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Life handed Dan lemons. He took it and served up a zesty cocktail of travel adventures that’s anything but ordinary—a blind backpacker with an iPhone, a trusty white cane and a spirit so unbreakable it could give the Eiffel Tower a run for its money. Welcome to the whirlwind life of Dan Barra Berger—a traveller, writer, advocate, comedian and now a new dad—an all-around legend in his own right.
Dan’s journey isn’t your run-of-the-mill “overcoming adversity” story. Oh no, it’s more like a high-octane road trip through the highs and lows of life, interspersed with plot twists that would make even the most seasoned sitcom writer envious. He lost his vision in his late twenties due to retinal detachments caused by a connective tissue disorder called Stickler Syndrome. Dan is totally blind in his left eye and extremely nearsighted in his right. He jokingly says, “I always forget my prescription (I’m not a numbers guy) and I usually just describe it as ‘think of a bad one, and it’s worse than that.’ ” From his vision loss to embarking on solo adventures that make Indiana Jones look like he’s stuck in a museum, Dan has transformed his challenges into laughter and inspiration.
The great loss and the grand adventure
It all began in 2009 when Dan’s life took a sharp turn. Losing his vision was a physical transformation but it was also an emotional rollercoaster that sent him spiralling from the highs of a thriving marriage to the depths of divorce. But instead of letting despair take the wheel, Dan flipped the script. He decided that if life threw him into the dark, he’d make it his own comedy club—no tickets required.
With nothing but a massive backpack, an iPhone 4—yes, the dinosaur of smartphones—and his trusted white cane, Dan boarded a plane to London to get away from the funk of heartbreak, the new lifestyle that required so many adjustments and the emotional darkness that oftentimes engulfed him. Imagine a blind man deciding to conquer London’s unfamiliar tube alone, with nothing but sheer will and a can of optimism. The result? A solo trip that felt less like navigating a maze and more like starring in his very own adventure-comedy.
From London’s lanes to Edinburgh’s Heights
London was just the beginning . . .
Dan thrived in the city, making friends faster than a stand-up comedian lands punchlines. He recalls meeting travellers who didn’t care that he was blind. He was seen as a fellow solo traveller, not a blind traveller. Dan recalled a conversation, “I said, hey, man, why haven’t you ever asked me about my cane?” His friend replied, “I figured you got all the way here yourself; I see what you can do, mate, you’ve got it together, I don’t give a damn about your cane.”
That cane sometimes gave people nefarious ideas. Dan was “rescued” by his newfound Australian friends who swooped in like heroes from a low-budget action film to save him from street scammers who used a box of pizza as a decoy while attempting to pick his pockets. “I could sense there were two people behind me who were going to empty my pockets,” he laughs. “But I was going around the area with these two Aussies who are both rugby players, and as the guy kept shoving the pizza on me, I just called to the Aussies. I’m like “fellas!” They turned around and came running up. They grabbed the guys from behind me and threw them against the wall and the other guy with the pizza took off.”
Despite the thrilling adventures that kept his adrenaline racing, there were moments when sadness and loneliness would creep in. Fortunately, in Dan’s usual comedic style, his new travel companions would quip, “go build a bridge and get over it, mate” or “eat a bag of cement and toughen up.” Laughing, Dan recalls, “that was insane advice, but I kind of liked it, and it was so absurd that it would break me out of my funk.”
But the crown jewel of Dan’s travels? A moment of revelation that came atop Edinburgh’s Arthur’s Seat. As he reached the summit, wind whipping around him like nature’s own applause, Dan had an epiphany: he didn’t need a guide, his ex-wife, or even a functioning phone. With his cane in one hand and sheer determination in the other, he saw himself as the conqueror of his own fears and sadness. The climb turned out to be more than a physical two-hour challenge—it was a metaphorical ascent from dependency to self-reliance. As Dan stood there, hands gripping the worn handle of his cane, he realized that his life journey was only just beginning. Edinburgh was a turning point, a summit where he shed his gloom, scattering them in the wind and on his descent, embraced the limitless possibilities ahead as a renewed man.
