Blindness overcame her, but she decided to explore the globe.
"The sound of a helicopter overhead, the blaring of sirens, the chirping of birds, and the voices of people nearby filled the air. The aroma of the atmosphere - a mixture of clean air and a slight dustiness, as if inhaling both at once. And the sensation of the building trembling - that's what it felt like, a tremble - beneath my feet," Wyatt narrates to CNN Travel. "It occurred to me how high up I was."
Wyatt, in her mid-thirties now, had completely lost her sight about a decade prior. This recent trip to New York City was not her first; she had visited before too, at the age of 16.
Standing at the top of the Empire State Building, Wyatt reminisced on the differences between her two visits to the city.
"I couldn't truly comprehend the sheer size and vastness of where I was compared to my earlier sighted experience," reflects Wyatt. "I couldn't grasp the magnitude of the buildings and the immensity of the landscape, how everything gradually shrank the further away it was. Naturally, I couldn't experience the same visual impact as a sighted person could."
Yet, Wyatt felt that she had a deeper connection to New York City on this trip as she focused on experiencing it with her other senses.
Moreover, standing beside her was her best friend, describing the view of the skyscrapers in her own words.
As she soaked in this experience, Wyatt felt a pulsating energy, the spirit, the aura of New York - it was "enjoyable, lively, and thrilling," as Wyatt put it.
"The city literally came to life for me in an extraordinary way," Wyatt states.
Travel, Wyatt believes, is deeply meaningful for her because her blindness has actually enhanced her perspective, allowed her to perceive the world more intimately.
"I truly believe that my blindness, rather than being a hindrance, has allowed me to explore the world more thoroughly," Wyatt professes.
Losing her sight
Born in the UK, Wyatt was raised by parents who cherished travel. She vividly recalls joyous family holidays consisting of "caravan trips, camping trips, and even jaunts across Europe for all-inclusive stays."
Back then, a 7-year-old Wyatt nonchalantly broke her arm from trying to 'outdo' her friend by jumping off the swing at the highest point, unaware that a more significant challenge awaited.
Soon after, she developed unexplained swelling – a concerning sign that caught the doctors' attention. It was discovered that arthritis had started damaging her organs, causing discomfort and inflammation. By the age of 14, her eyesight started to be affected.
"I had a lot of inflammation and pain in my eyes, and they looked particularly red and sore," Wyatt recalls. "My vision also became slightly blurry."
Wyatt's parents had exposed her to travel throughout her childhood despite her disability, always approaching obstacles with a resilient attitude. She embraced the philosophy of, "‘if we don't have the solution, we'll find someone who does,'" as Wyatt puts it.
Aside from her physical challenges, Wyatt had dabbled in intense adventurous activities like paragliding and skiing before losing her vision completely in her early twenties.
"I felt incredibly empowered as a disabled person by engaging in activities regarded as adventure sports," Wyatt recalls.
However, the complete loss of her sight brought Wyatt to her knees. While finishing a college degree, she suddenly lost confidence in everything, dropped out, and received several rejections from employers.
"I took about two years to physically regain my footing, tackle my situation, and work on my mental health support," Wyatt says. "I plunged into depression but realized I didn't want my life to halt. I joined local volunteering initiatives, offering support to people in the sight loss community."
Wyatt's determination and perseverance restored her sense of self-worth. She found comfort and love in her husband, a friend with whom she had a long-standing history.
"The more I picked myself up, the more I desired to journey the world. My blindness shouldn't be an impediment to my travels."
"We had a brief break where I got to spend some time with a friend who was getting married in Malta," Wyatt shares. "However, my break wasn't entirely uneventful as I unfortunately broke my leg while there. Now, looking back, we view this experience as a hilarious adventure, considering it was my first time ever traveling alone without any help and I ended up injuring myself by jumping off a cliff."
"I knew I couldn't let a setback like this hold me back from exploring the world," Wyatt continues. "...Because accidents can happen to anyone, whether sighted or not!"
With this determination, Wyatt pressed on and took another trip with her guide dog, Ida, to Rotterdam in the Netherlands for a travel conference. This would be the first time she had ever traveled on a plane by herself, although Ida was always by her side.
