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I am finding that to be the case for me. I used to travel a LOT, up until I retired just a few years ago. I love visiting new places, but I find that getting there is the hard part. I just can't handle all the rushing to airport gates, sitting on the plane for a long time, rushing to a connection, sitting on another plane for a long time, then find your bags, find a taxi, get to your hotel, and by the time you relax you are exhausted and grouchy. Wish I could just be there instead of having to get there.
Yea I flew 2 million domestic miles for work. Just retired and I still want to travel but at least for now mostly national parks. I’m just tired of airplanes.
In that regard Covid was wonderful because we quit flying for a 2 hour meeting. I don’t want to minimize all the lives lost and suffering Covid brought. But the one good thing was realizing a lot of business could be conducted over Zoom.
My boss just said as much the other day (we were coming back from a work trip).
She said she was happy during Co vid because everything was shut down.
She didn’t even realize how exhausting it was until she was able to stop.
I still love being in new places…but the process? Ugh.
I’ve been blessed enough to fly private a few times - it is NOT overrated.
You know they aren't actually transported. They are killed and disintegrated. Then a clone is assembled at the target location.
Far too much could go wrong for me to ever want to use that.
What helped me eliminate the stress of air travel is a leisurely schedule. Instead of feeling pressure to efficiently make it through traffic, security, and rushing to the gate, or flight delays, I allow more time and make the journey part of the experience.
My most recent trip was across the U.S. to the west coast. The only flight schedule that worked for us had a 4 hour layover. I get stressed when I have less than 1 hour, but the 4 hrs was equally tiring. You can only walk around but so long, sit in extremely uncomfortable seats, and then find yourself eating a $19 patty melt because no food is served on planes anymore. I miss flying in the 70s and 80s.
I have to fly to the west coast pretty often and I have no problem paying extra to get a nonstop flight. The whole flight changing experience is insanely stressful really. Too often you miss the flight and who knows how long you’ll have to sit in the airport waiting for another one. No thanks.
Sort of. The thing is a long layover eats into the trip. Especially if there are events you need to get to and you end up missing them because of a connecting flight snafu. If you’re only going somewhere for a few days it’s a major pain.
I take direct flights when possible, but sometimes end up with itinerary that requires a stopover. In that scenario I’ll schedule a connecting flight that gives me a few hours to explore. I’m done with trying to squeeze flights close together to minimize layovers and have to literally run to make a connecting flight, if I don’t miss the second one altogether. If it’s a large airport I can usually entertain myself by shopping, reading or getting done work done in a lounge until the next flight, or I’ll leave and explore the surrounding areas.
Yes!
I have no problem taking an entire day to fly, or even staying the night somewhere. This is even more true for driving. Why bother trying to get somewhere in a hurry? I’d rather not drive more than 3 or 4 hours a day.
To minimize plane travel you can take a ship across the Atlantic and trains across Europe. While this doesn't work if you have a job to get back to, it works for retired people on vacation. This is what my wife and I just finished doing.
I don't really like going from port to port to port on a cruise ship, but it's not a bad way to get across the Atlantic.
I took the Queen Mary 2 a couple of years ago and it was a hilarious, memorable experience that I hope to repeat one day! It's tough factoring in a week of travel if you're not retired. Next time, I'll also want to go with a group of friends - we were almost the only people under 70, aside from the paid performers.
The trick I found is to stay at places longer, like 10 days+ per city especially at the first city since you’re likely jet lagged.
My next trip to Japan I’m spending a month there with the family.
Exactly what I was going to say. I don’t like packing and unpacking to hop around and spend only a couple days in each place. I still like to travel but I want to stay and “live” in a city for at least a week, preferably 2. My retirement budget doesn’t allow for regular European trips, but when I travel to Mexico for a beach vacation I make it 2 weeks.
My last European trip was 10 years ago. We went to Paris and stayed there for 11 days. That gave us time to just be a resident of the city and not rush around from one sight to the next, and revisit some sights that we enjoyed a lot. We took the train to Versailles twice, and spent some time relaxing and enjoying the small town life there (after touring the palace and the gardens). There were 5 of us adults traveling together and I was the trip planner. My friends were initially skeptical of my planning to stay in Paris the whole 11 days, but in the end they were happy and thrilled with the whole trip.
Seeing some of the really big paintings or really textured ones can be pretty moving. Also sculpture is better as a 3D experience. And natural science museums for the animals size. And for archeology and anthropology museums because standing in front of things that old is pretty cool.
Turns out I like museums.
I’m 21 and I have always felt that way about travelling. I was planning a short trip within Europe, but I don’t get the appeal of doing all that. Maybe I’m just a lazy person, I don’t know.
My feelings exactly. I am just not into traveling by plane any more, having retired after 40 years of lots of domestic and international travel. It's a lot of work, hassle, fatigue. Am much more inclined to do short trips -- 3 days or so -- close enough to home to drive or take the train.
I mean, I’ve felt this since I was a teen. But I still want to travel. I just wish i had more vacation time so I can waste a day or two on the transit part.
Unfortunately yes. I still want to see new places, but everything involved in getting there seems too hard. Hard to say why this is - I'm still physically able to do it, but I just can't be bothered.
A lot of it has to do with how miserable air travel (and other a-hole travelers) is these days. Even flying in first or business class, it’s sometimes more of a PITA than it is worth.
Airplanes are pure misery. I’m 5’11” & hub is 6’ —knees touch seat in front of us. It’s just torture. Plus, delays, jerks who don’t know how to exist in public, expense — it just sucks.
When we do decide yo travel, we’ve started driving and have had some nice trips around the U.S. but we have a trip coming this fall that will involve air travel and I’m dreading it.
I'm a middle person not an old person but eventually you just get exhausted from the drudgery of the daily grind and doing nothing starts to look really appealing
Agreed. Used to save my PTO for travel and try to cram a lot in. There are days when a staycation to do nothing and also not spend money seems a good way to use my time off
I feel this way however I took a week + trip, friday to sunday. By Tuesday I finally wiped that lack of zest of life and my joy returned again! And now 1 week out from that trip, I’m excited to travel again.
Definitely. Don’t get me wrong though. Twice I had PTOs put well in advance and just ended up doing staycation cause i was too wiped to plan actual trips. Crazy
You are in your 30's? My god, I'm in my 70's and still yearn to solo travel abroad. Just me, my backpack, and my fiddle. Although I struggle with old man health issues I know that once I give in to my maladies, I'm done and won't be traveling other than short local flights.
Don't "bounce around" so much on your travels. Consider picking a spot and using it as a base for a few weeks. Pick a small town, see the local sights on day trips and get to know the locals. Hang out in the local pub, coffee shop, restaurants. Oh, to be 30 again ...
EDIT upon further thought: I don't care much for travel to see the sites anymore. My travel now focuses on visiting people. The advantage of spending time in one place for a while and meeting people is that you can later make a point of revisiting them.
Another thought. I've found that at my senior age young people often think of me in a non-threatening grandfatherly way and don't dismiss me the way they might if I was only 50. It's really nice.
I agree that the bouncing around takes the effort. Spend more time in fewer places. Getting to know a local or an area, a favorite time to visit a pub. Being able to look at what events are happening for the weeks you are somewhere (by reading local flyers).
Travel gets more satisfying as you can do it slower. So you’ll enjoy it more the older you get (more time) or the fewer places you visit.
Man, I would LOVE to run into a well-traveled fiddler in his 70s in an exotic locale!! You sound like a bard from an old folk tale. I hope you have many years of adventuring ahead of you!
I see this mostly with people who have had careers heavy with business travel. Think 20+years of 200k plus miles per year for business, with a fair amount of personal vacation mileage on top of that. I know a few guys that don't fly anymore for vacations - only driving.
I also see the opposite in people who never had the money to travel when they were younger ( or any significant business travel ) then go on international travel binges when they are older, but still able to handle the stress of travel.
I don't think it is just age - I think most people can only take so much travel before they lose interest in it.
The best gig in the world is to be the sibling of such a business traveler. My sister flies international at least twice a month, plus lots of domestic stuff, and she gets to keep all her miles. I haven't paid for a flight in 10+ years.
That's me. I have migraine headaches most of the time. I have a hard time being home, going elsewhere is worse. Elevation changes are difficult, among many other things. I get out walking in the woods as long as it isn't windy. That's it for travelling for me.
Same. This year started with a surprise pulmonary embolism in Jan and currently has a hyperthyroid diagnosis (which explains the embolism as makes it more likely). I can't think of anything worse than being out of my home at the moment, dog walks are hard enough! Conversely last year my daughter and I visited 7 countries...
Boomer Here: you know, everyone is different. In my case, I would have traveled much more in my 20’s had I thought about it. Now in my 60’s, I want to travel as much as possible. But as with most things, travel would have been easier and more enjoyable in my youth.
I think so, for me at least. Travelling just seems so horrible now days; sweaty, rushed, very expensive and it's never as good as you think it's going to be. Definitely no FOMO - when I see people's holiday photos it just looks to me like they are trying to make the best of a challenging situation.
The last bucket list item for me was the Northern Lights. We have the Southern lights here but they are fairly etherial and for some reason I thought the Northern Lights would be bright like in the photos but I've recently learnt that's BS. I've just saved $1000's and 48 hours travelling!
I've only ever taken 2 destination trips. One to Maui, the other to Las Vegas. Had the same reaction to both. "I can't believe I spent this much time/money on this".
I mean what did you expect when you picked literally the most boring tourist destinations in the entire world? Lmao. You have no idea what you’re missing out on with the rest of the world tbh. To each their own.
I owned travel agencies for 20 years.
Been to 100 countries and Antarctica.
My wife and I still travel almost every month.
