Have money, will travel

Travelling while middle-aged comes with its own challenges

One of the ironies of life is that when you are young you never have enough money to travel far and wide, even though that is when you have the energy to make the most of your forays away from home. In most cases, it is only when you are middle-aged that you finally have the disposable income to set out to see the world. But by then, your energy levels have depleted somewhat, your back aches, your knees creak, and exhaustion hits you faster than it ever did in your youth. 

Well, that is certainly true in my case. And in case you are in the same boat (or plane) here are some tips to make travelling a little easier on your body. 

• First off, be very judicious about choosing your flight. If there is a direct connection to your destination take it, even if it is a little more expensive. The trade-off (in terms of negotiating just two airports) will be worth it. Try and take a day time flight even if it means paying for one more hotel night. Night flights leave you weary and bleary and ruin the first day of your vacation anyway, so this makes logical sense. If you have reward points use them to upgrade yourself on long sectors; the extra comfort will make sure you start your vacation feeling rested and raring to go. 
• When planning your itinerary don’t do too many things that involve physical activity on the same day. If you are spending a couple of hours traipsing through museums and monuments then schedule something restful for the rest of the day: some time spent in a beautiful park watching the world go by; a meal in a scenic spot; or even a double decker bus ride that takes your across the city with no effort on your part at all. In other words, pace yourself. If you don’t, you run the very real risk of burning out even before the vacation is over. 
• Take comfortable shoes. I cannot stress this enough. The wrong pair of shoes can ruin your vacation, leaving you limping and in pain for the rest of your break. So forget about stylish heels and don’t even think about stilettos. Instead, choose your most broken-in pair of shoes, pack enough socks so that you have a fresh pair every day, and you will be good to go. 
• Pack a medicine kit that takes in every eventuality. In addition to antihistamines and paracetamol I always pack some antibiotics because Indian prescriptions are often not recognised by pharmacies abroad. And not to be a bore on the subject but make two bags of essential medicines. Keep one in your hand bag and the other in your check-in suitcase. That way, even if your luggage goes missing, your medicines will not. 

Once you have these basics addressed go right ahead and enjoy your holiday. You deserve every moment of joy and wonder that comes your way. God knows, you have worked long and hard for it.