Handiscover

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Sassy Wyatt, a disability awareness consultant and content creator about her passion for changing the landscape of accessible tourism to make travel more inclusive for people with disabilities. Living with both arthritis and blindness Sassy shared with us a unique perspective on life and travel. Listen to the podcast below to hear the full conversation with Cory and Sassy.

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Emily Ladau, a passionate disability rights activist. Her career began at the age of 10 when she appeared on several episodes of Sesame Street to educate kids about life with a physical disability. Emily is the Editor in Chief of the Rooted in Rights Blog, co-host of The Accessible Stall Podcast, and author of Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to be an Ally.

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Emily Rose Yates, a disability advocate, accessibility consultant, journalist, and public speaker, currently living in Glasgow. She has lived & worked in the UK, Australia, southern Africa, China, Bali, and Brazil. She spoke about her travel experiences around the world and what it's like to travel as a wheelchair user. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Andrew Robertson of the YouTube channel “Spin AT Lightspeed” about travelling as a disabled father. They talked about their travel experiences around the world and what it's like to travel as a powered wheelchair user and a dad/son team. You can watch the full video of the conversation and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Maayan Ziv about how the travel industry can improve for wheelchair users, how she launched her company and her travel experiences around the world. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

In this episode of Access All Areas, Cory spoke to Josh Wintersgill, Founder and Director of Able Move. Able Move provides transfer slings and a variety of other products for wheelchair users. Josh and Cory discussed the process of wheelchair air travel and how to improve air travel. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee recently spoke to Accessible Travel Blogger and Head of Marketing at AccessAble, Carrie-Anne Lightley. Carrie-Anne spoke about how she started her blog, her job at AccessAble and how she juggles both of these responsibilities. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee recently spoke to Accessible Travel Vloggers Kevin and Dee of Accessible Adventurers about travelling as an Interabled couple. They got into why they started their YouTube channel, how they met and began travelling together as a couple and some of their most memorable travel memories. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee spoke to Eli Meiri, an accessibility consultant and tour guide in Israel about wheelchair accessibility in Israel, focusing on Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. If you're thinking about planning a visit to Israel, tune in and hear about some great attractions for wheelchair users and fun things to do in The Holy Land! You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee spoke to Arturo Garrido, the owner and founder of the accessible tour company, Accessible Madrid. They talked about wheelchair accessibility in Madrid as well attractions for wheelchair users and some fun things to do if you're planning a visit to Madrid. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee spoke to accessible travel blogger John Morris of WheelchairTravel.org about his incredible travels around the world and trust us, you'll want to hear this! Just within the past few years, he's been on safari in Africa, rolled around Beijing, and boarded the Hogwarts Express in London. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Cory Lee spoke to Leena of Visit Helsinki and Sanna Kalmari of the popular Finnish travel blog Palmuasema - Esteetön matka about what makes Helsinki a great destination for wheelchair users. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Our Content Manager, Cory Lee, spoke to accessible travel blogger Julie Jones of ‘Travel Without Limits' magazine and ‘Have Wheelchair Will Travel' a wheelchair accessible travel blog based in Australia covering worldwide destinations. As the mum of a son that uses a wheelchair, Julie spoke about her family's incredible travels around the world. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Our Content Manager, Cory Lee, spoke to Jón Gunnar Benjamínsson, founder of the accessible tour company Iceland Unlimited about wheelchair accessibility in Iceland. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Our Content Manager, Cory Lee, spoke to Mie of the Copenhagen-based tour company “Copenhagen By Mie & Friends” about what makes Copenhagen a great destination for wheelchair users. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

In this episode, Cory Lee spoke to accessible travel blogger, travel agent and entrepreneur Sylvia Longmire about her incredible travels around the world as a wheelchair user. You can watch the video version and previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook and Subscribe to our Youtube Channel for new episodes live-streamed every two weeks.