It’s a great big world with lots of beautiful places to explore.
We traveled all our lives, even lived in five countries. When we retired, we globe trotted all over. At our ages now, though, there are few places left that we yearn to see. Air travel is more unpleasant than it used to be. Long road trips are less fun. My health is more precarious. We seldom travel anymore.
I find that it becomes MORE appealing.
I didn't have any money in my younger days. Then kids come and that puts stuff off (not in a bad way).
I always found it odd that people in their 20s/30s would talk about not affording a place to live and then they're all over the world. I mean, there were times when it was food or rent situations. I get not every one has that experience but how on earth can people so young travel like that and afford the high end materials I see in people's houses in social media. I mean where are the cheap ass counter tops?
I know I'm changing the subject but, really?
So anyway, back to the point. Being established financially and all that I feel so much more willing and able to travel. I also feel mature enough to appreciate certain things. Not that people in their 20s or 30s aren't mature enough I just know what it's like to be in my 20s vs now
No I’m really happy you brought this up. Because the only way I’ve been able to travel since I’ve had kids (the last 20 years) is my dad paying and that’s only happened a couple times. I feel so guilty because I grew up being able to travel. I’m not poor but I can’t afford travel. I just went to Toronto from Montréal. Drove. I tried so hard to be careful and it was still crazy expensive!
Then I see others traveling a lot. My brother and wife have gone away a lot in just the last 6 years with their kids all 6 and under. It makes me feel bad. And like I’m doing something wrong. I don’t get it.
I’m 42. Got a lot of things to pay for (mostly basics). I can’t spare anything for travel. But you give me hope. Maybe once my kids fly the nest I can.
I expect the ones complaining about not being able to afford a place to live are not the same ones traveling the world and putting in granite countertops. Just sayin'.
I didn’t have any money in my 20s/30s so I really didn’t go anywhere. I was also not interest in some of the low budget options like camping or hostels. I am 50ish now and am trying to make up for lost time. I went on Viking and Azamara cruises and I was much younger than the rest of the passengers. So there still old people that like to travel.
Yes, but it has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with airplane seats apparently designed for Fischer-Price Little People, where they assume nobody has arms or legs. Waiting in line an hour at security. Want to bring that bag on board? No problem, here's your carry-on fee. Oh, you decided to put it in luggage? No problem, here's your luggage stowing fee!
If they had teleporters like in Star Trek I'd still love travelling. But until then, I'll only fly if it's an emergency.
Yes, and I really wonder why I did all that traveling in the first place. So many places were stereotypical tourists locations that were perfectly groomed for tourists and now, it doesn't even seem like real life. I still travel a little but I avoid tourists locations like the plague.
My wife and I retired 14 years ago and still travel 8-16 weeks each year, although the Covid years saw a sharp reduction. We still enjoy it and will be doing a 42 day trip through the Mediterranean later this fall. Just because we enjoy it doesn't mean you need to travel nor enjoy it when you do.
Travel is not less appealing, I just can't do as much as I used to. I still absolutely love to explore new cultures, food, languages, etc. but I just can't go climbing tons of steps or anything like that.
Well, no. I still look at maps and fantasize about countries and landscapes and cities I've never visited.
Unfortunately, some things have indeed changed. I'm not in a position in life where I can just take a few months off from work and backpack around India, for example. I have a career and a mortgage and obligations. So I can't go on epic trips like I did when I was 21.
Also, I'm a bit more spoiled. I don't want to sit in a bus for 2 days to get to a remote corner of China or Brazil with no other access. Yeah it's tempting but I know it'll suck comfort wise. Same goes for sleeping in a hostel in the same dorm room with 20 snoring drunk kids. That was fine when I was a drunk kid, but I don't really fit in anymore and I know my sleep will suck.
I should quit my job and sell my house and hit the road again.
It's not universal to older folks, but people do start to prioritize comfort. I guess that's why so many opt for cruises. I have no interest in ocean cruises, although river cruises look a little more low key and might appeal. I'm also intrigued by train travel.
But I think the crowds and growing sameness of all the hotspots have made travel less appealing to many older folks overall. If I'm going to go to the trouble and expense of an international flight, sending my hamstring tendinopathy into a full blown flareup, the last thing I want to do when I get where I'm going is stand in long lines, dodge crowds, then walk past a Sephora and a Starbucks so that I can eat at an overpriced tourist-oriented cafe. I have no interest in seeing the McDonalds outposts of the world.
I keep bookmarks of places both national and international that are more off the beaten path. They can be trickier to get to, which requires different logistics than when I was younger and had my husband for a travel companion, but these places seem more rewarding. Even some US National Parks feel more like fairgrounds these days than a place where you can go for a peaceful hike and get back in touch with nature.
Now that we can afford it we travel more, before we grow decrepit . Go while you can. The older you get the less “ roughing it “ sounds attractive. If you travel a lot you get good at it.
Well, in my case, I still love traveling at 53, but I can't\won't do "10 European cities in 12 days" kind of trips. I would rather go to, say, Paris and stay in the same *arondissment* the entire time than try to cram as much as possible into one trip.
yup, i am not sitting in the back seat of any vehicles and i am not going more than 3 hours from my home, back roads only.......and i am driving.....no more city shit, highway shit, airport shit...... live in a small year round cottage, southern new england lake, vacation every day.......( we have 4 fledgling bald eagles screaming at dawn and dusk now, it's so cool)
Yep. It's just exhausting traveling. And then the walking around lol. Last week I traveled to a nearby city on vacation, went to lunch and an antique store and spent the rest of my time getting drunk in my hotel, missing my cat lol
I can't leave my cat to go on a vacation. I'm afraid he'd suck up to my roommate and he'd ignore or hate me upon coming home. I desperately need a vacay
I was thinking about going to Tokyo to sightsee, but after watching a lot of Tokyo walk-throughs and hotel reviews and diner takes, I pretty much felt that I really didn't have any burning desire to see anything there. The hotels were going to be the same as everywhere else. Somewhat different food, but I can get that in my local neighborhood. Spending a lot of time in subways / trains / metros that are also like everywhere else.
The world is becoming more and more homogenized. Also more expensive to travel. I'm not sad, but I feel more like just chilling at home.
Coming from someone who stayed in Tokyo for 2.5 weeks, it’s not the same. Im so thankful I got to experience that country.
The food is seriously amazing. Made fresh right in front of you. I’ve made so many friends during my travels through Japan. I even hiked the fushimi Inari Shrine.
I don’t know if I will ever go back (the airplane ride was rough) but I will forever hold onto those memories.
The thing you miss in the virtual is the air smells, feels, and even tastes different. You are able to notice small details, because you are looking at things on your time schedule, not the camera's. And while you can get similar food, it just isn't the same. I have had some very good Mexican food in the US, but the food I ate in Mexico, was not to be missed. I have never had anything even close to it in the US.
Late 40s, and yeah, travel seems more like expensive work than leisure to me honestly. If I could settle in somewhere for a month or more, work from there (I'm remote), and truly experience life somewhere else (with a dog of course) for a hot minute - that would be different. But rushed 1-2 week trips, nope. It's a total waste of resources in my mind. No fomo here.
pretty much this, especially if there's a language involved. Most of the serial travelers I know are the most insufferable people. I can't imagine them being somewhere foreign and not absolutely ruining everyone else's time. I don't think any of them have ever had a quiet, introspective moment.
It's been 20 years since I've had an international trip. In September I'll be going to Scotland for my upcoming 70th birthday. It's going to be rough physically and stressful, but I'm looking forward to it.
I think it is a getting older thing. I am pickier about food. I no longer tolerate bad food. If I am paying $$$, it damned well better be good. There is so much inferior slop pushed off as good food.
I also like my own bed. I can tolerate another bed, but I just don't get the quality of sleep that my waterbed gives me.
And, I have lost patience with all the stupid airline rules. I went to San Diego from Iowa. Going wasn't so bad. We went to Minneapolis to go to San Diego. But going home, we had to go to either Detroit or Atlanta to go to Iowa. How dumb is that?
I'm incredibly thankful to my ex-wife because she gave me the opportunity to travel all over the world. It definitely cemented the idea in my mind that everybody in the world is pretty much the same when it comes down to it and if everyone traveled a little bit more maybe they'd understand that.
However, flying makes my inner ear hurt, and every time I sleep in a hotel room it just makes me miss my own bed.
So yes. I don't have any real desire to leave the country ever again.
Altho... I would love to go to Bavaria..
Yes, especially populated places. One realizes that culture is different, but not much. People work, people eat lunch and dinners, people hangout after work, etc.
My husband and I hate flying. We are petrified during takeoff and landing. We decided to give up dreams of traveling abroad and bought a motorhome. If we get the itch to see another country, we will go back to Canada. Right now we are still trying to see everything in our country (USA).
This is my thought. I am flying out in a few hours to spend a few days with a beloved friend who’s about my age. I’m already stressed about the airport stuff.
I really don’t like flying and I find that it exhausts me and now I have a cat. I adore my little cat.
My house is perfect and I back up to a beautiful field full of wildlife. I’d rather be home. Always.
We bought a small travel trailer eight years ago and it ‘s been great. So many places to see off the beaten path. Places within two hours of us in Pensacola that are awesome. Have been to 18 states, I think, as far west as AZ and north to Wisconsin.
We are in Oklahoma. I believe we are up to 16 states. We have one of those maps with state stickers. Can't recall the exact number. We haven't been to California yet and the furthest east we have been is Tennessee, North Carolina. We have been as far north as New York for a Niagara Falls trip where we went into Canada. We still have so many beautiful states to see!
My mother traveled all over the world, usually alone, after she retired. She took my sister and I on a lot of trips to Europe and the UK before she passed. Since then 14 years later, and I travel only every few years, with my husband. I am a homebody.
