A lot has changed in 2 years. First, Covid temporarily killed off the blog; no thanks to myself being put in the shielding group, and several things have happened since, which delayed the comeback!
For those who don't know, I became a mum in August 2021! With this, Alex and I set up a second blog to focus on the family side of travel and lifestyle whilst also talking about being LGBTQIA+ parents and myself being a disabled mum. Family Of Wanderlusters definitely took up a lot of our free time, but it helped me stay sane through a period where travelling wasn't an option due to how high risk my pregnancy was. As a result, I've missed the buzz of catching flights, reviewing destinations and showing the world that accessible luxury travel isn't just possible; it's a reality that companies and brands need to wake up to. This is especially true if they're to cater to the ageing population, as well as disabled people who want the choice of luxury travel!
Other things have happened too, and the following reason is ultimately why this post is being done. When I was diagnosed with the conditions in 2015 that caused me to become a full-time wheelchair user, I was studying Travel and Tourism, a course I never managed to finish for various reasons. However, before my gran passed away, I promised her that if I had the chance to go and do an apprenticeship within the industry that I love so much, I would do one. So, in January, that's precisely what I did, applying for an apprenticeship with an airline here in the UK! Last month I received the news that I was successful with my application, so I'll be starting that in September! It's something that I'm super excited to begin, and I know that good things are definitely coming!
However, the decision to take this route with my career has some implications for this blog. I've decided that once the airshow content is posted over the coming weeks, I won't be posting any travel-related bits until I get clearance from my new employers on what they're happy for me to post with regards to the blog. It's very likely that I will focus purely on destination and hotel accessibility going forward, as well as lifestyle, to avoid any possible conflict of interests. This doesn't mean I won't be championing accessibility in commercial aviation; that's one thing which will never change! I've always believed that companies and brands should cater for disabled customers, and it's something I'll always champion. The way I do paid partnerships and advertising will change too. I'll be utilising programs like Amazon Associates a lot, both on this blog and the family one. Unfortunately, running the blogs isn't free and takes time, but I've always been clear that they are monetised. As for paid partnerships, who knows what direction they will take. That's a conversation I'll have to find out what I can and can't do going forward.
Ultimately, whatever direction the blog takes will come down to what I'm able to post content-wise and who I can work with. The bottom line is that this is about protecting myself and, of course, the interests of my employers once I start the apprenticeship in September!
I hope those of you who've followed the blog stick around for the next part of this journey, and I can't wait to get back to giving you all tips and advice when travelling and in day-to-day life, whatever that may end up being!
Take care for now, and I'll be writing about all things Farnborough International Airshow very soon!
Steph