Travelling While Disabled

This week I ran away from humid London to burning hot Rome to fulfil a lifelong dream - to explore an ancient city I’ve been entranced by since I was a tiny nerd. Now, as a fully-grown history nerd, I could finally run around the city eating obscene amounts of carbs and exploring shuttered streets and crumbling ruins.

But managing the rollercoaster ride of disability is a complex game, so when I travel I have to be ready for every eventuality. With my mash up of health weirdness, you don’t hop on a plane without thinking about how to manage any health and mobility issues.

Just like I do every time I leave the house, I have contingency plans in place. Except, in another country I don’t have my usual comforts to fall back on. So I have to do a bit of over thinking to prepare.

Here are my tips for travelling with mobility and health issues…

1. Choose your travel partner(s) very wisely

Anyone going on holiday wants to know that their companions aren’t going to turn into nightmares halfway across the ocean. And the people you choose become even more important when you’re chronically ill.

You don’t have the luxury of not telling them how your body might be affected and they have to be to willing to support you in case something does go haywire. Before you even consider booking a holiday with someone ask yourself four crucial questions. One, are they aware of your condition? Two, are they empathetic? Three, are they happy to listen to you? Four, are they happy to compromise? If the answer is yes to all three, then you’re on the right track.

I went to Rome with a friend who has never failed to be a supportive, loving, crazy and caring person. While we were guzzling Wetherspoons prosecco at the airport, she told me I had to speak up if I ever needed a break and not to even think about putting on a brave face if I was in pain. Make sure you pick someone who can call you on your bullshit when it’s necessary, putting on a brave face for the sake of a holiday is just a waste for everyone.

2. Educate them as best you can

Travelling with people who are willing to accommodate each other is a key, regardless of any health complications. It’s no good getting on a plane with people whose expectations of the trip don’t match yours, especially if one of those people has their health to consider.

While it’s not entirely our responsibility to educate the world about chronic illness and disability, it does fall on us to educate our friends when they’re travelling with us. They can’t help if they don’t know what’s going on underneath the surface.

Be straight with the people you’re travelling with. Explain what your limitations are and the solutions you can put in place to make your holiday a safe one.

3. Know your options

Finding the perfect place to go on holiday is just a small part of the battle when you’re disabled. You don’t just get to pick a place at random and jump on a plane. You have to know what the transport links are, whether you’ll require disability access at any of the sites and how to keep your schedule flexible enough to allow for bad days.

Thankfully, on this occasion I didn’t have to do too much research, as I’m able to sustain walking with lots of rest stops but stairs and big inclines can be tricky for me. Every step sends lightning bolts of pain up my back or down my legs, so I tend to avoid them where I can.

I decided that I would push through it and brave the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, which may have not been the smartest choice but I had to check them off my bucket list.

Not everyone has the privilege of doing that though, so always do detailed research into any attraction if your mobility is more limited. We’re getting better at accommodating disability but a lot of sites are still lacking in access.

4. Accept your limitations

You never quite get used to having to compromise based on your health but it is essential when you’re travelling.

If you struggle with walking and standing for extended periods of time, then you’re going to have to schedule breaks. If you struggle with fatigue, then you must find time to rest. If you are in too much pain to do something, then don’t force yourself to go.

Accepting that your health impacts your mobility and ability to function normally is no easy feat. It takes constant work to come to terms with but never let pride get in the way of caring for your body.

I’ve overdone it on holidays before and paid for it with weeks of excruciating pain and exhaustion. It’s simply not worth it. You’ll just spend the entire holiday focused on how your body might retaliate for your exertion, instead of soaking up the experience.

Outline your boundaries and accept the limitations your body has. It will save you a great deal of pain and anxiety.

5. Prepare yourself for all eventualities

Everyone brings some sort of survival kit when they travel, but you need to be extra prepared when you have physical limitations.

Break down every leg of your journey and brainstorm the essentials that will alleviate your symptoms. If you have to do a long journey, pack as many heat pads and pillows in your travel bag as possible. Don’t forget to stock up on any medication you need and always check what you’re allowed to bring into the country. A simple pack of codeine could you land you in serious trouble in some parts of the world. And, last but not least, bring as many distractions as you can possibly jam into your carryon.

If you have chronic pain of any kind, then you know that distraction is key when managing it. Something as simple as forgetting a book or my earphones to read can really mess me up on a long journey. After I’ve done my last minute frantic passport checks, I always check on my distractions too. Everything I could possibly want is at my fingertips ready to take my mind of any flare-ups.

6. Ready yourself for the drop off

Every time I exert myself slightly more than usual, I know I’ll be paying for it in pain and fatigue. A holiday is exactly the same, only more extreme.

You can hope for the best case scenario and maybe you’ll get home and carry on as if nothing has happened, but I’ve always been a cynic who has to prepare for the worst-case scenario. In this situation, it feels like the wisest option. The last thing you want to do is screw yourself over because you didn’t leave enough recovery time.

Coming back from this holiday left me more exhausted than I’ve been in years and that was with taking it super easy on myself. Thankfully, I prepared for that possibility and gave myself a full two days of recovery to recuperate. I spent 24 hours pretty much bedbound, unable to think a single coherent thought but it was worth it.

Never let your physical limitations stop you from travelling. Adventures aren’t just for the able-bodied, they’re for whoever has the will to leave the front door.