Listening to my body: Solo Journeys with MS – an interview with Sandra Keating

Sandra’s Background: Diagnosed with MS and Fibromyalgia

I was diagnosed with mild relapsing/remitting MS at 28 and now at 43 I have also recently been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, Hyperextension, Perimenopause and all the joys of mid-life.

I have had periods of anxiety and overwhelm in my life but manage these through therapy, mindfulness, nature, yoga, walking, swimming, my loving friends and family and the more often than not a good old bit of trash T.V to really switch my mind off.

I work as a part-time Reiki practitioner doing in person and distant treatments. I was previously at Neals Yard Remedies in Cambridgeshire, where I met Jenny of Orchids to Olives. I gave her in person Reiki and then went on to give her distance Reiki when she went abroad.

I have a creative background and work as a picture researcher 4 days for The Guardian. After living in London for over 15 years, I returned home after the pandemic for a slower pace of life and to be closer to the countryside. I now live/work in between London and Peterborough on my own with my cat Smudge.

Access Sandra’s wonderful photo stories here

What inspired you to start traveling solo, while managing MS?

Finding My First Glimmer of Solo Travel with MS

My first glimmer was a couple of years after my MS diagnosis when I joined a friend on her solo adventures in Brazil. I had a few days at the end of that trip on my own where I went to a Favela, experienced some of Rio and the long haul flight home solo.

However, it wasn’t until a good few more years into my condition that I could even comprehend the reality of going for any long stretch of time on my own.

I used to have anxiety especially around sleep as I suffered from insomnia and whenever traveling for work, I would always relapse with mild sensory symptoms including one time walking around L.A with my colleague, feeling like I was walking with an invisible flipper on one foot and a cold sensation dribbling down my lip whenever I spoke to someone new.

The Struggles of Travelling with Medication

Then, I was on medication and had to travel with injections that needed to be kept refrigerated. The only time I travelled with this was with friends to The Philippines, the electricity would turn off at night and my medication box, in the fridge, ended up soaked and smelling of wet fish every day – I thought absolutely not, no way will I be able to keep doing this.

A Life-Changing Shift in My MS Journey: One Pill, Once a Day

Then, I got lucky, when an oral pill was developed which meant one pill, once a day. OMG this was from the gods. Before that I had a small relapse every six months and since then, nothing too serious. I felt extremely lucky and that ended up being the green light.

Taking the Leap: My First Big Solo Adventure with MS to India and Nepal

I travelled with work solo to New York and Paris after that, and then soon after I quit my full-time corporate job in Fashion in London and career of 8 years, and decided to travel.

I took my first “big trip”to Nepal and India, where I trekked the Himalayas (the “easy” by Nepali standards route, it was hard).

I stayed with a traditional Nepalese family in a mountain village in Gokarna and then went on to experience the wonders of parts of Southern India for four and a half months.

I purposely chose not to go to the bustling North, this time, partly because of my condition and partly because I really wanted to do the beaches in Goa and Sweet Lake. I wanted to see the Flintstone boulder of Hampi, Karnataka and visit Amma’s Ashram and the Kochi Muzuris biennale in Kerela.

Access Sandra’s photo stories of her trip to Nepal & India here.

Do you have a particular travel style?

Slow or how I like to think of it now – paced.

Whether it’s a weekend away or a long trip or adventure – pacing is key. Days not setting an alarm, no big sights or to see list. I definitely like to leave space for moments of pause and moments to ‘be’.

I did this in Krakow, Poland whilst on a short trip after a day at the mountains of Zakopane. My head wanted to go to Auschwitz, go see Schindler’s Enamel Factory but my body (and my heart) said stay in your Air BnB, get cosy in your new mountain slippers, read and eat mushroom pierogi (Polish dumplings).

So that’s exactly what I did.

Retrospectively, I think moments of connection are important also. As someone who likes a lot of alone time, I do also think there is so much value in connections with others, be it other travellers or my favourite, the locals and seeing their way of life.

How do you prepare for a trip with your health in mind?

I can’t speak for every time I’ve travelled but to physically prepare before my trek in Nepal I walked and went to the gym, a lot.  I’m not necessarily a gym person but on top of my usual weekly yoga class, I used to also walk home from work a lot, which was central London to Hackney, and started the gym and my love for treadmills inclines.

Looking back, as well as physically, I think this helped mentally prepare me.

Strong body, strong mind is what I’m going to remember for future travels.

Have you faced any particularly tough moments while travelling solo with MS? How did you handle them?

I did actually have some testing times on both legs of my trip to India ( I had a short break in-between where I returned home) but I have to say that when my mind was strong I handled these much better.

