Traveling blind? This is real
“I’m that guy. I love meeting people, making them laugh, and getting irrationally angry about improper sandwich layering.”
Meet Dan, he is Сanadian, he’s blind and his travel blog Three Points of Contact is pure inspiration.
“I decided that instead of living my life in my own self-pity, that I would take a risk and revisit an old passion of mine. Travelling. I set off on my own to regain my independence.”
How the story started
In 2008 Dan nearly lost his vision. He was stuck with using a white identification cane and was afraid of the world around him. This event had a serious impact on his life, not only leaving him legally blind but dependent on others and fighting depression.
Four years later Dan started his life from scratch and risked to travel on his own.
“After returning from my first trip I finally realized what I wanted to do with my life. I want to show people what it’s like to live and travel with a disability. I want to inspire others who may be holding back for any reason, to go out and embark on the kind of adventures they have only dreamed of.”
So Dan created the foundation Three Points of Contact. Its framework was laid out over the course of solo travel during which he met his future partner Tyler Fitzpatrick. With Tyler’s help Dan started YouTube series called Travelling Blind because, as he quickly found out, it is very hard to film for the channel and hold a cane at the same time.
“Three Points of Contact a blog dedicated to living & travelling with a disability and sense of humour. We want to give an honest view of it’s possibilities and challenges. On top of this, we are also very passionate about inspiring any wannabe travellers (disabled or not) to just get out there.”
Dan and Tyler are no strangers to the nature of backpacking, which often has you flying by the seat of your pants. They sold sandwiches and tended a bar in the past to help facilitate further travel, and this time they hope to garner some revenue from their YouTube series.
“As long as YouTube supports us and people want to keep watching us, we’ll keep going,” says Barra-Berger.
Dan’s example is a great display of how miserable the reasons that are holding us back from travels are. At this point Dan has visited more than 30 countries around Europe and his favorite is Ireland.
“It’s likely a bit of wistfulness, as the last time I was there I had met heaps of incredible people. ”
Interests
“Anything I’m interested in? Really? Fine.
Sandwiches. Travel. Music. Conversation with intelligent people. Theatre. Adventures. Having a pint or four. Local beer. Exploring. Climbing things. Running away from bees. Making people laugh. Writing. Sitting on a big fat leather couch having a coffee while watching British TV. A bit of hiking. Video games (that’s right, the blind guy will school you in Smash Brothers or Mario Kart. Not so much in Halo, but I’ll get a lucky kill via Mongooose, and I will gloat.) I’ll beat you at Scrabble, and I’ll gloat then, too. But I’ll pout when you beat me at Clue. I like going to the pubs at night. Karaoke is a not-too-secret shame.”
In addition to traveling, Dan is in love with books.
“The Sherlock Holmes series, Lord of the Rings (et al.), Douglas Coupland, the James Bond short stories…Dickens…oh, Alexandre Dumas pretty much changed my life with the Count of Monte Cristo. JD Salinger’s collected works. Travel books (in particular Michael Palin’s).”
Three Points of Contact
According to Dan three words that describe why we should travel:
“Freedom, curiosity, adventure.”
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What is your inspiration?
Daria Chuiko — writer, journalist,ideas generator of a Digital Nomad Magazine. Originally from Odessa, Ukraine. Write about startups, blockchain, travel, Digital nomad lifestyle and everything what inspires me.
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