Posted: 4/30/15 | April 30th, 2015
A few months ago, I was browsing the Internet when I came across a travel blog written by a guy who traveled the world in a wheelchair. For hours, I read his blog, intrigued by what he did. I love when people don’t let their limitations hold them back. I love it when people say “I can” instead of “I can’t.” Cory embodies the ongoing theme on this blog that where there is a will, there is a way. Cory is a guy who wouldn’t let a disability define or confine him.
His is an inspirational story and I was hooked on his blog, so I invited Cory to share his story and advice for others who might be in a similar situation and wondering how to make travel happen.
Nomadic Matt: Tell everyone about yourself.
Cory: My name is Cory Lee and I’m a 25-year-old travel addict, peanut butter connoisseur, and the brains behind Curb Free With Cory Lee. I was born and raised in the tiny town of Lafayette, Georgia. It’s a rather boring town, but luckily my mom loved traveling so we hit the road pretty frequently.
I was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at the age of two and have been in a wheelchair ever since. My wheelchair and I have been to 14 countries and have plans to visit many more. Since graduating from the University of West Georgia with a degree in marketing last year, I’ve put all of my energy into growing my website. Aside from traveling and working on my blog, I love going to concerts, binge-watching Netflix shows (Orange Is The New Black is my favorite), and trying new foods.
How did you get into travel?
My mom was a teacher so she was off work every summer. We used that time to travel locally and took a lot of road trips along the East Coast. Disney World was a popular choice. When I turned 15, we tried our hand at traveling internationally and went to the Bahamas. These trips made me fall in love with travel and showed me that there’s so much out there in the world.
Did you think your disability was going to limit you? What made you say “Screw it, I’m gonna do this anyway?”
My mom always told me “If you can’t stand up, stand out” and I try to live by that mentality daily. I might not be able to stand physically, but I can stand. I can stand for anything that I desire, like traveling. A disability is not going to limit me from seeing the world. I refuse to even entertain the thought that my disability could have that sort of power.
I’ve also never really known another way of life, so I guess I’ve just kind of learned to accept my circumstances and then plan with them in mind.
Has that been a challenge? How do you deal with naysayers?
Over my life, yes. It was a challenge, especially when I was younger. I specifically remember being in elementary school and wondering why I couldn’t go on one of the field trips. My fifth-grade class was going to a camp for a few nights, and one of my teachers said that it wouldn’t be possible for me to go because of my disability. They simply didn’t think that I would be able to do anything, so they didn’t see any reason for me to go.
My mom furiously went up to that teacher and explained that I would be going and that they needed to accommodate every student, not just the ones that could walk.
Going to that camp is actually one of my favorite memories from elementary school. I had nonstop fun with my friends in the wilderness for a few days. There are naysayers out in the world, but I’ve learned to be patient and explain that even though I might not be able to do things exactly the way others do, I can still enjoy being there and do them to the best of my ability.
What limitations do you have due to your disability?
Spinal muscular atrophy makes my muscles weaker than the average person’s, which makes me unable to walk and limits my ability to raise my arms, transfer, etc. It also deteriorates my muscles over time so I may not have the same abilities in five years as I do now. This fact is constantly in the back of my mind and why I’m so motivated to see the world.
I may not be able to travel 10 years from now, but I am definitely having fun now.
How do you get around on the road?
I always travel with someone, usually my mom or a friend, because traveling solo would be pretty impossible. I need assistance boarding the planes, opening doors, and getting into bed, for example, so having someone there with me is extremely helpful.
Also, I try to get an idea of how accessible certain attractions are and then make a rough itinerary. While a lot of attractions and museums are accessible, one of the biggest obstacles when planning a trip is finding transportation. In more modern countries, there are accessible buses, trains, and taxis, but this information is not always easy to find online. I don’t really travel to destinations unless I know for sure that I’ll be able to easily get around once there.
Hopefully eventually finding this information will be easier, and I’m certainly trying to help the cause with my site.
In Europe, many of the trains are accessible so it’s fairly easy to get around from city to city, but in the United States, it’s a bit harder and more expensive since we don’t rely on trains as much.
I’ve waited more than three hours for an accessible taxi in Los Angeles before, which is valuable time during which I could’ve been out exploring the city.
Do you work? Or have a savings? How do you afford your travels?
