Earlier this year, Sanah Rauf took her first ever overnight trip away without her family. Supported by her new PA, Sanah, who is an MD Support Centre service user, travelled to Scotland by train to attend a music festival. She shares her reflections on the experience.
My first trip away with my PA – Largs, Scotland
Travelling with a disability often means there’s a lot more to plan – things like accessible hotel rooms, equipment hire, taxis, and routines. But I was up for the challenge of planning my very first trip away with just my PA (no family members) and I’m so glad I did – it was a huge success.
Planning the trip
First, I chose the area I wanted to stay in: Largs, Scotland. I used Expedia to find accessible hotels, and I really liked that they included pictures of accessible rooms, so I knew what to expect. Once I found the right hotel, I called and booked directly.
Because my PA can’t lift me (and shouldn’t for safety reasons), SMA UK helped me hire a hoist and commode chair, which made things so much easier. Next, I booked my train tickets and arranged assistance through Passenger Assist – everything went smoothly.
The last big worry was taxis. I’ve had problems in other cities finding accessible options, so I searched “accessible taxis Largs” on Google and found Ravi’s Taxi, which had an eight seater accessible Caddy. I pre-booked all my journeys in advance, which took away so much stress.
My top travel tips
- Create a schedule of things you want to do.
- Stick to your routine – I got up and went to bed at the same times as at home, which made me feel safe and grounded.
- Choose a PA you connect with – you’ll be spending a lot of time together, so it’s important you vibe well.
- Plan your days like a triangle – a calmer first day, a busy middle day, and a slower final day to recover.
- Energy management is key – I thought I’d do three festival days, but with a six-hour journey, that was too much. Work around what your body can handle.
- Travel comfort tip: go to the toilet before long journeys. I didn’t take a laxative beforehand, and it made the trip uncomfortable – lesson learned!
- Ring the hotel – check if there is space under the bed for the hoist to go underneath. We faced a little issue when the hoist wouldn’t go underneath so had
- to do a side transfer instead from the commode to bed.
- Ring the hire company – tell them the exact equipment you need. We received a commode chair but the bucket wouldn’t slide out underneath and I had to get of the chair for the bucket to be removed.
The highlights
The whole weekend was a 10/10, but my highlights are:
- Going on the ferry to Millport.
- Attending the Om & Bass Festival at Kelburn Castle (I’m an accessibility ambassador, so it was amazing to embrace my hippie side and be in my element).
- Spending time with friends at the beach – which was only 10 minutes from my hotel. I hadn’t been to the seaside in years, so this was really special.
- The hotel breakfast on Sunday – gluten-free toast, avocado, smoked salmon and poached egg – absolute bliss after six months of the same breakfast at home!
Reflections
I feel so much more confident now about planning trips independently. This was a great starting point, and I’m excited for the adventures to come.
I’m incredibly grateful to:
- SMA UK, who funded the hoist and commode hire.
- SMA UK Smart Moves Grant, which part-funded my Permobil power chair that lets me change positions, tilt, backrest recline and elevate my legs – this made the trip possible.
- Pathfinders Neuromuscular Alliance’s Uplift Weekender which I attended. I admired their structured planning. Inspired by this, I used a similar approach for my own adventure, which made me feel safe and grounded.
- And of course, my amazing PA, Liz. Thank you for reassuring me, supporting me, and making this trip so enjoyable.
Right now, I’m physically tired but mentally so alive. I hope my story inspires you to plan your own adventure – because living with a disability doesn’t mean you can’t travel. It just takes a bit more planning, patience, and the right support.