Hasitha Illa is the writer behind Life With A Hasi. Her blog centers on life with a disability, infused with the essence of Spirituality. Below, she veers from her usual topics of mental health and wellbeing to share a bit of her travel experiences for my readers.
I was always the ‘gutsy’ person who would go out of my comfort zone to get things done. I’ve also heard that attitude leads to growth, so all the more reason to get out of the zone.
I love traveling but I’d never traveled without my family – they are my comfort and caretakers, and I never had the courage to travel solo as a wheelchair user, to be honest. Until this one time when I just decided to travel from the U.S. to meet up with one of my best friends who was in London! We were making all these plans together, which made me so excited but at the same time my tummy was turning thinking about this nerve-wracking experience of doing it solo. “Out of all the destinations, I had to choose overseas for my first time!” I thought. I masked my fear with excitement and booked my first flight to London – there was no going back.
When you travel with your family, it’s just easier. I don’t have to worry as much because I know that when something does go wrong someone else is there to mitigate it. When you are using a wheelchair, the anxiety levels are out of control because the list of “what ifs” tends to be endless. “What if my chair is broken on the airplane?” or “What if the hotel ends up not being accessible” and the list goes on. When we are alone, we need to be ready for everything independently. Honestly, I think my faith and dependency on God has made everything so much easier in that aspect!
When you are in a wheelchair, you know that traveling takes a lot more planning. Here are some things I learned that helped me stay sane throughout this one-week trip:
1. Pack light and only bring the necessities.
This is so important, especially when you’re alone! I think I over packed this trip, but we traveled to different cities in London and having to carry this big trolley everywhere was last on the list of things to worry about.
2. What you pack in is important!
I had a cross-body bag which was perfect because it fit all my airport essentials and left my hands free so, I can push my chair. I would say my best purchase.
3. Pre-planning is peace of mind.
We literally planned every detail from when we would leave the hotel, the transportation and bathrooms too!
4. Meditation kept my travel stress at bay.
You might be wondering how I even found the time, but, if it really helps then you will automatically find the time.
5. If they love you, then they will do it for you.
I met both my best friends in college and school. I know taking help from others can be scary, but if they love you as much as they say then, there is no room for doubt. I was lucky to have two of the best people in the world who saw my happiness as theirs and my fears as their own. (They were more stressed than me!)
6. Just enjoy it.
Take loads of pictures. Make memories. Enjoy your friends’ company. Make a big deal out of your accomplishment because you took a trip as a solo wheelchair user! (Not everyone’s going to understand the feat you did and that’s okay.)
I think this trip made me more courageous and gave me this attitude that I can do anything! I surprised myself because I was able to do so much more than I thought I could. If it is up to me, I probably won’t do it again but, I am so glad that I did it at least once.
Hasitha and I did an article swap to help our readers see different perspectives. You can check out my article on parenting a child with a disability on her blog.