I just started freelance writing and, now that my site is growing, I’ve started making money from it as well. However, in previous years I’ve pretty much became an expert at saving. I literally save every dollar I can in order to travel and I also take advantage of SkyMiles and other travel hacking programs. I have the Delta SkyMiles debit card, and for every dollar that I spend, I earn one mile.
I’ll often book family vacations or anything else that I can on my card, and then get them to pay me back, so that I can earn lots of miles. I also like the Hilton HHonors program, since Hilton is one of the most wheelchair-accessible hotel brands. They have roll-in showers and spacious rooms, and often they’ll even have an access lift on the pool.
A lot of people will wonder “what happens if something goes wrong?” Well, what does happen?
Trust me, I’m the king of bad luck. Seriously, if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong with me. I’ve been trapped on a burning bus in Washington, DC. I plugged my wheelchair battery charger into the wall in Germany (with the proper converter) and it blew up. Literally. Sparks were flying and the power in the entire hotel went out for about 15 minutes.
The worst thing that has ever happened to me was in 2007 in Washington, DC. I was there with the Global Young Leaders Conference and started feeling really sick on July 4th. I started throwing up as well as passing out repeatedly. My mom took me to the hospital and I ended up being admitted for two weeks and missed the entire second half of the conference.
In addition to being severely dehydrated, I also had pneumonia. Pneumonia can be pretty lethal to people with spinal muscular atrophy, but luckily the doctors fixed me up by inserting a needle in my back and draining my lungs. It wasn’t the most enjoyable experience, but it did the trick. Now, whenever I travel somewhere, I always travel with my medication and buy travel insurance.
And honestly, things could go wrong in the comfort of your own home, so wondering “what if?” constantly will do you no good. Embrace the unexpected.
How do you cope with countries that might not be handicap or wheelchair friendly?
There are definitely some countries that are more wheelchair friendly than others. I use the magical powers of Google and talk to other wheelchair users in the area to determine if a destination is accessible or not before I book a trip. I try to visit places that have accessible taxis and other transportation because I’m pretty much stuck without it.
Paris is probably the least accessible place that I’ve been. The metro wasn’t accessible and there was only one taxi in the whole city that was available to accommodate my needs. We ended up renting this one taxi for an entire day and it cost us about $600 USD. This was crazy expensive, but there really weren’t any other options. I definitely learned to book taxis further in advance and research accessible transportation more before going somewhere.
Trying to do anything spur of-the-moment as a wheelchair user is next to impossible.
Are there some countries you just can’t go to?
I used to think that any country would be somewhat accessible if I just tried to make it work hard enough, but it turns out that some countries are next to impossible to navigate with a wheelchair. My friend and I looked at visiting some more extreme destinations like Iran, North Korea, or Jordan, and I couldn’t find any information about accessibility online. I even emailed every tour company that I could find and asked if they knew of any accessible tours, and they basically told me that there weren’t any.
Is it expensive to travel with a disability? Are there precautions you have to take or added costs for services?
It is much more expensive to travel as a wheelchair user. For example, last year I was in Puerto Rico, and while most tours were about $50 USD per person, a wheelchair-accessible tour was $200 USD per person. It’s crazy that they can charge so much more, but companies usually say that the cost is due to the need to put a special lift on the van and make other modifications. Taxis in many parts of the world do the same thing.
While traveling the world on $50 USD a day probably wouldn’t be possible in a wheelchair, there are strategies that can be implemented to save a little money. For example, I always book trips way in advance (+6 months in advance) and I usually can get better deals on flights and hotels by doing this. I also need more time to plan because I have to plan with accessibility in mind.
Also, rewards points are my best friend! By using SkyMiles and saving $400 USD on a flight, I can afford to go on that ridiculously priced $400 USD accessible tour.
What advice would you give to others in your situation?
I would tell them to just go for it. That’s easier said than done, but for every problem, there is a solution. If the airline damages your chair, they will fix it. If your chair messes up while you’re at a destination, use the powers of Google and make a list of wheelchair repair shops in the area before you go. This came in really handy for me after my wheelchair charger blew up in London. I just looked at my list of repair shops in the area, called one, and within a couple of hours, I had a brand new charger that worked.
Are there any groups or organizations people should know about?
There are several others that are rocking the accessible travel scene as well. Lonely Planet launched a “Travel for All” Google+ community a while back, and they are committed to promoting accessible tourism. They even launched the first-ever LP guidebook devoted entirely to accessibility this past year.
