Time

Before we retired a few years ago, we made a list of trips we wanted to take over the next decade. The trips that feature a lot of hiking are the first on the list--so 2023 was the Cotswold Way, last year was a lot of hiking along the west coast of the US, this year we are taking the Rick Steves My Way Alpine tour and next year visiting 3 national parks in the Rockies. We hope there will be many more hiking trips in our future, but arranged things this way just in case....

Leslie it sure looks like you're doing all of the right things to be healthy for as long as possible. It's about "healthspan", not so much lifespan. I shoveled snow for over 4 hours yesterday and no way I could've done that if I weren't a gym rat along with hiking, walking, and cycling. No way.

We lived overseas for several years and after my retirement in 2010, we traveled even more.

Fortunately, not that I am nearly 77, our travel wish list is very short. I have visited 83 foreign countries.
I still love to travel, but soon, I will have a hip replacement. Still, three months later, we have a trip to Italy scheduled.
Now we take tours, because everything is taken care of by the tour company.
Life is still good, but you do have to slow down a bit as you age.

Those are fine thoughts. Now, what are YOU going to do about it? What are you going to do about travel now? Or will you just wait on your 10 years down the line.

Since you referenced Mick Jagger and songs, read the lyrics, “Time”, Pink Floyd.
“Wasted on the way” Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young.

Every time I am on that long uncomfortable flight over to somewhere, I swear to myself it that I am too old for this and it's my last time. Yes, in my late '60s, health and aging are major factors. It causes me to focus more carefully about what our must-do trips are, and how to best fit them in. My planning is based on assuming I have 5 good travel years left, and maybe another 5 of just fair travel. And things like comfort and ease become more important than adventure and challenge. I am envious of people who travel freely in their '80s. Just looks unlikely for me.

The thing is, time has always been limited from day one. Stop worrying about it and enjoy the gift of life that you have.

The fact that I am getting older does not impact my plans.

We always think we still have a lot of time... My husband was active, seemingly healthy and took his last trip a year ago at 68. Do what you’re capable of both physically & financially now. : )

We retired in 2018, 2019. When the Covid 2020 year came, it was the wake up call of “travel extra while we can” and to up our international trips per year since 2022. The only remaining bucket list travel item I have is taking a Mother/Daughter European trip with our second daughter. She & her husband prioritized the time for it this year.

I am hoping for another seven years of active travel to Europe. The thought of a dozen cities on my itinerary and a light backpack, riding the trains makes me smile! The thought of needing to consider a river boat cruise in the future…well, that’s when I will be stopping.

VAP, I wouldn't say I'm "worrying" about it as much as being thoughtful regarding the fact that time is getting shorter and it has creeped up on me a bit, thus I think about it more than say 20 years ago when I was going to live forever. That's all.

Jean, thank you for your thoughts. Well, my "plan" lol is to exercise consistently, have a clean diet absent of crap, and let my age inform the decisions I make regarding everything including how I treat others.

treemoss2, love those songs, especially CSN three-part harmonies. "Just A Song Before I Go" may be my favorite of theirs. Just lovely. Anyway, I'm going travel as much as ever into the foreseeable future, but I'm increasingly cognizant of the fact that time is fleeting--in a healthy but not paranoid way. As another Bruce Springsteen example: Band member Steve Van Zandt said they could tour "forever" during the summer in Europe. Bruce commented that in their mid-70s that was a nice thought but simply not true, and how as he ages he appreciates things more like putting on a high-energy show for hours.

geovagriffith, the thought has occurred to me increasingly in recent years, like when I'm out walking in the snow and really not wanting to fall as I don't bounce as well as when I was younger and would laugh off a fall. Now, I think about breaking or straining something lol.

My inspiration are people like Springsteen, Jagger, and Paul McCartney, who put on 3-hour shows with a lot of energy, mainly Springsteen who is sweating through his clothes one hour into a 3-plus hour set with no breaks. All of these guys are BIG into diet and exercise, of course. I guess in a sense they're my role models.

I feel ya. I am a bit (not much) younger than you. I had the opportunity to retire early, took it, mainly so I could travel. (Though I managed to travel to Europe 1-2 times a year while working, sometimes for work). Of course that was during covid, and despite being retired and money not really an issue, life interferes.

Some is self inflicted, we bought a second property that need lots of work, so a diversion of time and money; some unexpected, with family health and aging parents, and some out of left field, stumbling and breaking bones that required plates and screws, that have meant I won't be running or mountain climbing soon, or maybe ever.

But, we still get around, I spent 10 weeks in Europe last year, our goal is 12 weeks. This year we did decide to cut back, to give a big push on the second property, but we still have a month planned in September, and I am sneaking away for a two week beer trip to Germany.