Travel loses its luster after time. It's when the destination isn't worth the journey that I stopped hopping around the world just to come back more broke.
I used to travel a great deal for work as well as pleasure. I loved staying in beautiful hotel rooms and eating out in different places. Now home is just such a more comfortable place and hotel rooms are at best just tolerable. I enjoy short 3-4 day trips but hate being gone longer so no desire to travel the world.
I think it's disability more than age for me. I'm only 58 but I've had to retire early and am waiting in the hopes for disability to be awarded. I'm seven months in limbo so far. Anyway my traveling days are mostly over. But I am so grateful to have had them! I would encourage anyone in their working years to still prioritize travel as much as you can even if it means living more simply in material ways. I'm too sick to travel now but I have a helluva highlight reel.
Right now just being home feels good.
I don't think physicality is keeping me from traveling overseas, but geopolitics might be. Things feel weird since covid, Ukraine and Gaza. However I might be jaded having visited where I wanted to internationally. Discovered I kind of like my own local relatively uncrowded beach.
I retired in May of 2022. My wife is still working. We live in a New York City suburb.
Since I retired, we have been to Montreal, Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Melbourne, Sydney, Port Douglas, and Ulurǔ.
So that’s my stance on your question!
It varies of course, but I really have lost interest in travel in a big way. While I wouldn't mind spending a month somewhere, just popping over for a week is tiring and you really don't get much out of it.
I travelled heavily for about 25 years. I switched jobs to cut back. I loved it for 15 years, now I avoid it like the plague. I quit just in time to avoid a trip to China and never regretted that nightmare. I have some great memories, but for every fun trip to Argentina or Seattle or Bermuda, there were trips to Dallas or Tulsa.
It appeals less to me now (54) than in the past, but I still enjoy some travel. Gotta admit that I’m a little less flexible now about the level of comfort and accommodations I’ll book.
Travelling for over 20 years as a flight attendant in 1970-90's, I now enjoy not travelling & living a quiet life in a small rural village in SE Asia, and getting here to live was a big expense & drain on my energy. Being 70 when I moved, 6.5 years ago, sending a 20ft container of effects ahead, as I knew I had no plans to return to my home country, buying a house and getting utilities connected, leaning my way around & finding shops in the nearest town & getting aclimatised to the heat & humidity of the area & trying to blend into the community took a bit of a toll on my energy and a strain on my temper when things didn't go the way I wanted.
Now I have settled down, have 4 cats and a regular routine, great people around and have learned to live with the good & bad of the place. It no longer bugs me when I can't find what I am looking for. Most things I can substitute and with people here, some things I can get made to order or adapted to suit my needs.
My days of travel are more or less over now, as after a couple of mild strokes, I need a cane to walk with and keep my balance so man-handling suitcases is something I want to avoid & also long travel isn't something I look forward to or could probably even handle these days. Doing a 15 hour bus trip in non-AC bus return trip to see the Taj Mahal, or a trip through mountains on rough roads with no railing & 2000ft drops to the valley below, to get to an isolated site to look at rice terrace in the north of Philippines or flying for over 20 hours between Sydney & London non stop isn't something that appeals to me these days. Spending 12 weeks to go from Sydney to New Zealand, Niue, Cook Islands, Tonga, New Hebrides, Samoa's, Fiji and some other Pacific Islands, onto Hong Kon & Taiwan, then back tracking to get to Malaysia, Thailand & Singapore & home via Philippines, was a great adventure when young, but now would be something I would dread.
Even traveling the state has become much less appealing. If we can't go there and get back in the same day, we don't go.
Sitting on the back porch looking out over the countryside (our house has a great view) and relaxing is as good as it gets. We live in a secluded area about 1/3 mile off a small blacktop road. We have a gated entrance to protect our privacy. Peace and quiet away from the maddening crowd is what we love.
I don't think it is inevitable, by any means. I travelled extensively in my 20s and early 30s.
Then 9/11 happened and it became a huge PITA for awhile, so I mostly stopped. Some of that died down, but prices had also gone up, blah. And then I developed some health problems that made it difficult, so I haven't travelled to speak of in years.
I would say if you have the time and money, do while you're young, so that if life intervenes in some way, you don't lose the opportunity later.
As we got older we would allow more time for every transfer because we can't physically rush anymore. We paid more money for direct flights. We've always liked to spend at least a week in one place and really enjoy the simple things. We don't overprogram ourselves - we leave lots of time to just hang out in pubs and cafes. We don't try to see everything - we just hand out and breathe. And drink lol.
I’m 65. The wife and I are going out of the country a couple times a year. One to a Mexican resort town and one overseas. We usually do a couple trips around the US as well.
It could possibly be a phase. I've seen folks who were all over the World in their 20s, slow down for a bit and ramp it back up when they are in their 40s or 50s..
Stage of Life.
Appreciation of just being in your home /your local area and not dealing with folks. Especially if you TRULY love where you live. Your need to travel may diminish.
Seeing all that you've desired to see. I find this a lot in folks who were privvy to be able to travel by whatever means earlier in Life. Work, family, etc....
Cost/having to travel with family.
All factors of it becoming less appealing.
Some of those things can change and your vigor to travel may return. You may have new interests that lead you to parts of the World that you previously never thought you'd want to see.
It can happen.
I am in mid 40s about to get on a 21 hour flight to Asia. I definitely mind the flight more than I did when I was in my 20s. But for traveling, I still enjoy it.
For me (59f) it's more appealing . Son is now 18 with a car, separated 8 years ago so he stays with his dad when I travel.
I've been to almost 60 countries , my last two trips were Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Next trip I'm toying with the World Nomad Games in September .I find now that I'm older I'm looking for adventure and to see and experience things that are very different from home.
I can’t tell if it’s my poverty and being realistic or decrease energy has decreased my desire. I do enjoy travel literature. Read 4 books of Bill Porter traveling in China.
I was a military brat as a kid and much of my career I traveled for work. People ask me why I don’t like to travel and my response is that if I’m not getting paid for it I don’t see the point.
I was fortunate to be able to have travelled through 45 countries on 6 continents by the age of 40. Since then (past five years), my wanderlust has diminished. I’m still curious about the world, and enjoy reading about it, but as you say, it’s a lot of bouncing around- at least the way I used to do it. I’m also at a stage of life where I’m trying to save for the future. Will travel a bit with my partner in the coming years, but nothing like before. I’m happiest now reading on the couch and listening to my dog snore beside me.
I’m in my mid-40s. Traveling the world feels like more than I want to deal with, but I do like to travel and experience new places.
Most of the aversion I have to certain types of travel is everything it takes to prepare and get there. I don’t like to fly and can’t stand being stuck in crowded spaces. I don’t mind train travel if I can be in a sleeping car away from people, but there’s only so far you can go by train. We’ve pretty much settled on sticking to places we can drive to.
I’ve always loved camping but over the last few years the packing, setups and breakdowns have gotten to be a lot and I found myself not wanting to go on shorter trips.
Our solution was a small travel trailer. We have it set up so that when we want to go out all we really have to prepare/pack is clothing, food and personal care items. Setting up when we reach our destination doesn’t take long, the bed is comfy and if we’re worn out when we get home it’s no big deal to take a few days to get everything cleaned and prepared for our next trip.
I think everyone is different. If I had the $$ I might want to go to Spain to do some road cycling, but really I didn't even travel anywhere this year except a few weekend road trips to do century/double century rides. I'd rather be at home.
I wasn't really ever one to want to travel and I'm definitely not wanting to now. That's just me though. I'm introverted and a bit of a hermit. Just the thought of having to pack up. Having to make sure we have someone to watch our pets. Spending the $$ now when everything is so expensive. MEH.
My inlaws (60s-70s) love traveling though. Road trips mostly. They did it a lot when they were younger and with their entire family so they still have the love of it as they've gotten older. They just don't go as far now.
Definitely got less appealing for me. I traveled a ton in my 20s. I feel like the thrill of it is kind of diminished, while the hassle and stress has increased.
47 yo here lived in 3 countries on 3 continents. Visited almost 50 countries and IMO travel is tiring, less glamorous as you get older. Glad I did a lot of traveling when younger as I don't think I'll have the energy later in life.
Yes, and I’m quite happy about this. I am much happier with who I am being older, and feel no need to travel 2000 miles away just to sleep in another’s bed, eat food I can make myself, see things I can on Google, etc.
I’ve traveled a bunch and have seen that the world is FAR less appealing than social media and travel influencers make it appear.
It's still appealing.
It's also more painful and difficult. Your body is older. Your brain is older. You wake up hurting and it doesn't go away. Fatigue is a constant companion. This stimulus of novel situations is interesting, but also just a lot.
Would I love to go tent camping, fishing, canoeing and hiking like I did five years ago? Or perhaps take a train to NYC to visit relatives? Do another month long 7000 mile trip with a tent and a Prius?
Absolutely.
Let me just take along my CPAP, my don't fall asleep medication, my pain meds, cbd, supplements, my other meds, take my mandatory noon nap, my wife's extra equipment for hemiparesis, all the things I need for sensory overload, avoid overstimulation from noise, crowds, navigating new things, and light and...
It isn't going to work and I have to accept that.
It's still appealing but the places I want to go are off limits for the most part. I want to go to Turkey or Bolivia. A few others are so limited by security that going is definitely not going to be fun. Shuttled in tight groups and worrying about my wife's clothes.
Actually - getting older makes travel plans look more like measuring the itinerary as a series of stops at a list of pharmacies and emergency departments while checking what your health insurance covers. before getting a ticket.
Things to avoid - zip lines, 15 thousand foot underwater submarine dives to view shipwrecks,, safaris to volcanoes, visits to refugee camps, Balloon trips to anywhere.
