Travel is the second best retirement gift Seniors can give themselves. Your health is number one!
Travel can enhance a retiree’s life significantly, it offers a freshness and pleasure not encountered with a day to day routine. Travel is a great teacher, it does not matter where you go, you are always learning something new about the destination you have chosen.
Travel can have more meaning as you get older as a lifetime of knowledge allows you to appreciate all the new experiences, different cultures and ways of life. Now that you have retired you have plenty of time to spend travelling and enjoying the life you have worked so hard for over the years. You don’t have to slow down or stop travelling just because you are getting older, your opportunities are just increasing now that you have time to dedicate towards it.
If travelling is on your mind it is time to formulate a plan. Planning in advance offers relief from many stressors. Travelling can be very taxing if you are ill prepared. There are so many aspects of planning a trip to take into consideration. Travel agents will be a big help sorting out your plans and bringing them to life. These days, many Travel Agents, like myself are very flexible, I can come to your home and spend as much time as you need to go through all your travel plans, I also have a dedicated office in Chelsea Heights, Melbourne, Victoria. Or, plans can be also made via conversations on email, through Facebook or over just the phone. There are many advantages to having a good Travel Agent, they are experts in their field, they have spent many hours researching and even trying things out themselves. Take their advise, they will know of options that may be perfect for you. Sometimes it may be something you have not even considered or heard of. They have all the information right at their finger tips. For some agents, like myself there is no cost involved. Why would you not use the expertise of someone who arranges travel everyday. It can alleviate the chance of mistakes being made. You can also be assured you are being recommended the best available tourism services.
When it is time to book, the sooner you book airfares the cheaper they will be. Lock in the best fares and the best seats and start researching what you would like to be doing when you arrive. You can research airfares easily in the search function of my website at www.kb4travel.com.au
Ensure you are aware of any visa requirements for the country you are planning on travelling to. Passports will generally need six months validity from the return date of your journey to allow you to travel on them. It is important to check this as you may not be allowed on the plane. This would not be a good way to start your holiday!
Print out all itineraries, boarding passes, hotel and tour reservation confirmations, travel insurance documents and any other travel related documentation to have on hand should you need it. Ensure they have customer service numbers on them so you have the number available should you need to call it for any reason.
.
Yes, I did mention Travel Insurance. Get Travel Insurance as it is important for people of any age to minimise the impact of any unforeseen circumstances. As older travellers the risk of falling and hurting yourself, getting sick or needing extra medication if travel is delayed is increased. It does not cost a great deal and gives a lot of peace of mind knowing you are covered if anything should happen.
If you are on medication, treat your medicine like you would your passport or wallet. Ensure it is kept in a safe place and not left laying out in hotel rooms. It is important not to check it in with your baggage and keep it with you at all times. If any issues arise like delayed travel or lost baggage you want to be sure you still have your medicine(s). Make sure you have enough medicine for the whole trip, plus a little extra just to be sure. Get your Dr to explain what all the medication is for and the generic names for each in case you need to get extra whilst away for any reason.
Take a small emergency kit with some essentials like panadol, bandaids and antiseptic cream just so you are prepared in case of a minor accident. Ensure you pack sunscreen and a hat to be sunsafe. Plus, Hand sanitiser and perhaps some multi-vitamins to keep you as healthy as possible whilst travelling.
Keep hydrated, try to drink as much water as possible, especially in hot climates. Water helps keep all your essential organs functioning well.
Don’t go over the top in trying new foods. As we get older we can have sensitive stomachs and trying rich and overly spicy foods can have implications on your health over the following days. If your stomach reacts to certain foods try to stay away from them, perhaps pack some mylanta or quikease if this can be an issue for you.
Ensure you have comfortable sturdy footwear. When travelling there is often lots of walking involved to explore your new and fascinating environments. Footpaths can often be uneven, cobbled or just non existent so flat sturdy shoes are a must.
Like it or not, Seniors can be often seen as prime targets for criminals. Wearing a money belt and not displaying expensive jewellery, gold watches or fancy cameras may deter them from making you a target. You and/or your travel agent can research the unsafe places to go and common scams related to a particular country in order to be aware and avoid them. http://www.smarttraveller.gov.au will give advice for travellers on every country, by being informed you are being prepared. You can also register your travel plans on this website so you are contactable in an emergency.
