Claudia, Age 74
Well, I am 74. Still feel I have vitality but perhaps it is on the wain! Life is still good but I do have a few issues with my kids and I’m hanging in there, just.
By the time one is 74 you would like to think you are free to fly and do what ever, but sometimes that isn’t possible for me. I am a senior solo traveller and enjoy being off on my own exploring new places. I became a widow 3+ years ago and have coped very well on my own. I need social media as I live in a very small coast town of 2000+ people and find social media takes me to places that are out of my local experience.
Have bought myself a Ford Transit Motor home and have been off touring with my son. It has been fun but I really would like to take off on a big adventure for my 75th birthday.
I have many friends and lots of interests, including making art, politics, movies, am in a book club, gardening, swimming etc. I love coffeeing with cake and don’t mind going off on my own, usually with my ipad or a book.
When budget travelling (youth hostels) I always have a nice dinner and my travel diary is my companion for this. So cheap days, expensive evenings.
I am the Grandmother of 5 boys and 1 girl and have had an enormous amount of pleasure playing with them as often as I can.
I do think about my mortality and know I should be organising my affairs but am a bit tardy in that regard. Still feel like I am going to be around for a while. Am I right or wrong? That is the question.
You are very right. I have chosen to go the motel route; travel hard and fast for a day or two or three, then stay put for a few days and explore the area. My limiting factors are low income rental houses, and my collection of stray cats. I am still working part time driving a handicap bus, but I can take time off whenever I please. Went to Mesa, AZ, and Las Vegas a month ago, and am off to Denver in two weeks. In August I am taking my first cruise, around Lake Michigan; those mega cruise ships do not appeal.
I also want to go hosteling, particularly in Chicago; and I would take Amtrak to get there. I live in northern Missouri, and am toying with the idea of going south for a few weeks in the winter, specifically Mesa, AZ, first, but later to Florida. In each case I would try staying at a 55+ mobile home community.
Traveling is much more fun than cleaning out the reams of paper work from years gone by, but sometimes I get in the mood and fill two or three trash bags of shredded parts of my life. Disposing of books and ornaments, even clothes, is much harder.
Good luck on your “big adventure!” And the next one after that. Swing by if you need more people to visit. After living in Denver for most of my adult life, I am now in a farming community of about 4,000. Not much to do, but KC is only an hour away, and the internet wastes/entertains a lot of my hours.