"Ida has truly changed my life," she adds. "She leads me through airports, guide me in train stations, and helps with navigation in hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and on cruise ships."
"Having Ida with me allows me to feel safe and independent wherever I go," Wyatt says. "She's given me back my confidence, so I can explore the world fearlessly."
After Ida joined Wyatt's life, she started a blog called "Blind Girl Adventures," documenting her journeys. Her blog quickly gained popularity, and she began attending more travel conferences and events.
Wyatt met people who were passionate about traveling and realized she was often the only disabled person in the room. Her unique experiences caught the attention of others, and soon she was offering insights on how travel destinations could better cater to disabled people.
"I was able to transform this passion into a career, working full-time as a travel and accessibility consultant," says Wyatt. "I strive to change the face of accessible tourism all around the world."
Wyatt shares her experiences, both positive and negative, with her followers on social media and her blog. She provides guidance on how to book special assistance in airports, how inflight safety demonstrations are presented to her, and tips on traveling while blind.
"When I travel, I embrace every moment, whether it's talking to strangers in cafes or jumping off a cliff into the side of a gorge," she says with laughter. "I do a lot of research, studying blogs, books, and articles before going on my trips. Most travel guides create vivid descriptions for all five senses; I try to learn from these to get a better feel for where I'm going."
Since Ida entered Wyatt’s life, she's learned to be open to unexpected experiences. "What I love about traveling is the thrill of the unknown," she explains. "I've planned trips down to the smallest detail, but know it's important to be open to the adventure and see where it takes me."
Being so open to meeting new people, Wyatt admits she's proud of converting naysayers. "Many people have persistently asked me how I can read Instagram comments or reply. I'm always more than happy to explain that I use the accessibility features on smartphones."
Wyatt's curiosity and willingness to learn and connect with others make her a true travel enthusiast, proving that regardless of physical challenges, exploration and adventure remain within reach for everyone.
All images are provided as-is by the original authors and are very much credited to their respective owners. I none of my work infringes on copywrite.
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Even though she encounters occasional jerks, the majority of fans of Wyatt adore her for her inspiring and entertaining content. This ranges from those who aspire to be better allies to disabled travelers to individuals suffering from disability themselves. Wyatt doesn't try to be inspirational; she just strives to be herself and learn from different experiences.
Feedback from fans proves her work motivates them to decamp with visually impaired kids to big cities for the first time or inspire them to embark on trips they've been apprehensive about, as their guide dogs are by their sides. While optimistic, Wyatt recognizes certain limitations. For instance, navigating airports can be challenging. Public transportation options are often deficient. Wyatt has only travelled with her guide dog within Europe where she's safeguarded by European accessibility laws, and taking her further could be a complex affair.
On her honeymoon in Jamaica, she left Ida at home as she was worried her dog, used to cold British weather, wouldn't cope with heat. Despite Ida's absence, it was a memorable holiday. Her husband proved an excellent travel companion, explaining sights and sounds. They complemented each other well, though they had diverse travel preferences. Wyatt's husband was happy lazing on beaches or dining while she was an adrenaline junkie. She loved kayaking, rock climbing, or zip-lining activities.
In general, Wyatt relishes being one with nature and companions.
She traces this propensity for adventure to a lack of sight.
"Not seeing doesn't stop you from feeling the rush of wind through your hair and clothes while ziplining," she chuckled. Wyatt especially enjoys the disarray of thrilling adventure sports like white water rafting, where people get stuck or remain scared.
"I like the chaotic fun of that," she stated.
Experiencing Intensity
Although these adventurous moments are treasured high points, Wyatt relishes the more tranquil assimilative moments too.
Memories of Malta in her first trip after losing her sight stand out. Surrounded by beach sand, warmth, and the wave's whisper, she soaked in fresh sea air. Wyatt reminisced about the moment of tranquil solitude, "I didn't need to see the azure waters and sandy shores to know how breathtaking it was. I absorbed the beauty and felt immersed."
Read also:
Wyatt's love for travel has only grown stronger since losing her sight. She now finds herself more connected to new places as she relies on her other senses to explore.
Utilizing her blog "Blind Girl Adventures", Wyatt now encourages and guides others with visual impairments to embark on their own adventures.
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