Travel with kids or when retired?

[Anonymous]

I would imagine the OP’s definition of exhaustion has to do with getting to and from the airport, waiting in lines, waiting in the heat etc. There are ways to avoid some of it but it can put a damper on a vacation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people think they don’t have the money to travel in their 30s. I took a year off work to travel RTW at 32 and so many people asked how l afforded it. It’s not rocket science, l lived well below my means and saved a lot.

I travelled mostly shoestring with splurges (safari for example). l was young enough to still be up for staying in hostels, or sleeping in a guest house on the floor with a thin mattress, and doing tough hikes all over the world. The places l got to go were truly awesome and a lot were off the beaten path. I knew l would not be up for this kind of adventurous travel in my 40s plus, with kids.

After that year off l came back to my job and had a kid the next year. I still travel with my kid but it’s not the same - maybe when he’s a teen we can do some more adventurous stuff.

I also occasionally do more comfortable European travel depending on my travel companion. It means shorter trips because $$$ and more taxis not the Metro. Which is fine. I’m flexible. I imagine l will want to do the same 65+. You have to be in pretty good shape and have a certain mindset to sleep in less comfortable places and eat street food etc - at least l’ve found my older travel companions stomachs to be more easily upset.

Privilege.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to do both. One of my kids is a very difficult traveler though so a lot of things have to fit around her needs.

I want to sit at cafes and people watch and take long train rides in the country side, which the kids are not interested in. I want to take some very expensive trips like safaris that would cost double with the kids. I want to fly to far out of the way places and not worry about it taking 48 hours to get there, but on school schedules that's not possible.

So we travel as much as we can now in ways that suit our needs. And hope we have the money and health to do the rest later.

What do you mean she’s a difficult traveler. She’s a kid. Make her be better.

Omgggg, I never thought of that!!! You are a way better parent, clearly.

I’m just saying, why in earth would you fit things to her needs, as you put it? Why would you cater to a child?

Have you ever traveled with a child with severe allergies, or ASD, or hypotonia, or Crone’s, or something else?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A lot of people think they don’t have the money to travel in their 30s. I took a year off work to travel RTW at 32 and so many people asked how l afforded it. It’s not rocket science, l lived well below my means and saved a lot.

I travelled mostly shoestring with splurges (safari for example). l was young enough to still be up for staying in hostels, or sleeping in a guest house on the floor with a thin mattress, and doing tough hikes all over the world. The places l got to go were truly awesome and a lot were off the beaten path. I knew l would not be up for this kind of adventurous travel in my 40s plus, with kids.

After that year off l came back to my job and had a kid the next year. I still travel with my kid but it’s not the same - maybe when he’s a teen we can do some more adventurous stuff.

I also occasionally do more comfortable European travel depending on my travel companion. It means shorter trips because $$$ and more taxis not the Metro. Which is fine. I’m flexible. I imagine l will want to do the same 65+. You have to be in pretty good shape and have a certain mindset to sleep in less comfortable places and eat street food etc - at least l’ve found my older travel companions stomachs to be more easily upset.

Privilege.

Yeah, we're mostly privileged here. What exactly is your point? Why are you in the travel forum if you don't want to hear from anyone who has the means to travel?

[Anonymous]

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?

It doesn’t have to be either/or. You can find a balance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to do both. One of my kids is a very difficult traveler though so a lot of things have to fit around her needs.

I want to sit at cafes and people watch and take long train rides in the country side, which the kids are not interested in. I want to take some very expensive trips like safaris that would cost double with the kids. I want to fly to far out of the way places and not worry about it taking 48 hours to get there, but on school schedules that's not possible.

So we travel as much as we can now in ways that suit our needs. And hope we have the money and health to do the rest later.

What do you mean she’s a difficult traveler. She’s a kid. Make her be better.

Omgggg, I never thought of that!!! You are a way better parent, clearly.

I’m just saying, why in earth would you fit things to her needs, as you put it? Why would you cater to a child?

