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Smooth Traveling for Seniors [MultiFormat]
eBook by Jack Adler
eBook Category: Travel
eBook Description: Concerned over health while traveling? Interested in discounts and bargains for seniors? Want to know how to make hassle-free reservations online? How to insure personal and currency security while on the road? These, and many related subjects, are comprehensively covered in this book. It's filled with practical information and pointers on what senior travelers should know and do -- or not do -- in various situations. Among the many other subjects are how to research travel and plan itineraries, using foreign government tourist offices and state/city tourism offices in the U.S., dealing with new phone technology and applications, dining sense, traveling in groups or independently, shopping and bargaining, passports/documents, avoiding scams, etc. A vast roster of key topics comprising the overall travel world of today that pertain to seniors are covered in easy-to-use chapters that will make every travel outing, domestic or international, a more enriching and valuable experience. Many little-known but useful tips provide travel-enhancing information on every mode of travel and to every part of the world. The plethora of Internet links provided is worth the cover-price alone! Jack Adler is a veteran travel writer, with over 25 years of covering the travel field for both consumer and trade publications. His credits include several travel books published: Consumer's Guide To Travel, Exploring Historic California, Southern India, Make Steady Money As A Travel Writer -- Without Traveling, There's A Bullet Hole In Your Window (memoir), and Travel Safety (co-authored). Splendid Seniors: Great Lives, Great Deeds, while non-travel, also is about seniors.
eBook Publisher: Solstice Publishing
Fictionwise Release Date: July 2012
 
Introduction
"The world is a great book, but they who never stir from home read only a page."
--St. Augustine
Scenario one:
"We're going to feed the sharks today," the young male staff member of the resort hotel in Bora Bora said to his group of ten men and women who were almost all seniors. Everyone wore bathing suits. The well-tanned guide held a small wicker basket of tiny fish as they stood by a motorboat. "Everyone up to it?"
Every man and woman in the group nodded without hesitation.
"We go out a bit in our boat, put on the snorkels and then slip into the water," the guide explained. "Just hold on to the rope attached to the boat and watch the small sharks come up close and take the fish right out of my hand. Notice," the lithe man added with a grin, "I wear a glove."
Each senior came within feet of the small but sharp-toothed sharks as they darted forward for their meals.
Scenario two:
"After the sauna, it's traditional to swim in the Gulf," the Finnish guide said to his group of senior male travelers who had just come out of the steam-filled sauna at a Helsinki health complex, towels still wrapped around their middles. The guide led the seniors out onto a wooden platform above the cold-looking waters of the Gulf of Finland. Wooden steps led down into the water. "The water isn't cold, and you won't feel it after the sauna," the guide added. "And it's good for the circulation after a sauna."
Every one of the seniors dropped their towels and unhesitatingly went nude into the greenish-blue water. One senior even jumped in. "Hey, it's not cold," he shouted to his companions and the guide.
Afterwards, they all enjoyed a traditional repast of beer and sausages.
High marks for all the above senior travelers. But you don't have to climb the Himalayas or descend to ocean depths to be an active and curious traveler of a certain age. Nowadays, there are adventures and activities to satisfy every desire and whim of senior travelers.
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Profiles
Profiles of senior travelers such as above reveal a strong sense of adventure, and a striking readiness to find and sample new experiences. Seniors consistently seek to explore new destinations around the world and to undertake new activities.
Discovering the many bounties of travel available to seniors today calls for the senior traveler to use all their investigative skills; and, as senior travelers, these abilities have been well developed over the years. But there are always ways to help seniors to examine all the many options and to make well-informed decisions. Travel is fun and exciting, but there are always tips and pointers that can help seniors avoid any problems and to get the most value out of their time and expenditure. That's the purpose of this book, which is designed to help seniors plot their sorties around the globe with ease, satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment and pride--and wonderful memories.
Seniors are constantly discovering how much they are sought after by the travel industry. New offerings enter the marketplace on a steady basis. One reason is obvious. Just consider the numbers. There were approximately 40.3 million seniors 65 and over in the U.S. in the 2010 census, about 13 per cent of the population and at least one in every seven Americans.
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Investigative Tools: About This Book
Chapters in this book cover key aspects of travel with examples/suggestions, illustrations, and special, easily seen clues and cautions to consider. Among the major chapters:
+ Modes of travel, including air, cruise, train, car, and recreational vehicles. Sub-categories provide a rich assortment of choices. For example, with cruises, learn about barge outings, ferries, riverboats, houseboats, etc. With hotels, become more conversant with alternate accommodations such as villas, condominiums, apartment hotels, timeshares, etc.
+ Health and insurance considerations. Making sure you're ready for your trip and are well covered with insurance is vital, and this chapter will help provide valuable information.
+ Use of travel agents and tour operators and the variety of tour packages available.
Learn about fully escorted tours and other types of packages from modular programs to wagon train outings.
+ Research options including the Internet and other sources. This isn't called the age of information for nothing. Many ways exist for seniors to learn what they need to know in a timely fashion.
+ Financial considerations. Know when it's best to use a credit card or a debit card and their differences as far as consumer protection. Learn how to cope with credit card pre-authorizations. This chapter will also shed light on currency issues.
+ Tips for disabled travelers. Learn how to avoid any problems that can stem from various disabilities.
+ Pointers on making reservations. Using the Internet to make bookings doesn't have to be as daunting as it may seem to some seniors. This chapter will show why.
+ Finding discounts. There are many discounts available to seniors, as well as to all travelers. We'll provide tips on finding and assessing all these offerings.
+ Safeguarding your home while you're away can ease concerns over this issue. Check out all the guidelines in this chapter, which have all helped to protect seniors' homes while they're traveling.
+ Language and geography. You don't have to become a linguist or geography whiz to be a savvy senior traveler. This chapter will tell you how.
+ Sightseeing. Don't knock yourself out unnecessarily. This chapter can help you plan your sorties around a destination so you see everything you want to see with ample time for a full appreciation.
+ Shopping. Seniors generally like to shop and at least to browse. This chapter offers tips on duty free items, how to bargain, and related subjects such as chancy ceramics and buying antiques that are real antiques.
+ Dining. You'll find tips on saving money while experiencing local culinary delights.
+ Security. Not to put too fine a point on it, but seniors can be more targeted by thieves and con artists. This chapter provides many tips on avoiding scams and misadventures while still enjoying all the pleasures and pastimes of travel.
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