Martyn envisions a world without barriers, prejudice or discrimination. Since broadcasting our first live conversation, we have focused on some amazing destinations around the world. However, this time Cory spoke to disability influencer, entrepreneur and travel addict, Martyn Sibley, about his businesses and his incredible travels around the world as a powered wheelchair user. Note: This is an audio version of a Facebook Live broadcast event which you can watch in full here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zb2k5xyU83Y You can also watch previous discussions on our Facebook page and YouTube channel. Follow us on Facebook for new episodes every two weeks. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzkLqthchOY0LLJHRfEberQ https://www.facebook.com/Handiscover

The Handiscover Accessible Travel Chat - Covid-19 Series. Episode 01: Marcela Marañon Marcela Marañon is a strong advocate for wheelchair accessibility, fashion inclusion, accessible travel, and access to medical assistive technology. Marcela has travelled the world and shared her message in several countries in educating others about accessibility. She knows first hand the hardships and inequalities faced for disabled travellers. Overcoming those obstacles has led Marcela to lead the charge in creating an accessible world by spotlighting the issues faced with accessible travel. Join us for this episode as we discuss the impacts of the recent outbreak of the coronavirus on Marcela's work, the travel industry as a whole and her day-to-day life.

Wheelchair Rugby Captain, Speaker & Mentor At age 17, Andy Barrow suffered a spinal-cord injury that left him paralysed from the chest down, with limited use of his hands. Following this life-changing injury and an extremely difficult rehabilitation period, his life was transformed again when he discovered wheelchair rugby – also known as “Murderball”.  Andy has been to three Paralympic Games, three World Championships, and five European Championships, where he was part of a record-breaking team that won three gold medals in a row. He captained Great Britain from 2005 to 2010, and led the team out at the Beijing Paralympics – one of his proudest moments.  Since retiring, Andy has gained experience as a speaker and mentor. He is a member of the Professional Speaking Association and Global Speakers Federation and has spoken for audiences across the world. In 2018, Andy has turned his attention to accessibility. His experience as a world traveller sees him working as a consultant with multiple aviation and rail organisations to improve the assisted travel process for customers with impairments. To learn more about Andy and this episode, visit: https://blog.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/podcast-wheelchair-rugby-captain-speaker-mentor/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Artist, Traveller & Wheelchair User Los Angeles Artist Kam Redlawsk was born in South Korea but was adopted and raised in Michigan since she was 4 years old. A rare muscle-wasting disease called GNEM began taking over Kam's body at the age of 20, however, in hindsight, symptoms began much earlier. Kam went from kicking soccer balls and running to making use of canes, leg braces and now a full-time wheelchair since 2012. Kam is a self-taught illustrator. She visually portrays her personal experiences with a degenerative muscle-wasting disorder and what it’s like to live with a debilitating condition. Kam believes an image can describe what words cannot. Kam is also trained in Automotive Industrial Design. She has been involved in product design, creative branding and art direction, graphic design, non-profit, advocacy and now illustration. She has designed an array of products ranging from cell phones, toys, electronics, and even contributed to the world's cheapest prosthetic knee joint for third world countries. Through her work, Kam hopes that those with disabilities will see they can still live life and live it big. To learn more about Kam and this episode, visit: https://blog.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/podcast-artist-traveller-wheelchair-user/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Wheelchair User & Chronic Illness Blogger Natasha Lipman is a chronic illness blogger and Instagrammer from London. She writes about her experiences of navigating chronic illness as she makes her way into her thirties. Natasha started blogging in 2013 as a way to manage her feelings about her chronic illnesses. At the time, she was, unfortunately, hitting ‘rock bottom’ health-wise and was struggling to cope. At the age of 24, Natasha genuinely thought that her life was over and that she would never be able to function well enough to have any form of social life, let alone work. Natasha is now a journalist for a major broadcaster, working part-time from home. She set up a youth journalism project from home, including co-founding the first online platform for young Libyans to talk about their experiences of the Revolution, which won her a trip to India to meet Richard Branson with the Virgin Media Pioneers. Through her writing, Natasha’s goal is to share her experiences of how she copes with chronic illnesses, including the ups, downs, and everything in between. To learn more about Natasha and this episode, visit: https://blog.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/podcast-wheelchair-user-chronic-illness-blogger/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

