Treating the Travel Bug

By Julie Sanfaçon

I have a serious condition. It’s a bad case of the travel bug.

I also have myopia, nystagmus and a rare type of night blindness. At times, my remaining vision is quite strong. But other times, especially at night, I am almost completely blind.

My desire to travel and live abroad stems from a longing to break away from what I know, and develop my own understanding of diverse ethnic backgrounds.

Graduate studies in university were my launching pad for travel (I completed a master’s degree in English-French translation at Laval University). Eager to take advantage of university exchange programs and internships, I found three opportunities to live overseas. I took graduate translation courses in Scotland, learned Russian in Moscow and took part in a human resources internship in Melbourne, Australia, coordinated by the Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) and hosted by the Vision Australia Foundation.

During my ventures, I also managed to escape to do a little exploring on my own. And, through my experiences, I have collected a few tips for travellers with vision disabilities to help fellow trekkers enjoy travel experiences that are exciting, yet safe.

Working with Agents
When I talk to tour operators or travel agents, I make sure they do not make assumptions about my abilities. I ensure that my needs, my limits and what activities interest me are crystal clear. If the agent does not fully comprehend what I want and can do, it can lead to situations where I am either at risk or overprotected, such as being on a tour where I’m not allowed to walk down a staircase by myself.

Air Travel
I always book an aisle seat on the aircraft for ease of mobility, and I avoid booking a seat next to an emergency exit for safety reasons. I also ask my travel agent to put a note on my ticket indicating that I’m a traveller with a disability. This note allows me to board the plane during pre-boarding procedures.

Navigating through airports is usually easy, as airport staff and flight attendants are made aware of passengers with disabilities and gladly offer assistance. However, in some airports and for some airlines, providing help means hailing an independent porter who does not work for the airline and will charge you (substantially) for assistance. I once had to empty my pockets to pay a porter at the Toronto airport, after I was offered no other option. I refused such help in Moscow from a porter demanding American dollars. Make sure the person who will be assisting you is part of the airline’s staff and that you will not be charged for a helping hand.

People with vision disabilities may not be able to follow a visual presentation of safety procedures carried out by flight attendants before takeoff. And they may not be able to read booklets outlining the aircraft’s safety features. Flight attendants should provide one-on-one briefs to passengers with disabilities on security procedures and the locations of emergency exits, lifejackets and oxygen masks. This may not be done unless you ask, so don’t hesitate to request a briefing if you’re unclear about any safety issues.

Accommodation
If you don’t mind slinging a backpack, youth hostels can provide great opportunities to meet fellow travellers and find affordable day trips and activities. But dormitory-style accommodation can be hard to cope with if you have a disability. Poor lighting, high bunk beds and a lack of storage space in dorms can create a challenging environment.

However, with a little digging, you can find hostels with accessible facilities. For example, out of 150 hostels in Australia, 15 have wheelchair access.

Orientation
Orientation remains my biggest challenge, since I easily get lost in unfamiliar surroundings. Such problems can be frustrating and even dangerous.

Because I’ve found it difficult to find large-print maps in stores, I’ve become creative in making my own. Lonely Planet (www.lonelyplanet.com) displays maps on its website that I can view online with my enlargement software and then print for my own use.

Sometimes I just find the largest folding map I can and break out the scissors. While living in Russia, I bought a huge city map, cut out the section displaying Moscow’s metro network and used this on a daily basis to get around town.

Also, when sightseeing, I always carry a business card from my hotel, hostel or bed and breakfast. If I get lost, I approach someone on the street and display the card. That said, it’s extremely important for me to learn key phrases in the local language of any foreign country.

Like other travellers with vision disabilities, I have noticed that carrying my white cane around, even if I don’t need it, attracts positive attention, and people seem more willing to offer directions.

Solo or Group Travel?
Whether or not group or solo travel is more suitable for someone with a vision disability truly depends on individual preference. I’ve often travelled alone, but know several people with vision disabilities who joined motorcoach tours of Europe and Australia and enjoyed a safe trip.

Personally, I have reservations regarding group travel. Adventure tours, backpacking trips and even day trips geared for people without disabilities can be challenging and frustrating. Other travellers are often willing to help, but they may lack awareness regarding vision disabilities or may not want to alter their plans for fear that it will compromise their own enjoyment. While travelling to Australia’s Alice Springs, I asked my travel companions to leave a neon light on at a campground so I could safely walk around the camp at night. They refused, saying that it prevented them from watching the stars.

Last December, I went on a motorcoach tour in central Australia with a small group led by two guides. Though this tour company displays a policy on its website stating that it accommodates travellers with disabilities, the company’s guides lacked basic disability awareness training.

I was told I would have help, when climbing the famous Ayers Rock. Yet I ended up climbing up and coming down alone, losing my footing on many occasions. Fortunately I was not hurt, save the odd bruise. My self-confidence, however, was shaken. I felt it was crucial to take action. I lodged a formal complaint against the tour operator and the two guides and won my case last March – proof that disability awareness training should not be falsely advertised.

That experience has not stopped me from heading overseas again. Rather, it taught me to be especially thorough when investigating tour companies.

This September I will fly to Mali, West Africa, to work in public relations, translation and education projects with an African blindness agency. I can’t wait.

And, as always, I’ll find time to explore on my own – as I decided long ago, a lack of vision would never stop me from seeing the world.

(Julie Sanfaçon is an avid traveller who makes her home base in Quebec City, QC.)


WEBSITES:

Access Guide Canada
www.enablelink.org/agc
The Canadian Abilities Foundation’s online accessibility resource for travel within Canada.

Canadian Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Consular Affairs
www.voyage.gc.ca
Information and assistance for Canadians abroad.

Transport Canada
www.tc.gc.ca/aboutus/travel/menu.htm
Includes information for travellers with disabilities.

Travel@Home and Abroad
www.passages.gc.ca
Government of Canada site on travel in Canada and abroad.

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB)
www.cnib.ca
Information on services and events for Canadians with vision disabilities.