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Travelling in Retirement: Tips for Planning Your Dream Getaway
Aged Care Christchurch
Almost all of us have looked at a video, image, or description of a location and wanted to visit, but hadn’t been able to get the time away from work. Retirement means you finally get the time you need to explore the world, discover new places, visit old favourites, or just find a quiet beach to relax.
In order to make the most of your time and money, it’s important to plan your trip carefully. Knowing where you want to go, how long you want to stay away, and how much it will cost are all fairly obvious, but most people don’t consider travel insurance, or if they’ll need to get approval to travel with their medication. This quick guide will give you a brief overview of everything you need in order to make the most of your getaway.
Planning your trip
Location
The world is your oyster, but you don’t have to eat all of it. Travel takes time, energy, and money. Write a top ten list of places you want to visit and rank them in importance. If you can’t decide which is better, try writing out the pros and cons for each destination. Pick your favourite and start planning.
Duration
How long do you want to spend away? It might be tempting to leave on a grand tour for a year, but you’ll need to arrange for someone to look after your house while you’re gone. One of the advantages to living in an aged community like our retirement village in Christchurch, is the knowledge your belongings and accommodation will be looked after while you’re away.
Accommodation
Once you know where you’re going and how long you want to be there, it’s time to think about accommodation. While it might be tempting to go for the cheapest possible option, those around retirement age often find that the quality of mattress in their hotel room has much more of an impact than it used to. It’s better to spend less time somewhere, but enjoy it more.
Travel
It’s worth shopping around and visiting various travel agencies, as they offer discounts you can’t find anywhere else. They also often offer accommodation, tour, or insurance deals, which can make planning much simpler.
Preparing for your trip
Packing
You’re going to have to bring your luggage with you, no matter if it’s a trip around the country or a trans-Atlantic adventure. The less you pack, the easier it’s going to be to manage your luggage.
Objects you can’t easily replace should always take priority. Your medications, laptop, chargers, and shoes should all be first in the suitcase. Remember, you can always buy additional clothing and toiletries at your destination. While you can buy shoes in other locations, blisters make it difficult to fully appreciate the scenery. Bringing comfortable shoes makes travel much more pleasant.
If you pack anything irreplaceable or expensive, make sure that it’s covered under your travel insurance. There’s a lot that can go wrong with luggage, from rough baggage handling to thieves targeting tourists.
Health
If you forget your sunglasses, you can buy new ones. If you forget paperwork, it can be mailed to you. But if you find yourself in bad health, it can ruin your entire trip. Luckily, there are some things you can do to improve your chances of maintaining good health while travelling.
Before travelling, talk to your doctor. They can help you set aside a supply of medications to take with you, make sure you’re in good health to travel, and recommend any vaccinations you might need.
Some countries require a doctor’s note for certain medications, so check with your doctor and travel agent if that’s the case for any of your medications. You’ll also want to print out a list of medications you’re currently taking and keep it in your wallet, in case of medical emergencies.
You might be in the best of health when you leave, but sometimes unexpected illness or injury can occur. Paying for medical care and rebooking accommodation, travel, and tours can be expensive, so it’s a good idea to look into traveller’s health insurance.
Tips & Tricks
Dehydration is one of the reasons flying makes many of us feel so tired. Make sure to drink plenty of water when travelling by plane to counteract the dry air.
When budgeting, always put aside 10-25% more money than you think you’ll need. Surprise tariffs, emergencies, and unplanned once-in-a-lifetime opportunities are much easier to navigate when you have the money set aside already.
Vacuum packing your clothes can save a huge amount of space (though it won’t reduce the weight).
Keep your most important documents in a sealed, waterproof bag or folder to prevent damage.
About Us
Here at Generus, we support you so you can make the most of your retirement. We offer the highest quality aged care in Christchurch, so when you travel, you know you’ll come home to a warm welcome. If you’d like to learn more about our facilities, please call us on 09 625 3420 or fill out our online enquiry form to arrange a visit.
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