Travel Tip #8: Take a friend!

I used to travel solo.

Now I rarely travel on my own.

This might be the biggest change to my travel habits since acquiring my disability.

Back at Mile 21, when I was just learning to walk again, longtime friends Jen and Polly convinced me -- and all my new equipment -- to take a road trip to Maine. 

We stuffed the trunk with a zillion supplies:

shower chair,
prosthetic pieces,
crutches,
medications,

shrinkers,
first-aid creams,
alcohol spray,
and a portable DVD player I watched at night when I couldn't sleep.

On that trip, I felt exposed and vulnerable in ways I had never imagined.

Like passing TRUCKS on the highway...

...adapting to a hotel room, walking with an ice cream cone, and sweating out of my prosthesis, exhausted, on the way back from dinner.

But I also felt -- for the first time -- a freedom that I thought was lost from my life forever.

I was traveling.

And my C-Leg was at sea!
(Or Casco Bay, anyway.)

Since that milestone trip, I've learned the value of not going it alone.  

Friends are great in case of emergency and, of course, for helping with bags.  But they also boost our confidence and help us laugh at mishaps.  (Which, for me, still happen many times a day!)

Most of all, taking a friend along reminds us that we ALL have strengths and challenges.

That we're all adaptive travelers in our own way.

Walk on,
Rebecca 

P.S. Read the postcard from Mile 21 here: The Way Life Should Be.

Travel Tip #7: Consider cultures close to home!

You don't have to go far.

On my "Alive Day" each year, I like to focus on being present and grateful for... well, being alive.

I always want to do something special and out of the ordinary, but that's a bittersweet time of year for me, and often my energy is in short supply.

So what do you do when you're feeling ambivalent and drained? 

Or where do you go if you only have a few hours?

How about Japan??

Japanese culture has a rich history in Philly, so I hopped in the car with friends Mark and Jasmine for a very short road trip.

Within a half-hour, we'd arrived at the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden -- a place I'd never visited before!

You can read more about it at Mile 13,140.

On our way back to the city, we stopped in Chinatown to slurp steaming bowls of ramen at Megumi, a new-to-me Japanese restaurant, literally blocks from home.

We knew we'd only dipped our toes (or chopsticks) in, but it felt like we'd traveled halfway around the world!

I know what you're thinking.  

It's easy in big cities because they're so culturally diverse.  But small towns -- and even rural areas -- have roots to explore too.  

No passport required!

So what's in your hometown?

Walk on,
Rebecca

Travel Tip #6: Choose "right-size" adventures!

Travel isn't one-size-fits-all.

I don't know about you, but travel pushes my body into overload.

I walk more than usual, eat different foods, get less rest, carry more than my share of emergency supplies (see Tip 2), and -- like even the most able-bodied traveler -- face weather and time changes.

The rewards are worth the struggle, for sure.

But keeping pace, while keeping my body on an even keel, can be challenging!

Luckily, travel comes in many sizes.

Figuring out how to use the teapot in your temporary home, taking a walk or roll around your new block, or browsing a local supermarket --

It all counts!

Back at Mile 8,000 in Copenhagen, when the days were chilled and darkness rolled in at 3:45 PM, travel-buddy Nat and I made an "evening" trip to the Lidl supermarket, just steps from where we were staying.

We gathered up local delights -- Danish rye, smoked salmon, thick yogurt, tea, and chocolate bars -- and feasted on them at "home" in our PJs and slippers!

It was true Denmark hygge -- Goldilocks' style -- not too big, not too small...

Just right!

(To this day, I can't pass a Lidl supermarket without remembering the fun we had there.)

Walk on,
Rebecca

Travel Tip #5: Use trekking poles... sometimes!

Ability and disability can vary day-to-day and moment-to-moment.  

So using an assistive device isn't an "all or nothing" decision.

In May 2021, just after lock-down and freshly vaccinated, my friend Jasmine and I ventured to nearby Awbury Arboretum for a much needed dose of spring green.

On the soft grass and chipped trails, the extra effort of maintaining my balance made each step tentative and undertain.

I had trekking poles in my trunk, which I'd used for hiking in the past, but I never thought of using them for "just" plain grass.  

It was worth the trip back to the car to get them.

Immediately, I felt smoother, steadier, and much, much safer!!

A fellow amputee told me that when he goes to a busy place like New York City, he brings along a forearm crutch, not only for support and balance, but because it indicates to others that he might need a little space (and grace!) on the crowded sidewalks.

Another friend, who usually walks hands-free, told me she brings out her cane in bad weather.

Since that trip to Awbury, I've used my trekking poles many times -- even for something as simple as a picnic!  Our skills and needs can change depending on the setting.

I've worked hard to master walking "unassisted" on my prosthesis, but extra assistance goes a long way... sometimes!

Walk on -- in whatever way works for you,
Rebecca

Travel Tip #4: Ask About Discounts

"If you don't ask, the answer is definitely no."

So says my good friend Elaine.

