Solo Travel without Sight: the Ultimate Guide to Traveling Blind

I love to travel, and I often don’t have anyone to go with. There’s also so much freedom in traveling alone, as you get to plan your days around the things you really want to do, and you don’t have to worry about taking too much time on something the person you’re with might not be interested in. I know a lot of people are scared of traveling alone, and there was a time when I felt the same. It’s natural to worry about where you’re going to stay, and whether it will be awkward eating alone at a restaurant.

For blind people, the prospect of solo travel can raise even more questions. How will you find your way around your hotel? Will you be able to access public transport? How will you plan activities, and will they be enjoyable without someone else, particularly someone who can see to describe things to you? Over the years I’ve developed strategies for dealing with all of these things. This guide covers all of the things you’ll want to think about when you travel, from airports, to navigation, to finding accessible things to do.

One thing I haven’t touched on in the guide is bringing a guide dog with you. It’s been almost five years since I worked a dog, and although we travelled a lot, the rules are so different in each country I’m not best placed to share that advice.

Choosing a destination

I can’t count the number of times I’ve seen someone post on a blindness Facebook group asking something like this. “Where is a good place for blind people to travel?” The truth is it depends on the blind person. Do you like visiting the countryside? Are you more of a city person? Do you want a holiday that’s based around sports? Or sitting on the beach? You need to start answering these questions first before you start wondering about where is fun for blind people. If you hate the activities a place has to offer, or it’s too cold for you, the fact that it’s great for blind people won’t matter at all.

Once you’ve narrowed down the kind of place you’d like to visit, here are some things to consider when picking a specific location:

• What is the public transport situation like? If there’s no public transportation, is the place walkable? Or are you happy taking taxis to wherever you want to go.
• Is there enough to do in the location, or will you have to move from place to place? How are you going to do this? Is there a bus or train that can take you to the next town over, or wherever you’d like to go next?
• What language is spoken there? Are you happy to communicate in another language, either because you speak it or through something like Google translate? Do many people speak your first language?
• Do you have any legal rights as a disabled person? This may not matter to you so much as a tourist. However, it’s worth remembering that in some countries it’s almost unheard of for blind people to walk around alone, and as a result you may find there is very little in the way of accessible experiences. Ultimately you should go into a situation knowing what you’re getting into. It doesn’t mean avoiding these countries at all, but it does mean having reasonable expectations.
• Is there an airport fairly near the location? If not, how will you get from the airport to your final destination.

Choosing and navigating hotels

Things to consider when booking hotels

• Walkability. You want a hotel that’s close to at least a few things, so you can walk there. For example in Amsterdam I stayed in a hotel in the museum district. This meant I had to take public transport or an Uber to get into the city centre, but I could easily walk to the museums, which worked for me.
• Does the hotel offer breakfast? This may not seem like a blindness thing, but are you going to have the mental energy to deal with navigating first-thing so you can eat? The answer might be yes, but for me personally it’s a no. Either my hotel needs to offer breakfast or there must be places within less than a minute.
• Is the front desk open 24 hours a day? This may not be important to you. But if you want the reassurance of knowing you can get assistance if needed, then it’s worth checking this out. Almost all big hotels will be open at all times. However smaller hotels and guesthouses may only have a desk that is open at specific times.

