Travel Tuesday with Sylvia from Spin the Globe

lady in a wheelchair looking through metal balustrades looting out over the sea in Valetta, Malta — Sylvia looking over the sea in Valetta Malta

There are many inspiring bloggers out there, but one who always brings a smile to my face is Sylvia from Spin the Globe. Not only does she seem eternally happy, but she has not let her disability restrict her love for travel and she inspires other wheelchair users to travel with her accessibility information.

So over to Sylvia to answer my Travel Questions:

Q1 – When did you become a traveller?

I was five years old when my parents took me on a 3-week road trip from Orlando, Florida to Ottawa and Montréal, Canada.

Q2 – What kind of traveller are you? Full-time? Part-time? Anytime?

I would say anytime, LOL! Last year (2019) I visited 22 countries over the course of 130 days scattered throughout the year. My travel statistics for 2018 were about the same.

Q3 – Which country do you originally come from and where do you call home?

I was born and raised in South Florida, USA, and I currently live in Orlando, Florida, USA.

lady in a wheelchair inside a tall glass building with a orange flowers in the foreground and a yellow tree behind her — Sylvia in Chihuly Garden, Seattle

Q4 – Is there anything you miss from home when you are travelling?

My family and my bed.

Q5 – What do you love most about travelling?

The people. Of course, I love all of the beautiful places I get to see and the experiences I get to have. But the most special part about travel is the incredible people I get to meet and the lessons they have to teach me about humanity.

Q6 – And what is your pet hate?

High hotel beds. I failed to understand this trend in the United States of making beds higher and higher. They’re absolutely impossible for wheelchair users to transfer into, and they are symbolic of the assumption that all wheelchair users have someone to help carry them around.

Q7 – Tell us about your favourite trip or place to visit.

My favorite place to visit is Vienna because it has all of my favorites – amazing architecture, great food, beautiful art and music. My favorite trip was a three-week journey I took in early 2018 to New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong. It was a strange mix of incredible scenery and very modern skylines with a culture I’m not familiar with. It was so exciting!

Sylvia from Spin the Globe in her wheelchair in blue coat in St Marks Square in Venice with the buildings reflecting in the puddles. The sun is shining and St Marks is in the background — Sylvia in St Marks Square, Venice

Q8 – How do you prepare for a trip, are you a last-minute packer or days in advance?

I usually start packing about two days before I leave. If I wait until the last minute, I get even more anxious than I normally do. I’m usually not home for very long in between trips, so sometimes I have to plan out two or three trips ahead for things like ordering foreign currency, weather considerations, etc.

Q9 – What 5 things do you always take on your travels?

My cell phone, my travel tripod with a remote shutter, my laptop, my power outlet adapter and extension cords, and a roll of duct tape.

Q10 – If money was no object, where would you live?

Exactly where I’m living now. My whole family lives nearby, and because I’m a disabled veteran with multiple sclerosis, I need to be in the United States in order to receive appropriate medical care.

Q11 – Tell us more about your blog/YouTube channel – Spin the Globe?

On my blog, I primarily write about the wheelchair accessibility of the destinations I visit all around the world. I also write about issues that are very important to wheelchair travellers, like accessibility in hotels, the challenge of flying with a wheelchair, etc. I have over 120 videos related to accessible destinations and travel on my YouTube channel, in addition to several disability advocacy videos.

Sylvia from Spin the Globe in a wheelchair on board a cruise ship deck looking out through the glass walls towards the sea — Sylvia on a cruise

Q12 – What three blogs inspire you?

I’m a big fan of Journalist on the Run by Janet Newenham. She’s not a wheelchair user, but she’s so funny and down to Earth, and she goes to places that I could never visit in a wheelchair. It’s really fun living vicariously through her adventures! I also love My Ticket to Ride, a blog by one of my best friends, Azure O’Neil. She’s a photographer and solo adventure motorcyclist. She’s also absolutely tiny and changes her own motorcycle tires. How awesome is that? Finally, I love Follow Me Away, a luxury travel blog by my good friend Victoria Yore. The photography on that blog is absolutely mind-blowing!

Q13 – And your go-to travel resource?

Google Maps

Q14 – What advice would you give first-time bloggers?

Write about what you know. Being authentic is the most important thing you can do as a blogger too not only share accurate information, but to earn the trust of your readers.

Sylvia from Spin the Globe in her wheelchair going across a paved road and under a metal bridge. There are trees wither side and buildings in the background. The windows are reflecting the buildings opposite and the sunny sky — Sylvia from Spin the Globe in Amsterdam

Q15 – Where are you off to next?

I’ll be flying to Hawaii at the end of February to speak at an academic conference in Honolulu about diversity and inclusion.

Quick lowdown of Sylvia’s favourite:

Favourite Airport? Amsterdam/Schipol. They sell stroopwaffles there.

Favourite Mode of Transportation? Cruise ship.

Window seat or aisle? Window

Favourite City? Vienna

Favourite Country? Spain

Backpack or Case? Backpack

Travel Book? In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson

Quote? “Someone has to be first. It might as well be you.” – Condoleeza Rice

Thank you, Sylvia, xxx!

You can keep up with Sylvia on:

Facebook – https://facebook.com/spintheglobeonwheels
Twitter – https://twitter.com/spin_theglobe
Instagram – https://instagram.com/sylvia_longmire
Pinterest – https://pinterest.com/smlongmire
YouTube – https://youtube.com/smlongmire
and of course on her blog – https://www.spintheglobe.net

Sylvia has just published her new book: Everything You Need to Know About Wheelchair Accessible Cruising

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If you enjoyed this post, read some of the other Travel Tuesdays

Larch Gauld

Larch lives a semi-nomadic life. Her life changed 20 years ago when a silly accident left her with restricted use of her right arm and neck and was told she would never work again. She turned her life around, retrained herself and set up as a self-employed website designer. This allowed her to work wherever she was in the world. Her passion for travel led her to start up her travel blog The Silver Nomad, to inspire over 40s to explore new destinations and expand their horizons. In 2019 Larch qualified as a CAA Drone Pilot which she combines with her travels.