What?! Because my kid is a person too. I love tailoring our trips to their interests and seeing their joy and wonder, plus it's a very pleasant experience if they can be excited and look forward to activities.

I also love my kids, so there is that. And yes we travel including internationally.

[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.

Depends on what you do on vacation. We love to hike/backpack, surf, ski and explore. These things are more physically demanding than a luxury hotel and private tours to "see the sites" and things like jet lag are harder as you age.

We travel now with out kids because I know out trips will likely get less a active as we age, although we also work hard now to stay in shape so we can stay active as long as possible. But the reality is, no one, is as physically capable in their 70s as they were on their 30s or even 40s and not everyone's idea of vacation is sitting by the pool at a resort.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to do both. One of my kids is a very difficult traveler though so a lot of things have to fit around her needs.

I want to sit at cafes and people watch and take long train rides in the country side, which the kids are not interested in. I want to take some very expensive trips like safaris that would cost double with the kids. I want to fly to far out of the way places and not worry about it taking 48 hours to get there, but on school schedules that's not possible.

So we travel as much as we can now in ways that suit our needs. And hope we have the money and health to do the rest later.

What do you mean she’s a difficult traveler. She’s a kid. Make her be better.

Omgggg, I never thought of that!!! You are a way better parent, clearly.

I’m just saying, why in earth would you fit things to her needs, as you put it? Why would you cater to a child?

I am wondering if the PP has had a child. Or even a dog or cat.

[Anonymous]

I'm going with my kids now. DH has never been a great traveler and I can't see that improving as he ages.

I love seeing things through their eyes. And when I'm retired, I don't want to glom onto their trips with significant others or friends.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I want to do both. One of my kids is a very difficult traveler though so a lot of things have to fit around her needs.

I want to sit at cafes and people watch and take long train rides in the country side, which the kids are not interested in. I want to take some very expensive trips like safaris that would cost double with the kids. I want to fly to far out of the way places and not worry about it taking 48 hours to get there, but on school schedules that's not possible.

So we travel as much as we can now in ways that suit our needs. And hope we have the money and health to do the rest later.

What do you mean she’s a difficult traveler. She’s a kid. Make her be better.

Omgggg, I never thought of that!!! You are a way better parent, clearly.

I’m just saying, why in earth would you fit things to her needs, as you put it? Why would you cater to a child?

I am wondering if the PP has had a child. Or even a dog or cat.

Yes of course. But so many parents cater to their “little precious” to such an unreasonable degree that it only amplifies and enables the claimed weakness. Obviously we don’t know PP’s situation though.

[Anonymous]

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.

But do you realize that society could be set up to accommodate the reality that a large segment of our population is aging. There is no reason that they should be consigned to their homes because they are not up to what young adults can handle.

That would require us to regard them with respect, and equal worth.

I don’t see that, at least on DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

Just being old is exhausting. I bet they were exhausted the entire time.

As is getting to the other country, and jet lag .

But that does not mean it is better to sit at home and stare at your four walls.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote: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.

My friend is too immunocompromised to travel now, and can’t go far from their medical providers.

[Anonymous]

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.

But do you realize that society could be set up to accommodate the reality that a large segment of our population is aging. There is no reason that they should be consigned to their homes because they are not up to what young adults can handle.

That would require us to regard them with respect, and equal worth.

I don’t see that, at least on DCUM.

But they’ve lived their lives. Why should society, and young people in particular, to cater to old people? Isn’t it more reasonable and fair for society to expend more energy and resources on younger people who haven’t yet had the same opportunities and experiences? But I guess the Boomers were never slated to age gracefully and embrace their fragility as their parents did.

[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.

You are compounding everyone’s bad impression of you.

It is NOT all about mindset.

Many if not most people could not even scrape together the airfare to travel to Europe, let alone the cost if even “shoestring” meals and accommodations.

And serious medical conditions (eg, Alzheimer’s, ALS, stroke) cannot be overcome with the right mindset.

You are a smug idiot, who better hope that karma does not try to teach you some humility.