Navigating the hotel

• Ask the person at the desk to show you where your room is. Some blind people are happy to take verbal directions instead and go from there, but personally I prefer for someone to show me the first time. It gives me the chance to ask them all the things I need to know. Pay attention. Follow them, rather than being guided. This will force you to focus on where you’re going and remember things like turnings.
• Find out how things like the lifts work. It may be that all you do is step inside, press the button for your floor, and go. However some lifts require you to swipe your room key, and you want to have this information so that you’re not standing around, wondering why nothing is happening. You may also make the unhappy discovery that the lift is a touch screen, because apparently this is now a thing that happens. It’s completely reasonable to give the person feedback about how unhelpful that is, but also remember they probably didn’t make the decision to instal it, and it’s better to be friends with them as you’re now going to need their help more than is ideal for either of you.
• Ask them for specific information about things in the hotel you’d like to access. This could include on what floor the restaurant is located, or where the fitness centre is. You’re probably going to want to explore, but having a vague idea of where to get started is helpful.
• When you enter your room, take some time to figure out where everything is. The person may offer to show you, and it’s up to you whether you accept or not. I prefer to look around on my own, as I want to touch everything, and feel more comfortable doing that without someone standing there watching me. You are likely to discover things like the thermostat. Apps like Be My Eyes, Aira, and SeeingAI can help you to explore this. It may become clear that it’s totally inaccessible, in which case, don’t feel awkward about calling the front desk to get someone to change the temperature for you.
• Find some way of identifying your room. It may be that it’s as easy as remembering it’s the third door on the right after a left-hand turning. Other ways include hooking an AirTag or similar device onto the door handle inside the room, or putting a hair tie on the outside handle. I’ve also used Seeing AI’s short text feature to read room numbers as I walk along the corridor.
• Ask what way you need to swipe your room key, and put something on it for you to feel. Some rooms are easy to open because you just touch the key card to the reader. At other times you’ll need to insert it a specific way. You can put a small piece of tape on it to help you identify which way up it goes.
• Some hotels, particularly in the UK, will insist you need to complete a personal evacuation plan at check-in. It’s completely up to you how you handle this conversation. I tend to tell them I’ll be fine getting out on my own, but could they tell me where the meeting point is, and where the nearest set of stairs or fire exit is in relation to my room.

Dealing with the airport

I almost always travel down the night before I fly, unless I’m flying from the airport in the city where I live, or one close by. I know that I’m going to find the airport the most stressful and anger inducing part of my entire trip, so I need to be well rested. A train to London and then getting across the city the morning before I fly is not going to help the situation.

I’ve personally found hotels connected to the airport more stress than they’re worth. It’s often easier to stay a little further away and get an Uber or taxi to the airport than it is trying to navigate a weird connecting system, when you’ve got your case in one hand and cane in the other, meaning you can’t easily use your phone to read signs. Every hotel and airport is different though and some actually have really nice, logical connecting systems.

