If the first thing that comes to your mind when you think long-term traveler is of a young person strapping on a backpack, think again. A more unconventional approach to travel, in which you go on the road for weeks or months at a time instead of taking short vacations, is growing in popularity among older adults as well. Retired and often with substantial savings, many are finally living a life they may have dreamed of for decades. The tips below can help you do the same.
What Kind of Travel
The first thing to decide is what kind of travel you want to do. If the answer is "all kinds" that's fine too, but you'll still need to narrow down the first trip you're going to take. To give you a sense of the options available, they include driving an RV around the country, traveling abroad, going on an extended cruise or even sailing for several weeks or months. Like younger adults, older adults can also be found on long-distance backpacking trips or teaching English abroad. Figure out what approach appeals to you and plan from there.
Paying For It
You'll also need to consider how to pay for things. Making a budget can help you decide where to go and what to do. If you've already downsized your home, then depending on where you travel, your expenses on the road may actually be less than they were when you were working full time. However, you might still want a cushion or some extra cash just to be on the safe side. You may have other assets that you can sell. Some people even decide to sell their homes. Before you do anything this drastic, you do have other options, such as selling a life insurance policy. Not every policy will be eligible, but if yours is, you can review a list of companies that will purchase your policy through a life settlement and choose the one that is best for you.
Where to Go
As the saying goes, the world is your oyster, but there's also such a thing as too much choice. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the possibilities, you can use some criteria to narrow things down in broad swathes to start with. For example, do you want to travel domestically or internationally? How luxurious do you want your accommodations to be? Do you want to take a tour, or do you want to do everything independently? Do you want others to accompany you? How long do you want to travel for? Carefully considering these and similar questions will help you plan a trip that you'll enjoy.
Dealing With Family
If you're lucky, you will get plenty of support for your plan from family. However, you might find yourself in a role reversal where your adult children are staring at you askance and asking what you are thinking. If this happens, you can combat travel anxiety and walk them through your plans and show them that you've thought it all through. If they're still dubious, you can always simply go ahead with your plan and demonstrate that you will be both safe and happy by example.
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