Because the American thinker John Dewey as soon as wrote, “We don’t be taught from expertise… we be taught from reflecting on expertise.”

This web site is a mirrored image of my experiences, these of a disabled traveler. I journey to expertise, mirror on these experiences, and write about what I’ve discovered. However as we put together for a New 12 months to daybreak, it’s straightforward to focus our consideration solely on the longer term.

On this article, I want to dedicate a second to renewed reflection, wanting again on a 12 months through which I traveled all over the world, flew greater than 129,000 miles, visited 12 nations, and skilled many “firsts.” I share my prime 10 journeys of 2023 under, to encourage your individual adventures and to disclose what’s essential to me as a traveler. The record is offered in chronological order, with the primary having occurred in January 2023 and the tenth in December 2023.

Rome, Italy — Funeral of Pope Benedict XVI

On the morning of New 12 months’s Eve 2022, Pope Benedict XVI died. The late pontiff had lengthy been an essential religious determine and position mannequin to me and, upon receiving the information, I felt referred to as to pay my respects at his funeral in Vatican Metropolis.

Three days later, I set off to Rome on a last-minute journey booked with airline miles and lodge factors. In Vatican Metropolis, I attended Pope Benedict’s viewing in St. Peter’s Basilica and his funeral in St. Peter’s Sq.. It was a shifting expertise that I can’t overlook.

Regardless of the unhappiness that coloured the weekend, I loved my time in what’s my favourite European metropolis — take a look at the free wheelchair accessible journey information to Rome, Italy. The information consists of data on accessible locations to remain and issues to do, together with detailed data on how I met Pope Francis — and how one can too!

Melbourne, Australia — The 2023 Australian Open

I’m an enormous fan of sports activities, and three of the journeys on this record contain sporting occasions. Shortly after coming back from Rome, I set off on a long-planned journey to Melbourne, Australia — my first time Down Beneath — to see the finals of the Australian Open, my favourite of the 4 tennis grand slams.

My weeks-long journey to the South Pacific was an advanced one to plan, as I additionally included stops in New Zealand and Fiji. I wrote about constructing a flight itinerary to Australia, New Zealand and Fiji with out breaking the financial institution, which could provide you with some concepts for planning future journey.

The tennis was distinctive and the event exceeded all of my expectations! As a bonus, I used to be delighted to fulfill a fellow tennis fanatic (and Wheelchair Journey reader!) who was seated subsequent to me inside Rod Laver Enviornment.

I additionally had the chance to meet-up with many different pals and readers, together with Ryan Smith from Freewheel Weekends, accessible journey pioneer Martin Heng, and two vacationers who joined my 2022 wheelchair accessible group journey!

Frankfurt, Germany — Impromptu Journey After a Probability Assembly

When you haven’t already, learn my story entitled On Serendipity, Probability Conferences and an Surprising Journey to Germany. It’s a wild story of assembly a pair of German flight attendants at a Boston restaurant, solely to fly with them to Frankfurt the next morning (at their invitation).

Generally, one of the best experiences in life are people who catch you abruptly — as I made my method to the pub to fulfill a buddy, I by no means dreamed of ending the night time with two new pals and a airplane ticket to Europe!

Hamburg, Germany — Unveiling of the Wheelchair Area for Airplanes

In June, I returned to Germany to develop into the primary wheelchair person to check out the Air4All prototype, a wheelchair house for airplanes developed by Delta Flight Merchandise unveiled on the Plane Interiors Expo.

You may learn my prompt response, written and revealed on web site in Hamburg, Germany. Wheelchair Journey readers peppered me with questions in regards to the prototype, which I thought of in Answering Your High 10 Questions About Delta’s Wheelchair Area for Airplanes. I anticipate vital updates to return, and this can be a story I’ll absolutely be following in 2024.

When you worth my reporting on accessible journey within the airline trade and elsewhere, please think about upgrading to a paid subscription to my Substack Publication. Because of the assist of paid subscribers, I’m capable of cowl essential occasions within the journey trade — delivering unbiased evaluation from a incapacity perspective.

San Francisco, California — United Airways in Federal Court docket

In August, I traveled to San Francisco to report on some of the essential tales of the 12 months — the case of Nathaniel “NJ” Foster vs. United Airways.

Nathaniel Foster, a quadriplegic who makes use of a ventilator to breathe, was touring together with his household to attend a funeral in Louisiana on February 8, 2019. Upon arrival, the household alleged that their son was mishandled throughout his switch off the plane, dislodging his respiratory tube and inflicting a “catastrophic mind harm.”

Though a number of information retailers in the end filed tales on the landmark settlement settlement which awarded $30 million to the household, I used to be the one one reporting on the case from the courtroom. Protection that first appeared on this web site, revealed beneath the headline United Can’t Toss Flight Attendant’s Testimony, Settles After Severe Harm to Disabled Flyer, supplied element that may in any other case have been misplaced because the trial was not recorded.

Lisbon, Portugal — 2023 Wheelchair Journey Group Journey

Readers from across the nation met me in Portugal in late August for what proved to be a very memorable journey. I’ve led a number of group excursions to Portugal and each has been higher than the final!