In the airport

• When you first get to the airport, you’ll need to find the check-in desk. Each airline will have their own desks, and check-in for your flight generally opens 2 to 3 hours before the departure time, though this is just a rough estimate. Listen out for the sound of other people pulling their suitcases along, or for conversations that sound like they’re between a passenger and someone working for the airline. You may have to walk a little way to find your desk, so it can often be helpful to approach someone, tell them what airline you’re looking for, and ask them to point you in the direction of the correct desk.
• You are entitled to assistance as a blind person at UK airports, and similarly in Europe and the US. The quality of this assistance will vary depending on the airport. If you’re used to high quality assistance on trains in the UK, lower your standards dramatically to avoid disappointment. It’s not unheard of for airport staff to refuse to allow you to stop for food, or even to use the bathroom. While most countries will provide this service free of charge, there are places where you don’t have the right to assistance, or where you are expected to pay for it.
• Airport staff may try and force you to use a wheelchair. You do not have to accept this. If you have an additional mobility impairment you should absolutely do what works for you. As someone who is only blind, this is completely unnecessary for me and I will argue back every single time.
• You do not have to accept assistance, however get ready for an argument about this. Airport staff do not like the sight of solo blind people. They may try and refuse to give you directions, or even grab hold of you to try and prevent you from walking off.
• Do what works for you on the day. There are times when I accept assistance because being talked down to and treated like an object is still preferable to the fight I’m going to have. Other times, airport staff seem willing to give me the information I need and I go off on my own and have a great time.
• If you are navigating the airport alone, ask the person checking you in what gate you’ll be leaving from. It will be written on your boarding pass but they can easily give you this information.
• You will most likely be given the option to skip the line for security. Every blind person will feel differently about this. I tend to accept the offer because I absolutely hate the experience and I’m going to feel better the sooner it’s over.
• Security will try and take your cane away. You are within your rights to insist they allow you to keep it as you walk through the scanner. Then say you will hand it to them, so they can scan it and give it back to you immediately. Otherwise they will take it from you and it could be minutes before you get it back. Don’t actually swing it around in the scanner though, or that will set it off. You absolutely have the right to take your cane with you in the US, and the TSA has accounted for this although agents may not be aware. When you’re in other countries, it’s worth explaining to the agent exactly what you will do and that you will allow them to scan your cane after you’ve walked through. This is usually sufficient to get them to agree.
• When going through security, you’ll be expected to put your items in a plastic container, which then goes through the scanners. If you have a lot of stuff, you might need to grab a couple of the boxes. Take items like laptops and iPads out of your bag and put them in their own box. Smaller things like your phone are fine to stay in the bag. Once you’ve gone through the scanner and had your cane scanned and handed back to you, ask for directions to where your stuff will end up, as sometimes there can be a couple of lines. If it’s taking you a while to get your stuff out and you can hear other people around you, feel free to let them know they can go ahead.
• Try and find out in advance how you’ll need to navigate the airport. Are the terminals huge, necessitating using some kind of bus or train to get between gates? Or is it going to be easier to navigate. For smaller or more logical airports I will usually choose to go alone and refuse the assistance.
• Even if you get assistance, it’s worth asking them what is near the gate. It may be that you can get them to take you there, then go off on your own to grab food or a coffee somewhere nearby. They might refuse to tell you. Often the airport’s website will list food and drink places, and state which gates they are near, so you may be able to get the information that way.
• Once at your gate, figure out where the desk is. You don’t want to be in a situation where they’re calling passengers for your flight and you have no way to tell which way to go. If that does happen, listen out for the sound of them scanning boarding passes.

I’ve been pretty critical of airports and the people who work there. The reality is they are often paid very low wages, receive minimal training , and are treated badly. One time I asked someone assisting me if they’d mind if we stopped so I could grab some food. She said yes, but could I please not tell her boss or anyone because technically she wasn’t allowed to do this. So those are the kinds of conditions some of them are working in. It’s easy to yell at the person working customer service, but I promise you they didn’t make the rules or design the training. If the person offering you assistance seems friendly and respectful, it can be worth taking it. Sometimes you’ll get some really good information about the airport and how it’s laid out, which can help you if you do want to navigate it alone in future.

Unfortunately some airports are exceptionally bad when it comes to assisting disabled passengers. There are times when I have to grit my teeth and remember that it’s going to be worth it in the end. Something absolutely needs to change, but right now this is what we’ve got to work with.

On the plane

• You will be given the option to pre board. Take it or don’t, it’s honestly up to you. I often will because I like to find my seat and put my bag away before there are loads of people around. Some blind people will tell you not to, because as a blind person you don’t really need it. But honestly who cares. If the people working there are treating me with respect and not grabbing or yelling at me, I don’t think the fact I chose to get on the plane two minutes before some sighted people is going to transform their view of blindness. It also means you’ve got a way better chance of putting your bag in an overhead bin near your seat, as they won’t yet be full. This can be really important so that you can actually find your own stuff.
• Cabin crew may offer you a personalised safety briefing, and if they don’t you can ask for one. I often don’t bother as I’ve flown so many times I know all the safety information, but you may want the peace of mind. Some airlines also have braille versions of the safety card, so you can ask if this is available if you’d like one. It definitely isn’t all airlines though.
• Some information you will want is where the bathrooms are located in relation to your seat, where the emergency doors are, and where the button is if you need to get the attention of cabin crew.
• A lot of tv screens on airlines are now touchscreen, and unfortunately this also includes the call button. Ask if you can put a bit of tape next to it so you’ll know where to press. Remember to bring this with you.
• Airplane bathrooms are tiny and weird. There are often buttons everywhere, and it’s unclear what they do if you can’t see. I absolutely did press the help button by accident the last time I was flying. Oops. It’s totally fine to ask a member of cabin crew to explain everything before you go in. They’re generally very nice and willing to help, and a blind person asking questions is way less annoying than that drunk guy who really wants another beer. You will not be their most challenging customer that day.
• It’s ok to check out what’s around you and your seat, but remember that you have very little space on planes. Be respectful of the person or people sitting next to you, and try not to get in their space. You’re not going to see them glaring at you, and they may feel too awkward to speak up.
• If I’m in the middle or aisle seat I tend to let the person next to me know that I won’t see if they’re showing signs that they want to get up, so to tap me on the shoulder if they need me to move so they can get out.
• You may need to fill in some kind of customs form on the flight before you land. I’ve never had a problem asking a member of cabin crew to give me a hand with this. They’ve always been more than willing to help. Once they’ve filled it in, put it somewhere you’ll be able to easily access once you’ve landed, as you’ll need to hand it in once you’re at customs and immigration.