For example, on the first leg of my trip I had severe flu after my trek when landing for the first time in Goa on my own and my luggage was delayed for days. I also cracked my head after falling off my bike (when stationary of course) in Hampi, Karnataka India. I had people in the room wanting pictures of me as I was having stitches and had to wear a bandage on my head for the rest of my trip.

All these experiences, including busy trains, long waiting times and unknown places didn’t phase me and was all part of the joy.

I definitely attribute my resilience and open-mindedness to adversity at that point down to exercise – and specifically strength training and breathwork.

What has solo travel taught you about yourself and MS?

That I can do it but that I also have limits sometimes and that’s ok too.

The body tells you and you need to know when to listen and honour the signs.

This might be life long learning as it’s not always easy, so I’m still also learning to accept that it’s ok to have limits, you can’t always do it all.

Can you share a travel experience that made you feel powerful, free, or deeply alive?

Of course the mountain trek is up there but to be honest, India was my biggest test. That feeling of being capable and resilient and unphased even with challenges made me feel so powerful.

People said you will find India hard – the busyness, people are brash, no nonsense, you will get hassled, it’s intense…However, the times finding my way on my own only made me feel more capable and reinvigorated and strong.

If you can be unphased while travelling first time solo on a sleeper bus through India with strangers looking through your curtains the whole time but sleeping like a log the whole way. Then arrive into Bangalore in the middle of the night to be guided down a dark alley by a random guy for somewhere to stay (not that I recommend this) but still feel safe and still feel ok, that was truly is liberating.

What advice would you give to someone with a chronic illness who wants to travel solo but feels unsure or afraid?

YOU CAN HANDLE IT.

Ask when you need help. There is always someone around.

Make time to rest and replenish and to “do” nothing.

Keep a back up fund for treats and treatments on your lower days.

I’m kind of saying this to remind myself also how it can be done. It’s actually fine. Everyone finds travelling hard sometimes, not just because you have a chronic illness.

You’re not alone.

What’s next on your travel bucket list?

To be brutally honest, before doing this blog (thank you Jenny), with my new diagnosis of Fibromyalgia and now living with some sort of low level chronic pain daily and more severe flare-ups at times, I was at a similar point to where I was after my MS diagnosis, where I couldn’t imagine being able to do it again.

It currently feels like a whole other ball game living with, and the thought of travelling with chronic pain, which I’ve never experienced before. However, maybe here is where I need to take my own advice and re-connect with my past experience of knowing the time will come, there is always a way, acceptance, pace and maybe luggage on wheels this time.

On my bucket list of course is Sri Lanka, Japan, more treks, maybe Mt Etna or through the sands of Morocco but to be honest, even the smaller trips, local getaways and weekends away feels like a small win.

Not everything, or every trip needs to be ‘big’ to be rewarding.

I read something great about novelty spikes recently and how even the smallest new experience or “interruptions” away from our daily norm, a new park, or a local day trip can sometimes be enough.

Thank you Sandra!

Discover more about Sandra

If you’d like to learn more about Sandra’s art or reiki treatments you can find her here:

www.sandrakeatingreiki.com

• Instagram

I’d Love to Hear From You!

Have you travelled solo with a chronic condition? Or are you thinking about it? Do you have a favourite wellbeing place? Feel free to share your thoughts or experiences in the comment section below.

If this post resonated with you, please consider sharing it with someone who might need this kind of encouragement.

Would you like to contribute a guest blog post?

Do you travel solo with a chronic health condition, whether that be physical or emotional? If you’d like to share your story and tips with others, contact me here 💌

Related Blog Posts: Chronic Illness Travel

The Hypermobile Traveller: How Katy Balances a Chronic Health Condition and Solo Travel

Healing in the wild: how one woman’s solo travel and conservation journey, accompanied her long road of grief

Chronic Illness Travel Insurance: Comparing Staysure & Avanti for Pre-Existing Conditions

Travelling Solo with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND): From Fear to Freedom

Solo Travel with Chronic Illness: How to Reclaim Yourself at Midlife

The Unexpected Benefits of Travelling Solo with a Chronic Health Condition

A Destination Checklist for Women Traveling Solo with a Chronic Health Condition

On being a Digital Nomad with MS: An inspiring interview with Monica Lynne

Sri Lanka for Women with Chronic Illness: A Calm, Restorative Destination for Midlife Solo Travellers

Are you struggling to decide on a destination for your solo adventure?

Let me help you: download my supportive Destination Checklist

Traveling solo with a chronic condition can be incredibly empowering – but only when it aligns with your current health capacity and limits.

Orchids to Olives

Journeys of self-discovery, wisdom, healing and friendship