Travel Tips for Senior Citizens
There are several travel companies that specialize in providing services to senior citizens. If you aren’t a travel aficionado and you are looking to travel to someplace that you are very unfamiliar with, you should absolutely look for a company that is experienced at providing travel services to the seniors. Travel agents and companies that are not seasoned with senior travelers’ needs will not be as well-equipped to prepare you for your vacation so that you can have a safe and memorable trip. Don’t worry that companies that are geared towards seniors will offer exclusively boring and unadventurous vacation options – quite the contrary, in fact! If you want a laid back and relaxing vacation, certainly a senior-oriented travel agency will be able to find a trip to satisfy your wishes. However, if you are looking for a more action-packed excursion, these companies will also absolutely be able to deliver. Just be specific with your travel agent as to what you are looking for in a vacation. If there are certain activities that you are particularly interested in indulging in, such as scuba diving or an equestrian trip, make sure that you say so. If you don’t feel that the company you are dealing with is up to par, don’t hesitate to go to another place or a different agent.
Make it a Group Thing
Two heads are better than one! It is advisable that senior citizens don’t make vacations solo operations. It is better – and far safer – to travel with at least one other person. If you have a group of friends that you think might be interested in joining you on a trip, ask them to come along – the more, the merrier! Family members also make fantastic travel buddies. Another plus to traveling with a group is that you can often find discounted rates from travel companies when you book for multiple travelers.
Do Your Research
Plan your trip as far in advance as you possibly can so that you have plenty of time to prepare. If you are traveling to a foreign country, you should research the culture and traditions in that nation so that you do not stick out like a sore tourist thumb. You do not want to offend people from a foreign country by engaging in a behavior that is averse to their lifestyles. For example, in some nations, hand shakes are not an acceptable greeting. If you are traveling to a non-English speaking nation, you should certainly learn as much as you can of the language before you depart for your trip. Get travel language guides at your local book store or through an online retailer. There are several companies that sell CDs so that you can listen to the language as you learn it. If you have enough time, you might even decide to take a course in the language at your local community college or to hire a tutor to teach you at your home. Don’t look at this as work – think of it as the fun lead-up to your big vacation. The more you know about where you are traveling to, the more you will enjoy your experience and get the most out of it.
Protect Your Health
Like it or not, as a senior citizen you have to be especially careful and prepared so that you can have a safe vacation. If you take prescription medications, make absolutely sure that you have ordered enough of your medicine to last you throughout your entire trip, plus at least seven days beyond your expected date of return. It is always best to be over-prepared rather than to find yourself in a far-away place without the medication that you need to stay safe and healthy. Inform your doctor of your travel plans, and find out what you should do if you have a medical problem while you are away. Make sure that you carry a list of your health conditions and the medications that you are taking in your wallet or on your person in the event that there is a medical emergency when you are away. At the top of the list, clearly print your name, your doctor’s name and telephone number, and the telephone number and name of an emergency contact from back home. Your fellow travelers should also be privy to all this information, as you should be about their health conditions and medication use.