We never know what will come, but we still hope to be able to travel pretty much like we want for easily a decade or more. We also do not have a "Bucket List", are not trying to check things off before it is too late. Places we would like to go, sure, but often we return to places we have been, mixing in some new sites. We also travel a bit slower than most, just enjoying an area, with no need to pack in museums and sights. In a way, we are focusing on sustainable travel, sustainable being for our bodies and minds.

A quote I tore from a magazine decades ago:

"Begin doing what you want to do now,
We are not living in eternity.
We have only this moment,
sparkling like a star in our hand --
and melting like a snowflake."

That quote was included in one of the rare holiday newsletters I mailed over a decade ago --
announcing my spouse had undergone the toughest of chemo treatment and was declared cured.
(a few photos included of pre-chemo trip and then of a trip post chemo to celebrate).

We had done a lot of travel up until that point (had just returned from Antarctica when the cancer was
discovered), but afterward we really dialed up travel and made it a priority to finish our "top destination list."

Even though we are physically fit and active "for our age" (hate that phrase), travel DOES get harder with age
....well, not so much "the travel," as one can certainly upgrade for first class and more comforts, but the
physical impact of go-go-go is harder....one has to pace oneself a bit more.

So, do the more physically demanding trips before an additional decade sneaks up on you.....the trips with the zodiacs, the steep up-hill hikes, rough seas, the camel riding, the snorkeling, and the balloon rides. If a decade or two from now, you still feel up for all that, great...continue doing it....but if not, you can look back and say "we enjoyed it."

I always run my personal life like I did corporate planning: Have a strategic plan with one-year and five-year goals...but have "rolling plans" that are updated as segments are accomplished. Travel is merely ONE segment of a strategic plan. There is so much more to do in life, too.

Right now (at this moment) I have absolutely no desire to get on a plane -- that might change. Our last trip was exhausting to me...very much so.....great trip, but downright exhausting..................

There is absolutely nothing wrong with anticipating the joy in years ahead of sitting by the fireplace (or on the porch), petting the dog, and smiling with your loved ones, as you enjoy photos from years past and saying "gosh, look how young we looked."
You will know when that time starts approaching..

Godspeed to you all!!!! Live life -- YOUR version thereof. A morning walk on a warm beach sounds appealing this morning, as I look out at the remnants of a light snow. That is a goal for coming winters...................... But, like all plans, that could change!!

Thanks, Paul. A lot of what you said resonates with me. My father was a 2:48 marathoner at 40 and died recently at 85. He was in great shape until he retired from part-time work at 76 and started sitting around the house too much reading and watching TV, and his health quickly deteriorated after that. I tried my best to get Dad to walk, MOVE, anything besides sitting too much (which is as bad as smoking--look it up). He broke his hip and died several months later and those months were horrific. I won't go into detail.

If anything this lesson encourages me to move it or lose it. I ride the bike (indoors in winter) and swim if a joint is bothering me. I just want to get my cardiovascular system revved up daily and lift weights to slow down the bone and muscle loss, but I don't do anything to brag about, just some hand weights and some treadmill/elliptical.

Maggie, love your post and poetry.

I was thinking about our last trip to London a couple years back arriving at 0700 and needing to kill some time before going to our VRBO at 1500, so we strolled around Hyde Park and visited Kensington Palace. It was very warm and I fell asleep a couple of times on a park bench since I can't sleep well if at all on those flights, and thinking, "This isn't much fun" followed by a bit of a death march from the train station to out rental. I guess it's age.

As my husband and I review our retirement finances for 2025, one part of my brain asks what will we need if we live to 100 years of age? The other part of my brains asks what good is money to us if we drop dead tomorrow? Glad I can't look into the future.
I think at some point, the hassles of international air travel will become overwhelming, especially the challenges when flights are canceled/delayed, and one has been awake for 24+ hours in a foreign airport. But then we can explore more of this beautiful country , and the expanse that may become our 51st state. (Wink emoji)

However, on a recent October trip, it took me 12 hrs to get from one end of California to another, and that was domestic air travel disruptions , so who knows?

My ultimate goal is to return to the Xmas markets, this time with my one and only granddaughter, who just turned one year old. So I have to keep going for several more years.

Thanks for an interesting topic and all the thoughtful responses that resulted. Safe travels to all!

Pat, I love the idea of you traveling to Christmas markets some day with your granddaughter. That made me smile.

It seems you and your husband are approaching things sensibly regarding aging, travel, and finances. Mary and I align with your perspective here, and we would also like to see some things in the U.S. and Canada, too.

