Several years ago, when I turned 60, my Aunt Diane took me aside and advised me to travel now — before I turned 70. Still in good health and taking me along for a brisk walk around her neighborhood, Aunt Diane told me that unfortunately, most of her friends couldn’t keep up with her.
“The years between 60 and 70 are good years,” she said. “But afterward, you don’t know whether you’ll be able to travel.”
The Best Years for Senior Travel May Be Earlier Than You Think
Ah, the “golden years” of retirement! The time to sleep late and enjoy not having to do the school run or rush to make that eight o’clock meeting. The time to pursue long-neglected hobbies and passions. The time to travel.
But not so fast.
Travel takes a tremendous amount of energy and fitness. Let’s not kid ourselves. If you want to travel, especially internationally, you’d better get with it.
Travel After 60 Requires Energy, Strength, and Stamina
In the last week or so, I’ve seen numerous questions posted online asking about “activity levels” on many of the tours I’ve taken recently. Inevitably, the person will list health problems — knee issues, heart issues, breathing issues, general unsteadiness on the feet — then ask, “Will I be able to keep up?”
Reading these comments, I can only shake my head as my fingers hover over the keys to reply, “Probably not — at least, not on many European tours.”
Friends, travel in Europe often requires the fitness level of a moderately active 30-year-old.
The streets of the most charming European cities and villages are often paved with cobblestones. They may involve uphill and downhill walking, and steps — often steep ones — are usually thrown into the mix at some point.
Case in point: the “back breaker street” in Coimbra, Portugal — straight downhill on cobblestones and truly dangerous in rainy weather. And many of the narrowest streets in old European towns are too narrow for cars, so don’t expect a taxi to come bail you out.
Will a Tour Bus Make Travel Easier?
Will a tour bus get you around these problems?
In short, not really.
My group tours in Europe have all included really nice Mercedes buses. No problem, right?
Wrong.
You still need to climb very steep steps to get on and off these buses. And there may be twenty people behind you, ready to get going.
Train Travel in Europe Can Be Harder Than Expected
Taking the train?
No one is necessarily available to help you with your luggage. You’re expected to haul your suitcase across the gap between the platform and the train car, carry it up or down steps, then cram that overloaded piece of luggage into a space smaller than the suitcase itself — often while lifting it over your head.
No, I’m not kidding. I did this numerous times in France just weeks ago.
Airports Can Be a Fitness Test, Too
Even the airports are a challenge.
On every international flight I’ve taken in the last several years, I’ve had to walk long, long distances just to get to passport control in European and Canadian cities. Even for someone who works out every day, these treks are no small thing — especially if you’ve just taken an overnight flight to Europe and are about to drop.
And then there was that steep staircase at the end of the long walk from the plane in Madrid. I watched with fear as a white-haired woman made her way down those steps, with no handrail, pulling a carry-on suitcase behind her.
Don’t Wait Too Long to Travel the World
The moral of this blog post: don’t mess around and wait until you’re 80 years old to travel the world.
Travel before that knee gives out.
Travel before you need a cane to navigate a crowded city street with uneven pavement.
Travel before the thought of hauling luggage through a train station makes you want to stay home.
Travel While You Can Enjoy It
Instead, travel while you can prance down a Parisian street on a perfect spring day with a spring in your own step.
Travel while you can climb on that bus to Versailles.
Travel while you can walk uphill to that charming village in the South of France, where you find the most delicious honey in a tiny shop across from an ancient staircase, then head back down the hill for a crêpe and a glass of wine.
Travel now.
Blessings,
Cindy
Cynthia Coe is the author of several novels and non-fiction books. Travel with her through time by reading her novels “Knitting Through Time” and “Knitting Under the Orange Trees.” To view her complete list of books, please visit her Amazon Author Page at this link.
For my list of “must have” travel gear, see my Amazon Storefront at this link!
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Travels With Cindy 