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This article is a travel topic.

This page contains travel tips and information gleaned from blind travelers and people who work in the orientation and mobility field. We cannot vouch for its accuracy only its voracity.

[edit] General Information

[edit] Dog Guides

Special testing and paperwork is required in Hawaii, the UK and Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden, Norway, Finland. In general, travel to island countries should be planned for well in advance when traveling with a dog guide. Most developing countries don't have laws permitting dog guides in public places.

[edit] Countries Information

[edit] United States

Telephone Country code 1 Voltage 110v, 2 flat vertical prongs National Federation of the Blind, Baltimore, MD, 410 659-9314 American Council of the Blind, Washington D.C., 202 467-5081

[edit] United Kingdom

Telephone country code is +44, then you drop the first 0 found in the full numbers (area code etc) allocated. (EG: Reading is 0118 so becomes +44 118 followed by the rest of the number.) Voltage 220v, 3 prongs Royal National Institute of the Blind, London, 20 7388 1266

Main cities are London, Birmingham, Manchester.

Main airports are Heathrow, Gatwick, Stanstead, Luton, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle.

Transport includes - London underground, then Liverpool and Newcastle have rail networks. There are a number of rail networks covering all the UK and Scotland, linking cities and towns. Manchester and Croydon/Wi

[edit] Cities

• Davis, California

1. Street Layout: (patterns, notable intersections) The down town area has a standard number/letter grid layout. Numbered streets run East/West and the Lettered streets run North/South.

2. Local Contact Information: (Entertainment, accessible venues, local agencies)

The following are the rates quoted over the phone, April 2005. These do not include corporate or club discounts. The Motel 6 and HJ are near Highway 80 in East Davis. The Research Drive locations are closer to town, about a half mile East. The others are all in Central Davis.

Motel 6, 753-3777, 4835 Chiles Road, near the Mace exit off I80, starting at $40 per night

Howard Johnson Hotel, 792-0800, 4100 Chiles Road, starting at $63

Econo Lodge, 756-1040, 221 D Street, $68 per night

University Park Inn & Suites, 756-0910, 1111 Richards Blvd, starting at $75 to $110

University Lodge, 756-7890, 123 B Street, starting at $85 per night

Aggie Inn, 756-0352, 245 1st Street, starting at $85 per night, cottage with kitchen $132

Comfort Suites, 297-1500, 1640 Research Park Drive, starting at $100

Hallmark Inn, 753-3320, 110 F Street, starting at $105

Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, 758-2600, 1771 Research Park Drive, starting at $119 per night

Palm Court Hotel 753-7100, 234 D Street, starting at $144

3. Ground Transportation: (taxis, buses, limos, shuttles, trains)

The Amtrak station is near 2st and G streets. 1-800-872-7245 Yolo Bus, 530 666-2877 Unitrans (university transit), 752-2877 The Davis Airporter is at 756-6715, $18 each way, shared ride. The Sacramento airport is about 20 minutes driving time from Davis. Checker Cab, Davis, 750-7979 Enterprise rent-a-car in South Davis, 753-1300

4. Airport Layout: (gate and concourse configuration, food, airline clubs) United is in Terminal B with only a half dozen gates. There is no real restaurant at this terminal, just snacks.

Southwest is at the newer Terminal A. It has a food court inside Security. The even gates are on the left and the odd gates on the right as you approach from Security.

• New York City

1. Street Layout: (patterns, notable intersections)

Odd number addresses are on the South and east sides of the street. Even number addresses are on the North and West sides of the street. One way Even numbered streets head east and Odd number streets head west.

2. Local Contact Information: (Entertainment, accessible venues, local agencies)

Live music telephone listings, 212 777-2582. New York Lighthouse, 212-821-9200, 111 East 59th, between Park and Lexington Avenues,

3. Ground Transportation: (taxis, buses, limos, shuttles, trains)

Aabey Limo, 828-8990, Newark Diva Limo, 800 427-3482, nationwide Golden Touch Airport Shuttle? State Shuttle, 800 427-3207, Morristown, NJ Bumblebee Taxi, 973-683-1313, Morristown, NJ

4. Airport Layout: (gate and concourse configuration, food, airline clubs)

• San Francisco

1. Street Layout: (patterns, notable intersections)

The North edge of SF is bounded by Fisherman's Wharf, the Marina Green and the Presidio. The West is bounded by 41st Avenue and the East by the Embarcadero. Market Street is to the South edge of The City angling from the East to the Southwest. Major east/west arteries include Lombard, California, Geary, Market and Mission. Major North/South arteries include Embarcadero, 5th/Powell, 8th/Hyde, Van Ness/101, 19th and 25th Avenues. Lincoln Avenue runs along the South border of Golden Gate Park and Fulton along the North boundary. Although Van Ness is called Highway 101, it isn't a freeway and no major freeway runs North through SF. Highway 101 and 280 feed south from San Francisco.

2. Local Contact Information: (Entertainment, accessible venues, local agencies)

Lighthouse for the Blind, 415-431-1481, 214 S. Van Ness Avenue.

3. Ground Transportation: (taxis, buses, limos, shuttles, trains)

Desoto Taxi, 415 970-1300Diva Limo, 800 427-3482, nationwide Diva Limo, 800 427-3482, nationwide

4. Airport Layout: (gate and concourse configuration, food, airline clubs)

The airport is about 15 miles south of the heart of San Francisco. There is a BART stop at the airport and it goes from the airport to the Millbrae station where there is a connection to Cal Train on the same platform for cities South like San Jose. BART travels north to Richmond where one can connect to Amtrak for Sacramento. A United Red Carpet Club is just prior to the open area splitting to Gates 80-90 straight and gates in the 70s to the right when approaching from the security check.