Travel at over 80

Do you have poor health at the moment?

Not poor as such. Just the usual age related stuff. But I feel it can escalate with being away from home in a different environment.

I'm also worried about having to stand around at the airport doing this new ID thing .

I last went abroad in 2024. That’s it.
I’m slightly younger. However I slipped on one of those marble staircases, didn’t actually break any bones, but my coccyx still hurts, and right hip still hurt. Probably a bit of arthritis too.
My only advice is to get a downstairs apartment 😂

My advice would be only go if you won’t worry. A holiday isn’t a time for worrying and there are truly lots of lovely places within the UK

Tuliptree

My advice would be only go if you won’t worry. A holiday isn’t a time for worrying and there are truly lots of lovely places within the UK

Thank you. I keep thinking that. Feel I am letting DH down as we have travelled Europe by train for a long time. Only twice by air . I suppose it had to come one day!

It came to me a few years ago and I sometimes feel very sad about it but I have discovered some UK places with a beauty and charm of their own

Neighbour just back from second holiday in Malta this winter. She is 90. I’d love to go but DH and I both waiting for NHS procedures so I think insurance would be prohibitive.

Airports are awful. Miles to walk and long stands in queues for check in, bag drop, security and passports. The new European system was OK , straightforward but there were long queues to get there.
How about a train trip and stay somewhere new to you in UK?

Why not go on an organised coach tour, where there is a representative on hand, no airport waits and lots of help.

We have gone on river cruises in Europe, where are suitcases were picked up at the local meet point and we then did not touch them again until the end of the holiday. The British coach and driver shadowed the ship cruise and drove for all outings. The representative was also British and experienced and most of our fellow passengers were halt or lame, physically, but not mentally ,and had buggies, sticks and walking frames.

Friends went on one of these holidays and did have a medical emergency, and could not speak too highly of the care they received on board, and in a German hospital.

Despite DH suffering from heart problems we are thinking seriously about having another river cruise.

Last year we went on holiday in Northumberland. DH had a helath emergency, the nearest A&E was 55 miles away across country roads and my sat nav played up. I will feel much happier on a river cruise in France or Germany.

I have been a traveller , both living abroad and holidaying abroad too. Never been into sitting around on a beach, and have done lots of camping, city breaks and sailed my own old yacht round especially the hebrides and west coast of scotland. I have never been sorry that I have travelled, and have always thought it was worth all the effort, you come home with some lovely memories. If a time comes where for reasons of health or whatever that you can no longer travel then you have to accept that but you do have lots of good memories to enjoy. Have met so many people over the years and there was only one person who tripped and broke their leg, but the worst apart from that over more than 30 years has been people having upset stomachs. I do think that if you take the normal sensible precautions you are no more likely to have problems wherever you go.

You might look at it in another way. When you go out for the day , or go shopping, do you just think of common sense things , such as look at the weather and take your mac with you, or do you carry a mac, sunglasses, heavy sweater and wellington boots, just in case? If you really feel that you have no wish to travel abroad again,then of course that is your choice, but your husband perhaps might be able to travel with a friend so he could still enjoy the trips for as long as he wanted to?

Alternatively have you thought of someone like Fred Olsen cruises, as a halfway meeting? They are smaller ships, very well run, have good lecturers on the places you are visiting, and you could choose to stay aboard on any of the days of the trips, if they did not appeal to you. I have found them very good , with the food and the library etc It might be something that would perhaps suit you both, and they have quite a wide choice of destinations. I have been up to the Artic with them and down to Maderia etc , and have always found them very good , and also you dont have to traipse down to southampton if you live in the north, which is another plus from my point of view. Hope you find something to still enjoy while you can. Best of luck.

I think it would be a great shame to restrict your travel options unless it’s absolutely necessary. As others have said there are many ways of travelling which might suit you. Sea and river cruises are wonderful with so much choice of how to spend your time. There are many holidays which are escorted from the UK as well. Saga and Titan have a good selection although they can be expensive. You can request assistance at airports if the distance to walk is a problem. My friend and her DH do this every time they travel and are taken around the airport in an electric vehicle. Do please think again and don’t be too ready to give things up. I’m in my 70s and have arthritis, high blood pressure, ibs and poor hearing. I’m generally much less aware of these problems when I’m seeing new places and having a break from my routine.

We're both 79 and I've just renewed our annual travel insurance, covers the whole of Europe. As well as health insurance, we also carry GHIC cards in Europe.

We're very rarely unwell at home and have never ever been ill in a lifetime of travelling all over the world. Never needed to call a doctor, visit a hospital, or make a claim on our travel health insurance.

We follow basic hygeine precautions at home and when travelling; always wash hands before eating and after the toilet.

I take with us, a packet of paracetamol , a supply of prescription medications, and a packet of small plasters and sealed wipes for minor scratches or blisters.

Definitely go on an escorted holiday. Someone will be there to help with any event.

I am another one who would recommend cruises if you feel anxious about your health. In my experience you are very well looked after on a cruise.

M0nica

Why not go on an organised coach tour, where there is a representative on hand, no airport waits and lots of help.

We have gone on river cruises in Europe, where are suitcases were picked up at the local meet point and we then did not touch them again until the end of the holiday. The British coach and driver shadowed the ship cruise and drove for all outings. The representative was also British and experienced and most of our fellow passengers were halt or lame, physically, but not mentally ,and had buggies, sticks and walking frames.

Friends went on one of these holidays and did have a medical emergency, and could not speak too highly of the care they received on board, and in a German hospital.

Despite DH suffering from heart problems we are thinking seriously about having another river cruise.

Last year we went on holiday in Northumberland. DH had a helath emergency, the nearest A&E was 55 miles away across country roads and my sat nav played up. I will feel much happier on a river cruise in France or Germany.

Just be careful about insurance and full disclosure. We had annual cover through our bank and we paid a lot to cover all our health problems . Looking back on all the river cruises we had I did not realise that they came under " cruises " . I thought it was just sea cruises and never added cruise cover to our insurance . If you cruise at sea with a reputable company they will always have a doctor on board. River cruises have nothing so you can be miles from a city or town should you take ill. At least you do not suffer from sea siackness on a river cruise .

Saga cruises will pick you, and your luggage, up at home and drive you to the port. There your luggage will be whisked away, to reappear outside your cabin.
You meanwhile will be escorted onboard and either go to your cabin, or to the restaurant or buffet for refreshments.
Then up on deck for the sailaway 🥂
If you've never been on a cruise I can definitely recommend you try it!

I’m another one a bit like the OP who feels reluctant to travel abroad. My passport ran out during Covid so I didn’t renew it and haven’t felt motivated to do so since then.
Now I have nobody to go on holiday with. I have been on coach trips in the UK, and travelled solo two or three times since my husband died, but I am not sure whether I have the stamina to cope with foreign travel. My health is good but I have my limitations. I haven’t ruled it out though, if I can find the right set up, so I am following this thread with interest.

Stay in the UK - beautiful! Failing that a cruise should be ok. Good luck!

My experience of a holiday in the UK last year was that the problems can be just as problematic as the problems you might have overseas.

I have twice had to use A&E in France for family members. Compared with the UK it was so simple and easy. Friends had an emergency in Germany when on a cruise and again sang the praises of German A&E.

Cabbie21, Riversidegirl and others... I think we need a Gransnet holiday/cruise meet-up group ☀️😎🥂

I sympathise and understand.
Consider a coach trip or cruise.so you don't have to negotiate airports .

Go with your gut Riversidegirl. If you really don't want to travel abroad again then don't feel pressurised into it. What might be fine for others might not be right for you.