On arrival

• Once you land, you will be given the option to wait in your seat until everyone else gets off, particularly if you’ve requested assistance. Nobody can actually make you do that though, so if you want to get up and leave, you should.
• Arrivals are another thing that’s weird. Sometimes passport control will be really close to where you got off the plane, other times it won’t. If you’re planning on going it alone, get off with everyone else so that you can follow the direction the crowd is moving. It’s amazing how quickly people will start heading off, leaving you with very little to follow.
• If you have requested assistance, be prepared for them to take ages to show up. If you are getting a connecting flight, be as pushy as you need in order to make that connection. Do not accept them telling you that someone will be with you at some point.
• Make sure you know what your luggage looks like, and preferably have a photo of it on your phone. It will make finding it so much easier.
• Plan how you’re getting from the airport to your hotel. For me it’s always taxi or Uber. I absolutely don’t have it in me to start navigating public transport after a flight. Make a plan before you fly, so that you’re not stood at the airport with no idea what you’re going to do.

Traveling by train

I usually fly to my destination, but I’m going to try taking the train in future where possible as I’m aware that it’s better for the environment.

• You will still have to go through some form of security when taking an international train trip. The same applies regarding your cane as it would at the airport.
• If you’re leaving from the UK, it’s very likely that you will be offered some form of assistance. I’ve found the offerings internationally inconsistent, so don’t rely on it being available. Eurostar provides assistance to disabled passengers on all of their services, however they do recommend that you book it in advance.
• In some areas of the world, you have a guaranteed right to assistance. You have the right to be offered assistance free of charge in Europe across various forms of transport. The way you access that assistance is different depending on the country and train operator, and some will insist that you reserve the assistance in advance.
• If you are traveling on the Eurostar, you will take your luggage on the train with you. There is space to store items in the overhead luggage racks, as well as at the end of the carriage. Make sure you are able to identify your bag so you can get it out of the rack when you arrive. The locations for storing your luggage are pretty consistent at least across European trains.
• Some train services will provide meals. You should check in advance if this is an at seat service, or if you will need to find your way through the train to get your own food. If it’s the latter, start by asking which direction you need to head in, so that you’re not walking to the complete wrong end of the train. Count the seats as you go by, so that you can find yours on your way back. Most passengers will be more than happy to let you know what seat number you’re at if you’re not sure you’ve counted correctly when returning.
• If you do get assistance, or someone comes to check your train ticket, it’s worth asking them where the nearest bathroom is, so that you can locate it if needed.

Navigating unfamiliar cities

It’s absolutely possible to navigate an unfamiliar city if you’re blind. You’re going to draw on all of your general travel skills, putting them to use in a way you wouldn’t on a familiar route.