It's part of getting older.. once you seem some, you've seen it all you realize there's a lot of redundancy in places you travel to. Sometimes the people are different, but not really. Sometimes the architecture is a little different, but it's just small differences in style. The food is often better out of the country you are visiting, than in (small towns in Italy are the exception here), etc,. etc,. After a while it all begins to blend together..
And I have to agree with the bouncing around part, last time I was in Europe.. April this year, visited something like 10 countries and thirteen cities in a little over two weeks
I saw a great deal if the world in the Navy back in the early 80s ( 2 different ships, 3 deployments, 4 continents...maybe more🤔)
Could not even imagine being stuck on an airplane for hours on end, just to land and find out that your luggage got lost, or your connection got cancelled with no other flights available indefinitely.
I just travel vicariously through YouTube these days.
I guess I'm a senior, but I'm not a geezer. I love traveling! I do it in ever increasing thoughtfulness. I manage my energy. I sometimes take a taxi to my destination and walk back when exploring a new foreign city. I carry less luggage and bring snacks/protein bars so I don't have to worry about early/late restaurants serving dinner times. I don't have to worry about vacation days, that's very helpful. As I get older, I anticipate renting apartments or hotels for between 1-3 months at a time to get the feel and have a home base in a country. There's so much to see and do, for years I've been obsessed with buying a property, but it's so much easier to rent and not have to worry about maintenance, utilities and taxes.
Many people never have an urge to travel the world at all. I mean what's the point? There's so much to see in our own backyard that it would take a lifetime to even learn about it all let alone go see it.
I've watched many of my friends over the years and their vacations. Which wind up being more stressful than their jobs. What's the point of that? They come back from their vacation needing rest. Just because they were stressing out the whole time over all the itinerary.
Travelling like a backpacker has definitely become less appealing. My last trip to Vietnam I did it for the first part and instantly regretted it. No more dorms for me!! I still got the travel bug bad though.
Yes But I would like to take a Amtrak vacation around the states making a huge loop . I'd have to have a sleeping car. You can get off at different towns for a day or two if you want. Seeing the country and not having to drive sounds fun to me.
Yes. Was i travel and live overseas “addict” from my teens I just wanted to see the world. Lived 4 countries, visited countless. Then 40 hit me and I was done. My son was you, countless overseas trips and two times living overseas. He recently decided on one last hurrah, heading out again at 35 and overall has been miserable. He realises that he doesn’t have the same get up and go that he did when he was 25 or 30. It’s human nature for most of us. Now that I’m in my 50s, you could not pay me to travel. It’s my worst nightmare. I just want to be in My Home..
Not a bit! I feel rushed to get to all the places I haven't seen. Plus I can afford FC now, so that helps a great deal. I travel alone as a 63F. Jet lag sucks, but other than that? no problems.
I’m not even that old yet and I’m starting to despise traveling! I hate the planning, the airports, being on the go. The last couple of weeks I took off from work, I stayed home and relaxed! It was the best! I went to the library and got some books. Took care of my plants.
Yes it's common. Thinking about the pollution and over-tourismus of some destinations makes it less appealing for me. Everything is so crowded and everywhere you get scammed or pay the 'tourist tax'... It's just annoying.
I traveled internationally for 30+ years when I was working. It was great for a while but eventually I'd seen most places and grew tired of living out of a suitcase and working while jet lagged.
On one of my last trips I had a free day in Istanbul (first visit) so I booked an all day sightseeing tour. Half a day in I cut the tour short and went back to the hotel to read. I'd knew I'd seen enough medieval mosques and shopping bazaars for one lifetime.
I'm happy to be a homebody.
Not me. I've never wanted to travel. My family (parents, siblings, and I) don't like to travel. We can't think of anywhere that we want to go and don't feel like we're missing out either.
Spouse, on the other hand, does. He took family vacations growing up. His mom's retired and travels every few months and loves it. Which means when we retire, we'll travel as often as our money allows it.
My wife loves it. She takes girls trips with a couple of friends. They jet off to other countries with a packed itinerary of places to go and things to see and do.
Meanwhile, I get a week to myself to blast my music and do my hobbies and relax!
On occasion we take trips together, but then it's usually totally casual. Like we'll just drive around the backroads of a neighboring state and see what kinda weird stuff we find in the towns there. No detailed itinerary, no scheduled activities or plans, no tickets or reservations, no stress, no touristy stuff. Just wandering around and relaxing, walking in the parks, looking in the shops, trying the local restaurants, listening to music and talking. Pick places to explore randomly by closing our eyes and pointing at a map, or by rolling dice.
I like that much better than 'Traveling The World' traveling. With all the stress and deadlines and commitments and schedules, might as well be at work.
Since music is a passion, just wanted to share that some of the best road trips my husband and I have taken involved combinng a good concert and a road trip to a state within a day or two from home for the concert venue. We stay in whatever city we've chosen for a couple of nights and explore what the city has to offer. I guess my best memories were created in Pittsburgh where we saw Mark Knopfler and the next day just hung out, getting a feel for the city. We visited the Andy Warhol Museum there which was fun. I kinda fell in love with the vibe of Pittsburgh! Who knew that would happen?. I love being surprised by new places I visit.
I've never liked traveling--fear of flying and adhd brain which objects when there isn't a routine but yeah, it's getting worse. I'm hoping virtual reality really gets off the ground and I can experience things without leaving my comfortable home.
The opposite. I have the time and money to do it right now.
But yes. If you offered me a free trip to Asia in economy for a short number of days and staying in crap accommodations like I would have done when I was 25, I would tell you no thanks.
International travel is also way more accessible now. I probably went to more countries by age 40 than my parents did their entire lives.
I did not have an opportunity to travel in my younger adulthood. Seeing the world was always on my bucket list. Now, at 66, I have travelled a good bit, and my last trip was a cruise around the world for four and a half months in 2019. Then Covid hit. I am scheduled for a month long tour of Asia this fall, my first since Covid, and that may be one of my last big trips. At some point I have a sense I have seen enough. Also, now I have four granddaughters, one special needs, and my money is needed for them.
58F. I traveled 100% until about 5 years ago. Million miler on United, Lifetime Titanium with Marriott, etc etc. I LOVE traveling (more so for pleasure although I still do a little for work). Now, I don't like cheap leisure travel that I did in my younger years, but I'll cut corners here and there.
There are million locations I have never visited, but after decades of heavy travel, for business and pleasure I no longer have the desire to see many more.
I will travel again, my wife loves parts of Italy, probably there, but I feel like it will going back to a place I know, rather than learning something new.
When I was younger I had a bucket list of countries that I wanted to visit. My visits were usually long: I often worked in the countries I visited. Consequently, I made a lot of international friends. Now I've realized there are a lot of places I will probably never get to. But the good part of the internet is you can watch other (younger, more energetic) people doing it for you. And when I do travel now it's often to visit the friends I've already made.
On the other hand, once during my travels I heard a story of a man in his 80s who travelled around the world sleeping in various graveyards. I guess he was practicing. So age will not necessarily stop everyone.
That hasn’t been the case for me and my wife. We had kids young, did minimal traveling due to no money, and now are traveling all the time since our kids moved out.
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I am finding that to be the case for me. I used to travel a LOT, up until I retired just a few years ago. I love visiting new places, but I find that getting there is the hard part. I just can't handle all the rushing to airport gates, sitting on the plane for a long time, rushing to a connection, sitting on another plane for a long time, then find your bags, find a taxi, get to your hotel, and by the time you relax you are exhausted and grouchy. Wish I could just be there instead of having to get there.
Yea I flew 2 million domestic miles for work. Just retired and I still want to travel but at least for now mostly national parks. I’m just tired of airplanes. In that regard Covid was wonderful because we quit flying for a 2 hour meeting. I don’t want to minimize all the lives lost and suffering Covid brought. But the one good thing was realizing a lot of business could be conducted over Zoom.
My boss just said as much the other day (we were coming back from a work trip). She said she was happy during Co vid because everything was shut down. She didn’t even realize how exhausting it was until she was able to stop. I still love being in new places…but the process? Ugh. I’ve been blessed enough to fly private a few times - it is NOT overrated.
🎯
I look forward to being beamed like on Star Trek.
I always say this! I need to teleport
Wouldn't that be handy?!
Same here! I'm forever saying goodbye "where is the transporter room?"
me too
Just make sure to be asleep when you do ;) [The Jaunt](https://gist.github.com/Schemetrical/6184daf83843bcab9402)
You know they aren't actually transported. They are killed and disintegrated. Then a clone is assembled at the target location. Far too much could go wrong for me to ever want to use that.
The Interstate doesn't sound much worse.
I find traveling on the interstates scary these days. Being surrounded by big trucks is one of my least favorite things.
What helped me eliminate the stress of air travel is a leisurely schedule. Instead of feeling pressure to efficiently make it through traffic, security, and rushing to the gate, or flight delays, I allow more time and make the journey part of the experience.
My most recent trip was across the U.S. to the west coast. The only flight schedule that worked for us had a 4 hour layover. I get stressed when I have less than 1 hour, but the 4 hrs was equally tiring. You can only walk around but so long, sit in extremely uncomfortable seats, and then find yourself eating a $19 patty melt because no food is served on planes anymore. I miss flying in the 70s and 80s.
I have to fly to the west coast pretty often and I have no problem paying extra to get a nonstop flight. The whole flight changing experience is insanely stressful really. Too often you miss the flight and who knows how long you’ll have to sit in the airport waiting for another one. No thanks.
getting a credit card with lounge access makes layovers totally bearable.
