Embracing the World on Wheels with Kristin Secor

 Born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, Kristen Secor, is not one to be held back. She has found joy in exploring the globe, documenting her journey on her accessible travel blog, World on Wheels. Her experiences, filled with challenges and triumphs, offer amazing insights into the world of accessible travel.

Kristin shares how meticulous planning and a keen spirit of adventure can make the world accessible for those with disabilities. She emphasizes the importance of using tools like Google Maps and seeking assistance from specialized travel companies. Hear firsthand about unforgettable experiences, from a woman fulfilling her dream of visiting Italy to her upcoming trip to Machu Picchu. Kristin’s tips and stories encourage listeners to balance practical aspects with the excitement of spontaneity, ensuring a safe and satisfying journey.

As we wind down, we take a moment to appreciate the indispensable role of advocacy in the travel industry. Kristin’s travel tales from the breathtaking landscapes of Antarctica and Italy, to the thrilling climb to the top of the Duomo in Florence are truly inspiring. We also learn about the impact of the World on Wheels blog in empowering individuals to overcome their fears and enjoy accessible travel. This episode is an empowering conversation that underscores the importance of preparedness when traveling with disabilities and celebrates the extraordinary experiences waiting to be discovered. Tune in to discover how you too can spread your wings and explore the world, irrespective of the challenges life may throw your way.

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Welcome to Voices of Inspiration. I'm your host, Amelia Old. Today we have the pleasure of welcoming a truly remarkable individual tower show. Born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy, our guest has faced challenges that many of us can scarcely imagine. Her story is not defined by limitations, but by an unwavering determination to embrace life fully, Across 20 countries and four continents, including the frosty landscapes of Antarctica. She has explored, experienced and left her mark. She has become an advocate for accessible travel, sharing her insights on the World on Wheels blog to make the journey easier for others.

Speaker 1: 0:40

Today, we have the privilege of hearing from this accessible travel blogger who defies expectations and showcases the beauty of a life well-traveled. Please join me in extending a warm welcome to our guest, Kristin Sikor. Kristin, thank you for being here and allowing us a glimpse into your incredible journey. Everyone has a story to tell. We connect and relate to one another when we share our stories. My name is Amelia Old and I am your host of Voices of Inspiration. Join me as I share stories that friends, family and strangers will my everyday life and travels. We will laugh, possibly cry, but walk away feeling connected more than ever to those around you and ready to be the change our world needs. Everyone has a story to tell. What's yours? Can you share a little bit about your personal journey, before your travel journeys actually began? Absolutely.

Speaker 2: 1:48

So I was born with a rare form of muscular dystrophy. It affects my breathing this is my ventilator. It affects my strength, my mobility, my endurance and it's a progressive disease. So when I was younger I was more able-bodied than I am now.

Speaker 2: 2:08

So I've had to kind of adjust to decreased inabilities and it did affect my confidence when I grew up in the 80s and during that time a lot of people with disabilities were kind of stuck away to institutions or to homes, not necessarily living with their families. So it was something I was always aware of, you know, just trying to kind of blend in, trying to minimize my disability, because I didn't want to be known as the disabled girl, I just wanted to be me. So that was something I was always kind of aware of and it was something I didn't really embrace until I got older where I became more comfortable with that identity and really embracing it and embracing that community, because I thought if I had associated with other people with disabilities, no offense to them. I just didn't want to be lumped in and only seen as form of my disability rather than for me as an individual.

Speaker 1: 3:18

And how did you develop a love for travel? Where did that come from?

Speaker 2: 3:22

So we always traveled on family vacations when I was younger, growing up, my mom was a single mom, so you know we didn't have a lot of money but we would go visit family in other towns or do something special that we didn't get to normally do, and it was always fun exploring new places. And then, as I got older and saved up money, I took my first international trip when I was fresh out of grad school. I had met a friend in grad school who had studied abroad, in England. She said, okay, we're graduating, my parents gave me plane tickets, let's go. And I was like okay, let's go. And so after that trip it really made me fall in love with Europe and travel in general. Even more so because just seeing you know we think we have old things in the United States. And then you go to Europe and you realize we're dropping the bucket. We're fairly new when it comes to everything. So the buildings, the architecture, the different cultures I just fell in love with that, have the travel bug and have been traveling ever since.

Speaker 1: 4:28

Now you have a travel blog called World on Wheels, and can we talk a little bit about that?

