Explore new lands, make new friends
Many are making plans to travel in 2018, and there are so many options for senior citizens.
For example, there are group travel options just for women, those traveling alone, couples expeditions, educational tours, small group trips, low-cost tours, and general tours that draw a host of different people. But whatever option chosen, one thing remains the same. You will meet interesting people, make new friends, explore new lands and have a good time.
One of the many options for traveling seniors is the elder hostel, and Bill Ness, writer for www.55Places.com, said they have changed.
“If the term ‘elder hostel’ brings to mind a bunch of gray-haired hippies wandering around Europe, sleeping in questionable accommodations and lugging a backpack, you are behind the times. Today’s elder hostels are well-planned, well-organized, educational and cultural opportunities especially developed to appeal to the 55plus crowd enjoying active-adult living,” Ness said.
There are thousands of choices in hundreds of places around the world, as well as an array of educational tours that feature local and renowned experts for learning opportunities that include in-depth lectures, field trips and discussions. There are also cultural tours that focus on music, theater or the arts. Study cruises are available so you can enjoy the best of both worlds — being on a cruise and learning or experiencing something new at the same time. For the athletically inclined, there are walking, biking, hiking and camping excursions.
“Accommodations are very reasonable and are often in local hotels or college campuses. In many instances, most meals are included as well. You won’t have to worry about a thing. Activities, lodging, meals and more are all covered as a part of the packages,” Ness said.
For more information about elder hostel trips, visit elderhostel.org.
Lifelong learners also can find a tour or trip of interest at www.roadscholars. org. The group offers many opportunities and a number of special trips such as for grandparents wanting to travel with their grandchildren.
Road Scholars’ website notes that “lifelong learners who participate in Road Scholars’ adventures find them fun and stimulating. Road Scholars is a diverse group of lifelong learners. They are solo travelers. They are couples — partners or friends. They are retirees and busy professionals. They are farmers and urbanites. Intellectuals and adventurers. And together, they form a dynamic cohort that enriches every learning experience.”
Senior Citizen Travel, http://seniorcitizen.travel, also has opportunities to see and explore the world for senior women only. Women can get their friends together or simply pick a trip to make new friends on one of the many trips for those 55 and over.
For those who are much more adventurous, there is ElderTreks, which offers small group exotic adventures for travelers 50-plus. ElderTreks’ tours include Horn of Africa in Ethiopia, Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and polar tours around the Antarctica and the North Pole.
One of the trips is camping with the emperor penguins, where travelers fly by ski aircraft to an emperor penguin rookery on the remote, south coast of the Weddell Sea. Camp is set up for a small group of 10 and they spend several days totally immersed in the activity of the rookery. Travelers photograph majestic emperors against a spectacular backdrop of ice cliffs, pressure ridges and icebergs. They can fall asleep to a chorus of trumpeting calls and wake to find curious penguins outside the tent.
The AARP and AMAC also have a large travel section on their websites filled with many opportunities and discounts. Visit www.aarp.org or https://amac.us/ travelperks.
The number of opportunities for travel, travel groups, and businesses and organizations that are catering to senior citizens’ travels has grown in the past few years. These groups and businesses can be found by searching “senior citizen travels” online.
Remember though, if you do take a trip — alone, as a couple or in a small or large groups — research safety tips for senior citizens traveling.
The world continues to change, so before you take off, take care to review safety tips for the area you will be visiting and general tips.
A few safety travel tips include keeping the “bling” to a minimum, or in other words, leave your jewelry at home, which can be an advertisement that you have some dollars in your pocket. Also, don’t advertise your absences from your hotel room by leaving “Clean the Room Please” or other signs that could let thieves know you are not in your room.
Also, be sure and let someone at home know your itinerary, and check in on a regular basis.
Also, when you are traveling, be sure to watch what you eat, for as you age, tummies can be more sensitive. But most of all, make sure you have all of your medications packed and enough for the duration of your trip.
So, check out the many trips in and around Texas, the USA or the globe, have some fun and be safe.