Me, Autism & Travel

Hello, there! If you are reading this and don’t know me, I am Jonny, a Professional Travel Expert here at Designer Travel. Something else you may not know about me is that all throughout my childhood, adolescence and part of my adulthood, I had always known that something was different about me. Then, at the age of 34, my questions were answered when I was assessed and later diagnosed as autistic.

It is a misconception that being autistic would make me a homebody. Just like any group of people, the autistic community is made up of individuals, all with their own strengths and difficulties, likes and dislikes, and so on. It is important to keep this in mind when it comes to autism and neurodiversity, no two people are the same.

In the autistic community, it is common for us to have what is known as “special interests”. This can be most simply defined as interests and activities that the person finds fascinating or compelling, that they love to spend time learning about, thinking about or doing. It is also common for these special interests to become part of a person’s personality. For as long as I can remember, travel has been a special interest of mine, so the opportunity to work in the travel industry is a dream come true!

I won’t sugarcoat it, there are certainly aspects of travelling that I find overwhelming (if there is any interest, I can perhaps write about these in a future blog post, describing the difficult aspects and how I make them more manageable). Travel can be far from inclusive at times, but, in spite of the uncomfortable parts of the experience, I still travel because the rewards of experiencing it far outweighs the uncomfortable parts.

Being able to overcome some of the barriers to travel has allowed me to enjoy some fantastic experiences. Some of these highlights include:
• Climbing up the Coba ruins in Mexico above the jungle canopy.
• Meeting Tom Felton randomly in a bar in Brisbane (Draco Malfoy for the Harry Potter fans).
• Teaching English at a Beijing school.
• Being flung around at what felt like hundreds of miles per hour on some of Orlando’s best roller coasters.
• Watching a rocket launch from Cape Canaveral.
• Feeling like a high roller because I won a small bet in Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.

As an autistic travel agent, I bring a unique perspective which helps me create unforgettable travel experiences for my clients. My attention to detail and understanding enable me to understand and cater to the diverse needs of each enquiry. Whether you need assistance with planning an itinerary that accommodates sensory sensitivities, finding destinations that offer a calm and welcoming environment, or simply ensuring every aspect of your trip is meticulously arranged, I am here to support you every step of the way. Let me help you take the stress out of travel planning, so you can focus on enjoying your journey to the fullest.

I am working on writing more posts on navigating the world of travel with autism, so please regularly check back here to keep up to date.