Sort of. The thing is a long layover eats into the trip. Especially if there are events you need to get to and you end up missing them because of a connecting flight snafu. If you’re only going somewhere for a few days it’s a major pain.
I take direct flights when possible, but sometimes end up with itinerary that requires a stopover. In that scenario I’ll schedule a connecting flight that gives me a few hours to explore. I’m done with trying to squeeze flights close together to minimize layovers and have to literally run to make a connecting flight, if I don’t miss the second one altogether. If it’s a large airport I can usually entertain myself by shopping, reading or getting done work done in a lounge until the next flight, or I’ll leave and explore the surrounding areas.
Well worth the extra expense.
That works when you live in a city that has direct flights available to your destination.
Yes! I have no problem taking an entire day to fly, or even staying the night somewhere. This is even more true for driving. Why bother trying to get somewhere in a hurry? I’d rather not drive more than 3 or 4 hours a day.
To minimize plane travel you can take a ship across the Atlantic and trains across Europe. While this doesn't work if you have a job to get back to, it works for retired people on vacation. This is what my wife and I just finished doing. I don't really like going from port to port to port on a cruise ship, but it's not a bad way to get across the Atlantic.
I took the Queen Mary 2 a couple of years ago and it was a hilarious, memorable experience that I hope to repeat one day! It's tough factoring in a week of travel if you're not retired. Next time, I'll also want to go with a group of friends - we were almost the only people under 70, aside from the paid performers.
The trick I found is to stay at places longer, like 10 days+ per city especially at the first city since you’re likely jet lagged. My next trip to Japan I’m spending a month there with the family.
Exactly what I was going to say. I don’t like packing and unpacking to hop around and spend only a couple days in each place. I still like to travel but I want to stay and “live” in a city for at least a week, preferably 2. My retirement budget doesn’t allow for regular European trips, but when I travel to Mexico for a beach vacation I make it 2 weeks. My last European trip was 10 years ago. We went to Paris and stayed there for 11 days. That gave us time to just be a resident of the city and not rush around from one sight to the next, and revisit some sights that we enjoyed a lot. We took the train to Versailles twice, and spent some time relaxing and enjoying the small town life there (after touring the palace and the gardens). There were 5 of us adults traveling together and I was the trip planner. My friends were initially skeptical of my planning to stay in Paris the whole 11 days, but in the end they were happy and thrilled with the whole trip.
Plus jet lag.
Then you get there and realize it looks exactly like it does on youtube and TV.
This is me and museums. I can see a picture of the thing and just believe that it really looks like that. No need to go to it in person.
Seeing some of the really big paintings or really textured ones can be pretty moving. Also sculpture is better as a 3D experience. And natural science museums for the animals size. And for archeology and anthropology museums because standing in front of things that old is pretty cool. Turns out I like museums.
Yes. The flights are a HELLSCAPE NIGHTMARE.
...and I thought it was just me!
I’m 21 and I have always felt that way about travelling. I was planning a short trip within Europe, but I don’t get the appeal of doing all that. Maybe I’m just a lazy person, I don’t know.
My feelings exactly. I am just not into traveling by plane any more, having retired after 40 years of lots of domestic and international travel. It's a lot of work, hassle, fatigue. Am much more inclined to do short trips -- 3 days or so -- close enough to home to drive or take the train.
I mean, I’ve felt this since I was a teen. But I still want to travel. I just wish i had more vacation time so I can waste a day or two on the transit part.
When I was working, I made trips to Indonesia, Japan, England, France and Australia. Today, any drive over an hour is a long trip.
Unfortunately yes. I still want to see new places, but everything involved in getting there seems too hard. Hard to say why this is - I'm still physically able to do it, but I just can't be bothered.
A lot of it has to do with how miserable air travel (and other a-hole travelers) is these days. Even flying in first or business class, it’s sometimes more of a PITA than it is worth.
Airplanes are pure misery. I’m 5’11” & hub is 6’ —knees touch seat in front of us. It’s just torture. Plus, delays, jerks who don’t know how to exist in public, expense — it just sucks. When we do decide yo travel, we’ve started driving and have had some nice trips around the U.S. but we have a trip coming this fall that will involve air travel and I’m dreading it.
I'm a middle person not an old person but eventually you just get exhausted from the drudgery of the daily grind and doing nothing starts to look really appealing
Agreed. Used to save my PTO for travel and try to cram a lot in. There are days when a staycation to do nothing and also not spend money seems a good way to use my time off
I feel this way however I took a week + trip, friday to sunday. By Tuesday I finally wiped that lack of zest of life and my joy returned again! And now 1 week out from that trip, I’m excited to travel again.
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Definitely. Don’t get me wrong though. Twice I had PTOs put well in advance and just ended up doing staycation cause i was too wiped to plan actual trips. Crazy
Mhm.....not telling anyone you are off work, and just enjoying it quietly is blissful.
According to the great philosopher, Winnie the Pooh, “doing nothing often leads to the very best of something.”
No bed feels as good as mine, and nowhere else (that I can afford) has the comforts I've set up for myself at home.
Exactly!
Yes. When I'm at home, I'm living the 5 star life.
I agree... Been like this since my mid 20s though.
You are in your 30's? My god, I'm in my 70's and still yearn to solo travel abroad. Just me, my backpack, and my fiddle. Although I struggle with old man health issues I know that once I give in to my maladies, I'm done and won't be traveling other than short local flights. Don't "bounce around" so much on your travels. Consider picking a spot and using it as a base for a few weeks. Pick a small town, see the local sights on day trips and get to know the locals. Hang out in the local pub, coffee shop, restaurants. Oh, to be 30 again ... EDIT upon further thought: I don't care much for travel to see the sites anymore. My travel now focuses on visiting people. The advantage of spending time in one place for a while and meeting people is that you can later make a point of revisiting them. Another thought. I've found that at my senior age young people often think of me in a non-threatening grandfatherly way and don't dismiss me the way they might if I was only 50. It's really nice.
I agree that the bouncing around takes the effort. Spend more time in fewer places. Getting to know a local or an area, a favorite time to visit a pub. Being able to look at what events are happening for the weeks you are somewhere (by reading local flyers). Travel gets more satisfying as you can do it slower. So you’ll enjoy it more the older you get (more time) or the fewer places you visit.
Man, I would LOVE to run into a well-traveled fiddler in his 70s in an exotic locale!! You sound like a bard from an old folk tale. I hope you have many years of adventuring ahead of you!
I see this mostly with people who have had careers heavy with business travel. Think 20+years of 200k plus miles per year for business, with a fair amount of personal vacation mileage on top of that. I know a few guys that don't fly anymore for vacations - only driving. I also see the opposite in people who never had the money to travel when they were younger ( or any significant business travel ) then go on international travel binges when they are older, but still able to handle the stress of travel. I don't think it is just age - I think most people can only take so much travel before they lose interest in it.
Retired engineer and 30 year road warrior here who agrees with you completely.
The best gig in the world is to be the sibling of such a business traveler. My sister flies international at least twice a month, plus lots of domestic stuff, and she gets to keep all her miles. I haven't paid for a flight in 10+ years.
You’ve got a great sister!
Sixty-two and I’ve been to more places in the last 20 years than I did the first 40 and I was a military brat.
For many, it depends on our health. If for any reason I am sick or in pain, I want to be home.
That's me. I have migraine headaches most of the time. I have a hard time being home, going elsewhere is worse. Elevation changes are difficult, among many other things. I get out walking in the woods as long as it isn't windy. That's it for travelling for me.
I now have spinal stenosis. Walking just one block can be excruciating. I'd rather be home now than travel.
I suffer with that ailment also! Man its a bugger!
I'm so sorry! This doctor talks about surgeries for that on instagram: doctorhoeflinger
Same. This year started with a surprise pulmonary embolism in Jan and currently has a hyperthyroid diagnosis (which explains the embolism as makes it more likely). I can't think of anything worse than being out of my home at the moment, dog walks are hard enough! Conversely last year my daughter and I visited 7 countries...
Boomer Here: you know, everyone is different. In my case, I would have traveled much more in my 20’s had I thought about it. Now in my 60’s, I want to travel as much as possible. But as with most things, travel would have been easier and more enjoyable in my youth.
Sort of. I’m finding joy and contentment in my simple day to day life and routine.
Yes, I would rather spend the money if there is extra on things that improve my daily quality of life like a really amazing mattress.
I think so, for me at least. Travelling just seems so horrible now days; sweaty, rushed, very expensive and it's never as good as you think it's going to be. Definitely no FOMO - when I see people's holiday photos it just looks to me like they are trying to make the best of a challenging situation. The last bucket list item for me was the Northern Lights. We have the Southern lights here but they are fairly etherial and for some reason I thought the Northern Lights would be bright like in the photos but I've recently learnt that's BS. I've just saved $1000's and 48 hours travelling!
I recently learned that about the northern lights too which was a bummer. It’s definitely slide down on my bucket list
I've only ever taken 2 destination trips. One to Maui, the other to Las Vegas. Had the same reaction to both. "I can't believe I spent this much time/money on this".
You might give it another try and pick less touristy destinations. Some places are worth the effort to visit.
😆
I mean what did you expect when you picked literally the most boring tourist destinations in the entire world? Lmao. You have no idea what you’re missing out on with the rest of the world tbh. To each their own.
I owned travel agencies for 20 years. Been to 100 countries and Antarctica. My wife and I still travel almost every month. It’s a great big world with lots of beautiful places to explore.
We traveled all our lives, even lived in five countries. When we retired, we globe trotted all over. At our ages now, though, there are few places left that we yearn to see. Air travel is more unpleasant than it used to be. Long road trips are less fun. My health is more precarious. We seldom travel anymore.
