Blindtraveller

Cycling blind episode 1

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 13:00:00 -0400

Episode 1 is the first part of an epic 3500 mile, 8 country cycle trip from Vancouver to Panama City in Central America. Following behind a friend due to my deteriorating sight, this episode starts out in Vancouver and finishes at the end of Washington state cycling over the 4 mile Astoria -Megler Bridge.

Blindtraveller Introduction

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400

All about Peter Osborne blind traveller,
Originally from the North East of England.
Hated school but played schoolboy football for South Shields against many top flight academy's Newcastle, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Man Utd to name a few but never quite made the professional ranks.
Left school and joined the Royal Air Force, serving for 7 years with tours in the UK, Belize Central America and Ascension Island in the South Atlantic. It was whilst serving in Belize my love of travel began.

I started losing my sight around 20 years ago due to a genetic version of Macular Dystrophy however, being genetic it could well explain my poor sight since childhood...

After leaving the military my travel continued and despite losing around 97% of my sight, it still continues today....

My trips include

A 3500 mile cycle trip from Vancouver Canada to Panama City in Panama covering 8 countries along the way (Cycling Blind podcast), the USA, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Tibet, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Australia, Indonesia and most of Europe.

I stopped playing football and also stopped playing National league Volleyball and Beach Volleyball due to not being able to see a moving ball....
A friend suggested trying golf "as the ball does not move and waits for you to hit it"

10 years later I play off a 12 handicap having been as low as 9 and I am one of the top blind golfers in the world having won 2 US Opens, a South African Open, a Czech Disabled Open, 2 Blind British Masters and many more (http://www.blindgolfer.co.uk/acievements) , I also Captained England to win the Auld Enemies Cup, a Ryder Cup type event against Scotland. Playing golf has allowed me to continue travelling and as well as the above places I finished 3rd in the Blind World Championships in Japan, played for the Rest of the World against North America in Canada and travel across Europe in competitions.

Visit my websites www.blindgolfer.co.uk and www.blindtraveller.co.uk for more info.

Come along and enjoy the journeys for free and hopefully inspire others....

Cricket and Golf in Lahore Pakistan

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400

A trip to the Khyber Pass in Pakistan's notorious North West Frontier was always a dream and just before 9/11 I managed to go. I flew into Lahore with the intention of exploring the city before heading off to watch England's test match in Faisalabad and then heading north to Peshawar and the Khyber Pass (separate podcast).

Lahore, what an amazing place.....

Peshawar, the Khyber Pass and the North Western Frontier

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 12:00:00 -0400

When talking to a pleasant man from Pakistan who was sitting next to me on my flight from Dubai to Lahore, he turned round to some friends behind us and they all laughed when he told them my plans for the trip. He advised me to be really careful when travelling around Peshawar and certainly to the North West Frontier, and especially since I was travelling alone. I wondered what he would of said if I told him I was blind....

He was right...

Johannesburg and Pilanesberg National Park

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0400

What a place, I won the South African Blind Open at Glendower Golf Club in Johannesburg just before Covid struck. From there it was off in an Uber to Sun City and the wonderful Pillanesberg National Park for a week, a month would still not have been enough. I will be back…..

Stranded in San Salvador

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 11:00:00 -0400

San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador is one of the most violent cities on the planet, the Foreign Office advises against all non essential travel, I managed to get stuck there for 2 days. I was travelling on the famous Tica bus from Guatemala to Nicaragua via Honduras and El Salvador with the intention of passing through Honduras and El Salvador. All the best laid plans, I ended up realising why the Foreign Office advised against all but essential travel.

London in Lockdown

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

A family holiday in London where I lived for 15 years before moving to the North West. Returning with teenage boys during the time when UK residents could travel within the UK but foreign tourists were still banned from entering the UK.
Al the attractions were pretty much walk in, hotels were cheap, no reservation required for restaurants , the perfect time for a visit....

Vilamoura, Portugal

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

A week in Vilamoura competing in the Algarve Disabled Golf Open was a welcome break from the miserable November weather in the UK.

Krakow, Poland

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

One of my favourite cities in the world. I have been here many times and it’s almost my "go to place", certainly in Europe. The sights and history make this place a must...

Atlantis Resort, Paradise Island The Bahamas.

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 12:00:00 -0400

The key is in the name, what a place. I have done Disney with the kids and some pretty special places, but for a family holiday, this place is simply amazing...