The Wheelchair Tourist This week’s guest is Tobias Binder AKA The Wheelchair Tourist. Tobias was born prematurely which caused his tetraplegia. He has always been eager to travel to new places, meet new people and to simply live a 'normal' life. In his teenage years, he fell in love with American and British culture. He has travelled to the USA and the UK several times. One main reason to visit these countries are the theme parks. Tobias has found that a lot of US and UK theme parks (and of course the rides) are quite accessible. The spark of the idea of a journey, the whole planning process and the way an idea develops into an experience is what inspires him. Travelling is essential to Tobias. He loves getting away, seeing new things, experiencing new places – and after all coming back home with lots of new impressions give him energy for everyday life. Tobias shares his experiences through his social media handle and blog called The Wheelchair Tourist. He hopes to inspire other wheelchair users to go out and explore the world themselves. To learn more about Tobias and this episode, visit: https://blog.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/podcast-the-wheelchair-tourist/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Wheelchair Road Trippers Niek and Leanne are a young couple from The Netherlands. In 2015, Niek ended up in a wheelchair due to cancer in his spinal cord. The second metastasis in the back swelled up so much that it caused damage to the nervous system and resulted in paraplegia. Despite the huge obstacles the young couple have had to face, they are determined to continue enjoying the normal things in life. They are committed to showing what is still possible through their social media handle Take it Laesie, which documents the life of the young couple embarking on camping and road trip adventures all over the world. Their aim by sharing their adventures online is to motivate and inspire people, and also to provide suitable tips and advice about travelling with paraplegia. To learn more about Niek and Leanne and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/wheelchair-road-trippers/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