Speaker 2: 4:38

Yeah. So when my disability was progressing, I really wasn't sure can I travel anymore, what is that going to look like? And I scoured the internet and I didn't really find much information. And so there was this like existential crisis of am I going to get to pursue something that I really love now that my disabilities worsened? And luckily, my parents took me on a fairly local trip.

Speaker 2: 5:08

I live in New York. We went to Maine, somewhere you know within a day's drive of home in case something went wrong, but I fell in love with it. We went to a Katie International Park. I loved being out in nature and the trip made me realize that, yes, I can still travel. It's going to look differently. I'm going to have to plan more, I'm going to have to have other things I think about, but it's possible. And so when I came to that realization, I realized I want to be that resource for someone else. So if someone else is newly disabled and they're overwhelmed and they still want to travel, but they're not sure how and they don't know where they can go because they don't know what's accessible, I want to create a resource that they could find, that would give them that encouragement, that confidence and that information so that they could pursue their own travel dreams.

Speaker 1: 6:04

Can you talk about? Do you have any particular challenging but rewarding travel experience that you've had?

Speaker 2: 6:14

I think when you're traveling with a disability, all travel is challenging, more so than traditional. I mean travel never goes smoothly for anyone. You're always going to have stuff that pops up, but there's more likely that it's going to pop up when you have extra needs. And so I think just how people define accessibility I have found really differs across cultures or even within the United States. You know, if I ask is something wheelchair accessible? They may say yes, if you can do five stairs, and I'm like no, that's not the definition of accessible.

Speaker 2: 6:55

So when you I've learned that you really have to be specific in the questions you ask, it's not just is it accessible, but are there stairs, is there a roll in the shower? Is there? You know, I get very specific with what my needs are because everyone's definition of the word accessible changes, and I think that's been one of the challenges, no matter where I travel, is how people define that, how we communicate our needs, people's interpretation of that need and how they answer, and you know whether they're just aware of accessibility issues. I think if you've never had to deal with that, you just don't know. You know it's not like people are trying to intentionally misinform you or intentionally trying to lead you down the wrong road. They're just not aware of some of the nuances and some of the special considerations that people with mobility problems have or need, so that communication has something that's definitely progressed but can be challenging.

Speaker 1: 7:59

What do you think are some of the biggest misconceptions people have about traveling while being differently enabled?

Speaker 2: 8:06

I think we make a lot of assumptions and I found I did this in the beginning as well of oh, I'll never be able to go there because it's not accessible, or you know, just that, assuming that we all communicate the same way, that we define words the same way, things like that.

Speaker 2: 8:27

I think when you're able to challenge yourself to think outside of the box, you realize that more things are possible, more destinations can be possible. But I think that really involves knowing yourself and what you're comfortable with, so something I'm going to give you an example of an upcoming trip I have. I'm going to Peru in March and to Machu Picchu, and that's a place I never would have thought would be accessible for someone in a wheelchair, and it can be if you're comfortable with being lifted or carried or using a different type of wheelchair. It's a specialized one for the terrain, so things can be accessible, but it depends on what your comfort zone is. So really knowing yourself and then trying not to make those assumptions of what you're going to be able to do, what's possible, what's not possible, and just really look and challenge that of why, wonder if this is, let me look it up or let me see what information is out there before I make that assumption or that determination for myself.

Speaker 1: 9:42

When you are planning a trip, how do you approach organizing the trip to ensure that it's accessible for yourself? Also, you have these small group tours that you lead. How do you approach planning and organizing that to make sure that it's accessible for everyone in your group?

Speaker 2: 10:01

A lot of planning, a lot of more lead time. I plan at least a year in advance of all my trips so that I have time to do the research. I will email hotels and ask them specific questions Do you have rooms with a rolling shower that doesn't have a step? Do you have a shower seat? Do you have room no steps to get into your building? Can you send me pictures? Because they may say, oh, yeah, it's accessible. And they send me a picture and I'm like, yeah, that's not really going to work for my particular needs. So I really ask for more information.

Speaker 2: 10:43

I do a lot of research online. I use Google Maps a lot because when trying to find restaurants, that helps when you have the street view on Google Maps to see what does that entrance look like? Is there going to be a spot where I can get in with my wheelchair? Is that going to be possible or not? I also look into there's a lot of companies that specialize in accessible travel and so, especially for my small group tours, I will partner with them. Because I do the reviews. I look to make sure that they know what they're doing, how long they've been in business, what the feedback has been, but I also look at their photos of how do they accommodate. What do their vehicles look like? What do the rooms that they use look like?

