Haidar Taleb contracted polio when he was four years old and since then, he has spent his life in a wheelchair. But having a disability has not stopped Mr Taleb from indulging in his passion for travel.

Last week, Mr Taleb proved that being disabled shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the things you love and experiencing the world. He undertook an incredible journey, and set a Guinness World Record for the furthest distance travelled in a solar powered wheelchair.

Mr Taleb set off from Masdar City, Abu Dhabi at 6am in his solar powered wheelchair. He travelled continuously for 130km arriving in Sharjah at 8:30pm and setting a Guinness World Record. He arrived just half an hour later than expected.

Though obtaining the world record for the furthest continuous journey in a solar powered wheelchair was one of Mr Taleb’s main aims, he also wanted to promote sustainable energy. A solar powered wheelchair uses light from the sun to continuously recharge its batteries. The solar panels also act as sun shields for the rider, which came in handy on Mr Taleb’s long journey.

Mr Taleb’s world record attempt in a solar powered wheelchair just shows that people with disabilities needn’t be put off travelling and visiting different parts of the world. Many holiday destinations now have excellent facilities for disabled people.

If you plan to travel abroad in a wheelchair, make sure you contact your airline prior to travel so that they can make any necessary arrangements for your journey. Bear in mind that some airlines impose weight restrictions on wheelchairs.

Ensure you have comprehensive travel insurance for your holiday. Goodtogoinsurance.com specialises in providing travel insurance for people with medical conditions or disabilities, and we can also provide cover for mobility aids in case they are lost, stolen or damaged.