The Importance of Character & Individuality for People with Disabilities Elizabeth Wright is an Australian Paralympic swimmer. Having swum at two Paralympic games, Elizabeth walked away with 3 Paralympic medals. Not only that but Elizabeth also walked away with a drive to help other people thrive in their own lives. After retiring from Paralympic swimming she was left wondering "what enabled me to stick with my sport and be resilient to bounce back from setbacks?" Elizabeth Wright was born with a physical disability at a time when children like her would be sent to special schools. Her parents fought for her inclusion in mainstream schooling. This experience enabled her to grow in self-belief and confidence and to ultimately go on to win three Paralympic medals. Elizabeth left the sport of swimming knowing she could achieve her goals. Elizabeth wanted to understand what it was that had enabled her to fulfil her potential, that is when she discovered character. Elizabeth moved to the UK to pursue a career in speaking, focusing on schools. Elizabeth’s aim is to help pupils thrive in all aspects of their lives; the programme is a comprehensive, evidence-based approach to resilience and wellbeing, and includes fun activities that engage and motivate. To learn more about Elizabeth and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/the-importance-of-character-individuality-for-people-with-disabilities/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Wheelchair Skier & Mentor For Accessible Travel Sebastian Forsen is not a famous athlete or Paraylmpian, however, he has shown incredible resilience and strong will to overcome the obstacles presented to him. When he was 19 years old Sebastian had an accident while skiing, which left him in a wheelchair. Since then, he has been traveling the world and participating in many different kinds of sports. He also works for a rehab center in Sweden, teaching disabled people how to adapt to life in a wheelchair. Sebastian also has a vision of creating and planning itineraries for accessible group travel. Based in Stockholm, Sweden, Sebastian believes it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. There are hidden swimming spots, great food and the locals are happy - especially in Summer. Being a keen swimmer and a wheelchair user it can be hard to find good spots to get in the water. However, there are so many waterways and lakes throughout Stockholm that are great for swimming with easy access. As well as swimming, Sebastian is a keen skier. Skiing since the age of 3, Sebastian believes it is something that defines who he is. Ironically, it was due to a snowboarding accident that Sebastian broke his back and ultimately became a Paraplegic. Sebastian has since begun sit-skiing, and by doing so has shown impressive mental fortitude by continuing to do what he loves despite his life-altering injury. To learn more about Sebastian and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/wheelchair-skier-mentor-for-accessible-travel/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Paralympic Judoka Paralympic Judoka, Jack Hodgson, was born with Usher syndrome – a rare hereditary condition which has left Jack profoundly deaf for most of his life. Since the age of 12 has had tunnel vision the size of a 5p piece. However, now a Worlds silver medalist and paralympian, Jack is training full time at the British Judo Centre of Excellence alongside Judokas from the Olympic and Paralympic programs. Recently, Jack has graduated from the University of Wolverhampton with a degree in Sports Coaching Practice. Despite the challenges Jack faces with his disability he has been able to achieve these goals alongside his commitments as a full time athlete. To learn more about Jack and this episode, visit: https://blog.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/paralympic-judoka/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Life as the Father of a Wheelchair User & Founder of Handiscover Sebastien Archambeaud, Founder and CEO of Handiscover, is an entrepreneur, surfer, husband and father living in Sweden. Travelling is a huge part of life for Sebastien and his family. They are constantly looking to escape the cold of Northern Europe searching for waves and warmer weather. However, Sebastien’s son, Teo, has muscle disease and requires a wheelchair. Throughout their travels, Sebastien and his family realised how challenging it was for them to find accommodations adapted to their son’s needs.  Sebastien started the company Handiscover to address these particular challenges and to help those facing similar difficulties. Now, together with a great crew of supporters, ambassadors and a really strong team; Handiscover’s aim is to empower and enable billions of people who have some form of disability, to discover the world. To learn more about Sebastien and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/life-as-the-father-of-a-wheelchair-user-founder-of-handiscover/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Wheelchair Model and Inclusive Fashion Advocate Samanta Bullock had dreams of walking down the catwalk at London Fashion Week from a very young age. However, tragically, after accidentally shooting herself with her father’s shotgun at age 14, Samanta was told she would never walk again. Her dreams were shattered. Samanta then turned her focus to tennis and becoming the best Brazilian played in a wheelchair, competing at the Paralympics. In recent years Samanta has realised her dreams of modelling and is now focused on creating her own line of clothing. Having been a wheelchair model from an early age, Samanta has always felt frustrated by the lack of luxurious clothing available for disabled people. Working as an advocate for inclusion within the fashion industry, Samanta has decided to join forces with some of the most innovative emerging designers to develop her brand, ‘SB’ – a unique line of clothing based on the principle that “it’s not about being disabled, but about feeling beautiful and comfortable whilst in the sitting position”. Born in Brazil, Samanta moved to London 10 years ago and has since dedicated her life to improving the lives of people living with disabilities. She hopes that her collection will open people’s minds and hearts. “We must be seen to exist”. To learn more about Samanta and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/wheelchair-model-inclusive-fashion-advocate/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Adventurer, Inspirational Speaker & Wheelchair User Adventurer and inspirational speaker, Aron Anderson, has achieved feats that most people would think unimaginable, especially for someone in a wheelchair. In 1996, aged 7, Aron Anderson was diagnosed with cancer in his lower back. After an extremely tough period of chemotherapy and radiation treatments the cancer was removed. However, Aron lost functions in both of his legs. Since then Aron has become the first person in a wheelchair to climb to the peak of Sweden’s highest mountain Kebnekaise. He has also climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, he’s swum 37 kilometres across the Sea of Åland, arm-biked from Malmö to Paris and skied 300 kilometres across Antarctica to the South Pole. His unique experiences have taught him the importance of a strong team spirit and a positive mental attitude. He now uses these experiences working as a motivational speaker and a successful ambassador for the Swedish Childhood Cancer Foundation. To learn more about Aron and this episode, visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/adventurer-inspirational-speaker-wheelchair-user/ Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Wheelchair Travel Tips Wheelchair user, Mathew Goodwin is a British trapshooter and coach competing internationally in Para/Olympic Trap. Mat is also a World Cup Gold and Silver medalist, 3 times World Record Holder and World champion in the 3 man team event. In 1996, when he was 18 years old Mat became paralysed after he was involved in a car accident. After coming to terms with his disability and overcoming this huge emotional and physical hardship Mat is now a professional clay shooter, travelling all over the world competing. Visit: https://www.handiscover.com/content/tips-articles/wheelchair-travel-tips/ For more information about Mat and this episode. Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Giving Back To The Community Disabled footballer, Jack Rutter is a former captain of England and the British Paralympic Cerebral Palsy Football Team. At 18, Jack was an aspiring Premier League footballer who had spent eight years with the Birmingham City Academy. However, in 2009, just months before he was due to find out if he would be offered a professional contract, he was punched to the ground outside a nightclub in Gloucester. The unprovoked assault left Jack with brain damage and deaf in one ear, resulting in his professional football career ending before it had begun. After years of extensive rehabilitation, a remarkable recovery has led to Jack captaining the England Cerebral Palsy Football Team, a second chance at a sporting career. Jack uses his amazing story of resilience to inspire others. He has now played in five major tournaments, the Intercontinental Cup, the European Championships, two World Championships and the Paralympic Games in Rio De Janeiro where he captained the Great Britain team. From his own experiences, Jack believes that it is important to travel for the experiences, culture, people, language, and witnessing beautiful landscapes in real life. One of the most exotic places he has travelled to is Phi Phi Island in Thailand. The people are nice, the food is good and, most of all, you can buy huge plates of Pad Thai for 1 GBP! Some of his best memories from Thailand include riding mopeds around the cliffs and also the full moon parties which play host to thousands of people from all over the world. Some difficulties Jack has faced whilst travelling include a trip to Cancun during Spring break. After consuming alcohol, due to his brain injury it affects his balance and he was almost denied entry to the plane when he attempted to board. Jack’s advice for those with a brain injury whilst travelling is to obtain a card that confirms your condition to avoid this situation. Other obstacles he has faced include, in some instances, some people don’t believe that he has a disability. Jack and his teammates, some of which have cerebral palsy, have been accused of being intoxicated and denied entry into clubs and bars. Jack is involved in the charity Headway. He is extremely proud to be an ambassador, and devotes a lot of time to help raise money and to support the cause. Headway were instrumental in helping Jack through his brain injury. “Headway helped me to get back on my feet and now I want to try and help others.” Jack is also most proud of his work at Dame Kelly Holmes charity which supports young athletes and, also, the lives of young people facing disadvantages across the U.K. Jack works as a mentor delivering personal and social developmental programs. He has seen, firsthand, the positive influence well-known athletes can make on young people’s lives. For example, those younger people that have trouble performing in social situations - not talking, lack of eye contact, low confidence. To see them grow in confidence, by gaining work and achieving their goals is what Jack believes makes it so rewarding. Not only that but Jack also works as a motivational speaker, delivering speeches at primary schools all the way up to UEFA conferences and football associations. He is extremely proud of the impact he has had by raising awareness of disability football and hopefully inspiring and motivating others. Jack is also a football coach, to see his students implement what they had learnt into a game is a great and rewarding feeling for him. Aside from being proud of representing and captaining U.K. in football, Jack is most proud of what he has given back to the game and to children that are in similar circumstances that he experienced. Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Defying The Odds Louise Hunt is a British Paralympic tennis player, athlete mentor and motivational speaker. Louise was born with a disability called Spina Bifida which is an incomplete closing of the backbone and membranes around the spinal cord which results in little movement in her lower limbs. Louise has been in a wheelchair for her entire life. At the age of 5 Louise began participating in many sports, swimming, basketball, fencing and she also had keen interests in Wheelchair Tennis. She soon realised that this was her real passion. Louise competed in her first Paralympic Games in London in 2012 which has always been a dream of hers. Louise also competed in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games, qualifying at her highest ever ranking to date of number 10 in the World. Alongside her sporting career, Louise also works as an athlete mentor and motivational speaker, sharing her stories and experiences with many different people, and encouraging others to fulfill their potential and follow their dreams. From visiting unique and exotic places such as Brazil and Australia Louise believes that travel is an extremely valuable form of education and that the opportunity to experience and learn from her travels have shaped her life. She believes that the opportunities to grow, learn and discover are endless. Not only that, but the amount of people that she has met from different walks of life and the relationships formed from these experiences is what makes travelling so valuable. Louise is more spontaneous when it comes to travelling. Although she believes it’s important to pre-plan before a trip, she usually likes to her finalise her arrangements when she arrives at her destination. However, there are things that you can’t leave to the last minute. Louise advises to book assistance in advance in terms of flights and other forms of transport. Louise can’t walk at all, therefore, she requires help when getting to her seat in a plane and she also requires hotels with full wheelchair accessibility. However, things don’t always go your way and the best advice to plan for a trip is to expect for problems to arise. From her own experiences, Louise knows that although it may be difficult and frustrating, there is always a way to get around these obstacles. “By defying the odds I made some of the most unforgettable travel memories.” One of Louise’s most unforgettable experiences was when she visited the Great Wall of China. As the Wall is not wheelchair accessible, everyone was telling her that she wouldn’t be able to make it to the top. However, by finding the spot with the least amount of stairs and with the help of some tourists she was able to defy the odds and get to the top of the Wall. By defying the odds of what people expected of her, Louise was able to experience one of her most unforgettable moments in her life. Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Travel Without Limits Chris Skelley, a British Paralympic judoka, competes in the visually impaired under 100kg division. Chris grew up in Kingston upon Hull, England. After leaving school he took a job at a local garage, but noticed that his eyesight was deteriorating. He was later diagnosed with ocular albinism. When his eyesight began to fail Chris slowly began to focus more on his judo and was eventually brought onto the Great Britain visually impaired team. Chris has travelled all around the world gaining countless experiences and seeing places he thought he’d never get the chance to travel to. Chris has had the opportunity to experience so many beautiful places like Mongolia, Japan, America and Rio De Janeiro. One experience Chris recounts is hopping into a stranger’s car who they’d met only two days prior in a dangerous area of downtown Sao Paulo and had no idea where they were going. They thought they were going to get robbed or beaten but they ended up getting taken for pizza and some of the best drinks they’d ever had whilst getting to see churches and other historic landmarks. Chris believes memories like this are what makes travelling worth it and so rewarding. To be outside of your comfort zone and experiencing things you never thought you would are what make the best memories. “The only thing that limits you is you. Be a little bit stubborn and go for it.” By competing as a professional judoka, Chris has had the chance to travel across the globe. Some places include a number of exotic locations such as Brazil which belong to some of his fondest travel memories. Chris believes that having a disability shouldn’t be an excuse not to travel as everyone needs to see the world. He encourages those with a disability to enjoy the adventure and to not listen to those with negative opinions that believe people with disabilities can’t enjoy these things in life. He’s most proud of doing things that most people think aren’t possible. It’s possible to travel even with limits. Chris doesn’t want to be constrained by his visual impairment, even though it might be a little harder and take a little bit more planning to get to the next destination, the rewards can be much more than you imagine. Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!

