One of the 10 commandments of retirement must surely be “Travel as much as you can!” Budget limitations not-withstanding, many early retirees view their retirement as a limitless vacation, and vacation implies travel. As a rookie retiree, I even wrote an essay about the subject, Dissecting the Travel Bug, and my PC password is still travel-related! That word is a vestige of an earlier, but unfulfilled desire to live abroad three months of the year. Alas, I am no longer that new retiree! I am not ready to ditch travel completely, but it certainly has lost its allure.
The Changing Landscape
On the macro level in the eight years since my retirement, the pandemic grounded all travel in my prime wanderlust years, my mid-60’s. Although others in my cohort bemoan that fact, I started a new relationship with the concept of “home.” Through the decades of career and family, I was always outward focused. The pandemic forced all of us to reboot our relationship with domesticity and shift the focus inward. Like many others my age, I’m so comfortable and safe at home, it is very hard to leave!
Three other macro issues affecting my desire to travel are climate change, technology and politics. In more recent times, the only incident which interrupted travel on a global scale was the eruption of that unpronounceable volcano in Iceland in 2010. Today, we have computer outages, flooding, polar blasts and hurricanes which can ground planes unexpectedly. Government shutdowns, feuds with our neighboring nations and longtime allies are other issues which impact travel. The US government shutdown took us by surprise when we traveled three hours to take a tour of West Point, only to be turned away.
The Older Body
Between my husband and I, there is only one pair of worn knees which affects our mobility. Our previous travel routine involved leaving the hotel at about 10 AM and returning at 10 PM. That set of knees can no longer do a 12-hour day in London, but its owner and spouse don’t want to!
My husband already traveled the world as a young adult and in the Merchant Marines. Together, in our 21 years of marriage on a limited budget and without the help of fancy cruises, we’ve covered many states on both coasts of the US, Eastern Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, the major cities in the UK, Italy, France, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary and Poland. To be quite honest, a lust for more travel feels a bit like craving too much dessert! My plate feels full.
I also recently learned on Timelesslife.com that there are some specific medical reasons that can impact long haul travel after the age of 70. Pesky blood clots can form in legs which are inactive too long, the heart can be stressed by changes in altitude and cabin pressure, and our reduced immunity can make us magnets for infections. There can even be prescription drug issues when one crosses into different time zones because of dosage issues. In addition, not every hotel has the trusty safety motion lights we use in our home under our bed, making those ubiquitous falls more likely. The greatest risk of all is getting seriously ill in another country and not having adequate local insurance to cover treatment and a medical flight home.
My, How Travel Has Changed!
When I tell younger folks that airlines used to have double-decker planes, and set out a beautiful buffet for passengers, they are in disbelief! All of this took place after your besties could accompany you to your departure gate, without the lovely TSA experience!
Conversely, twice this summer, I asked American hotels for an early check-in time. The charge at one was $50, which I paid to enable us to have a late afternoon on the beach. The next hotel charged $50 for one hour earlier and $100 for a two-hour early check-in.
I DECLINED!
Hotel pricing has changed entirely from the days when the rate was posted on a little framed card on the back of the door. Today, dynamic pricing adjusts hotel room rates in real time based on demand. Days of the week, time of booking, local events, holidays, and even booking platforms all alter the nightly rate. THAT’S NO FUN!!!! Being charged by an airline for a more comfortable seat on a short, local flight is another experience in that “no fun” category.
Cost Benefit Analysis
The only way to figure out if a travel destination might be worth the cost and modern inconveniences is to do a Cost Benefit Analysis. Although grounded in the field of economics, one does not need special certifications to decide if the total cost of an excursion is worth the expenses, both real and intangible.
A closer analysis finds my travel portfolio has previously enabled me to visit my daughter working in rural Sicily and experience the delight of splendid, regional Italian cuisine and ancient ruins for the first time! That same portfolio dropped me off at a tour bus depot in Reykjavik dressed inappropriately in gale force winds for an hour-long wait for hotel transportation.
In my travels, I’ve experienced a lifelong wish of seeing a ballet at the Vienna State Opera, but I have also been flummoxed by my phone map feature, watching the blinking icon traveling in the opposite direction from my destination so many times in Prague.
Legacy pilgrimages have changed my life when I saw firsthand what life was like for my relatives before the Holocaust in Poland. What a treat to see a pub in Scotland which bears my husband’s last name. However, I’ve also arrived in Paris late at night after a trip to Normandy to drop off a rental car in an unfamiliar neighborhood at a sketchy parking lot.
Is It Worth It?
I have not traveled abroad for several years. There are two destinations that are contenders on my bucket list, but the common constraints of my generation loom large: fear of unforeseen financial needs in the future, lower energy levels, already feeling fulfilled at home and by previous trave, as well as the daunting current world situation. I know the clock is running out, and I like to leave my options open.
Recent domestic travel has been satisfying on many levels. On a fall trip to the Hudson Valley, I found myself uttering these words at all our destinations: “I just love this kind of thing!” Wherever one lives, there is always an abundance of cultural experiences to be savored within a reasonable drive. Daily routines are made to be broken! Countries across the pond are not the only ones where one can experience regional sights and flavors.
My husband and I like to bring our comforting home routines with us. We enjoy a leisurely morning reading newspapers and doing our daily puzzles on our tablets. We then venture out for a more limited number of hours. The next time we travel, we’re going to bring a travel basket with snacks, drinks, utensils and plates for the usual take-out food we enjoy for at least one meal each day.
Serendipity has smiled on us. Our new travel routine has been greatly enhanced by the unexpected purchase of a new “old” car: it has heated seats – so nice for the “mature” traveler!
Your Thoughts:
Has your taste for travel changed lately? In which direction?