Key Takeaways
- 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 r
- 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 situa
- 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
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.
Route for Less: 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.
