About

The author giving a thumbs up while standing next to a male lion. The lion’s head is tilted with mouth open

 

How does a visually impaired person ‘see the sights’ of the world?  How do they experience  a seaside sunrise, an ancient world heritage site or the smiling faces of a bustling street scene?  Why would they want to when these sights cannot be seen?

These are some of the basic questions that first come to mind when thinking about the hows and whys of a visually impaired or blind person embarking on international travel.  To these can be added more intricate questions such as; how would they navigate unfamiliar streets, manage to catch the right bus, plane or train and whether or not such efforts would actually be worth it considering missing out on much of the visual information that makes up culture and its experience of it.

In my case, these aren’t arbitrary questions.  They aren’t questions of interest to ponder over and move on, they have been Big questions for me, in fact, as someone who is legally blind they are questions that have come before other travel related musings such as ‘where do I wanna go?’

Like many, I have long had the desire to travel; ‘to see the sights and have delights on every foreign shore’.  Those dreams  have largely been unfulfilled though as the weight of the questions above and being legally blind have proven to be a major stumbling block.  As I have gotten older my eyesight has continued to deteriorate with most of my ‘adventures’ taking place in various surgeries and doctors rooms.   In the past decade alone my surgeries have numbered over a dozen – social engagements have been fewer.

It is now time  to take my white cane and my backpack on the road and through the skies and find answers to the questions above.  Thankfully, I have been given the opportunity to now fulfil some of those desires thanks to my younger brother  who will be my travelling companion, sighted guide and local beer connoisseur. 

There will be challenges of course, at times it can be hard enough to cross the road in my small home town let alone an unfamiliar, crowded cityscape on the other side of the globe, but that is all part of the fun.

Along the way there will be a bevy of people to meet, of foods to taste, of sounds to hear.

Where we end up only time will tell but you are invited along the journey!

I hope Blind As A Backpack will be entertaining for all readers whether sighted or not as we all have similar emotions and experiences.  For sighted readers I hope you will find that blind or visually impaired people are a lot like you and for those blind or visually impaired people here, I hope the blog can at least answer one question you may have about travelling with a loud; “Yes you can!”

If you have any questions, advice, recommendations or just want to say hello feel free to contact me at kristanemerson@gmail.com

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*Whilst legally blind I am not  totally blind.  I currently have a small amount of vision in one eye as a result of cataracts, glaucoma, multiple retina problems, surgical complications etc., etc.  I use a white cane to navigate unfamiliar situations and to let those around me know of my low vision.  I also experience an eye condition called Charles Bonnet Syndrome which I may discuss in the blog.

Cane, backpack and able

Cane, backpack and able