What happened in your life that caused you to love to travel? Did you always look at the horizon and wonder what was on the other side – like the bear? Maybe you saw photos in a magazine when you were younger or watched some shows that inspired you. Whatever it was, embrace it and be thankful.
I was talking with my nephew the other day. He has made several trips abroad in the last year and has plans for more travel next year. I commented on this and he said he credits his father (my brother) for his love of travel. I said I blamed my father for my love of travel – though credit is more accurate. Each year we would pile into the family car and spend a month traveling the United States and Canada. For the most part, we stayed east of the Mississippi River and the eastern Canadian provinces, though we did travel out west one year. My father’s family was from Tennessee but growing up he moved – “every time the rent was due.” My mother’s family was from Canada and she spent a lot of time there growing up. The memories of our summer vacations will stay with me forever – even those of 3 boys and a dog in the back seat of our family car. “He’s touching me! I swear I’m going to draw a line on the seat and dare you to cross it! Are we there yet?”
For whatever reason you want to travel. Perhaps you were fortunate and were able to travel when you were younger and this is just a continuation. Maybe it is something which you always wanted to do, but working, raising a family, paying bills; life got in the way. Before you knew it, it was retirement time. Now you are ready to travel. Maybe not far; the beach, the mountains, the rocky coasts, or the big city. Perhaps, like me, you have dreamed of going overseas. You want to explore the region your ancestors called home. You have seen pictures of the sculptures and paintings in Italy. You have a list; a bucket list – whether on paper or in your head. Those are the places you want to see, the things you want to experience.
Often, when people think of travel, they dread the planning and the hassle. Airline tickets, packing bags, arranging for accommodations, a budget, stopping the mail, or arranging to have the home looked after. All these things may be necessary for extended travel but the mistake frequently made is that travel entails long distances or overnight accommodations. Travel can involve nothing more than a day trip to an area zoo to see the Christmas lights or a drive through a state or national park. It can even be a quick trip into the city to see a Broadway show. It involves nothing more than doing something you usually do not do and seeing things you do not normally see. Whatever it is for you – hold it tight and head out.
There are several realities you may need to face – one may be cost. You look at the money coming in and the money going out and wonder how you can afford to travel. Disposable income is certainly a concern and one that only you can address. If you haven’t retired yet now is the time to make changes to your retirement fund. Look at what you want to do when you retire and plan accordingly. If you have retired then you may need to adjust where you go and how long you stay. But do some research before you cancel your dreams. Something that I have found out is that travel may not be as expensive as you think. I was looking at flights to Great Britain the other day and saw that direct flights to Heathrow were close to $300 round trip – yes $300!! This was for the economy seats, so first class would be much higher. This was also during what is called shoulder time. This is the period before or after peak seasons – I’ll talk more about that later. Whatever your expenses allow there are places you can go and things you can do.
Now, you have looked at everything and everything says yes! Let’s go! But then your body says nope – ain’t gonna happen. Maybe you were born with a physical handicap that limits you, or were in an accident at one time and now you have mobility issues. Or, perhaps, like me – bang! Life throws you a curve ball. After taking care of yourself, you discover that you are not as healthy as you thought. Parkinson’s, MS, Myasthenia Gravis, or other chronic illnesses. Health issues can certainly get in the way of many things. It can be hard to hike rugged mountains in a wheelchair. Others may not be so obvious but are just as debilitating.
Let me tell you a little about myself and my handicaps, yes plural. While some are minor and only an annoyance, others are more limiting. Right now, I am 70 years old. For most of my life, I have been healthy. Blood pressure, cholesterol, and things like that, have never been an issue. I have always been able to do whatever I needed to do. Help my brother-in-law put shingles on his house – no problem. Build a deck – sure. Remodel multiple homes – done. Clear overgrown land – absolutely! Help my children move from one house to another – multiple times during college – I am there. Return to college after decades for a master’s – you bet.
Then minor issues start to surface. Hearing aids. Restless leg syndrome. Neuropathy in my legs. Meniscus tear and arthroscopic knee surgery. Cancer surgery. Then bone-on-bone arthritis and knee replacement. The knee replacement did not go quite as I hoped and I have intermittent pain due to scar tissue. Then the big one – Myasthenia Gravis. This is an autoimmune disorder that can cause muscle weakness to various degrees along with other symptoms like leg cramps. The major symptoms for me are double vision and tired legs. I wear special glasses when needed for the double vision but sometimes I struggle to walk to the mailbox. The leg cramps and the knee issues are exacerbated by sitting too long. Standing or walking is the main relief. Oh, did I mention sleep apnea? No? Well, there is that also.
So now what? Do you cancel all your plans, your dreams? No! pack your bags and go. Sure, you may have to modify your goals. Maybe rather than climb to the top of the Statue of Liberty you can only ride the elevator part way up. Still, you are inside the Statue of Liberty! Change your plans to accommodate your new reality but don’t cancel them.
Follow me as I talk about a recent trip to Europe with my family; some challenges I encountered, and memories I’ll carry with me forever. It was a time I will never forget and worth the work and effort needed to pull it off.
Tower Bridge London, England
Is there a particular subject you would like to learn more about, or places you might be interested? Let me know. I have not traveled abroad extensively – yet – but I would be happy to explore any travel subject that interests you.