Lois Strachan

In this episode, our host, Lois Strachan, speaks with Adam Perry from Minneapolis in Minnesota in the USA. He is a 49 year old man who was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa in the 70s. Over time he lost his peripheral vision, night vision and then total vision. Adam has travelled extensively both for personal leisure and for work and shares his insights and experiences as a traveller who is blin...

In this episode, Lois Strachan chats with Normie Eckard from Ventures4Jesus who is an adventurer and traveller who uses his adventures to raise funds for others. Normie became a T7/T8 paraplegic after a motor vehicle accident when he was 18 years old. Today's travel quote comes from the ancient Roman philosopher, Seneca: "Travel and change of pace imparts new vigour to the mind." This episode was...

In this episode, Lois Strachan speaks with Renee Keuster-Sebranek, our first international guest from the USA. Renee shares her experiences travelling as a person who is blind. Today's travel quote is by Mary Anne Radmacher: "I am not the same, having seen the moon shine on the other side of the world." This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by Musa E...

In this episode, our host, Lois Strachan, chats with Elizabeth Maphike. Elizabeth became blind as an adult and the first time she travelled outside of her home city was after she lost her sight. Elizabeth is the provincial chairperson of the Western Cape branch of the South African National Council for the Blind. Follow Elizabeth's blog on: Literature with Love by Liz : https://www.facebook.com/be...

Following on from the previous episode, Lois Strachan continues the conversation with Chaeli Mycroft, an ability activist in Cape Town, South Africa. In this episode, Chaeli speaks about summiting mount Kilimanjaro and shares some of her other experiences travelling internationally in her wheelchair. Today's travel quote Simon Raven: "Since life is short and the world is wide, the sooner you start...

In this episode, Lois Strachan chats with Chaeli Mycroft, an ability activist based in Cape Town, South Africa, about a number of topics related to accessible travel and Chaeli's summit of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak on the African continent. This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software. Credits read by Musa E Zulu.

In this episode, marking our 2 year anniversary, Lois Strachan has a conversation with Jeremy Opperman who is a disability inclusion consultant, and they discuss how this impacts the travel and tourism industry. Today's travel quote is by Melody Truong: "I'm in love with cities I've never been to, and people I've never met." This episode was edited by Craig Strachan using the Hindenburg software....

Lois Strachan interviews Julie Jones from Sydney, Australia. Julie is the founder of an online platform, Have Wheelchair Will Travel, and the co-founder and editor of the magazine,Travel Without Limits. Julie's son was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy at the age of 5 months and they have travelled extensively as a family. As a result and with her background in tourism, she realised the need for infor...

In part 2 of the interview with Tarryn Tomlinson, host Lois Strachan chats with her about her company, Able2Travel and the work she is doing in the tourism and hospitality industries. Tarryn is a writer for Mango Airline's magazine, a consultant on accessibility within the tourism industry, and the founder of an organisation helping underpriviliged children with music and art therapy. Tarryn is al...

In this episode, Lois Strachan chats with Tarryn Tomlinson about her recent expedition up Mount Kilimanjaro in her wheelchair. Tarryn is a consultant in the hospitality industry and a social activist. She is the founder of Able2Travel, and the Bambini Dream Foundation Trust, an NPO that provides music and art therapy to underprivileged children. She also writes for Mango Airlines regarding accessi...

In this episode, Lois Strachan speaks with Rajes Govender, a travel agent from Kwazulu Natal, South Africa. She is founder and co-owner of Consolidated Travel. She shares her insights into the travel industry and her own experiences as a traveller with a disability. Rajes had a motor car accident 18 years ago and lost both her lower limbs. Today's travel quote is by André Gides: "Man cannot discov...

Lois Strachan speaks with paralympian and professional speaker, Darren Harris, about his extensive travels, participation in the paralympics his speaking career. Darren is visually impaired, living in the UK and loves helping people stand out from the crowd, follow their dreams, not be shut down by the masses, and to become torch bearers who break new ground for all of us. This episode was edited...

Lois Strachan speaks with Dr Kim Lewis who is a General Practitioner by trade, and due to brain inflammation, lost her sight 3 years ago. Kim speaks with Lois about her travels, and most recently, her experience of going on a cruise as a blind passenger with her guide dog, Jessie. Travel Tech Corner features the Zoom software that can help us keep connected with friends and family during lockdown....

