Hello, I’m Sonia.
Welcome to our Travel blog!
I didn’t start this blog because I love travel.
I started it because I thought I had lost it.
For most of my life, travel & the outdoors were how I understood the world. I hiked long trails, explored national parks, wandered European cities all day, and planned trips around what I wanted to see — not what my body would allow.
Then my health changed.
Although I’d previously managed allergies and gluten intolerance, a COVID infection in early 2020 triggered a series of chronic conditions — POTS, MCAS, APS, and Sjögren’s — all linked with chronic fatigue. During lockdown I wasn’t well enough to travel. Over the following year I slowly rebuilt my strength, and by 2021 I began carefully returning to hiking and travel.
I became the person who felt fine one day and completely exhausted the next.
The person who could hike — but not always.
The person who could travel — but paid for it afterward.
Eventually I learned I wasn’t alone. Many people live with conditions like POTS, autoimmune disorders, chronic fatigue, mast cell disorders, long-COVID, migraines, and other invisible illnesses that don’t prevent travel… but fundamentally change how it works.
And I discovered something else.
Almost every travel resource online assumes you have unlimited energy.
“Start early.”
“Pack your days.”
“See everything.”
For many of us, that advice doesn’t just fail — it can make us crash for days or weeks.
So I had to figure out a different way to travel.
I learned how to pace hikes in the Colorado mountains.
How to plan recovery days into itineraries.
How to walk long coastal trails in Portugal without burning out.
How to fly internationally without triggering a flare.
How to enjoy a place without trying to conquer it.
I didn’t stop traveling… I just had to relearn it.
What This Site Is
The Chronic Traveler is a travel resource for people whose bodies have limits — but whose curiosity doesn’t.
Here you’ll find:
– Realistic travel pacing strategies
– How I plan trips with built-in recovery
– Flying and road trip preparation
– Hiking and outdoor activity adjustments
– Destination ideas that work well with limited energy
– What actually helps (and what doesn’t)
This is not “inspirational travel.” It’s practical travel.
I’m not here to tell you to push through symptoms.
I’m here to show you how to work with your body so travel is possible again.
What This Site Is Not
I’m not a doctor and this is not medical advice.
I won’t recommend treatments, protocols, supplements, or cures.
What I share here is personal experience — what worked for me, what didn’t, and what I learned along the way. Every body is different, and your limits may not look like mine.
The goal isn’t to travel the same way you used to.
The goal is to still have a life that includes places, nature, and discovery — even if it looks different now.
Why I Wrote This
When my health changed, I searched everywhere for answers to one specific question:
“Can people like me still travel?”
I found packing lists.
I found accessibility guides.
I found medical information.
What I didn’t find was someone explaining how to actually live as a traveler with a chronic condition.
So this site is the resource I wish I had. I created The Chronic Traveler to share a different approach: slower, more intentional travel that works with your energy, not against it. If you’re looking for destination guides and itineraries, you can also explore my main site at CareyOnTravels.
If you’re newly dealing with illness, you’re not imagining how hard this adjustment is. And if you’ve been managing it for years, you already know: the hardest part isn’t the symptoms — it’s the uncertainty.
You may not travel the same way you once did. But you can still go.
And you don’t have to figure it out alone anymore.
A Little More About Me
I’m a travel writer and long-time outdoor traveler who has explored extensively across the Americas, Europe, and beyond. When I’m not traveling, you’ll find me in Colorado or Portugal. I still hike, road trip, and take international trips — just differently than I used to. If you’re looking for destination guides and itineraries, you can also explore my main site at CareyOnTravels.
I believe travel isn’t about doing the most.
It’s about being there, not doing everything.
You’re Welcome Here
If you’re reading this while wondering whether you should cancel a trip…
I understand that moment.
This site exists to help you plan more safely, recover better, and rebuild confidence over time.
Travel may look slower now.
But slower still counts.