Selma Blair Jokes Her Bucket List Vacation Is the Same as 'Every Old Woman'

Selma Blair's travel wishlist is changing every day.

In a new cover story with Travel + Leisure, the actress and activist, 52, spoke candidly about the difficulties she experienced traveling after she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), and opened up on how she perfected her travel routines so she could still get out and see the world.

"Seeing new things can change your perspective. It inspires you," she tells T+L in an interview that took place at the glamorous-yet-accessible Rosewood Miramar Beach hotel, in the Southern Californian town of Montecito. "When you can't do that, it's a loss."

The Legally Blonde star has also built up a list of dream travel destinations over the years, and she jokes that her top spot is the same as "every old woman."

"Like every old woman, I want to go on an Alaskan cruise when the northern lights are happening," she says. "I want to swim in ice water. I also wouldn’t mind being in a hut over the water somewhere like Fiji or Belize."

"Maybe this is a distinctly American thing, but when you say 'vacation,' it instantly conjures up images of clear, blue ocean and an overwater bungalow," she adds.

Related: Selma Blair Candidly Shares How Living with Multiple Sclerosis Has Impacted Her as a Single Parent Raising Her Son Arthur

Blair has long been candid about suffering from the symptoms of MS for much of her life, and was finally diagnosed with the condition in 2018. Though she found some relief in putting a name to her symptoms, she says that her diagnosis also came with the challenge of learning how to navigate life — and travel — as a person with a disability.

"The truth is when you get really sick and you’re not making money, it will temper your travel," Blair says.

"And also I was too ill to really get the bags packed and get my child together to go on a plane," she continues, referring to her 13-year-old son Arthur, who she shares with ex Jason Bleick. "When we did, I’d get there and wouldn’t enjoy it. I didn’t have the energy, I didn't have the walking skills to deal with places like New York or Chicago. It was challenging."

For Blair, finding new ways to travel and explore the world while also finding ways to accommodate her disability opened up tons of new doors — including reinvigorating her love for seeing new places.

"It wasn’t until I took a big trip to Paris that I realized how much I had truly missed traveling," she adds. "And I realized I could do it."

"Yes, when you have a health issue, you have to take care of yourself in a different way, but you can travel and it can help. Having that shot in the arm of new memories and new visuals can be incredibly refreshing," the actress finishes. "Even if you are nervous, that anxiety can get you in a different mindset. Use that excitement to fuel you."

Related: Selma Blair Reveals Daily Pain Battle in Vulnerable Video: 'I Hurt All the Time' 

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The actress underwent extensive treatment for her MS, including a risky two-month hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) that involved an aggressive course of chemotherapy.

Speaking with Today about Arthur this month, the Cruel Intentions star shared, "I think since I had him I’d been afflicted with MS, and I didn’t know [because] I was diagnosed later. My fatigue was always the main issue and as any parent knows, especially a single parent, there’s no room for extra fatigue."

The mom said that she's always had to find and connect with other people for tips and tricks on how to handle things, like her fatigue. Blair said that she always had to ask the question, "How do you do this?" when raising her son.

"I had to ask advice for everything," she told Today, adding, that she's now "in a good spot."

Read the full cover story and see more photos on travelandleisure.com or in the March issue of Travel + Leisure.

Read the original article on People