Tony Giles has traveled to 130 countries so far "I have been
to every continent in the world, including Antarctica. My mission is to see
every country in the world. “This is to say of Tony Giles who is not only blind
but also deaf with both ears. However, his passion for travel has so far taken
him to 130 countries.
Giles, a 41-year-old travel enthusiast, is from England.
"Some people say I'm touching the extremes of travel. But I'm
showing them that you can see the world from an alternative perspective.
Giles recently traveled to Ethiopia, where he was interviewed by
the BBC Travel Show.
Feel through my skin
"I hear people talking, I go up and down mountains, I can feel
them through my skin and feet," he said. That's how I see any country.
"
Giles has been traveling and moving to new places for the past 20
years.
During one such trip, he met his girlfriend from Greece. His
girlfriend is also blind.
He traveled with them to Russia last year and the two traveled by
train to the world's largest country.
However, he is lonely on most of his travels.
New travel hobby
He covers his travel expenses with his father's pension. They plan
their journey in advance.
His mother helps him book plane tickets because Giles says many
airlines' websites are not helpful for the blind.
They keep in touch with people through various websites who can
help arrange accommodation for them after their arrival in any country.
"I can't just pick up a book and decide where to go. I should
have known that in advance. I have a very good memory. I plan where I want to
go. “When they reach their destination, they like to look for routes in unknown
cities.
"Sometimes I don't know who will find me in the new place and
what is going to happen to me. That's the decent thing to do, and it should end
there. "
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| Tony Giles has traveled Add caption |
I plan ahead. "
When they reach their destination, they like to look for routes in
unknown in cities.
"Sometimes I don't know who will find me in the new place and
what is going to happen to me. That's the decent thing to do, and it should end
there. "
Lost senses
Giles was only nine months old when he was diagnosed with a vision
problem. By the age of ten, he was completely blind.
At the age of six, doctors declared him partially deaf. Now they
use powerful hearing aids, but they can't hear every sound completely.
"For a long time as a teenager, I was overly anxious about
being blind."
Giles was educated at a special school and this was the first place
where he had the opportunity to go to another country. At age 16, he went to
Boston on a college trip.
However, his health still stands in the way of his passion. For
example, in 2008 he had a kidney transplant. Her stepfather donated a kidney to
her.
Giles' father died when he was 15, and his best and disabled friend
died when he was 16. Tony Giles loves to
go to places where things can be touched and felt. "That's why I started
drinking and it continued for six to seven years. By the age of 24, I was an
alcoholic.
Giles' father worked in the Merchant Navy. The young Giles was
greatly impressed by the stories he told from distant lands. "When I quit
drinking, I could see that I had to do something different."
Running away from emotions
In March 2000, he began his adventure in New Orleans.
I had no idea where I was going, I was in a state of shock. I took
a few deep breaths and said to myself, "Tony, if you don't want to do
that, go home." Then he decided not to go back and since then he has
toured all the states of America.
"One of the main reasons I traveled so much was because I
wanted to escape. Escape from your emotions. Moving to new places always
provides the necessary relief to their emotions. “When I meet more people, I
feel that they do not come to me because I am blind, but because of my
personality."
Just basic needs
They save money on travel. He prefers public transport and prefers
basic living space to where he lived in Addis Ababa. The hosts of Giles cooked
for them with the ingredients they had bought from Giles Market "It simply
came to our notice then. It illuminates all four layers. The host of Giles
cooked for them with the ingredients that Giles had bought from the market.
"I hear, smell, and feel things around me."
They like to touch and feel things.
Talking to people and listening to what others have to say helps
them form a picture. In Addis Ababa, he
went to an art exhibition where he was allowed to touch the objects kept there.
He says it made him feel like he was involved, but in many museums, he is not
allowed to do so.
They want to be 'lost'
They want to deviate from the daily routine. In Ethiopia, they went
to a lake where most tourists did not go. They fed the waterfowl there.
Tony Giles in Ethiopia
They sometimes hire private bodyguards but often do not and
sometimes get lost. However, they are not bothered by it. They comfortably wait
for a passenger to come and help them. ‘Maybe ten people will pass by you and
then someone will stop and ask: ‘Are you lost? Do you need help "Strangers
have taken me home and fed me, and they have helped me on my journey," he
says.
Trust strangers
Withdrawing cash and handling notes of different currencies is the
biggest challenge for them. "I have to find someone I can trust. I have to
check them first. Their stories have to be heard. "When they are
satisfied, they go to the ATM with a stranger and withdraw cash. “When I
withdraw money, I have to ask what the notes are worth."
Music and food
They also try to learn different types of musical instruments while
traveling.
Tony Giles often connects with the locals through music and food
"One of my biggest loves is music. I can connect with that. I
can feel the rhythm. It can overcome all obstacles. "
They must also taste the famous local dishes.
Amazing
He has visited many fascinating places and often takes pictures.
Sometimes they meet people who are amazed at their interest in
tourism.
They ask, "Why would a blind man want to see the world?"
He has a very simple answer.
"And that's why not."
