Plus-Size Travelers: Research For Booking Tours
August 25, 2021
There’s so much time and effort that goes into planning a successful vacation. Where should we go? Where should we stay? What are the most popular attractions? These are just a few of the questions that may run through your head while mapping out your trip. One of the most time-consuming components of planning a trip is the research involved, especially when it comes to booking tours and excursions.
Most of the time, it’s important to book ahead that way you and your loved ones are guaranteed tickets. If you wait until the last minute, popular attractions such as the London Eye and Thames River Cruise may sell out. Before I start booking, there are a few things I like to research as a plus-sized traveler. I’m going to walk you through some key points that I believe are helpful when researching excursions and tours, especially if you are a bigger person, like myself.
Weight Capacity
One of the first things I research on any excursion or tour is if there is a weight capacity. I would rather know ahead of time than instead of finding out at the gate. For example, looping back to the London Eye, there was a huge Ferris wheel that I had to make sure supported my weight. This is something I would highly recommend researching, just to save the trouble of being disappointed if you’re unable to participate.
Exercise & Time Limits
Another thing I like to know before booking is how much exercise is involved if it’s a timed tour. There is nothing worse than having to climb hundreds of stairs while feeling pressured to keep up with everyone. Time crunches can make the strenuous exercises even more exhausting because you’re unable to go at your own pace. I love self-guided tours or excursions where there is no time limit. I enjoy being able to explore and wander on my own time.
Space
The last thing I would recommend looking into is how much space the tour or excursions will have for you. Activities involving boat rides, ferries, planes or helicopters, trams, and gondolas are just a few examples of things that could have limited space. Even though a smaller space isn’t a deal-breaker for me, I still like to be prepared. It also helps me decide how much time I’m going to spend on that tour or excursion. For example, if I know I’m going to be in a confined space, I may choose a shorter tour rather than a longer one.
Traveling the world comes with its challenges as a bigger person. There’s more research and planning involved. However, in my opinion, it’s all been worth it. Everything I’ve seen and experienced so far on my journey has blown me away. Any uncomfortable tour or excursion I’ve taken has been worth it for the experiences, memories, and beautiful scenery.
I want to inspire everyone, no matter their shape or size, to see the world. If I can do it, you can do it. Planning is time-consuming, but it shouldn’t stop you from getting out there and trying new things. Whether you’re a bigger person, have a disability, or even just uncomfortable in your own skin, I encourage you to chase your dreams. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Stay tuned for more travel tips and tricks to come!
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Big Guy Big World is a travel blog, following Mark Jacoby’s journey as a big guy on a bigger journey, exploring the world during a global pandemic. Follow along as we experience some of the world’s most beautiful and exotic places.