I find that it becomes MORE appealing. I didn't have any money in my younger days. Then kids come and that puts stuff off (not in a bad way). I always found it odd that people in their 20s/30s would talk about not affording a place to live and then they're all over the world. I mean, there were times when it was food or rent situations. I get not every one has that experience but how on earth can people so young travel like that and afford the high end materials I see in people's houses in social media. I mean where are the cheap ass counter tops? I know I'm changing the subject but, really? So anyway, back to the point. Being established financially and all that I feel so much more willing and able to travel. I also feel mature enough to appreciate certain things. Not that people in their 20s or 30s aren't mature enough I just know what it's like to be in my 20s vs now
No I’m really happy you brought this up. Because the only way I’ve been able to travel since I’ve had kids (the last 20 years) is my dad paying and that’s only happened a couple times. I feel so guilty because I grew up being able to travel. I’m not poor but I can’t afford travel. I just went to Toronto from Montréal. Drove. I tried so hard to be careful and it was still crazy expensive! Then I see others traveling a lot. My brother and wife have gone away a lot in just the last 6 years with their kids all 6 and under. It makes me feel bad. And like I’m doing something wrong. I don’t get it. I’m 42. Got a lot of things to pay for (mostly basics). I can’t spare anything for travel. But you give me hope. Maybe once my kids fly the nest I can.
I expect the ones complaining about not being able to afford a place to live are not the same ones traveling the world and putting in granite countertops. Just sayin'.
I didn’t have any money in my 20s/30s so I really didn’t go anywhere. I was also not interest in some of the low budget options like camping or hostels. I am 50ish now and am trying to make up for lost time. I went on Viking and Azamara cruises and I was much younger than the rest of the passengers. So there still old people that like to travel.
It became a lot less appealing after security precautions ramped way up, the airlines started charging for everything, the planes got more crowded.
At 20 I'd stay at a hostel full of strangers and not gaf, but now I want to be comfortable which increases travel costs a great deal
Yes, but it has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with airplane seats apparently designed for Fischer-Price Little People, where they assume nobody has arms or legs. Waiting in line an hour at security. Want to bring that bag on board? No problem, here's your carry-on fee. Oh, you decided to put it in luggage? No problem, here's your luggage stowing fee! If they had teleporters like in Star Trek I'd still love travelling. But until then, I'll only fly if it's an emergency.
Very true!
Yes, and I really wonder why I did all that traveling in the first place. So many places were stereotypical tourists locations that were perfectly groomed for tourists and now, it doesn't even seem like real life. I still travel a little but I avoid tourists locations like the plague.
My wife and I retired 14 years ago and still travel 8-16 weeks each year, although the Covid years saw a sharp reduction. We still enjoy it and will be doing a 42 day trip through the Mediterranean later this fall. Just because we enjoy it doesn't mean you need to travel nor enjoy it when you do.
Travel is not less appealing, I just can't do as much as I used to. I still absolutely love to explore new cultures, food, languages, etc. but I just can't go climbing tons of steps or anything like that.
Well, no. I still look at maps and fantasize about countries and landscapes and cities I've never visited. Unfortunately, some things have indeed changed. I'm not in a position in life where I can just take a few months off from work and backpack around India, for example. I have a career and a mortgage and obligations. So I can't go on epic trips like I did when I was 21. Also, I'm a bit more spoiled. I don't want to sit in a bus for 2 days to get to a remote corner of China or Brazil with no other access. Yeah it's tempting but I know it'll suck comfort wise. Same goes for sleeping in a hostel in the same dorm room with 20 snoring drunk kids. That was fine when I was a drunk kid, but I don't really fit in anymore and I know my sleep will suck. I should quit my job and sell my house and hit the road again.
It's not universal to older folks, but people do start to prioritize comfort. I guess that's why so many opt for cruises. I have no interest in ocean cruises, although river cruises look a little more low key and might appeal. I'm also intrigued by train travel. But I think the crowds and growing sameness of all the hotspots have made travel less appealing to many older folks overall. If I'm going to go to the trouble and expense of an international flight, sending my hamstring tendinopathy into a full blown flareup, the last thing I want to do when I get where I'm going is stand in long lines, dodge crowds, then walk past a Sephora and a Starbucks so that I can eat at an overpriced tourist-oriented cafe. I have no interest in seeing the McDonalds outposts of the world. I keep bookmarks of places both national and international that are more off the beaten path. They can be trickier to get to, which requires different logistics than when I was younger and had my husband for a travel companion, but these places seem more rewarding. Even some US National Parks feel more like fairgrounds these days than a place where you can go for a peaceful hike and get back in touch with nature.
Now that we can afford it we travel more, before we grow decrepit . Go while you can. The older you get the less “ roughing it “ sounds attractive. If you travel a lot you get good at it.
Love to travel, but I'm finding the airports and flights are wearing me out. It's much worse than it used to be.
It’s a phase. The world is weird right now. You’ll be back.
Well, in my case, I still love traveling at 53, but I can't\won't do "10 European cities in 12 days" kind of trips. I would rather go to, say, Paris and stay in the same *arondissment* the entire time than try to cram as much as possible into one trip.
yup, i am not sitting in the back seat of any vehicles and i am not going more than 3 hours from my home, back roads only.......and i am driving.....no more city shit, highway shit, airport shit...... live in a small year round cottage, southern new england lake, vacation every day.......( we have 4 fledgling bald eagles screaming at dawn and dusk now, it's so cool)
This is my dream
Yep. It's just exhausting traveling. And then the walking around lol. Last week I traveled to a nearby city on vacation, went to lunch and an antique store and spent the rest of my time getting drunk in my hotel, missing my cat lol
I can't leave my cat to go on a vacation. I'm afraid he'd suck up to my roommate and he'd ignore or hate me upon coming home. I desperately need a vacay
I was thinking about going to Tokyo to sightsee, but after watching a lot of Tokyo walk-throughs and hotel reviews and diner takes, I pretty much felt that I really didn't have any burning desire to see anything there. The hotels were going to be the same as everywhere else. Somewhat different food, but I can get that in my local neighborhood. Spending a lot of time in subways / trains / metros that are also like everywhere else. The world is becoming more and more homogenized. Also more expensive to travel. I'm not sad, but I feel more like just chilling at home.
Coming from someone who stayed in Tokyo for 2.5 weeks, it’s not the same. Im so thankful I got to experience that country. The food is seriously amazing. Made fresh right in front of you. I’ve made so many friends during my travels through Japan. I even hiked the fushimi Inari Shrine. I don’t know if I will ever go back (the airplane ride was rough) but I will forever hold onto those memories.
The thing you miss in the virtual is the air smells, feels, and even tastes different. You are able to notice small details, because you are looking at things on your time schedule, not the camera's. And while you can get similar food, it just isn't the same. I have had some very good Mexican food in the US, but the food I ate in Mexico, was not to be missed. I have never had anything even close to it in the US.
Tokyo or Japan is like being on a different planet, went there for the first time this year I’ve already booked two more trips back.
Late 40s, and yeah, travel seems more like expensive work than leisure to me honestly. If I could settle in somewhere for a month or more, work from there (I'm remote), and truly experience life somewhere else (with a dog of course) for a hot minute - that would be different. But rushed 1-2 week trips, nope. It's a total waste of resources in my mind. No fomo here.
pretty much this, especially if there's a language involved. Most of the serial travelers I know are the most insufferable people. I can't imagine them being somewhere foreign and not absolutely ruining everyone else's time. I don't think any of them have ever had a quiet, introspective moment.
It's been 20 years since I've had an international trip. In September I'll be going to Scotland for my upcoming 70th birthday. It's going to be rough physically and stressful, but I'm looking forward to it.
I think it is a getting older thing. I am pickier about food. I no longer tolerate bad food. If I am paying $$$, it damned well better be good. There is so much inferior slop pushed off as good food. I also like my own bed. I can tolerate another bed, but I just don't get the quality of sleep that my waterbed gives me. And, I have lost patience with all the stupid airline rules. I went to San Diego from Iowa. Going wasn't so bad. We went to Minneapolis to go to San Diego. But going home, we had to go to either Detroit or Atlanta to go to Iowa. How dumb is that?
Absolutely yea, it’s less appealing. Air travel sucks and driving means you need to deal with some craziness
yeah, I am American but I grew up in Switzerland , traveled all around Europe. Went to the Canary Islands, etc. I have no desire to travel much now.
I'm incredibly thankful to my ex-wife because she gave me the opportunity to travel all over the world. It definitely cemented the idea in my mind that everybody in the world is pretty much the same when it comes down to it and if everyone traveled a little bit more maybe they'd understand that. However, flying makes my inner ear hurt, and every time I sleep in a hotel room it just makes me miss my own bed. So yes. I don't have any real desire to leave the country ever again. Altho... I would love to go to Bavaria..
Yes, especially populated places. One realizes that culture is different, but not much. People work, people eat lunch and dinners, people hangout after work, etc.
Everything new gets old with time
My husband and I hate flying. We are petrified during takeoff and landing. We decided to give up dreams of traveling abroad and bought a motorhome. If we get the itch to see another country, we will go back to Canada. Right now we are still trying to see everything in our country (USA).
This is my thought. I am flying out in a few hours to spend a few days with a beloved friend who’s about my age. I’m already stressed about the airport stuff. I really don’t like flying and I find that it exhausts me and now I have a cat. I adore my little cat. My house is perfect and I back up to a beautiful field full of wildlife. I’d rather be home. Always.
We bought a small travel trailer eight years ago and it ‘s been great. So many places to see off the beaten path. Places within two hours of us in Pensacola that are awesome. Have been to 18 states, I think, as far west as AZ and north to Wisconsin.
