Tips For the Older Traveler

As people age and reflect on life, often one of their regrets is not having traveled as much as they’d have liked. This often becomes a new ambition for the senior years, to do some post-retirement traveling. The next thought to occur is: no longer a spring chicken, do I still have it in me to travel?

What are the principal considerations for older people who wish to travel, especially to foreign countries?

Health

Older people should get a thorough medical check-up before taking a significant journey to make sure they’re fit to travel. If anyone is on medications, make sure you have a supply  adequate to last the trip, and carry your prescriptions and find out in advance if or where you can get them filled if necessary. Sometimes a short trip can become longer, for many reasons, and you want to have the option for that to occur without impacting your health. On that note, make a plan for emergencies, with contact numbers in a charged phone, and map out medical facilities, just in case. And invest in the abundant insurance options that arise around travel.

Money

Work up the approximate costs and budget for the whole trip, and make sure you have access to extra funds. Let your bank know you’re traveling so they can watch for suspicious activities as well as know not to block any draws on cash you may make. Keep larger money and important documents in a secure travel pouch inside your clothing, with smaller change handy in a regular pocket.

Accommodations

First, choose a destination and itinerary that fall well within your stamina and mobility levels. Choose a hotel or guest house that has elevators, ground-floor rooms, accessible bathrooms and the like – many will call out their senior-friendly features. If you’re going abroad, check out the electricity standards for charging any electronics or medical alerts. Choose comfortable means of transportation, both for getting where you’re going and for exploring the locale. Budget travel and the pedaled rickshaw may be great fun for the younger ones, but you may opt for first-class comforts to honor your age.

Companions

For most people, travel is more fun with other people, whether as a couple or in a tour group. And speaking of young ones, if you’re traveling as a senior, how about taking the grandkids with you? Multi-generational traveling is a definite thing nowadays, as well as multi-gen accommodations and attractions. Planning in advance is important here obviously, to make sure all members of the group are happy and engaged during the trip.

As part of the pre-trip planning, make sure communication is flowing easily within the group, so that everyone can understand the preferences of the others. Balance the itinerary to cater to the different ages, and build in respect for each other’s choices and capabilities. Add extra flexibility into all planning, including with meals -and not only menu choices but times of eating too – and also accommodations.  If young children are part of the group, make solid plans for safety and emergencies.

Relaxation

If you’re traveling, it’s either to explore a different culture, or simply to relax and enjoy one you already know, or both. Make sure you give time to yourself to do this. Plan deliberate gaps in your itinerary and in your days, and pad the time estimates to give extra cushioning. The main feature of travel is finding things you didn’t expect or account for, and you want to have time to take the unexpected delights on board.

So don’t push the pace – if you can’t see everything in this trip, well there’s your new ambition: to return again – soon – and this time as a veteran , and seek out the local nooks that the tourists don’t see. Take time to learn a few phrases in advance and during the trip, and see the respect that flows back from the locals – you usually can’t do that in a hurry.

Oh – and have fun!