When did you go on your first adventure?
I lost my sight at 18. By the third year of my maths and stats degree, I'd decided enough was enough - I wasn't going to tiptoe through life wrapped up in cotton wool. Against the wishes of my lecturers and parents, I headed off to Canada alone to study in Kingston. That taught me your world becomes bigger when you push your limits.
How did you put that lesson into practice?
In 2005, I took part in a 220-mile trek across Nicaragua alongside 10 other people with disabilities for a BBC Two documentary series called Beyond Boundaries. We had to work as a team to travel through tropical rainforests and a shark-infested lake, as well as up a 5,000ft volcano. I pushed a wheelchair through dense jungle; no amount of exercise could have prepared me for that, it became all about mental resilience. Then, you begin to crave that feeling of uneasiness. When it's tough-that's when you're growing.
How do you experience a new place?
This story is from the May 2023 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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This story is from the May 2023 edition of National Geographic Traveller (UK).
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