Travelling in retirement

One of the great joys of retirement is being the master (or mistress!) of your own schedule. Today's retirees are without a doubt the fittest healthiest retirees of the modern era, and will most likely spend a significant part of their active life in retirement. As such, it is understandable why so many retirees chose to enjoy their newfound freedom in uncharted territory - travelling.

While travel may lead you to far-flung exotic destinations, or simply into your local hinterland, there are many tips and tricks that will help make travelling through retirement stress-free:

• Choose a reliable contact person and call in every few days. Let them know if you are going to be out of range and not able to make contact so they won’t hit the panic button unnecessarily.
• Join a seniors card programme – there are great discounts to be had such as travel concessions, room upgrades, late checkouts and many more. It may be worth joining motoring clubs – even if you're not driving as the discounts and other benefits can be quite rewarding.
• Use a business address or post office box number in your luggage tags and check-in details to avoid revealing your home address.
• Tape a card with your name and address inside every piece of luggage in case the bag is lost and the outside tags get lost.
• Make sure your vaccinations are up to date, and speak to your doctor about immunization against the flu and tetanus boosters.
• Do your homework. With the internet freely available in most public libraries and staff often on hand to guide you in using the technology, there is so much information out there.
• Consider taking along a digital camera – they are easy to use and allow you to take vast numbers of photos and only print off the ones you want.
• If you are travelling to multiple destinations, it is best to travel light. You can always supplement with essential purchases as you go, and carting heavy bags is a real nuisance.
• Use accessories such as scarves and belts to enhance the limited number of outfits you pack.
• Pack an empty bag – you don't want a last minute panic when you realize the souvenirs won't fit in your luggage.