Ladies of a Certain Age ~ for those invisible powerful, dynamic, vital women

I remember in 1986,then 39, my dad leaving me a small amount of money and setting aside some of it to use for a future trip to Europe when I was old – say 65 – with my then-husband.  It was my dream trip – a once in a lifetime experience. In a three-week period we would go to London, Paris and Rome.  Except for my dad, who served in World War II, no one in our family had ever been to Europe.

At age 67, I just came back from Europe, and my second tour of Ireland.  I have been to England three times, Italy twice, Switzerland, Poland, Czechoslovakia, Amsterdam as well as New Zealand, all of the major Canadian cities, Jamaica, twice, and several Caribbean Islands. All three of my children have been to Europe.  One lives in Germany.

I’m not bragging.  It is just amazing to me that my biggest dream in 1986 is so diminutive to my reality, the way the world is today. 

There’s lot of gray-haired and “other- colored- hair” grannies on planes today!  Some have gray-haired “grandpas” with them, many, like me, don’t.  It seems, today, travel, is a big part of the lives of many, many women of a certain age.  We have time, health and bucks for now.

With all of the traveling I have done, including personal and professional trips in the United States, I can tell you that for me traveling is not easy as a lady of a certain age. Traveling has gotten more complicated, jet lag is harder, and plane and bus seats painful.

Here are some things I have learned from recent trips the past 10 months:  Ireland, Vancouver, Arizona and Texas.

First of all – I best not let my computer skills lag!  Actually, I have been in love with computers for a long time, and I am in rhapsody with my Smart Phone. I have come to understand that I dare not let my computer skills lapse because the travel world, like many parts of life, depend on the computer.  I used it to book my flight, set my seating assignment, select meals on international flights, make reservations for all sorts of accommodations, check the weather so I knew what to pack and to let my house sitter know what to do during a recent snow storm.  I no longer pack an alarm clock, camera, or flash light because my phone can handle all of those chores.  This Ireland trip, I could not make a sitting change on my I-phone United Airlines app.  When I went to the United counter to see if I could get a window seat, I was told it would cost $49, even though their app wasn’t working!!! (Good ol’ United – Snotty as ever, I thought.) Oh, I have learned to put my phone charger is my purse.  Amazing, there are all sorts of places to plug in at airports.  Almost everyone on the Southwest Airlines flights I took “were doing something” on their i-Pads, Tablets, Kindles or Nooks.  Undoubtedly, most airlines will have WiFi on planes in the near future.

Second of all – the inconsistency of security at various airports could drive anyone crazy:  Shoes on, shoes off, coats on, coats off, scarves on, scarves off, if your over 50, 65, 75, you can walk right through, no matter how old you are, you do the normal security routine, little plastic bags filled with bottles, no mention of little plastic bags filled with bottles, photos taken, photos not taken. I have learned to keep that little plastic bag filled with little bottles of all sorts of stuff conveniently located in my carryon bag, so I can whip it out when requested.  On this trip, one young man waiting in line, said he uses empty little booze bottles to put his stuff in.  He laughs and so do the inspectors.  Now, that’s something to think about: a gray-haired granny, me, whipping out a bag full of little booze bottles filled with shampoo, conditioner, lotion, etc.

Third – I must remember the necessity of a medicine bag. I am so naïve and often think I won’t get sick because I am on vacation. (Not true, Lizzy!) My little medicine bag has saved me many times.   Actually, I found a small container at the Dollar Store, and I fill it with over-the-counter-medication such as aspirin, antacids, antihistamines, and Pepto-Bismol tablets. I would throw in some sleep medication; but, that stuff doesn’t work for me. Good grief! I recently learned constipation is common in ladies of a certain age, so maybe I better put something in my container for that, too.   On my Ireland trip, I had to share a room with another woman.  She snored and coughed.  She apologized (a real class act!) and offered me disposable ear plugs.  They helped.  I am going to be packing those in the future.  Of course, I take my prescription medication and keep it in a separate container. I keep both of these containers in my purse, along with an extra set of glasses and sun glasses.

Fourth – Eating and drinking on a plane is a real challenge for me.  I could not believe my ears when I heard an Aer Lingus flight attendant charge a passenger for a glass of water!  Of course, there is no such thing as actual money anymore.  You can only use debit or credit cards.  I find it hard to get good wholesome food.  The stuff on the planes do not meet this requirement for me.  For flights in the United States, I pack my trusty p & j sandwich, trail mix, chocolate and fruit.  If I have to buy lunch or dinner, I head to Starbucks.  I have found their meals reasonably priced, delicious and wholesome!  Last year an 80-year-old lady I was playing golf with, introduced me to the benefits of Ensure for boosting energy.  This past trip, a lady of a certain age, had a dried packet of Ensure and just asked for a glass of cold water and a stirrer stick.  (So far, cold water is still free on United Airlines domestic flights.)

Fifth – This and that – My Irish trip was actually a tour, organized by a friend of mine, who has a friend in Ireland that does Sacred Site tours.  Some things I learned about tours include: 1. Be sure and get clarification of what the tour is actually about; it’s one thing to visit a sacred site, and quite another to engage in ancient ceremonies; 2. Be sure and get clarification about all costs.  For example, on this tour lunches were supposed to be on our own; but, sometimes, the guide picked them up. This was confusing.  Also, we were never really in places where we could go to a grocery store and get a cheap bite to eat; eating at restaurants gets very expensive, fast; 3. think about getting your own room (Luckily everyone on this tour got a long fine.  But, since I live alone, I was really anxious about sharing a room with someone.) Pack a wash cloth.  People in Europe still don’t use them. Check if your phone will work in a particular country.  It’s easy to think you lost something. Try not to panic and try to be as organized as possible.  This is not easy since you often have to move quickly. Remember to put your passport back in the safety deposit box.

I can hardly wait to get that passport out of my safety deposit box again.  I am ready for another trip!

Buon Viaggio!