• Find out if the city has any kind of layout or address system. This can be the case for cities in the US, and learning the basics of how that system works will help you navigate it more easily. Not every city does. I can’t count the number of times I’ve visited London and yet I still find it utterly incomprehensible. Having said that, it is one of the few cities where I actually enjoy using the public transport more than walking, so it does have that going for it.
• Understand how the directions on a compass work. You’re going to need to follow maps and written directions, and if you don’t know where east is in relation to north, that would be a skill to work on before you go.
• Use your initiative. If you should have reached one of the busiest streets in a city, but you don’t hear any traffic and it sounds like you’re in a big open space, you’ve probably gone wrong somewhere. It happens to all of us, but you need to be aware of your surroundings and think critically about what is going on. Develop the ability to backtrack, and get yourself to a point where you think you know where you are. From there you can start figuring out what you did wrong, or more importantly, where you should be going instead.
• Be realistic about your travel skills. If you’re a nervous traveller who has never used a cane in the snow before, you might want to avoid some parts of Canada in winter. That’s not to say you shouldn’t open yourself up to new experiences. But you should be honest with yourself about your ability to handle them. You’re going to have way more fun if you set yourself up for success.
• Understand directions and how to follow them. For example, if you’re walking on the left-hand side of the street, and your next instruction is to turn right, you’re going to need to cross the street you are walking along in order to make that turning.
• Find a mapping app that you like, and learn how to use it well. It doesn’t matter if it’s Google Maps, Apple Maps, or something else. Learn the features that are most useful for you, and get comfortable with how the app works before you really need to use it.
• Start small. Usually the first place I go is a cafe or restaurant near my hotel. It allows me to start exploring the area, and I have the motivation of a snack at the end of it. Once you’ve started, you’ll soon build up a picture of how things link together.
• When I exit my hotel for the first time I step away from the door and to the side so I’m not in anyone’s way, and stand and listen for a few moments. Some information I want to get right away is whether the door of my hotel is near a street, and what direction that street is running. By getting this information you’ll be able to start following directions that your mapping app is giving you. You can either use the position of the sun to figure this out, or the compass app on your phone.
• Be comfortable asking questions. You’re going to need to ask if this is the shop you’re looking for, or where the park is. I lean hard into the whole being a tourist thing, to distract them from the fact that I’m blind, so they don’t start to panic.
• If you’re going to use public transport, don’t bank on the fact that you’ll be offered assistance. This is particularly the case for blind people from the UK who are likely used to assisted travel being the norm. It absolutely isn’t in other countries, and you may find yourself responsible for navigating a train station and figuring out what train to get on. Be prepared to ask questions, use apps like SeeingAI and Aira, and use any information you can get from your surroundings, such as listening out for audio announcements when the doors of the train open.

Planning activities

The first thing to do is to decide what kinds of things you actually enjoy. Are you more of an out-doors person? Do you like the theatre? Do you want to explore museums? I always convinced myself that I shouldn’t bother with art galleries because I am blind and so what would be the point. And then I actually went to one and it was an incredible experience. So don’t limit yourself by assuming something can’t ever be accessible, if it otherwise appeals to you.

• Reach out to places in advance. Many museums and galleries across the world will be happy to provide you with a guide if you let them know you will be visiting. This isn’t always the case, but if you ask at least two to three weeks in advance you have a way better chance of them saying yes.
• If you don’t want or can’t get a guide, consider utilising other tools, like the apps on your phone. But also ask for helpful information, such as how the museum is laid out. If you know the layout, it will give you a starting point to start exploring alone.
• See if there are any cool events happening during your stay. This could be anything from an exhibition at a gallery, to a theatre performance in a park.
• Ask about accessibility features that may be present. An example of this could be audio description at a theatre, or QR codes in a museum. I only just discovered that a few different Broadway shows offer on-demand pre recorded audio description, meaning I can get it at any performance.
• Try things you haven’t done before. Even better if they’re free or low cost. That way, if they aren’t as accessible as you’d have liked, it’s not a huge loss.
• Lots of cities will offer free walking tours. I’ve generally found tour guides to be really open and friendly people, who are more than happy for a blind person to join. It can be worth asking them to give you a couple of verbal directions about where you’ll be heading. And it can be easier to stick to the front of the group so you can hear to follow them a little more easily. If I can contact them in advance I will often do so, purely to let them know I’ll be at the meeting point but could they look out for me, as I won’t be able to spot them.
• If you want to travel out of the city, consider going on an organised trip. Lots of tour companies will offer these, and it’s a way of going beyond where you’re staying without having to plan all of the logistics.

