I’m super excited to be a new columnist for Able Magazine.
I live in Central Scotland in a small but homely town with my partner and our seven year old rescue cat, Milo. I am a disabled travel and lifestyle blogger and founder of Simply Emma (and a proud ambassador for Euan’s Guide and Mobiloo). I have limb-girdle muscular dystrophy and I’m a full-time powerchair user.
I never imagined that a sequence of bad experiences while travelling, attending live events and general accessibility issues, would have developed into something positive. However, four years later I’m still doing what I love and writing about my experiences and accessible travel adventures as a wheelchair user on my blog and online publications. I love being able to help others see the possibilities through my travel guides and reviews of accommodation, live events, and attractions. I also enjoy sharing other aspects of my life like wheelchair fashion, days out and accessible walks with my family.
My disability is a progressive muscle wasting condition that has become more severe as I’ve got older. I need help with almost every aspect of my life, from the moment I wake up in the morning, to the moment I shut my eyes at night. Of course, it’s challenging, but I try never to let my disability stop me from travelling and living life to the full.
I feel lucky to have visited lots of amazing places as a wheelchair user. Some of my absolute favourites being New York, San Francisco, Vienna and Barcelona. Being a proud Scot, I’m always happy to explore my hometown and throughout Scotland… You can’t blame me though; Scotland is incredibly beautiful.
I love travelling and I love writing about my travels. However, there is nothing better than relaxing at home. My idea of relaxing is snuggling up on the sofa, watching movies with Milo curled up on my lap: sometimes the best things are the simple things.
One of the highlights of last year was being included in the Shaw Trust Disability Power List of the 100 most influential disabled people in Britain. It was an incredible honour to be included and be amongst the likes of actors, Paralympians, OBE’s, and MBE’s, comedians, activists and other bloggers.
Achievements like this encourages me to continue to raise awareness, to challenge perspectives around disability and to help knock down barriers to accessibility.
About Emma Muldoon…
Emma created her blog, Simply Emma, to share her life and experiences of being a powerchair user and encourages others to see more of the world, whether that means international travel or being a little more adventurous in your hometown. The blog, founded in 2014, has grown to become one of the UK’s leading travel and accessibility blogs.
Twitter: @Simplyemma2
Facebook: @SimplyEmmaBlog
Instagram: @simplyemmablog