Overcoming The Obstacles Jonathan "Jono" Drane, born on 11 February 1987, is a British Paralympic judoka who competes in the visually impaired under 81kg category. In 2014 he took bronze in the International Blind Sports Association Judo World Championships, and in 2016 he was selected to represent Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio. In 2011, after a routine eye check, Jono was diagnosed with a degenerative eye condition that affects the structural integrity of the cornea which led to the deterioration of his eyesight. Jono was forced to give up his work as a self-employed plumbing and heating engineer and decided to pursue judo professionally. However, despite the diagnosis and the many obstacles that come with this, he has managed to achieve success as a Paralympic Judoka whilst travelling the world doing so. Jono’s achievements have ranged from taking the bronze in the International Blind Sports Association Judo World Championships in 2014 to being selected to represent Great Britain at the 2016 Summer Paralympics in Rio. He has also competed in the United States at the Blind Sports Association Judo World Championships in 2015, of which he was the only British competitor to receive a medal in the competition. As someone with reduced mobility, Jono’s goal is to inspire those that have been diagnosed with a life-altering condition. He wants everyone to know that with a positive mental attitude and commitment your dreams can be fulfilled regardless of what life throws at you. He wants to encourage those to not let these obstacles stop you from realising your travel dreams and to get out there and hit the road. Visit www.handiscover.com and use the code Travel30 to get 30 GBP off your first booking with Handiscover!