When I grow up I want to be...
By Niamh Duffy -‘When I’m older I want to work in disability travel because everyone needs to experience this’
- Niamh, aged 13
Most children want to be fire fighters, princesses or a footballer. It’s at that age where you have no idea of the barriers that could stop you, you’re invincible.
When sat eating my body weight in carbs with my stepdad Darren he turned to me and said ‘you know what, you’re doing exactly what you always said you wanted to do’
Often important conversations can be lost and forgotten over time but as he went into further detail it all came flooding back. I’m 13. We are sat on a jetty, feet dangling over the Red Sea in Egypt, I can feel the salt on my skin as the late afternoon sun warmed our backs. My brother and Mom were snorkelling beneath us, our favourite thing to do.
We are talking about school and GCSE options, I’d already conquered attending a public school in the first place, GCSE’s were the next hurdle to get over. I turned to Daz and said
‘when I’m older I want to work in disability travel because everyone needs to experience this’
I’m not sure what I believe about fate or the path you go along in life. Can we change it by our decisions or is it already chosen for us? But even 13 year old me knew exactly what she wanted to do, and now 7 years later here I am. Sat at my desk in Birmingham, working for Limitless Travel and loving it.
When sat eating my body weight in carbs with my stepdad Darren he turned to me and said ‘you know what, you’re doing exactly what you always said you wanted to do’
Often important conversations can be lost and forgotten over time but as he went into further detail it all came flooding back. I’m 13. We are sat on a jetty, feet dangling over the Red Sea in Egypt, I can feel the salt on my skin as the late afternoon sun warmed our backs. My brother and Mom were snorkelling beneath us, our favourite thing to do.
We are talking about school and GCSE options, I’d already conquered attending a public school in the first place, GCSE’s were the next hurdle to get over. I turned to Daz and said
‘when I’m older I want to work in disability travel because everyone needs to experience this’
I’m not sure what I believe about fate or the path you go along in life. Can we change it by our decisions or is it already chosen for us? But even 13 year old me knew exactly what she wanted to do, and now 7 years later here I am. Sat at my desk in Birmingham, working for Limitless Travel and loving it.
Whether being introduced to Angus was fate or not, he has changed my life by giving me this opportunity. It is a chance to make a mark, encourage others to go out of their comfort zone and explore the beautiful world we live in.
Having a story to tell is ten times more important to me than the newest technology. I have many more places I want to go, many more sights I want to see and many more people I want to meet. Booking flights to new countries or even returning to places I’ve visited before brings excitement which can only be compared to a child at Christmas. I hope that I am now the person that 13 year old me would have looked up to.
Disability does make it harder, I understand that. Whether it is spending 40 minutes on the phone to special assistance clarifying that yes my wheelchair is that size, yes it has been on a plane before, yes it has that battery or not sleeping the night before as my mind races with everything I could have forgotten to pack. Charger? Medication? Makeup? But that’s what Limitless is solving and I feel very privileged to be a part in this. If me chatting to someone calms their nerves and makes them excited to get away from day-to-day life for a bit and explore then I will talk for hours. Anxiety is something I have struggled with throughout my life, for different reasons. I know how it feels to be that scared you freeze, unable to move or even think sometimes. But if there is one piece of advice I could give anyone it’s that although actually pushing yourself through that may be the hardest challenge you face, it opens doors to endless, amazing opportunities.
Travel creates memories that are priceless.
Having a story to tell is ten times more important to me than the newest technology. I have many more places I want to go, many more sights I want to see and many more people I want to meet. Booking flights to new countries or even returning to places I’ve visited before brings excitement which can only be compared to a child at Christmas. I hope that I am now the person that 13 year old me would have looked up to.
Disability does make it harder, I understand that. Whether it is spending 40 minutes on the phone to special assistance clarifying that yes my wheelchair is that size, yes it has been on a plane before, yes it has that battery or not sleeping the night before as my mind races with everything I could have forgotten to pack. Charger? Medication? Makeup? But that’s what Limitless is solving and I feel very privileged to be a part in this. If me chatting to someone calms their nerves and makes them excited to get away from day-to-day life for a bit and explore then I will talk for hours. Anxiety is something I have struggled with throughout my life, for different reasons. I know how it feels to be that scared you freeze, unable to move or even think sometimes. But if there is one piece of advice I could give anyone it’s that although actually pushing yourself through that may be the hardest challenge you face, it opens doors to endless, amazing opportunities.
Travel creates memories that are priceless.
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