Moving on from Edinburgh, Scotland to Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, to Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria and France, he travelled with a spring in his step. ”Then in France I started to burn out. That was about the five-and-a-half-month mark” Dan said. He then paused his sojourn, worked in a hostel for a few months, then headed home to Toronto, Canada. But four years later, he was again backpacking, this time with his friend Tyler Fitzpatrick who he initially met on his previous journeys in Europe—a vibrant musician and creative with a Caribbean flair. They reconnected in Toronto and with video recorder in hand, headed out, their wanderlust extending beyond Europe’s historic cities, venturing into the heart of Morocco amidst bustling souks where spices danced in the air and artisans crafted wonders from everyday materials. Dan and Tyler also adventurously navigated the chaotic beauty of Portugal and Spain then called it a day.
Throughout his travels, Dan relied on a thoughtfully curated suite of technology. Central to his toolkit was his reliable iPhone. Complementing his smartphone was his white cane that has proven indispensable in maneuvering through crowded streets and navigating public transportation systems. To further aid his mobility, Dan relied heavily on Google Maps, which provided detailed directions and real-time updates, enabling him to traverse bustling cities and serene trails with confidence. Using saved Offline Maps helped significantly, especially when he didn’t have a local SIM card. Although he has experimented with auditory guide applications developed by companies like Microsoft, he found them less effective. Other resources he used were: Reddit for local discussions and suggestions, BlaBlaCar for rideshare/carpooling (he met many incredible people through this service) and Tyler introduced him to Hitchwiki, a sort of Wikipedia for hitchhikers. Keeping things simple, Dan followed a minimalist packing strategy, sticking to a carry-on only. This way, all his gear stays easily accessible, eliminating the hassle of checked luggage and making his travel logistics a breeze.
Humor as an advocacy tool
Infused with his signature humour, Dan’s simple advice about solo travel to blind and low vision people: “If I can do it, you can too. And at worst, it’s gonna be a story.”
“I try to teach with my comedy. I never make fun of my disability. I make fun of the situations that happen because of it and try to make it relatable,” Dan expressed. This has been a successful strategy to raise disability awareness. Whether he’s cracking jokes about his shaving mishaps or poking fun at the absurdities of navigating hostels with a disability, his comedic flair turns every situation into a scene from a laugh-out-loud sitcom. Imagine telling a room full of strangers, “Yeah, my name is Dan and I’m legally blind, that’s right, I have a disability. There are a lot of comedians with disabilities who are actually a lot funnier than I am, but luckily for me, they can’t get in here so I’m the one you get.” Classic Dan—turning vulnerability into the perfect setup for a punchline.
But Dan’s work extends beyond travel and laughter. It’s really about advocacy. His YouTube channel, 3 Points of Contact, brings accessible travel to the forefront of your mind. Years ago, partnering with his talented friend Tyler Fitzpatrick, Dan used humor and heartfelt storytelling to shed light on the challenges and triumphs of travelling with a disability. From dumpster diving (yes, you read that right) to hitchhiking, Dan’s adventures were as unconventional as they were thought-provoking.
Today, he pushes for more accessible comedy venues in Toronto, one of the continent’s largest cities yet so few of these exist. “There are only five venues that are fully accessible,” he laments, but Dan continues to use his platform to prove that comedy can be both entertaining and a powerful tool for change, while also highlighting the absurdities of ableism.
Society often underestimates the power of humor in the face of adversity. What makes Dan’s story truly unforgettable isn’t just his ability to traverse the globe despite his disability, but that life’s personal hurdles can be met with the courage to keep moving forward, a smile and a joke. Sometimes, the best way to navigate them is with a hearty laugh and an adventurous spirit. Whether he’s scaling hills, sharing jokes on stage, or advocating for accessibility, Dan’s globe-trotting giggles prove that any journey is possible.
Being a new dad has tempered his travels but not his adventurous spirit. He will soon be taking off again but this time with his wife, also a travel enthusiast, and the new addition to their family. The three will be visiting destinations that have taken up residence on their yet-to be-explored bucket list.
So, here’s to Dan—a man who turned his darkest moments into the brightest comedy scenes and proved that with a little humor and a lot of heart, anything is possible. And honestly, we can’t wait to see what hilarious adventure he embarks on next.
Dan recently performed at the 2024 Halifax Comedy Festival and his set will air later this year on CBC. He can be seen in AMI TV’s Breaking Character, and most recently he wrote for (and acted in) The Squeaky Wheel Canada, a satire news show with a focus on disability. He currently lives in Toronto with his wife, Michelle, and their son.
Website: www.danbarraberger.com || YouTube: www.youtube.com/@danbarraberger