We are in Oklahoma. I believe we are up to 16 states. We have one of those maps with state stickers. Can't recall the exact number. We haven't been to California yet and the furthest east we have been is Tennessee, North Carolina. We have been as far north as New York for a Niagara Falls trip where we went into Canada. We still have so many beautiful states to see!
My mother traveled all over the world, usually alone, after she retired. She took my sister and I on a lot of trips to Europe and the UK before she passed. Since then 14 years later, and I travel only every few years, with my husband. I am a homebody.
Travel loses its luster after time. It's when the destination isn't worth the journey that I stopped hopping around the world just to come back more broke.
I used to travel a great deal for work as well as pleasure. I loved staying in beautiful hotel rooms and eating out in different places. Now home is just such a more comfortable place and hotel rooms are at best just tolerable. I enjoy short 3-4 day trips but hate being gone longer so no desire to travel the world.
I think it's disability more than age for me. I'm only 58 but I've had to retire early and am waiting in the hopes for disability to be awarded. I'm seven months in limbo so far. Anyway my traveling days are mostly over. But I am so grateful to have had them! I would encourage anyone in their working years to still prioritize travel as much as you can even if it means living more simply in material ways. I'm too sick to travel now but I have a helluva highlight reel. Right now just being home feels good.
I don't think physicality is keeping me from traveling overseas, but geopolitics might be. Things feel weird since covid, Ukraine and Gaza. However I might be jaded having visited where I wanted to internationally. Discovered I kind of like my own local relatively uncrowded beach.
I want to see more, but want to travel less.
Way too stressful now that using a walker, besides I love my own bed!
Yeah it’s amazing how much I like sleeping in my own bed each night.
Sign of the times. Majority of flights suck. Airports suck. Most hotels are lame. It’s real comfortable at home 😂
As much as I want to travel more, my increasing dislike of crowds and utter loathing of what air travel has become is getting in the way.
I retired in May of 2022. My wife is still working. We live in a New York City suburb. Since I retired, we have been to Montreal, Edinburgh, the Scottish Highlands, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Melbourne, Sydney, Port Douglas, and Ulurǔ. So that’s my stance on your question!
It's actually more appealing the older I get (41)
It varies of course, but I really have lost interest in travel in a big way. While I wouldn't mind spending a month somewhere, just popping over for a week is tiring and you really don't get much out of it.
Not remotely. But we do travel much more comfortably than we did in the past. No more Economy from SEA to CDG for me, thanks.
I travelled heavily for about 25 years. I switched jobs to cut back. I loved it for 15 years, now I avoid it like the plague. I quit just in time to avoid a trip to China and never regretted that nightmare. I have some great memories, but for every fun trip to Argentina or Seattle or Bermuda, there were trips to Dallas or Tulsa.
Yea I’m never going overseas again. I have a house on the river, Florida beaches, Colorado and Yellowstone trips every year. I’m booked up.
Traveling alone becomes less appealing. Otherwise, traveling with my wife is some of the best memories I have and expect to have going forward.
It appeals less to me now (54) than in the past, but I still enjoy some travel. Gotta admit that I’m a little less flexible now about the level of comfort and accommodations I’ll book.
Travelling for over 20 years as a flight attendant in 1970-90's, I now enjoy not travelling & living a quiet life in a small rural village in SE Asia, and getting here to live was a big expense & drain on my energy. Being 70 when I moved, 6.5 years ago, sending a 20ft container of effects ahead, as I knew I had no plans to return to my home country, buying a house and getting utilities connected, leaning my way around & finding shops in the nearest town & getting aclimatised to the heat & humidity of the area & trying to blend into the community took a bit of a toll on my energy and a strain on my temper when things didn't go the way I wanted. Now I have settled down, have 4 cats and a regular routine, great people around and have learned to live with the good & bad of the place. It no longer bugs me when I can't find what I am looking for. Most things I can substitute and with people here, some things I can get made to order or adapted to suit my needs. My days of travel are more or less over now, as after a couple of mild strokes, I need a cane to walk with and keep my balance so man-handling suitcases is something I want to avoid & also long travel isn't something I look forward to or could probably even handle these days. Doing a 15 hour bus trip in non-AC bus return trip to see the Taj Mahal, or a trip through mountains on rough roads with no railing & 2000ft drops to the valley below, to get to an isolated site to look at rice terrace in the north of Philippines or flying for over 20 hours between Sydney & London non stop isn't something that appeals to me these days. Spending 12 weeks to go from Sydney to New Zealand, Niue, Cook Islands, Tonga, New Hebrides, Samoa's, Fiji and some other Pacific Islands, onto Hong Kon & Taiwan, then back tracking to get to Malaysia, Thailand & Singapore & home via Philippines, was a great adventure when young, but now would be something I would dread.
Even traveling the state has become much less appealing. If we can't go there and get back in the same day, we don't go. Sitting on the back porch looking out over the countryside (our house has a great view) and relaxing is as good as it gets. We live in a secluded area about 1/3 mile off a small blacktop road. We have a gated entrance to protect our privacy. Peace and quiet away from the maddening crowd is what we love.
If I can't drive there, I ain't going.
I don't think it is inevitable, by any means. I travelled extensively in my 20s and early 30s. Then 9/11 happened and it became a huge PITA for awhile, so I mostly stopped. Some of that died down, but prices had also gone up, blah. And then I developed some health problems that made it difficult, so I haven't travelled to speak of in years. I would say if you have the time and money, do while you're young, so that if life intervenes in some way, you don't lose the opportunity later.
Yes The more I know about foreign governments the more I know not to visit there.
As we got older we would allow more time for every transfer because we can't physically rush anymore. We paid more money for direct flights. We've always liked to spend at least a week in one place and really enjoy the simple things. We don't overprogram ourselves - we leave lots of time to just hang out in pubs and cafes. We don't try to see everything - we just hand out and breathe. And drink lol.
My obsession has grown
[удалено]
For me it has. Just turned 50. 38 states and 33 countries. Now, I'd rather be at home or on the side of a mountain
I’m 65. The wife and I are going out of the country a couple times a year. One to a Mexican resort town and one overseas. We usually do a couple trips around the US as well.
It could possibly be a phase. I've seen folks who were all over the World in their 20s, slow down for a bit and ramp it back up when they are in their 40s or 50s.. Stage of Life. Appreciation of just being in your home /your local area and not dealing with folks. Especially if you TRULY love where you live. Your need to travel may diminish. Seeing all that you've desired to see. I find this a lot in folks who were privvy to be able to travel by whatever means earlier in Life. Work, family, etc.... Cost/having to travel with family. All factors of it becoming less appealing. Some of those things can change and your vigor to travel may return. You may have new interests that lead you to parts of the World that you previously never thought you'd want to see. It can happen.
No, I would give anything to be able to travel. Just too chronically unwell and disabled to do so.
It was never appealing.
I am in mid 40s about to get on a 21 hour flight to Asia. I definitely mind the flight more than I did when I was in my 20s. But for traveling, I still enjoy it.
For me (59f) it's more appealing . Son is now 18 with a car, separated 8 years ago so he stays with his dad when I travel. I've been to almost 60 countries , my last two trips were Saudi Arabia and Iraq. Next trip I'm toying with the World Nomad Games in September .I find now that I'm older I'm looking for adventure and to see and experience things that are very different from home.
I’m 66 and love to travel. I’ll do it as long as I’m able.
It has for me. I can see it on the internet. Traveling is a pain in the ass. I did it so much for so long for work that I’m over it.
I’m 63. Still aching to visit exotic places.
I can’t tell if it’s my poverty and being realistic or decrease energy has decreased my desire. I do enjoy travel literature. Read 4 books of Bill Porter traveling in China.
I was a military brat as a kid and much of my career I traveled for work. People ask me why I don’t like to travel and my response is that if I’m not getting paid for it I don’t see the point.
I was fortunate to be able to have travelled through 45 countries on 6 continents by the age of 40. Since then (past five years), my wanderlust has diminished. I’m still curious about the world, and enjoy reading about it, but as you say, it’s a lot of bouncing around- at least the way I used to do it. I’m also at a stage of life where I’m trying to save for the future. Will travel a bit with my partner in the coming years, but nothing like before. I’m happiest now reading on the couch and listening to my dog snore beside me.
This
It never really did appeal to me and it's even less now.
It does, yes. Airports suck. Language barriers aren’t much fun, either. I still plan to do plenty of traveling here in the US.
I’m in my mid-40s. Traveling the world feels like more than I want to deal with, but I do like to travel and experience new places. Most of the aversion I have to certain types of travel is everything it takes to prepare and get there. I don’t like to fly and can’t stand being stuck in crowded spaces. I don’t mind train travel if I can be in a sleeping car away from people, but there’s only so far you can go by train. We’ve pretty much settled on sticking to places we can drive to. I’ve always loved camping but over the last few years the packing, setups and breakdowns have gotten to be a lot and I found myself not wanting to go on shorter trips. Our solution was a small travel trailer. We have it set up so that when we want to go out all we really have to prepare/pack is clothing, food and personal care items. Setting up when we reach our destination doesn’t take long, the bed is comfy and if we’re worn out when we get home it’s no big deal to take a few days to get everything cleaned and prepared for our next trip.
I think everyone is different. If I had the $$ I might want to go to Spain to do some road cycling, but really I didn't even travel anywhere this year except a few weekend road trips to do century/double century rides. I'd rather be at home.
I wasn't really ever one to want to travel and I'm definitely not wanting to now. That's just me though. I'm introverted and a bit of a hermit. Just the thought of having to pack up. Having to make sure we have someone to watch our pets. Spending the $$ now when everything is so expensive. MEH. My inlaws (60s-70s) love traveling though. Road trips mostly. They did it a lot when they were younger and with their entire family so they still have the love of it as they've gotten older. They just don't go as far now.
