Participating to the workshop with a difficulty

We are giving here some tips and advices for participating to the workshop with some kind of impairment, disability or illness.

In case you are not sure, please do not hesitate to contact us for more information or for trying a better solution.

Car sickness

Please let us know if you usually have car sickness. We will reserve the front seats in the minibus for you. The driving is normally not much but can turn to quite long in case of cloudy sky. The normal trip is:

15 min on the motorway.

15 min of normal road with a few curves from 0 to 45 degrees.

20 min curvy road trip with a lot of curves including a few ones of 180 degrees.

The pharmacist may deliver you some tablets. We can add a few stops on the way to help you (letting us know in advance is better in this case).

Allergy

Be aware we are going in the nature and this could trigger your allergy. There are not much mosquitos in Gran Canaria but we sometimes suffer a mosquito bite. We normally provide mosquito repellent but please check this before coming in case you have a serious allergy.

Vision impairment / Wearging glasses

The workshop is mainly dedicated to the observation of the sky and you may not fully enjoy it in case of blindness or partial vision. Be aware the area where the workshop takes place will get quite dark at night and this could increase the difficulty. You should let us know about your vision. In case it is necessary we will use red lights at night to help you without reducing the night vision of other guests. We will make room for a guide dog if needed.

If you are wearing glasses and you have contact lenses, be aware contact lenses are a bit better for using the telescope but are not mandatory. We may also regulate the eyepiece to you personal vision, please ask for this if you wish.

Deaf or hard of hearing

If this is your case, we recommend you to let us know. Deaf or hard of hearing people, you usually read our lips and you may not be able to do that in the dark conditions of an astronomy workshop. We are here to help you. We can send you a complete description of the workshop and the objects we are going to observe previously by email. We can also try to speak more clearly, closer to you and use a faint red light on our face so you can still read our lips.

Mental health conditions, fear of heights

If you are not used to, the remoteness of urban areas may increase your difficulty. Do not hesitate to contact us if you need more information about the workshop or if you think we can help you somehow.

We successfully attended people with deep fear of heights but be aware the road where we are taking you is narrow and next to the cliff. It is safe. The road is in good state, our drivers have long experience driving this kind of road our minibuses are new and constantly checked. And we are going slow. All in all this is not more dangerous than the motorway. But it is more impressive.

Physical disability

Locomotor system: There is no need to walk. We will mount the telescope(s) a few meters away from the minibus so you only have to go from the minibus to the telescope(s). We can help you if you wish. In case you want to come with a collapsable wheelchair, you should let us know in advance as there is no much space remaining in the minibus. We will provide normal chairs. Despite we successfully attended people using wheelchair, you should know you may not be able to observe all objects with the telescope. If the telescope is pointing at 45º, it is perfect for you. But less than 15º or more than 80º could be a bit challenging for you. See the pictures. Once again, we are here to help you.

Damaged cervical: You may have difficulties if you cannot watch up. It is not only you may not see the starry sky: you need at least to be able to watch in front of you to be able to observe through the telescope. Do not hesitate you ask us. We may help you.

Pregnant

Sure this is not a disability but I had to put this somewhere.

No, the road is not bumpy. Yes we can go slower for you.

Be aware we are quite far away from medical help. You should not come in the "extra time".