Happy Thursday. S.J. Wells here with you today, and I’m going to talk about tricks and tips for going out of town, when you are blind or visually impaired. Last week, I went out of town to visit with Anita. I’m sure several of you faithful readers went on vacation this summer, as well. So, what better time to bring up this topic. Get your riding breeches on, as my mama used to say, cause we’re going on a trip.
First, whether you are taking a car, bus or plane, you have to pack. If you are blind or visually impaired, having someone else to do this for you can work. However, we all have a system of organization, and sighted folks tend to forget about your blindness. So, it is best if you pack for yourself. Packing like things together is a trick I learned way back when I was a teenager going off to church camp. Socks with socks, underwear with underwear, etc. If you want your socks to match, either get a sighted person to help you match them or use a color identifier. Then, either pin them with safety pins or separate them into plastic baggies. You can also use hair ties or rubber bands to keep them matched up in your suitcase. Or, you can be simple, like me and buy all white socks that always match each other. LOL If you want to match up your outfits before you go, fold them together before you put them in your suitcase. Wrap a pair of pants or shorts or skirt inside a matching shirt. Don’t worry about wrinkles, because everything gets wrinkled while on a trip. :) When it comes to packing things that might leak, such as shampoo, body wash, lotion or toothpaste, put them in baggies. For big things like shampoo and body wash, use shopping bags like you get from Walmart. For small things such as toothpaste, use ziplock baggies and put your toothbrush in there with it. Pack hair ties and brushed together in a zippered pouch. Put shoes in bags, and be sure to pack a plastic garbage bag in there for emergencies or to use as a laundry bag if you don’t already have a laundry bag. Okay, now that you are all packed, don’t forget to put those tags the bus company or airline sent you to mark that suitcase as yours. If you’re riding in the car, make sure it’s all zipped and ready to go out the door.
As it has been several years since I have been on an airplane, I’ll leave that part out of this post, but feel free to join the discussion and comment below. I did ride on a Greyhound bus a few years ago, and the one piece of advice I want to give you is this: be open and not afraid to ask for help. Traveling is not the time to become an introvert. Ask questions, let them know you are blind and need help, if you do indeed need help. Be kind when refusing help and be patient; others around you are wanting to be at their destination just as much as you.
If you are like me and my family, you go to the same places a lot. One thing we did quite by accident is find a particular Burger King along our rout. We stop there nearly every time we travel that way to grab a drink, a snack or to just use the rest rooms. We’re used to the stop, I know where everything is, and it’s not difficult to use my cane and find the bathroom and things within.
Well, sad to say, summer is almost over, and vacation is over, too. We’ve traveled back home, and now we must unpack. :( Take out whatever you have used for a laundry bag and start sorting. Lights in the washer first and darks to go in next. Shoes, hair stuff, soaps and shampoos have to be put back and the list seems to go on forever. :)
Traveling can be stressful for everyone, but it doesn’t have to be a failure. Keeping organized is the key. While it is easier in the beginning to let sighted folks do most of the work, you will find you can keep track of your stuff better with a lot less aggravation if you do as much as possible on your own. Be sure to remember your cane, if you use one, and check with the place where you obtained your guide dog, if you have one on travel tips. I’m sure I have only skimmed the surface, here, so again, please leave us a comment with your own suggestions, questions, and/or tips.
Thank you for being with us today. We look forward to hearing from you. Have a great weekend, and we’ll see you back here next Thursday.
Blessings.
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