Speaker 2: 11:34

I have conversations with them of what type of person is this trip suited for? Can it accommodate powered wheelchair users? Is it better for manual wheelchair users? What about accessible bathrooms? You have those stops along the way so that I can make sure I know what kind of needs they're going to meet and address. So a lot of it is communication and networking and just asking those questions for people that are traveling so that all they really have to do is show up and enjoy the trip. And one of the things I do when I organize a small group tour is I help them with any anxiety or fear they may have, because a lot of them really want to do the trip. But they have all these questions and I just ask the tour operator, or I ask the hotels and things like that, so I can say, yes, I've thought about what your needs may be, I've thought about this, what are your concerns? Let's talk through them, let's try to problem solve through them, so that I can help you enjoy this trip.

Speaker 1: 12:45

So how do you choose the destinations that you take your groups on?

Speaker 2: 12:50

So for the trips next year, I have chosen pretty big bucket list destinations that anyone would have, whether they're able-bodied, whether you're a person with a disability. We are doing Perun, machu Picchu, and then we are doing a South African safari. So those are big items so that you know, no matter who you are. It would be like, yes, that sounds awesome and that's really my goal is.

Speaker 2: 13:15

I want to go to a destinations that maybe people wouldn't have thought was accessible or possible and let them know. Hey, let's challenge those assumptions, but also let's help you check off these really cool destinations off your bucket list. I mean, there are places I want to go as well because I join all the tours. But it's also like, okay, let's think about what are the harder destinations to play in. Let's make that easier. Or maybe the more expensive destinations that if you did a private tour, there would be, you know, tens of thousands of dollars, and when you're in a small tour, you're splitting that cost. So it makes it more affordable and more accessible monetarily as well. So it's really looking at, okay, where are the dream destinations anyone would have, which ones are a little harder to play in for most people, and then maybe, which ones are sometimes out of someone's price range that we can make more affordable, and those are some of the major factors when I choose a destination.

Speaker 1: 14:23

Do you have a memorable encounter that you've had as part of these trips, that just maybe the someone that's gone on one of these trips with you that you know it was just life changing for them. So.

Speaker 2: 14:35

NUSHER is actually the first year that I'm organizing the small group tours, but I've had an experience more on an individual basis. I wrote a post on affordable destinations for people with mobility problems, and I had a woman email me. Her birthday was coming up. She really had always wanted to go to Italy, didn't think it was going to be possible from an accessibility standpoint, but also didn't think it would ever be in her budget. And so after reading that post, she emailed me and she said oh, my goodness, thank you so much. I'm going with my sister. It's going to be a girl's trip and I never thought I would be able to go.

Speaker 2: 15:20

And after reading your post, I found a hotel in my budget and I just booked a trip to Rome and I can't wait to go to my dream destination. And that just makes me feel so good that you're helping someone fulfill a dream. I mean the trip, the first trip next year. I have a woman going with me that majored in archaeology and wanted to see Machu Picchu and never thought she won after she became disabled with mobility problems, and so when she saw I was offering the trip, she jumped on board. She says yes, let's do this. I never thought I could go and I'm so excited to go with you and to experience this destination that I've always read about in books.

Speaker 1: 16:12

That gave me goosebumps. I love that so much. How do you balance the practical aspects of successful travel with the desire for adventure and spontaneity?

Speaker 2: 16:25

I really judge my audience Right now. My audience is anywhere from my age, which I'm 42, to older 50s, 60s. Maybe they've had mobility problems due to a stroke or due to health issues and things like that. So I really look at what are they ready for? What are they prepared for? Because I'm more on the adventurous side, but I know not everyone is. So I'm looking at how can I maybe challenge them a little bit but also stay within what they're feel comfortable doing.

Speaker 2: 17:03

So maybe that's from an adventurous standpoint of going, zip lining or something like that. Or maybe it's just trying a destination that they thought was never possible and they're willing to take that risk. You know to join me and say, yeah, let's try this out. And I think Africa is a great example of that, because, depending on who you talk to, that word adventurous can mean a lot of different things for different people. But a safari is somewhat adventurous, right, You're seeing animals in their natural habitat, they're wild, so you don't know what's going to happen, but you're also in the safety of the vehicle so there's a lot of safety measures in place but is also allowing them to experience something that's not a part of their everyday life. So I think that's a really good example of okay, let's look at something adventurous, but still within your comfort zone.

