Travel with kids or when retired?

[Anonymous]

Travel, when done right, is invigorating. Also most people in their 60s (and many in their 70s) who can afford travel are typically not exhausted and falling apart unless there is a health issue. 80s and 90s, that's a different story.

[Anonymous]

My parents thought they'd spend their retirement traveling. By the time they were in their late 50's all kinds of health issues cropped up - their dreams of traveling came to an end. They recommended we find a way to do as much as we can while we are young. We have tried to do that. I do have neighbors in their early 70's who are still traveling - so I think it's possible but you do have to shift the type of trip and how it's managed - they spent their younger years living and working abroad. There are no guarantees. Seeing what happened with my parents was a cautionary tale. Our neighbors said they look for package tours with transportation as they don't want to deal with that themselves. They also say that look closely at their health insurance and where they are travel for accessible medical facilities. Very sobering.

[Anonymous]

Is not either or. We plan to do both.

[Anonymous]

It doesn’t have to be either or. Do trips like Machu Picchu, skiing in the alps, etc when you’re youngish and save the European river cruises for when you’re old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

The privilege on this board never ceases to amaze me. Not everyone can afford to travel when they’re young. Maybe they’re helping care for their parents, maybe they have a special needs child, so many reasons.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

Congrats! We are tied to a school schedule because we both teachers. Retirement will mean we can travel in May and September and we cant wait!

[Anonymous]

I have to know what this exhausting trip was. I'm going to assume for now it was like hiking to Everest Base Camp or something like that.

As for the original question, if covid taught me anything, it's take opportunities to travel now and don't put off. Yes, traveling with kids is hard, but who knows what tomorrow, next week, next year, etc. bring. We'll still travel when we retire, but we aren't waiting until then to do things.

[Anonymous]

My brother and SIL are -12 years older than me and they said at 68 my brother already is slowing down. Can’t sit on long flights.

They do about 4 trips a year.

I’m retiring at 58 and they said do the hardest trips in the 1st few years but by 70 I’ll be fine with these types of trips.

[Anonymous]

To all the people who are convinced that travel is not exhausting, and can easily be done until 80s or something, please consider that that’s not guaranteed. I know people who died in their late 60s, and some who have serious health issues that prevent them from traveling by their early to mid 70s. Health is a gift and no one is guaranteed healthy aging.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am hoping to stay in shape physically so I can still enjoy travel (and life in general) when I am older. But in case that doesn't happen, I am traveling when I can now.

I don't find travel exhausting, but exciting and invigorating. I wonder what was exhausting about your trip? Where did you go? Was this exhausting because you were traveling with kids? I realize I may be lucky because I have a kid who is a very pleasant traveler. We started traveling internationally again when DC was 3 and every trip has been great, even if we had to do different types of activities than we would have wanted: more playgrounds, more ice cream breaks, fewer museums or hiking expeditions. But often you will have a better time if you choose the right location with young kid in mind.

Depends on the kind of travel. My kids are teenagers and they’re certainly not the source of my exhaustion. They’re wonderful!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

The privilege on this board never ceases to amaze me. Not everyone can afford to travel when they’re young. Maybe they’re helping care for their parents, maybe they have a special needs child, so many reasons.

Tough luck. Plenty of broke people still manage to travel. It's called shoestring travel. You're coming up for excuses while others just did it.

I'm in mid 40s, heading to Switzerland for a two week hiking trip this summer. No shortage of fit hikers in their 60s and 70s up in the Alps. My mother is going to Ireland to visit friends, and then exploring the Scottish islands on her own for another week. And she's 76. It's all about what you want to do and your mindset. If you want to sit home and complain about being old/tired/broke, go for it, but I'm not listening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

The privilege on this board never ceases to amaze me. Not everyone can afford to travel when they’re young. Maybe they’re helping care for their parents, maybe they have a special needs child, so many reasons.

Tough luck. Plenty of broke people still manage to travel. It's called shoestring travel. You're coming up for excuses while others just did it.

I'm in mid 40s, heading to Switzerland for a two week hiking trip this summer. No shortage of fit hikers in their 60s and 70s up in the Alps. My mother is going to Ireland to visit friends, and then exploring the Scottish islands on her own for another week. And she's 76. It's all about what you want to do and your mindset. If you want to sit home and complain about being old/tired/broke, go for it, but I'm not listening.

OP. 1. I agree about shoestring travel - have done plenty of it, even with young kids. If you want it, it can be done. 2. For every hiker in their 70s, there are a few who are too sick to hike. I hope you’ll be fit enough, but you just don’t know what will happen once you’re that old.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

The privilege on this board never ceases to amaze me. Not everyone can afford to travel when they’re young. Maybe they’re helping care for their parents, maybe they have a special needs child, so many reasons.

Tough luck. Plenty of broke people still manage to travel. It's called shoestring travel. You're coming up for excuses while others just did it.

I'm in mid 40s, heading to Switzerland for a two week hiking trip this summer. No shortage of fit hikers in their 60s and 70s up in the Alps. My mother is going to Ireland to visit friends, and then exploring the Scottish islands on her own for another week. And she's 76. It's all about what you want to do and your mindset. If you want to sit home and complain about being old/tired/broke, go for it, but I'm not listening.

It's not just about the money to travel, it's about keeping your job. Not every job will give you enough time off (even unpaid!) to travel so much.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I often see posts about people needing a ton of money for retirement, as they plan to take numerous expensive trips they wouldn’t take while in their 30/40/50s. I don’t get the sentiment. I am now nearing the end of what’s probably the most exhausting trip I’ve taken in my lifetime and I can’t begin to imagine what it would do to my health and body to travel like this when I’m 60 or 70. I just wouldn’t be able to do it. How do people assume they’ll have the strength to pull this off?

My parents just took a trip in their 70s. First class flight, luxury hotel, driver to take them around the sites, private tour guide. Nothing about the trip was exhausting? I’m not sure what you are doing to have an exhausting trip.

This.

My in-laws spent a decade traveling first class once they retired. Multiple trips a year.

They slowed down in their late 70s but still traveled domestically.

This shouldn’t be an either or imho. Travel throughout your life. You don’t know when it will be too late.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree. Out of curiosity, what was the exhausting trip? How long and where did you go? I feel so sorry for all the doddering old people I see everywhere these days. Honestly, it’s downright dangerous for a lot of them to be out and about.

I know. They should all stay in doors, waiting for death☠️.

Someday you will be “they.” And I’m sure you won’t enjoy the judgment of younger generations.

But why didn’t they do it when they were younger? That’s what we’re doing.

Maybe they didn’t have the time, money, desire, etc. Not traveling when you’re younger isn’t a trait that some people have. And you’re not special for traveling young. And not everyone loses their energy and stamina by 50 or 60.

There are just some things in life that I’d you didn’t do by a certain age, you missed it. I get so annoyed seeing the Boomer cruise passengers and river cruise passengers around Europe, tottering around and acting like they own the world. So entitled and obnoxious!