My best advice is to define what a meaningful experience is for you. I love finding a park and walking. I’m not going to be able to see what is around me, but the simple act of being alone outside in green space is something I find incredibly freeing and relaxing. It’s not going to be the same experience for me as it will be for a sighted person, but I’ve finally let go of the belief that it should be. I could spend the afternoon walking in parks and exploring a quiet trail, and that would not be a waste of time as far as I’m concerned. It doesn’t matter that I can’t see the view. What matters is that I’m there, that I’m exploring, that I’m doing this and I’m alone and I have time to think.

So you should find whatever that thing is for you. Maybe it’s watching live sports. Or taking art classes. Take time to do the thing when you travel, so that it means something to you.

Staying Safe

I was asked to include this section, which admittedly I hadn’t really thought about. The truth is that staying safe abroad as a blind person is very similar to staying safe at home, with the same challenges.

• If you are involved in any kind of incident, you’re going to find it difficult to make a report that includes any kind of physical description. This can discourage the police from taking action, and they may not view you as particularly credible. If you are near a business, insist they pull CCTV footage. They may refuse, but it’s your best option.
• Be aware of your surroundings. If you can hear that someone is following you, find a business and head inside. It may be that the person just happens to be walking the same direction as you, but they’re extremely unlikely to follow you in to a public space if they were intending to do anything to you.
• For extra peace of mind, it can be good to carry a physical card on you that includes your medical information, your name, and a contact number for an emergency contact. Things like the medical ID on your iPhone are fantastic, but if you are unwell you may be unable to switch VoiceOver off and it’s unlikely the person assisting you will know how to do so.
• Know how to get a taxi if you’re out late and don’t think walking is a good idea. Is there a number you can call? Do people put their arm out when they see one? Does the city have Uber or a similar service? Know the answer to these questions before you are in a situation where you really wish you did but don’t. If you can’t easily find the information online, ask at the reception area in your hotel. They will be able to recommend reputable companies and potentially pass on a number you can use.
• Try to remember that the vast majority of people are good. There have been multiple times when I’ve ended up needing to get an Uber in the middle of the night. If I can’t find it, I’ve had pretty good success asking someone walking by if they wouldn’t mind helping me look out for it. You may feel safer asking a couple if you hear them walking by you and chatting.