During this time of uncertainty of the Covid-19 pandemic, enjoy some armchair travel with Lois Strachan and her guests. Even though we can't physically travel right now, we feel it's important that we keep sharing stories, travel inspiration and our experiences for the time when we are able to go out into the world again. Our guest today, is Anthony Ghillino who is the general manager of QASA, the...

Lois Strachan speaks with Sabine Smith from Epic Enabled, an accessible tour operator based in Cape Town, South Africa. Epic Enabled was founded by Alfie Smith, who qualified as a mechanic and started travelling as a youngster. He started Epic Expeditions in 1992. Sabine was born in Switzerland and joined Alfie in 1994. In 2001 they started Epic Enabled to provide accessible safaris for people wit...

Lois Strachan speaks with Zakariya Moola about his experience going on Hajj as a person with a visual impairment. Zakariya was born in Durban and schooled in Pietermaritzburg. He completed a Bachelor of Social Science degree and has his own business retailing stationery. He has been visually impaired since birth. Zakariya's first overseas trip was in 1989 when he went to Saudi Arabia for a minor p...

In today's episode, our host, Lois Strachan, speaks with Cindy Jacobsz who is a visually impaired cyclist and triathlete, and recently took a trip to the Himalayas. Cindy is a mother of 2 daughters. She works in employee health and wellness, and occupational health & safety and transformation. Cindy has macular degeneration, which was diagnosed at 16 years old. She went to a school for partially s...

This week Lois speaks to Anjali Singla from Delhi in India, on the topic of psychosocial disabilities, in particular, travelling with Chronic Anxiety Disorder. Anjali is a psychologist by training, and currently she is working with an NGO in India called The Banyan that works with homeless people who experience mental illness. She is also a research associate and part time faculty teacher at the D...

Lois Strachan speaks with Saul Molobi who shares his story about his first overseas trip as a traveller with a disability. Saul is a businessman, entrepreneur and also involved in radio. He has experience as a public servant, having worked for government in marketing & communications, and has also served as a diplomat. Saul became disabled 3 years ago as a result of Guillain-Barré Syndrome, a rare...

This week, Lois Strachan chats to Lauren Jackson who shares insights on travelling to 13 different countries as a wheelchair user. Lauren has a genetic disorder called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, more commonly known as Brittle Bone Disease. Our service provider spotlight features Cape Nature's Vrolijkheid Nature Reserve which has a wheelchair accessible bird hide as well as a braille hiking trail. To...

Lois Strachan speaks to Claudette Medefindt, who is one of the founders and Head of Science at Retina SA, and deputy president of Retina International. Claudette has travelled to 47 different countries and shares advice and tips on how to travel, things to avoid, and things to do - and not just for travellers with visual impairments, not just for travellers with physical disabilities, but for all...

Today on the podcast our host, Lois Strachan, chats to Hillary Lane who has Cerebral Palsy and has travelled extensively across Africa and other parts of the world. Lois & Hillary have also travelled together to Ghana 2 years ago for the Afri-Need Conference. Hillary says: "The reason I feel you should travel is that it really does broaden your horizons. Seeing things on television is not the same...

Russell Vollmer is the founder of CapeAble, an organisation that provides consulting services and training on universal access. Russell had a diving accident during his national service in the navy when he was 19 years old, and has used a wheelchair for more than 40 years. He is passionate about the sport of sailing and as such has crossed the Atlantic, and has represented South Africa in the para...

Lois Strachan chats to Razia Hisham about travelling as a family with their daughter, 15 year old Nura who has cerebral palsy. Nura had a spinal fusion procedure due to scoliosis and has titanium rods in her back, resulting in her parents affectionately calling her their Titanium Warrior. Their primary goal has to provide Nura with a comfortable but full life, and as such have travelled extensivel...

Lois Strachan takes this travel podcast international, currently in Paris, France, and interviewing Sristi K.C. from Nepal, India! Sristi is the owner and founder of the Blind Rocks organisation based in Nepal. She became blind at the age of 16 due to the incorrect medical prescription. "When I lost my sight I got the vision of my life. I was completely shocked, but then decided to tranform my sho...