I do know what you mean about flight delays and extended periods of little or no sleep being harder as we age, and the thought of dealing with it is not appealing. You just never know. I'm wiped out enough arriving on schedule in Europe with no delays. I wish I could sleep like others but alas it's just not in the cards.

BTW, welcome to the United States lol! Maybe Greenland will join you and become the 52nd.

I like reading everyone's thoughts on this. I'm 75 (whew, that birthday was a hard number!) so I can see some of the light at the end of the travel tunnel for a solo woman traveler.

In 2023 I went to Orkney and Shetland with a small group tour. This guide does awesome immersive experiences and I fell in love with this area. I loved walking along cliff tops and especially crawling into chambered cairns on hands and knees. That hands and knee stuff is coming to an end so I decided if I wanted to have NO regrets about my travel history I needed to get there again before I can't get down or more likely, back up again. I'm going again this July to both Orkney and Shetland with the same company.

My Mom was in her mid-90 and in a nursing facility. She had some memory loss so was pretty repetitive but EVERY day when I went in she would say she only had 2 regrets in life...she didn't get to see the Great Wall of China and did not go on an African Safari. I don't care to do either of them but I don't want to have any regrets when I'm 95 either, lol! Yikes...just 20 more years!

BTW, I'm trying to add a component of floor sitting and getting up from the floor to my fitness routine. I rebound (mini trampoline) for cardio in the winter and both rebound and walk when the weather is nicer. I do some strength but not enough. I do yoga for flexibility although I am not flexible and never have been, lol. Plus the get up from the floor part. That is the hardest. My goal for last year was to get up without using my hands but I did not work out a program for how many days a week to do exercises focused on strengthing to that end so am still about where I was. At least this year I've got a concrete date of July 1 for needing the crawling and get up ability, lol!

I hope your travel dreams are realized!

In 1966 Mick included this famous line in his song, "What a drag it is getting old."

I'm traveling in my mid-70s now and have to carry the prescribed meds to cover the duration of the trip, other than that my traveling style has basically not changed very much, except for taking night trains which was not part of the travel options in the 1970s, too spoiled then, didn't know any better, etc, etc. Pacing myself is much more important now.

Fred, that all makes sense. Since you're of a certain age I'll add, "Keep on truckin'."

Pam, you're doing all of the right things that should ensure travel for many years to come.

The conversation of traveling in the later years has a two sided perspective. One is from those who are already in traveling as part of their lifestyle and want to keep it up. The other is the one who has very limited travel, yet now, in the later years begins to think that they may want to go somewhere. A dream. Since not having much experience traveling, they have to overcome the inertia of not traveling. Thus their perspective is next year, and then when next year, next year again. So their time shortens and perhaps they never move forward on their intended desire.
For those who travel already it is simply a question of can I still go physically. Do I want to continue what has been a regular part of one’s life. At this point those people could not travel because they have done and seen many thing. So time is not as imminent as for the procrastinators.
Time is that essence of kick the can down the road for those who have that inertia. Because that inertia is not seen as such due to the next year syndrome. Plenty of time, until not so. Everything is gradual, until it is suddenly.

Reading Fred's post reminded me of yet another reason I love Costco. Their pharmacy has been willing to provide me with up to six months of my prescriptions so we can travel for an extended time. As we get older, many of us take more drugs, and having the ability to secure sufficient supplies becomes a primary consideration.

gregbrady1879,

You are right to be concerned about overseas travel 10 years or more from now.

I am currently nearly 77 years old and love travel and have visited 83 foreign countries and lived in two.
I retired from a job that I loved at the age of 62 1/2. You need to evaluate your financial situation and be sure you don't retire too early, but don't wait too long, because your physical abilities and stamina will change.

I have been physically active since my 20's, working out with weights and running until late 50s, then shifting to long distance biking.
At age 50, I did the Army 10 miler in 90 minutes at age 60, I did a 100 mile bike ride in 7 1/2 hours. However, around age 70, I shifted again to walking 3.2 mies every other day. Today, I am preparing for a hip replacement and am lucky to walk a mile with a cane.

Going to Europe and touring there, walking around cities like Rome and Paris, as well as taking the subway, was still Ok for me until about a year ago. Still, now we take guided tours, instead of doing touring on our own, since the tour company handles everything for you.

Particularly when we wish to visit places that require significant physical effort, like in Peru, when you visit high altitude Cuzco and Machu Picchu, do those places when you are young, don't wait until you are 72.

My husband and I are only a few year older than OP but already are making some adjustments to age. I have some foot issues and he has a bum knee so these have played into it.

Flying. We still only fly economy but have lost our tolerance for making trips more complex than necessary to save money. Next June we are flying into Venice and out of Bologna while Milan would have saved us money. But we can't fly to Milan directly and the idea of two flights, a train into the city, and then another train to Venice seemed like too much work.

