The fascinating reality about life is that we are only young for a season. Before we know it, that season slips through our fingers as we go on with the journey of life through the ageing process.
Where certain activities in our lives – such as work come to an end at some point, travelling does not stop because you are getting older. Many people and senior citizens discover the joy of adventure and travel when they are older.
“If anything, it is when you are older that travel means more because your lifetime past experiences allow you to fully appreciate the new experiences that give your ageing process a new dimension of how to enjoy life to the fullest without limitations,” says Allan Mwangiru, 65, whose been travelling with his wife Joy for the last nine years.
Allan says after staying for three years at home, he got bored by the routine chores of tending his retirement farm when it occurred to him that travelling for fun was the answer.
This idea, says Joy, came to Allan after spending time out within the first year of his retirement visiting our children in and outside the country, which was later extended to close and distant relatives.
Within three years, they had done visits and repeat visits until it became difficult to figure out who to pay a visit to next.
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“We were having our dinner one night when we realised we had come to the end of the road with the visits, and that if we were not careful, the once joyous and excited joy we received when we visited, might turn to dreaded visits because anything that is done in excess has the possibility being unwelcome,” says Joy.
Then it dawned on them that they could use this experience to their convenience. Instead of planning visits to their children and relatives, they would plan to travel, visit places, and have fun without inconveniencing anyone with their visits and stays. The idea was so alive that the night, Allan reminisces, they stayed awake till dawn discussing, and planning, and by the time they were retiring at past 6 am, they had six destinations and a tentative budget.
Three months after the birth of the idea, they took their first trip to Zanzibar and for the last nine years, travel has been their “game changer” in enjoying their retirement days.
The couple has travelled to every corner of the country, more than half the counties of Africa. They have also travelled across the continents of Europe, Asia, North and South America. They are planning to visit the remaining two – Antarctica and Oceania to complete a tour of the seven continents of their world.
Mary Muricho, a tour operator, says being older does not mean that one can’t travel the way they used to.
“We are talking about upgrading from a hostel to a hotel, and what we are referring to are physical limitations that an older person might need to work around,” she says.
Muricho says she deals with older travellers all year round, and age is not a limit.
“Fortunately, there are stops older travellers can take to protect themselves, and my advice to them would be to research, read, and be on the lookout for expert tips on older people’s travel,” says Muricho.
Expert travel tips for older travellers
Insurance is key: While travel insurance is important for travellers of any age, it is essential for older travellers who are more at risk of getting into health mishaps during their travel.
Watch out what you eat: Joy says from her travel experiences, older folks tend to have more sensitive tummies and are frequently on restricted diets. “It is understandable to want to forget those facts while away from home, but doing so could have undesirable side effects,” she says. unless one wants to spend more time in their hotel room, they keep the heavy spic, fatty and cheesy food to a minimum.
Older travellers are advised to check with their doctors before leaving for a trip to find out if certain foods popular in their destinations are off-limits. It taking medication, always take as much as your prescribed medication to last your travelling duration and keep them safely in a travelling bag that you can reach easily.
Keep a list of your essential medications with their names and prescribed doses so you can replace them if the need arises.
Keep valuable jewellery to a minimum: One perk about getting older is that you can afford to shop for more value. However, carrying valuable items like gold watches and expensive cameras makes you a target for thieves.
“Criminals believe that older travellers are less aware of their surroundings, more unsteady in their feet, and all around easier targets,” says Allan.
Experts recommend that if you are travelling solo, keep others appraised of your daily itinerary, including trusted staff at your accommodation venue.
To benefit from a full day’s itinerary, wear comfortable walking and touring gear. Experts recommend flat shoes that will help older travellers to keep steady on their feet.