Also, Tarita’s Travel Connections is great if you need help planning your accessible trip. Tarita is a travel agent with multiple sclerosis and she truly knows how to plan the perfect trip for any abilities. MobilityWorks is an awesome company that rents wheelchair-accessible vans as well. They have locations in 33 states, so if you’re traveling in the US, then you are set.
If you’re not traveling in the US and need information on accessibility in your chosen destination, contact the local tourism board and they should be able to point you in the right direction.
Cory Lee is a 25-year-old travel addict and recent college graduate. He decided to start a wheelchair travel blog because he’s always had a strong passion for traveling. His blog, Curb Free with Cory Lee, is devoted to sharing the world from a wheelchair user’s perspective.
Become the Next Success Story
One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world, and I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that it’s within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are some other inspiring stories from the community:
- How Jim Didn’t Let a New Disability Change his Travels
- How (and Why) This 72-Year-Old is Backpacking the World
- How this 70-Year-Old Couple Bucked Tradition to Travel the World
- How this Boomer Couple Traveled the World for a Year
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Need to book your trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. The are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
Jordan
Definitely got to check this guy’s blog out! Accessibility issues while travelling are a huge issue with me, so it’d be great to get some insight from an expert. I’d have loved more questions on Cory’s opinions though – like what his favorite trip has been and stuff like that.
Katya
“If you can’t stand up, stand out”…Cory and his Mom are amazing!
Rocio
Thank you very much for this amazing interview. I really admire his strenght and determination to see the world. I will definetely remember him and his story everytime I get scared of getting sick on a trip (which is one of my biggest fears despite I love to travel). Definetely some countries should be more wheelchair friendly, for instance, in Peru (where I originally come from) would be extremely difficult to seightseeing the most turistic cities. Really! this affects everyday our local wheelchair users, who have to fight everyday for their rights to be treated equal, to live independely, to enjoy life like everybody else. Not only that, for example, there aren’t rules about service dogs, so when somebody from abroad comes with his dog, the animal isn’t allow to enter to a lot of places. Simply because they ignore the purpose and the job of the dog.
Have a nice day.
Rocio
Emily
This is a great article and an issue that rarely gets the attention it needs and deserves- for international travelers and people with disabilities traveling within their own country. I connected with Corey on twitter a few months back and have always enjoyed his perspective and adventurous outlook!
Cheers,
Debbie Lemmers
I’m traveling for a short while now, I’m in my second month. My uncle, who has adca, is partially wheelchair bound, he can make short walks to the bathroom with crutches, and for that reason where ever I go I always look if a place is wheelchair accessible. But I never knew there was so much more that came into the workings of going traveling while disabled. My aunt and uncle always made it seem so easy, this though gave me insight to something I have never had. Thank you.
Ryan Biddulph
Cory you’re an inspiring dude! Matt thanks so much for sharing with us. I admire you man because you dive right into the most freeing and uncomfortable situations and you also keep cheery throughout your travels, which is challenging for folks who are human lol…..that includes everybody on earth!
I push myself a bit more each day from a positive space because I see how you’re rocking it out. We all carry limiting beliefs but if you can just dig deeper and root them out a world of possibility and excitement awaits you. You prove this, every day.
I recall each of your zany experiences too. Musta been nutz to knock out the power of the hotel in Germany and I can imagine how crazy things were in DC. So glad you recovered quickly and that you’re back on the road, inspiring folks, and helping people blast through their limits. That’s what life is: doing the freeing and uncomfortable things that help you live your dreams so that other people might live their dreams. Thanks Cory! Roll on man, roll on 😉
Ryan
Linzi Clark
A truly inspiring story – I know in the UK there are a lot of issues with making hotels and attractions more wheelchair accessible and I really hope that situation changes in the future.
Zascha
This guy is such an inspiration.
And what his mum said: “if you can’t stand up, stand out”. That’s the best thing I’ve heard in a while.
The world is yours, Cory! 🙂
kirsten burnett
Wow this is absolutely amazing….Cory you are an inspiration to everyone. I am seriosuly going to have to rethink and revaluate somethings in my life. You dont allow anything to bring you down and I only wish that one day I am to able to overcome this and truely live life at is fullest.
sincerely,
kirsten
Luke Mitchell
Well Cory’s got a huge new fan, I can’t even imagine how much more you could see simply from looking at it in a new perspective. I love finding new travel bloggers, but this isn’t JUST another good travel blogger, he’s got a better view than a lot of us do, and that goes a long way toward enjoying the entire process.