Speaker 1: 18:03

We all you know go through different levels of frustration or difficulty during travel. When you have those moments, how do you handle that and continue to stay motivated and explore new places? And your advice to others that might face some of those challenges and how to respond and deal with those.

Speaker 2: 18:27

So I think the more informed you are, the better prepared you are to handle those challenges. So if you're in the United States, you know the ADA laws, what your rights are when it comes to traveling. So if you show up to a hotel and they said that your room is accessible and you find out it's not, they gave that room away and now you're in a standard room, what can you advocate for and how can they make it right? So I think it's problem solving and knowing how, what your options are to communicate with them, because unfortunately, not everyone in the travel industry knows what they can do to assist you. They may recognize the problem or they may not. That's the other option, but they don't always know. Okay, now what do I do? What can I do? I don't, you know, I'm not sure how to handle it. So the more you can brainstorm of what your needs are. And okay, like, do you have a sister hotel who has an accessible room and now you have to put me up at that sister hotel because you could not deliver the type of room I booked? You know things like that you are entitled to in the United States.

Speaker 2: 19:46

Other countries are going to be a total different ball of wax because they may or may not have accessibility laws. That's becoming a more common thing. Other countries are starting to adapt accessibility laws, but they may be very general. They may be at the very beginning stages. So it's always looking at what are my rights, what are my options, how can I maybe make a room work, even if it's not ideal, and think about those types of things.

Speaker 2: 20:18

So the more you can advocate for yourself and I would always say be pleasant. I know it can be inferior when you book and what you think is accessible to find out is not, but anger doesn't get you a lot. If you take it out on the person there who may have had nothing to do with that situation, they're going to be less likely to want to help you. So if you can be assertive but pleasant, it's going to get you farther. They're going to want to help you more. And I think it's a time to potentially for education of why this is important, why this is, you know, something that needs to be addressed or looked at or you know whatever and why this is something that can be, how it can be dealt with in the future to help prevent similar issues from happening again. So I guess those are my main points is know what your rights are, problem solve for that person or with that person, because they may not know all the options and try to be assertive or pleasant so that you can get your needs met.

Speaker 1: 21:37

I think that's really great advice. So, out of all the destinations that you've been to, what have been some of your favorite, and why do they hold a special place in your heart?

Speaker 2: 21:47

In order. That was amazing. So I know there's not a destination people would think would be accessible. So I think that one was special because it kind of broke down some mental barriers of what's possible for other people. But I also really enjoyed the scenery and the wildlife. We saw penguins every day and whales every day and seals and orca and these gorgeous mountains and these enormous icebergs and all these things. It was just very different from anything I've ever seen before. So that was really, really special.

Speaker 2: 22:32

And I would say Italy Italy was a place that had always been on my bucket list. It was probably like the first big bucket list item for me, and I went with my best friend when I was a little more able-bodied I wasn't quite in a wheelchair yet, but I was walking with a cane and definitely had mobility issues and so that one was just special, because when you have a destination that you've always dreamt about, you never know whether it's going to live up to what you've pictured in your mind, and Italy did. It did not disappoint. The food was incredible, the people were so friendly and it was a way it was a trip that I purposely challenged myself with. So stairs have always been something has been extremely difficult for me. I'm no longer able to do them. But when I went to Italy for the first time, I read that the views from the Duomo and Florence were incredible. But to get to the top you have to climb 463 stairs and they're very narrow, there's no railing. And so I said I'm going to do this. I'm going to do this because I don't know if I'll be able to do it in the future, and I've heard it's amazing experience and I don't want to miss out. So I trained in the gym for a year before the trip to try to get my strength up. My best friend Godwester helped me. She's afraid of heights, so it was a challenge for her too. And we climbed to the top of that church and the very last part was a ladder. So I went.

Speaker 2: 24:19

I went first thing in the morning, so I didn't want there to be a lot of crowds. I didn't want to hold people up, and so whenever there was room on the staircase, I would let people pass me. And at the very end is this basically ladder, coming out of the floor to get to anywhere. You can see the view. And I was going up.

Speaker 2: 24:42

I was exhausted, I was running out of things to hold on to to help pull myself up. And at that point there was these two gentlemen at the top that just gave me their hands and kind of lifted me up, and it was everyone that I had let pass on the way up the stairs. And when I got up there and they saw me, they all started clapping and they all were rooting for me because they saw how difficult it was for me. But it was this really special shared moment with these perfect strangers that I'll never see again in my life. But in that moment we all have the same goal, we all accomplished it and it was just this really connected, beautiful moment. So I think Italy always stands out for me because of that challenge, but also because it was just a really special place.