Always carry a mobile phone in case you need to make an emergency call. Your phone can be switched to aeroplane mode or switched off to avoid the risk of getting expensive phone bills, but it is handy to have just in case. These days phones can often be a good discreet camera as well. Ensure you also pack the charger and country power converter as well. There is no point having it, if it is not in working order.
For the feeling of safety and peace of mind escorted tours and cruise holidays are very popular with Seniors and highly recommended as all the logistics are taken care for you. There are so many different options available. There really is something to suit everyone. You may like a hiking tour or a coach tour with minimal walking. Speak to an experienced travel professional and discuss the options that suit your needs. Someone like myself who has travelled can offer great advice and options.
Cruising in particular is a booming segment of the tourism industry and for a very good reason. It offers very good value for money, you can cruise close to home or abroad and there is again something for everyone on board. There are many and varied itineraries to suit, from a short 2-3 night weekender to a 106 night round the world cruise and everything else in between.
Cruise ships offer mobility accessible rooms and often have hospital facilities on board to be able to cater for all needs. Different cruise ships also cater for varying budgets. There are elaborate and grand 5 star options like Queen Mary 2, or there are more budget lines like P&O or Carnival which are great too. There are so many different types of ships like Royal Caribbean’s mega liners which cater for up to 5000 passengers. They have their own casinos, mini golf and ice skating rinks to more intimate river ships. Princess cruises are great for Seniors, with the average age of passengers on board being 55, you are cruising with people who often have similar interests. There is something very relaxing about gazing out over the water. Being on the water cruise ships can take you to so many amazing places in the world.
If flying, especially long haul journeys, purchase (deep vein thrombosis) DVT socks. These will aid in circulation and discomfort in the legs. Consider extended stop overs in places where the plane will stop to refuel anyway. This will break up your journey but also give you extra time to explore another country without having to pay for an extra plane ticket. Most airlines have a hub airport that they will always stop at, your travel agent can advise on this also plus recommend popular things to do on your stop over.
Once you arrive it is worth having booked a transfer to your accommodation. Someone will greet you at the gate. This can take the stress out of navigating a foreign airport and/ or country. Especially after a long haul flight when your not feeling 100% mentally alert.
If you are planning on hiring a car, ensure it has a GPS system, the peace of mind that comes with knowing where you are going and not getting lost is worth the small extra expense.
Travel agents have a network of transfer providers and care hire companies as well. A good travel agent can pretty much arrange any of your travel requirements. It just makes things so much easier and less stressful. Package prices can often be negotiated and can be cheaper than what is available direct or online.
When you need to consider accommodation, Travel agents have spent hours and hours of research finding the great places to stay in every budget category. They speak to people everyday who have stayed there and listen to their feedback. Plus, like myself, many travel a lot and have often stayed there themselves.
We will only recommend well known places that have been tried and tested. I also like to find places that are centrally located and easy to commute from. It is worth taking the advise of an experienced professional on the good places to stay so you don’t end up in the worst part of town accidentally.
So what are you waiting for?? There is an amazing world out there that wants you to come and see it. Contact me to help you turn your travel dreams into a reality.
All the travel details in this guide can be arranged for you. I have travelled a lot myself, in many different ways. I was once a backpacker but now prefer staying in luxury 5 star resorts. I have travelled solo, in a couple and in family of now 6. I make educated decisions.
I have researched, as well as travelled to many locations and have all the information ready to help you. I've been on so many Cruise ships I have now lost count, not always as a Cruise but sometimes invited for an inspection.
As a mobile travel agent I can spend as much time with you as necessary to sort out all the details. As mentioned, i can even come to your house if that makes things easier, (provided you are in Melbourne). Otherwise, I can help you over the phone, through regular emails or on Facebook messenger. You can also follow KB 4 Travel & Cruise on Facebook for regular sales and promotional updates on Cruises and other travel related activities. Or if you just want some travel inspiration, follow me @kb4travel on Instagram for all my pretty pictures.
My service is FREE as I am paid commission by the suppliers. So it will not cost you a cent more than what it would if you booked on the internet and did all the hard work yourself. In fact you will probably save money. You might like to sign up to my e-newsletter to receive monthly organised travel package deals straight to your inbox, if so, access this on my website www.kb4travel.com.au
So call, email or message me, I would love to help. Travel is my passion and I love planning it, even if it is unfortunately not for me all the time…..