Back in February 2023, at New York City's MoMA, we put it to the test.

On the public price list, admission was posted at roughly $25/person.

"Some places have discounts for people with disabilities," I whispered to Elaine as we stood in line. (I'd learned this -- unexpectedly -- on my first trip to Europe as an amputee, where staff took one look at my leg and offered me a lower price.)

When we reached the ticket desk, Elaine urged me to ask...

"Sure," the attendant answered quickly.  "Your admission is $16 and your companion is free."  He didn't ask for proof, but I tugged up the bottom of my jeans to reveal my prosthesis anyway.

Museums and tourist sites often offer discounts -- and sometimes special tours or hours -- for travelers with disabilities.  

This makes sense.  I don't last long in a museum (too much time on my feet), and in the hour or two I spend there, I experience a fraction of what an able-bodied person might do in one day.

There might not be a discount, and that's OK too.  But, as my friend Elaine says, it never hurts to ask.

Or, in my case, show a little leg!

P.S. MoMA has an awesome gift shop with a glass elevator too.

Great spot for an awkward selfie!

Walk more -- for a little less!

Rebecca

For more about "Steppin' Out in NYC" click here.

Travel Tip #3: What's Your Best Time of Day?

Identify your best time of day -- and savor it.

Good morning?  Or night?

With an amputation and chronic health issues, I get frustrated by the unpredictable nature of my body. 

It's taken me 14 years (and lots of good therapy!) to realize this...

I don't just move through the world differently than able-bodied people.  

I move through TIME differently too.

Tasks take longer.

Experiences are more tiring.

Discomfort and uncertainty are constant travel companions.  

My attention is often divided between the outside world and the inside of my body.

There are trends though.

I'm usually at my best in the morning, so I'll wake up earlier -- especially when I travel -- to get outside, sip coffee, write in my journal, and soak up the world (and this new place) while it still glimmers with possibility.

If I'm planning an intense activity, like a tour or museum or class, I'll try to schedule it just after breakfast.  Then, whatever happens the rest of the day, the pressure's off!

Maybe your best time is midday.  Or evening.

However your timeclock ticks, identifying that rhythm -- and savoring it -- can amplify your travels wherever you are!

Walk on,

Rebecca

Travel Tip #2: It's OK to Overpack!

"Wait, what?"

I know.  I know.  Most travel gurus advise traving light.  

After all, everyday essentials are available almost anywhere in the world. 

When I hear them say this, I cringe a bit.  I'm not an expert, but I believe there's a caveat for amputees and others who travel with disability.

Overpacking is OK.  Here's why:

First, everyday life with amputation requires specialized equipment that isn't readily available away from home (think silicone liners, socket valves, prescription skin creams, etc).

Second, if we run out of something, the stakes are high.  We could develop a skin tear or be unable to wear our prosthetic at all -- seriously limiting our mobility.  (And if that happens, we can't even go out to get what we need!)

Third, bringing extra stuff along -- while challenging to pack and lug -- can reduce anxiety and worry. 

Travel ALWAYS pushes me out of my comfort zone, and knowing I've packed "everything" makes it easier to take that leap!

Walk on,

Rebecca

Travel Tips from 13,500 Miles - Even the Smallest Steps Count

TRAVEL, BEFORE.

Just before the accident, I did a home exchange with a family from Bordeaux, France.  

And the year before that, I exchanged with a family from Provence.  

It was the perfect way to travel.  I could go solo, live in someone's house, hop on their bicycle, and explore the world like a local.  

I was convinced it was how I'd travel for the rest my life.

Fast forward 3 months.   

 After the accident, I thought I'd never travel again.

Then, during my time at Magee Rehab, I met a wonderful psychologist named Lenore.  Lenore, I discovered, was French Canadian.  We shared a love for all things francais.  

Slowly, the idea of travel began to unfold again.  But it was like dusting off an outdated map, torn and creased through vital roadways.

Maybe someday I would travel again... 

But HOW?

April is Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month.

And I'm celebrating Mile Marker 13,500!

For each day of April, I'll share an "travel tip" I've picked up along this journey.

Maybe one'll hit a spot on your own map.

Maybe not.  

Our bodies, no matter how many limbs we have, move through the world in different ways.  

Travel is all about adaptation.  

Which of these tips resonates for you?

Tip 1: Even the smallest step can be a travel adventure.

At Mile 13,491 (on April 1st), I round the corner of 3rd and Chestnut, squinting into a slash of sunglare.  

There, tucked into the driveway of a parking garage, is a woman holding the leash of a... 

...GOAT?!

At 7:30 AM, less than 3 blocks from my city apartment, I meet Teddy and Anthony, two dapper bucks from a herd called the Philly Goat Project.  (Who knew??)

I don't travel far in the morning.  I have friends who run 6 miles before I can even put my leg on.  

But I walk a few blocks  -- and meet goats.  

On April Fool's Day too!

Travel isn't about how far you go.  It's about what you find along the way.

Next tip coming soon...

Happy travels!

Rebecca