Travelling with a disability has it challenges, but these authors have done it all and shared their experiences. Here are five must-read disability travel books.
Everything You Need To Know About Wheelchair Accessible Cruising by Sylvia Longmire
Travel Without Limits contributor Sylvia Longmire has put everything you need to know about wheelchair accessible cruising into one handy book! Whether you’re wondering whether a cruise would be the best choice for your next holiday, or you’re a seasoned cruiser looking to get more out of your next trip, this book has the answers. Get all the ins-and-outs on all the major cruise lines around the world, and everything else you need to know before you go.
A Backpack, A Chair, and A Beard by Eamon Wood
Daredevils and dreamers will love A Backpack, A Chair, and A Beard. Eamon Wood has travelled the world as a wheelchair sports star, on the Kiwi men’s basketball team and as the number one-seeded tennis player, but near the end of his 20s he decided he was tired of ‘playing it safe’. He packed a bag and wheeled away, hitchhiking and odd-jobbing around New Zealand, the U.S., and the fjords of Europe. If you’ve ever dreamed of seeing the world with no more than you can carry, you’ll love Eamon’s tale of epic adventure.
What Happened To You? by Sylvia Longmire
Every person with a visible disability has faced the question: ‘what happened to you?’. Sylvia Longmire has answered it in more countries than most. Over the course of six years, she visited 176 cities in 48 differet countries, flying 444,714 miles (over 700,000km), all while using her electric wheelchair for mobility. In her fascinating disability travel memoir, she shares the good, the bad, and the ugly of travelling the world (mostly solo!) as a wheelchair user.
The One That Got Away by Ken Haley
Most of us spent 2020 safe at home, but an accident of timing saw wheelchair user Ken Haley take one of the most exhilarating, dangerous adventures of his life. A pre-planned trip to the Caribbean islands and Central America was interrupted by the spread of COVID-19. After an unplanned detour to Florida, Haley continued with a makeshift itinerary, facing obstacles like hurricanes, volcanoes, and health crises head on. He tells his story in The One That Got Away, a unique disability travel book for our times.
Seeing The World My Way by Tony Giles
Tony Giles has “seen” the world in more ways than one. His memoir, Seeing The World My Way, details many of his heart-pumping adventures, from bungee jumping in New Zealand to boozy nights out in New Orleans. Fellow adrenaline junkies will get a kick out of this no-holds-barred account of a blind thrill-seeker’s life lived to the fullest, following Tony across North America, Oceania, and South East Asia.
This list first appeared in Travel Without Limits magazine. You can subscribe here.
