I have fond memories of travel as a child, but for most of my adult life, I avoided it for one specific reason — I’ve been on the heavier side.
I gave up travel for many years before becoming a full-time traveler.
Kimanzi Constable
Because my mother is from Mombasa, Kenya, I traveled extensively as a child from my home in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I was born and raised. We took six trips a year to visit family in Kenya, England, Amsterdam, and Berlin.
But from ages 19 to 32, I did not travel at all even though everything inside of me wanted to, because of self-image struggles.
I was tormented by thoughts of squeezing into airplanes seats or possibly having to pay for two seats, not fitting in beds, and feeling embarrassed by my weight in other countries.
So for years, I decided not to put myself in that situation – until I had a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to speak at a conference in Sydney, Australia, in 2012 that inspired me to face my fear.
Since then, I’ve adjusted to traveling full-time as a larger traveler. As of this writing, I am about 280 pounds. The following tips are ones I picked up along the way that help me stay comfortable and confident.