Speaker 1: 25:33

That is probably one of the most inspiring stories anybody has ever told me. That's amazing, that's truly amazing. Wow, what changes would you like to see in the travel industry to make it more inclusive? So?

Speaker 2: 25:51

I would love to see more accessible transportation options. I know that those are always tricky because lifts are hard to maintain or expensive to maintain, but I think, just looking at how to include more people, and so, whether it's a walking tour, if you're doing a walking tour, can you take the time to try to find a step free route right, so that you don't have to do stairs? Is there an alternative way so that someone with mobility challenges can still join that walking tour? If you're doing a motor tour, is there a way to make that more inclusive? If it's a big bus, obviously you would need a lift, but if you're doing a smaller van, can you do a ramp in the back that leads up and then has space for a wheelchair in the back so that someone can still participate, and obviously ramps are not as expensive to maintain and to implement as a wheelchair lift would be. So, looking at kind of outside the box of how can I offer more options to people, so from a mobility perspective, that.

Speaker 2: 27:07

But if for someone with other types of disability, if you have visual impairments, how can you make that experience more alive for them? Is there a model that they can touch so that they can kind of experience what you're seeing through touch. Is there a way for people with hearing difficulties to get that information? So if you're talking verbally and your back is just someone, they're not going to be able to read your lips and they're not going to be able to necessarily hear what you're saying. So can you provide written information on what they're saying? Or if you're using an audio tour, is that compatible with hearing aids and things like that? So just a little, these tiny little things can make a bigger difference to make traveling on cruise.

Speaker 1: 28:01

So I wear hearing aids in both ears. The audio tours can be difficult, and even if it is like the headphones that go over your ears sometimes, then it makes it too loud. Or, like you said, if the guides they're back to you, I can hear things, but I may not be able to make out the words. So that's a really good point too. How do you think not just the travel industry but just individuals as a whole can contribute to creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for everyone?

Speaker 2: 28:40

So I think, just asking about accessibility, I think from a public perspective, they're starting to realize that people with disabilities want to travel and want to have these experiences, but to have someone kind of show them that there's a market for this of. Hey, I love this tour, I really enjoyed it. Do you offer accessible options? Because I know my grandparent or my parent, who maybe had a knee replacement or has difficulty getting around, would love to join, but they would need extra accommodations.

Speaker 2: 29:19

So really letting people know that you want to see this, even if you yourself don't need something like that, letting them know hey, I know people, or I would love to see other people be able to participate, even if they have different needs, I think just from more of a public everyday standard to its little things like not parking in disabled or handicapped parking spaces or blocking curb truss I know in cities that's a huge issue. You know, if you're in a really busy city like New York City and parking is extremely limited, there are people that'll pull right up against the curb cut so that just to have a spot for however long, but that's what that does is it now makes those sidewalks inaccessible for people not only in wheelchairs but strollers, people who maybe use like a sightseeing cane or things like that, they really rely on those things to give them cues and to make things more accessible. So little things like that can make a huge difference when you're visiting your city or a place you know just around the access and let people know, hey, this is important.

Speaker 1: 30:39

And our listeners find you online.

Speaker 2: 30:42

So worldlinwheelsblogcom is my accessible travel blog. I'm also on Facebook, World on Wheels, and that's where I'm most active, but I'm also on Instagram at World on Wheels 3. I need those juice faces as well.

Speaker 1: 30:59

And I'll make sure to link to the website and your social media channels on the notes of this episode. So I have one last question that I ask everyone that comes on. You have a favorite quote or any words of wisdom that you would like to share?

Speaker 2: 31:14

I do and I'm going to be paraphrasing this and I can't remember who said the quote, but the quote is courage is not the absence of fear, it's the realization that something is more important than fear. But travel is. For me, there's always going to be things that you can be anxious about and you can always get in your head of what if this was wrong or what if that you know, and let that anxiety really relive. But if you take that chance and you realize that saying the world and travel is more important than that fear, that can be holding back, it can be a really really powerful thing.

Speaker 1: 31:58

Thank you so much for joining me today. I have loved hearing your story. I think you're doing just really incredible things, important things, and I really look forward to seeing all of the photos and videos from your trips here. I'm sure it's going to be amazing and I look forward to seeing all of the future things that you do because, like I said, your work is important and I really appreciate that.

Speaker 2: 32:28

Thank you so much for having me. I appreciate it.