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Home One Phone Call. One Extraordinary Journey.
July 29, 2026
When Leslie signed up as a Be My Eyes Volunteer in June 2018, she hoped she might be able to assist someone blind or with low vision complete a simple task. What she never imagined was that one of those calls would eventually take her halfway around the world to India.
Like millions of volunteers across the globe, Leslie joined Be My Eyes because she wanted to give back.
“I thought it was a great opportunity to help others,” she says. “When I first signed up, I think there were around 300,000 volunteers.”
Today, that number has grown to more than 10 million, but the principle remains the same: a blind or low vision person needs a little assistance, taps a button, and a volunteer answers.
Over the years, Leslie has been lucky enough to answer quite a few calls. “I have my smartwatch which helps me pick up calls faster,” she laughs – a useful tip for anyone frustrated at missing calls. Most calls are brief and practical, assisting people navigate everyday situations, whether that’s reading a washing machine display, troubleshooting technology, or identifying products “I’ve helped someone choose a beer a couple of times actually!”.
But one call stood out from all the others.
In 2023, Leslie answered a Be My Eyes request from a man preparing for an evening at the opera.
“He reached out for help coordinating his outfit.” Leslie recalls with a smile. “He wanted to know if the shade of blue he was wearing matched his trousers.”
That man was Amar Latif OBE – blind broadcaster, adventurer and founder of Traveleyes.
What started as a simple fashion check soon turned into a twenty-minute conversation. Amar shared the story of Traveleyes, a group travel company he founded that brings blind and fully sighted travellers together to explore the world side by side.
The concept immediately caught her attention.
Designed with solo travellers in mind, sighted travellers are paired with a different blind or low vision traveller each day to share the adventure. No experience is necessary as guidance is provided before the trip. All that’s needed is an open mind and a willingness to describe the world to their low-vision companion. In return, sighted travellers receive a significant discount off the price of the trip.
“I love travel and I love exploring new places,” Leslie says. “And the idea sounded fascinating.”
At the time, Traveleyes was preparing to relaunch trips following the pandemic, and Amar encouraged Leslie to keep an eye out for future departures.
When new holidays were announced later that year, one destination immediately jumped out at her: India.
“I probably wouldn’t have booked to go to India on my own,” she admits. “And that’s exactly why it appealed to me. It felt like an opportunity to do something completely different and a chance to explore India as part of an organised group tour.”
Nine months later, Leslie was exploring northern India with Traveleyes, travelling alongside blind and low vision companions while discovering a completely new way of experiencing a destination.
The journey became even more special when it was selected to be documented by journalist and photographer Andy Isaacson as part of his feature for the New York Times, Sites Unseen, and the accompanying episode of The Daily podcast.
India exceeded every expectation. The sights, sounds and energy of everyday life left a lasting impression. The contrast between its modern cities and traditional neighbourhoods was eye-opening, the traffic wonderfully chaotic, and the sight of cows wandering freely through the streets never lost its novelty.
Travelling with blind and low-vision companions also changed the way she observed the world.
As a keen photographer and whale-watching naturalist, she was already accustomed to describing what she saw. Yet each travelling companion encouraged her to notice something different.
Whilst guiding fellow traveller Luke through one of India’s bustling flower markets, Leslie found herself describing the vibrant reds, yellows and oranges of the flower displays and the children sitting on the ground assembling bouquets, pausing together to feel the soft petals and enjoy the fragrant aromas.
“It made me realise how many different ways there are to experience a place,” she says. “Some people wanted to know about the colours, others were more interested in textures. I had to shift how I interpreted things.”
When asked what her stand out moment was, Leslie doesn’t hesitate.
“The Taj Mahal absolutely blew my mind!”
Feeling inspired? Discover your next adventure with Traveleyes, from Discovery Tours and City Breaks to Activity Holidays here: Traveleyes Trips
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