Miscellaneous tips

• Set aside some of your budget for additional expenses, rather than the usuals like food and shopping. You may find that you’ve spent the day walking around and you’re now too mentally exhausted to find your way back to your hotel, so you just need to get a taxi. It’s better to save your energy for the things you want to do, rather than proving a point that you can walk back to your hotel, which honestly absolutely nobody really cares about anyway.
• Invest in packing cubes. I haven’t really talked about packing at all here, mostly because I’m terrible at it. However I recently bought packing cubes for an upcoming trip and I was amazed how it made the process of packing my case way easier.
• Either pay to use your network plan abroad, or buy a sim for the country you’re staying in. I can’t deal with traveling without live access to maps. I try and save data by using Wi-Fi where I can, but when I’m walking around I use my data so I can get directions. It’s absolutely worth the money in my opinion.
• Try and find an app that will read the cash for the country you’re visiting, unless it has tactile markings like UK money does. SeeingAI can read a few currencies.
• Bring a spare cane with you. Bring two of them. I usually have one backup cane in my backpack, and one in my suitcase. I hope to not need them, but I once dropped my cane in a canal while having my photo taken so it’s a good thing I like to be prepared. Ultimately you’ve gone away so that you can travel. You don’t want to ruin it by breaking or losing your cane with no contingency plan.
• Figure out if the city has public toilets, and if so are they going to be something you’ll want to use? If not, go and buy a drink in a cafe and use their bathroom. Do this at a point when you don’t particularly need the toilet. It can be way harder to find bathrooms at short notice if you’re blind, and you don’t want to be a bit lost when you’re desperate for a wee. I am speaking from experience.
• Bring a backpack for use during the day. You might want to buy things, and you’ll probably have bits and pieces you’d like to carry with you. A backpack will leave you with one hand for your cane, and the other for your phone. This is very useful when you’re using navigation apps. If you don’t plan for this, you could end up trying to manage both of these things, as well as a hand full of shopping bags.
• Pack a battery pack and phone charger for use during the day. You may find yourself running low on battery, and you really want to maintain access to your mapping apps.
• Booking flights and hotels can be awkward when you are blind, but there are some accessible apps, like Expedia, which will enable you to compare prices and book. I use Expedia pretty much exclusively now because it is a fully accessible experience, though it doesn’t include all of the budget airlines. However you can add your details for the various loyalty schemes that airlines and hotel chains run, so that’s nice. They didn’t pay me to say any of this, I genuinely love the app and know that accessible travel sites are hard to find.
• Talking of booking flights, you’ll often be charged to book a seat. However some airlines will let you book one for free if you have a disability and book assistance. So it can be worth doing this if only so you don’t get stuck in a middle seat.
• If having photos of your trip is important to you, consider spending a little time with a photographer in the place you’re visiting. It will cost you a little money, but may not be as much as you think. It will mean you can get at least a few really nice photos of yourself in the most iconic places. Of course you can also take your own photos throughout the trip, but it may be that you photograph everything else, and forget to take a selfie.
• Be mindful of cultural differences. It really is amazing to see a blind person walking alone in some countries. Sometimes people may not even know what your cane is or that it means you are blind. Remember that you are visiting their country, and the rules and customs which you’re used to may not apply here. Be nice to people and allow them to make mistakes. This doesn’t mean tolerating outright disrespectful treatment, or pointless commentary on how inspiring you are in countries where you know blind people are able to move around freely. But factor all of this in when you’re considering how to respond.
• Use your brain. Seriously. Solo travel is not the time to stand around and wait for someone to come along and help you. I know this can be really difficult for us as blind people, especially when we’ve grown up in environments where people do tend to do everything for us and make all the decisions. But there comes a time when you have to decide to take things into your own hands. Other adults are expected to think for themselves and use the information they have in order to make choices, and we’ve got to actively work at doing that. It’s absolutely critical to consider this if you’re going to travel alone, because you are completely responsible for yourself and need to act accordingly. If you want information, ask for it. If you can’t ask someone, figure out another way to get it, whether that’s pulling up a website, using a scanning app to look for a sign, or by using your previous experiences to make an educated guess. Initiative and the ability to problem-solve is going to help you far more than any other skill.

The bottom line is that I think solo travel as a blind person can be more expensive, and at times more stressful than traveling as a non-disabled person. Having said that, there are plenty of sighted people who spend far more money than I do, and because I’m an experienced traveller I’m frequently less stressed than sighted first-timers. However, I know that if I were sighted and had this much experience, I’d probably be able to do a bit more each day than I do as a blind person. I’m ok with this. The fact I get to travel at all is such a privilege, and I love the experience. You’ve got to make peace with the truth that you are a blind person, and the world doesn’t give us easy access to information in the way it does to people who can see.

Solo travel can be an incredible experience, and blindness shouldn’t stop you from trying it. If you’re someone who tends to enjoy spending a lot of time alone, it could actually work out to be more enjoyable than traveling with others. I’ve definitely found it to be the case. I hope this guide has been a useful starting point, and I will do my best to update it, especially if there are questions I am asked.