Whilst looking into the idea of international travel the usual names of people and resources popped up for me much the same as they would for you. Marco Polo; Lonely Planet and ‘that guy who has just come back from somewhere-or-other’. These are of course all as valid, informative and inspirational to me as they are to the next person however my online searches into travel tend to take on an added dimension.
Not only do I look into the favoured destinations and their accompanying stories and tips; the latest advice on obtaining a visa or the cheapest accommodation but I of course have also explored how to manage and experience travelling whilst being legally blind.
Perhaps the most pressing question I had to ask myself has been ‘can I as a legally blind person actually manage to travel the world? Will I be able to navigate the new scenarios be they crowded markets, busy bus stations or rocky paths in the Himalayas? Will I be able to experience the destinations and fully enjoy them whilst not being able to visually appreciate them as others would? Will I get hit by a motorbike on a busy and seemingly lawless South East Asian road or will the holy cows of India be easier to avoid than the frantic rushing of a human on the way to work in the city?
Whilst only time and experience will answer the questions above I have at least been able to find inspiration in the fact that many blind people before me have explored the world and enjoyed it. Some of these people have been truly remarkable in their abilities to navigate and understand new scenarios; to help others through their actions and importantly, have a great time!
The first of these impressive wanderers that I would like to introduce you to is James Holman, the Blind Traveller. A man who travelled solo extensively in the 1800’s and recorded and published many of his adventures despite being totallyblind.
Tony the Traveller is a modern day wanderer and writer who proves time and time again that a lack of eyesight is not the same as a lack of vision.
