Truck Drivers, Millionaires and the Fast Food Joint I Frequent Abroad

When we travel, we open ourselves to experiences and people of all kinds — and, more often than not, we're left better for it.

Many people say that travel brings us together. That’s true. The majority of my friends are not people I met in high school or college (though I do have some lifelong friends from those periods in life), but rather people I have met while exploring the world and reporting on accessible travel.

While it is wonderful to meet new people while traveling, there is a certain sense of separation or stratification that arises from where, why and how we travel. As someone who wants to experience and report on everything related to travel, from the luxurious business class seat on Qatar Airways (paid for with frequent flyer miles) to riding on the Greyhound Bus as a wheelchair user; from a suite stay at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans to a very low budget stay at the Motel 6 in Orlando, Florida, I am largely immune to siloed travel experiences — I meet luxury and budget travelers alike.

The purpose of my travel varies too — each year, I travel frequently to visit family, to watch sporting events, to attend conferences in the United States and abroad, and even to see the Total Solar Eclipse as I did earlier this year. This variation ensures that I meet a diverse array of people, many of whom share common interests (even if they’re rooting for the other team).