Ben
Very inspiring to hear his story. I am pretty sure not too many people in wheelchairs would think about traveling the world. He has all my respect.
Christian P
Thank you Cory Lee. You’re truly an inspiration for people like me who is thinking about doing traveling more often. Thanks as well Matt for the wonderful article.
Karmela
When i was reading your experience, line by line, i felt your feeling of hapiness when you were write this story about your challenge. And you showed to us, what ever our dreams, we must try to realize it. Certainly you did big effort take like this challenge.
JB & Renee
Very inspiring! We have a saying in the Philippines: “Kung gusto, may paraan. Kung ayaw, may dahilan.” This roughly translates to “If you want something, there’s always a way. If you don’t, there are nothing but excuses.” You’re living proof that if you really want something in this world, nothing can stop you. Best of luck to you and all your travels! 🙂
Karmen
I just love the quote: ”If you can’t stand up, stand out!” And your story Cory is really incredibly inspiring 🙂 I also love to travel, so totally understand your wish to travel the world till you still can. So I will keep my fingers crossed for you! And abt accesability of my own country. Slovenia has done a lot in this field, but some things still need to be done. But I can assure you that Slovenia in comparison with other I’ve visited is one of more acessible for people with disabilities like yours. So you are very welcome to come for a visit! Wish you and your mom best of luck!
Mark
Way to go Cory – you and your mom are an inspiration. Enjoyed this story very much! My daughter uses a wheelchair and everywhere we go we think how could Jenny do this? We have some funny stories of how her handicap and wheelchair have gotten us through some long lines. Once we were at the Empire State Building and the line was like an hour long to get up to the observation deck. I asked an official how long he thought the line was and he saw my daughter and said right this way sir – we were at the top in less than 10 minutes. I felt bad cutting the line but got over it quickly as we made it in time to see the sunset.
Shinta
Wow Cory you so inspiring i will think if you whenever i feel like i want to give up. I am from Indonesia and have disability and also loves travelling. ATM, I’m also traveling with my modified scooter all over Indonesia all by myself, i have post polio syndrome but lucky me i still can walk little bit that is why i can travel all by myself.
Thanks Cory for sharing your story. So proud of you.
Jessy Shaw
This is such an inspiring story. My mom was recently paralyzed in a rollover car accident and she was so heartbroken about not being able to live out her dream of travelling to world. Reading this, I see that it is totally possible! I have been looking into getting her a transport wheelchair so that it might be a little easier to take her out and to other places. I will be sending her this blog and hopefully inspire her to live her dream! Thanks for sharing!
Jamie Wrimer
I like what this article mentions about handling emergencies. I am planning a trip with my mother who is in a wheel chair. I think that being prepared for anything that might go wrong is a really good idea, as it will help us be comfortable even if we don’t need it. Thanks for sharing!
Mary Anne
Thanks for answering all of the questions with such detail; I appreciate it. My spine broke at the neck and I went from quadriplegic to limited mobility/feeling using a walker, with a wheelchair probably in my future. Although I’ve gone back to work (I teach college English) and drive, I’m afraid to travel because of all of my limitations. I’d love to start traveling again, so I was really excited to read about your travel stories!
Nathan Daube
Thanks for the great info and support. I’m still pretty new to needing a powerchair to get around and reading your blog has really given me the imitative to get out and travel a bit again. I spent the last several weeks traveling with my Dad for a week and then traveling alone the following weekend. It’s amazing once you swallow the “What If” fear and decide that “I’ll figure it out” attitude can reopen doors you thought were too tough to deal with. I learned not all hotel Handicap bathrooms are created equally, some are really tiny (couldn’t even turn around in the chair), to spacious and well appointed. I also got parked out of my side-ramp van and had to figure out how to get in. The lesson there is if someone will move it for you at the hotel your staying in let them, teaching the parking offender a lesson about being aware of your entry needs doesn’t work if they have a closed mind and are argumentative. People are usually super nice and helpful if you ask and while there are challenges most of them can be figured out. My newest addition is a tile and grout brush to clean the wheelchair tires (got stuck in a muddy campground visiting relatives) and didn’t want to track up the hotel. Now the brush is the latest addition to travel supplies. Thanks again for your great blog
SC
Very inspiring. I can imagine that most underdeveloped or 2nd/3rd world countries probably aren’t as accessible as 1st. You seem to breakthrough any barriers and see some of the most beautiful places I am still dreaming of seeing.