We visited unbelievable cities like Lisbon, Sintra and Nazaré, toured the Ajuda and Monserrate Palaces, noticed the tomb of legendary explorer Vasco da Gama, and loved among the finest in Portuguese delicacies.

These excursions means an excellent deal to me, and I’m trying to increase them sooner or later. What continues to amaze me are the unbelievable friendships that kind out of those journeys — folks from across the nation and world who develop into quick pals whereas exploring locations that excite and encourage. I hope you’ll be part of me on an accessible group journey sooner or later!

Would you want to hitch the following wheelchair accessible group journey? The next journeys at the moment are open for reserving, however restricted spots stay:

St. Louis, Missouri — Adam Wainwright’s Full Sport Gem

I’ve been a St. Louis Cardinals fan for so long as I can bear in mind. I stay and breathe Cardinals baseball. In September, I traveled to St. Louis, Missouri to observe what proved to be the ultimate begin for one in every of my all-time favourite pitchers, 42-year-old Adam Wainwright, who had been on the crew’s massive league roster since I used to be in highschool.

That closing outing proved to be a historic one — Adam pitched an absolute gem with 7 shutout innings. With the win, he joined the 200 win membership, a feat completed by solely 121 different pitchers in MLB historical past. It was a honor to be there that night time, to expertise his unbelievable efficiency, even when it was from the nosebleed part! Generally, you simply need to be there — it feels completely different to witness one thing unbelievable in-person, somewhat than from afar.

Juneau, Alaska — The Alaska Airways “Milk Run”

In October, I set off on what was solely my second-ever journey to Alaska, and my first as a wheelchair person. My journey was precipitated by an airfare deal and a possibility to catalog the Alaska Airways “Milk Run,” which the airline describes as a “each day circuit of Alaska Airways flights that hop between cities in Southeast Alaska, serving as a lifeline for the communities that aren’t all the time related by roads to the surface world.”

You may learn extra in my e-newsletter in regards to the Alaska Milk Run, however suffice it to say the journey was one to recollect. However the journey wasn’t solely about flying — it supplied me with distinctive perception into accessible journey in Alaska, particularly Juneau, a spot most guests arrive to on cruise ships. I met many individuals throughout my quick journey to the Alaskan capital, and it’s a place I plan to revisit to generate much more accessible journey content material.

Reno/Lake Tahoe, Nevada — ZorkFest 2023

Shortly after coming back from Alaska, I traveled to Reno and Lake Tahoe, Nevada for ZorkFest 2023, an annual gathering of factors, miles and on line casino loyalty lovers hosted by my good buddy Michael Trager of TravelZork.

After a flight delay and missed connection, I used to be compelled to reroute my journey to Reno, and doing so allowed me to hitch Michael and some of our different pals on a flight from Austin to Reno. I had by no means been on a flight with so lots of my pals earlier than, and it made for a fabulous time. It was the proper begin to a convention weekend!

On the finish of the journey, I took the chance to experience an wheelchair accessible Amtrak bus (sure, that’s actually a factor!) as a part of my journey from Lake Tahoe to San Francisco, an attention-grabbing route that didn’t require any flights!

Charlotte, North Carolina — ACC Championship Sport

On the conclusion of the school soccer common season, my Florida State Seminoles have been undefeated, needing only one extra win — within the convention championship sport — to earn their spot within the faculty soccer playoffs. I traveled to Charlotte for the sport, the place I met up with a few of my closest pals from faculty.

The journey was a blast — FSU received the sport with what could have been probably the most dominant defensive efficiency that I’ve ever seen, and so they emerged 13-0 because the unconquered champions of the Atlantic Coast Convention.

What occurred subsequent was heartbreaking and rage-inducing, as a committee determined the ‘Noles weren’t deserving of a spot within the faculty soccer playoff. Hearts sank, tears have been shed, tempers flared — and as I sat surprised in disbelief, I noticed one thing that led me to write down this text: Inaccessibility, Faculty Soccer, and Why FSU Followers are Experiencing a Feeling That Disabled Individuals Know Nicely. I believe it’s price your time to learn.

After the sport, I traveled to Cary, North Carolina (a suburb of Releigh) aboard the wheelchair accessible Amtrak Carolinian Prepare. Prepare journey is one thing that I hope to characteristic extra in 2024.

Ultimate Ideas and Massive Plans for the New 12 months

The ten journeys listed below are highlights from a whirlwind 12 months of accessible journey, however they don’t present the total story. Journeys to the British Parliament for a Rights on Flights reception, to Washington, D.C. for the All Wheels Up International Discussion board on Wheelchair Accessible Air Journey, to Savannah for the TravelAbility Summit, and to so many different locations have been critically essential. A lot of the work I do isn’t flashy and would possibly bore you, however advocating for a extra accessible world — and exhibiting you how you can navigate the one we have now — is my mission and function.

Within the New 12 months, I hope to carry extra of that work into focus, offering alternatives so that you can become involved in advocating for the accessible world we dream of, whereas persevering with to encourage disabled folks to journey, transfer and discover.

Look out for some massive information to return and, for those who’d prefer to assist my work, you possibly can be part of the crew by subscribing to the Wheelchair Journey Publication. Your assist makes every thing that I do potential, so thanks!