in 2001 didn’t turn out the way he had planned, for an accident left John with a T-4 Spinal Cord Injury that confined him to a wheelchair. The good news of this story is that what could have turned this young man angry and despondent became a motivation for a new business and a renewed passion for life.
Quickly adapting to his new lifestyle, John Sage began traveling. Over the years, he visited 60 cities during 11 trips to Europe. On his sixth trip, John realized there had to be a better way to plan a wheelchair accessible trip to Europe. He had spent dozens of hours researching accessibility travel to Southern France and Italy and was still met by surprises along the way.
“The travel accessibility information I found on the internet,” said John, “was sporadic, vague, non-existent, or incorrect. Venice was described as ‘totally inaccessible for wheelchairs’ yet with the right information wheelchair users can absolutely visit Venice and have a great time.”
Realizing that there was no comprehensive information on accessibility travel to Europe, John began making his dream of an accessibility travel business a reality, and Sage Traveling was born. John drew on his first-hand experience and knowledge and put together the only accessibility guide book with maps and pictures. Thoroughly researched, John spent several years learning accessibility phrases in various languages. With this new found skill, John was able to call hotels and museums directly and talk to them about accessibility in their venue.
"I encourage any individual that has an interest in European travel, no matter their mobility limitations, to go for it! I have had the best experiences of my life traveling the world and living out my dreams. Traveling is my passion and I look forward to making your dream accessible vacation a reality!"
About Sage Traveling
Sage Traveling, the leading
authority in European accessibility travel, is committed to providing
customized accessible holiday travel for their clients. They deal
exclusively in disabled travel to Europe and make it their job to
understand all the challenges that disabled travelers may encounter and how to
overcome them. Sage Traveling offers comprehensive, detailed, and
organized disabled travel information on accessible European tourist
attractions, hotels, and transportation.
His web site offers this: “Let our passion for European travel and research take the stress out of planning your European travel and let us customize a hassle-free accessible holiday for you!”
John Sage is the president of Sage Traveling, located in Houston, Texas. Visit www.sagetraveling.com for more information.