Accommodations. No more odd arrangements of beds and bathrooms to stay in somewhere "quaint" or to save money. The place we stayed in Lisbon had an open staircase with shallow steps between the bedroom and the bathroom. We won't do that again.

Location of accommodations. Lisbon also taught us about paying attention to terrain. We were located outside the historical area. The distance was not a problem but the hills were. We are going to Ortisei in the Dolomites this summer and I spent a lot of time figuring out exactly where accommodations are in relationship to hills. I would not have done that 10 years ago.

Being willing to take a taxi/uber/bolt. I am cheap and have long prided myself on being able to figure out public transportation. But I have learned that sometimes a taxi or equivalent is the best choice. When we were in Lisbon, we took a three hour walking tour the first day. After dinner, goggle maps said we were a mile from our accommodations. My feet were killing me. We took a Bolt (like uber).

physical impact of go-go-go is harder....one has to pace oneself a bit
more.

I turned 60 six months ago and have always treated life and trips like that, but I'm also aware that aches and pains creep into my daily itinerary more than it did even 5 years ago.

One thing we've decided is that we need to upgrade our hotel spending a bit to a more comfortable room; preferably with a balcony. This way when go-go-go turns into no-no-no we have a more relaxing place to sit than a closet with a bed.

Having said that, our current plan/hope is to go strong until 80 and we are priortizing trips that may take more effort. For example we went to Portugal in the Fall because of what we'd read about the hills. It wasn't an issue now but I can see how some of the spots we visited might be more difficult as I age.

Allan, your preferences and goals sure sound familiar lol.

We also prefer a more comfortable room and the days of going down the hallway to the bathroom are gone in the mists of time. We still go fairly "hard" during the day but after dinner it's relaxing, having a drink or two, and walking around a bit. We like to read a bit or watch a little of the news on TV, especially local news if it's in English.

BethFL, same here. Not a big fan of connections and public transport depending upon the circumstances. If Uber/Bolt is practical we use it or walk if not too far. The only thing is premium economy seats can be quite pricey. I try to look at configurations where there are only two seats in a row, or sometimes on IcelandAir they have a 2-4-2 setup which is nice.

geovagriffith, we could be siblings of the same mother. 6-minute pace for 10 miles is smoking, especially at 50. I've also done quite a few cycling centuries when running injuries piled up, and have ridden Skyline Drive twice. I still workout excessively but little niggling things keep popping up, like today I got out of the car and and it was icy, so I did a little impromptu dance to avoid falling and strained something in my back. What the heck? The good thing about riding is it's essentially an injury free sport relative to running.

We still go fairly "hard" during the day but after dinner it's
relaxing, having a drink or two, and walking around a bit.

Were we separated at birth?? We eat early and then wander aimlessly for an hour or two before heading back to the hotel. Most memorable for me was two years ago in Sorrento we'd be the first in-and-out of the restaurant and then we'd wander looking for new viewpoints to look across the bay toward Vesuvius. I couldn't get enough of the view.

Allan, for us it's walking along the banks of the Seine with a glass of wine or two in the evening, finding a bench and watching the world go by. That's a slice of Heaven. What's entertaining to my wife is when I try to speak French with a West Virginia accent. Monsieur sounds like "man sewer" apparently. The looks on the French people is priceless.

@Maggie – Love that poem! I have had that posted on my fridge since I came across it shortly after my battle with breast cancer 27 years ago, only three years after my father passed at a young 60 y/o, as a reminder not to take things so seriously and to really prioritize how I want to spend my time. I have been fortunate to have had the mindset of “life is short” and not to “sweat the small stuff” for quite some time since I was still relatively young and have tried to do the things I enjoy with the people I love for a good part of my life and travelling has been a big part of that.

While raising my family we averaged one international trip every two years, but now that I retired a little over a year ago we took two international trips last year with two planned this year in addition to visits with my daughters who live out of state. Like others, after this year, I next plan on prioritizing the more difficult destinations whether that is due to distance, logistics or significant culture diversities. I also plan to test the waters travelling with a tour group to ease some of the planning and logistics for some of these destinations. I am a little nervous about that, having always travelled independently.

p.s. my copy of that poem credits Marie Beyon Ray

Joann, HUGE thanks for sharing the poet's name! The version I tore out of a magazine years ago not only excluded her name, but also excluded the last line: "Let us use it before it is too late."

Sincere thank you for solving the mystery. I share the quote at least once a year, so I am thrilled to now know who to "credit." Those few lines underscore my personal mantra for life, so it really "hit home" when I first read it.

You DO know the importance of living life fully. Enjoy and safe travels!