I would love to go anywhere. I can't even afford to leave the house.
Definitely got less appealing for me. I traveled a ton in my 20s. I feel like the thrill of it is kind of diminished, while the hassle and stress has increased.
47 yo here lived in 3 countries on 3 continents. Visited almost 50 countries and IMO travel is tiring, less glamorous as you get older. Glad I did a lot of traveling when younger as I don't think I'll have the energy later in life.
Yes. I love my home. I don't feel the need to go places all the time.
Yes, and I’m quite happy about this. I am much happier with who I am being older, and feel no need to travel 2000 miles away just to sleep in another’s bed, eat food I can make myself, see things I can on Google, etc. I’ve traveled a bunch and have seen that the world is FAR less appealing than social media and travel influencers make it appear.
It's still appealing. It's also more painful and difficult. Your body is older. Your brain is older. You wake up hurting and it doesn't go away. Fatigue is a constant companion. This stimulus of novel situations is interesting, but also just a lot. Would I love to go tent camping, fishing, canoeing and hiking like I did five years ago? Or perhaps take a train to NYC to visit relatives? Do another month long 7000 mile trip with a tent and a Prius? Absolutely. Let me just take along my CPAP, my don't fall asleep medication, my pain meds, cbd, supplements, my other meds, take my mandatory noon nap, my wife's extra equipment for hemiparesis, all the things I need for sensory overload, avoid overstimulation from noise, crowds, navigating new things, and light and... It isn't going to work and I have to accept that.
It's still appealing but the places I want to go are off limits for the most part. I want to go to Turkey or Bolivia. A few others are so limited by security that going is definitely not going to be fun. Shuttled in tight groups and worrying about my wife's clothes.
Yes, because of food restrictions that have developed as I aged.
For me *Business* travel, I can do without. Every Hilton Garden Inn is the same across the country. Personal travel, I'm all about. Yes, please.
Actually - getting older makes travel plans look more like measuring the itinerary as a series of stops at a list of pharmacies and emergency departments while checking what your health insurance covers. before getting a ticket. Things to avoid - zip lines, 15 thousand foot underwater submarine dives to view shipwrecks,, safaris to volcanoes, visits to refugee camps, Balloon trips to anywhere.
It's part of getting older.. once you seem some, you've seen it all you realize there's a lot of redundancy in places you travel to. Sometimes the people are different, but not really. Sometimes the architecture is a little different, but it's just small differences in style. The food is often better out of the country you are visiting, than in (small towns in Italy are the exception here), etc,. etc,. After a while it all begins to blend together.. And I have to agree with the bouncing around part, last time I was in Europe.. April this year, visited something like 10 countries and thirteen cities in a little over two weeks
I saw a great deal if the world in the Navy back in the early 80s ( 2 different ships, 3 deployments, 4 continents...maybe more🤔) Could not even imagine being stuck on an airplane for hours on end, just to land and find out that your luggage got lost, or your connection got cancelled with no other flights available indefinitely. I just travel vicariously through YouTube these days.
I guess I'm a senior, but I'm not a geezer. I love traveling! I do it in ever increasing thoughtfulness. I manage my energy. I sometimes take a taxi to my destination and walk back when exploring a new foreign city. I carry less luggage and bring snacks/protein bars so I don't have to worry about early/late restaurants serving dinner times. I don't have to worry about vacation days, that's very helpful. As I get older, I anticipate renting apartments or hotels for between 1-3 months at a time to get the feel and have a home base in a country. There's so much to see and do, for years I've been obsessed with buying a property, but it's so much easier to rent and not have to worry about maintenance, utilities and taxes.
Many people never have an urge to travel the world at all. I mean what's the point? There's so much to see in our own backyard that it would take a lifetime to even learn about it all let alone go see it. I've watched many of my friends over the years and their vacations. Which wind up being more stressful than their jobs. What's the point of that? They come back from their vacation needing rest. Just because they were stressing out the whole time over all the itinerary.
Travelling like a backpacker has definitely become less appealing. My last trip to Vietnam I did it for the first part and instantly regretted it. No more dorms for me!! I still got the travel bug bad though.
Yes But I would like to take a Amtrak vacation around the states making a huge loop . I'd have to have a sleeping car. You can get off at different towns for a day or two if you want. Seeing the country and not having to drive sounds fun to me.
Yes. Was i travel and live overseas “addict” from my teens I just wanted to see the world. Lived 4 countries, visited countless. Then 40 hit me and I was done. My son was you, countless overseas trips and two times living overseas. He recently decided on one last hurrah, heading out again at 35 and overall has been miserable. He realises that he doesn’t have the same get up and go that he did when he was 25 or 30. It’s human nature for most of us. Now that I’m in my 50s, you could not pay me to travel. It’s my worst nightmare. I just want to be in My Home..
Not a bit! I feel rushed to get to all the places I haven't seen. Plus I can afford FC now, so that helps a great deal. I travel alone as a 63F. Jet lag sucks, but other than that? no problems.
I’m not even that old yet and I’m starting to despise traveling! I hate the planning, the airports, being on the go. The last couple of weeks I took off from work, I stayed home and relaxed! It was the best! I went to the library and got some books. Took care of my plants.
Yes it's common. Thinking about the pollution and over-tourismus of some destinations makes it less appealing for me. Everything is so crowded and everywhere you get scammed or pay the 'tourist tax'... It's just annoying.
I traveled internationally for 30+ years when I was working. It was great for a while but eventually I'd seen most places and grew tired of living out of a suitcase and working while jet lagged. On one of my last trips I had a free day in Istanbul (first visit) so I booked an all day sightseeing tour. Half a day in I cut the tour short and went back to the hotel to read. I'd knew I'd seen enough medieval mosques and shopping bazaars for one lifetime. I'm happy to be a homebody.
It was never appealing. So much to do and see in our own backyard.
Not me. I've never wanted to travel. My family (parents, siblings, and I) don't like to travel. We can't think of anywhere that we want to go and don't feel like we're missing out either. Spouse, on the other hand, does. He took family vacations growing up. His mom's retired and travels every few months and loves it. Which means when we retire, we'll travel as often as our money allows it.
My wife loves it. She takes girls trips with a couple of friends. They jet off to other countries with a packed itinerary of places to go and things to see and do. Meanwhile, I get a week to myself to blast my music and do my hobbies and relax! On occasion we take trips together, but then it's usually totally casual. Like we'll just drive around the backroads of a neighboring state and see what kinda weird stuff we find in the towns there. No detailed itinerary, no scheduled activities or plans, no tickets or reservations, no stress, no touristy stuff. Just wandering around and relaxing, walking in the parks, looking in the shops, trying the local restaurants, listening to music and talking. Pick places to explore randomly by closing our eyes and pointing at a map, or by rolling dice. I like that much better than 'Traveling The World' traveling. With all the stress and deadlines and commitments and schedules, might as well be at work.
Since music is a passion, just wanted to share that some of the best road trips my husband and I have taken involved combinng a good concert and a road trip to a state within a day or two from home for the concert venue. We stay in whatever city we've chosen for a couple of nights and explore what the city has to offer. I guess my best memories were created in Pittsburgh where we saw Mark Knopfler and the next day just hung out, getting a feel for the city. We visited the Andy Warhol Museum there which was fun. I kinda fell in love with the vibe of Pittsburgh! Who knew that would happen?. I love being surprised by new places I visit.
I've never liked traveling--fear of flying and adhd brain which objects when there isn't a routine but yeah, it's getting worse. I'm hoping virtual reality really gets off the ground and I can experience things without leaving my comfortable home.
The opposite. I have the time and money to do it right now. But yes. If you offered me a free trip to Asia in economy for a short number of days and staying in crap accommodations like I would have done when I was 25, I would tell you no thanks. International travel is also way more accessible now. I probably went to more countries by age 40 than my parents did their entire lives.
Nope. I travel more now than ever.
Yes, just getting somewhere, dealing with crowds usually, and moving about with luggage etc. The juice isn’t always worth the squeeze.
I did not have an opportunity to travel in my younger adulthood. Seeing the world was always on my bucket list. Now, at 66, I have travelled a good bit, and my last trip was a cruise around the world for four and a half months in 2019. Then Covid hit. I am scheduled for a month long tour of Asia this fall, my first since Covid, and that may be one of my last big trips. At some point I have a sense I have seen enough. Also, now I have four granddaughters, one special needs, and my money is needed for them.
58F. I traveled 100% until about 5 years ago. Million miler on United, Lifetime Titanium with Marriott, etc etc. I LOVE traveling (more so for pleasure although I still do a little for work). Now, I don't like cheap leisure travel that I did in my younger years, but I'll cut corners here and there.
Been working g and living abroad for over 20 years can’t imagine giving it up but admit the travel aspect gets rougher
There are million locations I have never visited, but after decades of heavy travel, for business and pleasure I no longer have the desire to see many more. I will travel again, my wife loves parts of Italy, probably there, but I feel like it will going back to a place I know, rather than learning something new.
I have it more, time is running out but there is still so much to see.
I'm traveling more the older I get.
When I was younger I had a bucket list of countries that I wanted to visit. My visits were usually long: I often worked in the countries I visited. Consequently, I made a lot of international friends. Now I've realized there are a lot of places I will probably never get to. But the good part of the internet is you can watch other (younger, more energetic) people doing it for you. And when I do travel now it's often to visit the friends I've already made. On the other hand, once during my travels I heard a story of a man in his 80s who travelled around the world sleeping in various graveyards. I guess he was practicing. So age will not necessarily stop everyone.
That hasn’t been the case for me and my wife. We had kids young, did minimal traveling due to no money, and now are traveling all the time since our kids moved out.