TRANSCRIPT
Taking their travels step-by-step, a dozen vision-impaired travellers have arrived in Perth as part of an eight-day adventure.
Turkish-born Neslihan Sari is one of the members of the group.
"I was born with congenital glaucoma and I lost my right eye when I was two years old, so it is a prosthetic eye."
In the last few years, Neslihan Sari's left eye has deteriorated.
Today she's only able to tell the difference between light and dark.
Over time, she says, she became alienated from people, and from the things she loves to do.
"Before when I could see a little bit, I was very much into art and craft, into drawing, into sculpting, into creative things like that."
Until she decided to take up the challenge, and travel independently.
Thanks to tour group Cocky Guides, Ms Sari and the other tour members are supported by companions, which for some means guide dogs.
The unique travel operator helping this cohort step out of their comfort zone, including Romania-born Gina Kojta, who fled the communist regime to Australia in the late 80s but is yet to see much of the country.
"I do some research and find out how to take care of myself, how to be supportive for others worse than me and to be useful for my family and friends. And a few years ago I wouldn't think I would be as confident to travel and use this beautiful friend, as I am now."
Now with her new group of friends Ms Kojta says she has a different outlook on life.
"I've got the opportunity to travel (to) many places in Australia. We see places, and visit places that I didn't think I would be able to visit."
This small group of travellers has their own story to tell, but also their own chapters to write.
Some are hoping this will just be a start, to accomplishing so much more than what life tells them they can't do.
Charlie McConnell is another member of the group.
"Walked the Kokoda track, that was absolutely smashing, a very lovely thing to do. Over to Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, went up to the top of that to see what's at the top of the roof of South Africa. And then of course to base camp at Kala Patthar in Everest."
They hope that more travel options will soon open up for the vision impaired, so they don't have to just hear about other people's travel experiences.
