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I've been thinking a lot lately about what type of travel works for me as I head into my mid-60s. As part of this, on my latest trip to Europe I continuously evaluated how well I handled the discomforts of travel.
The good news:
-- To my surprise, I find jet lag more manageable nowadays. Since I can't sleep on flights, I used to force myself to stay up until the local bedtime, the result being that it would take me a good week to feel normal. Now, I sleep five to six hours immediately after arriving (morning or early afternoon best) and then hit the bed again at the regular time for a few more hours. After a couple of days, I'm feeling pretty OK.
-- It used to take me a while to adjust to new beds, but now that's no longer an issue.
-- Thanks to Global Entry, my re-entry to the U.S. was incredibly fast. Five seconds for a facial scan and done. So glad I signed up years ago.
The bad news:
-- I hate long flights more than ever. Much more. The seat on my Delta flight was so uncomfortable that I had to put a pillow under my butt. Making the whole ordeal worse is the fact that airlines expect us to arrive at the airport ridiculously early. Delta strongly suggested I arrive four hours before my first flight of two!
I subsequently made several promises to myself:
-- Pay more for flight comfort (although I still can't swallow the cost of first class). Never sit in a middle seat again. Never do a connecting flight again, even if I have to adjust my itinerary to ensure I end up in a city with a direct flight back. If I'm going to a far-flung locale, I'll fly first to a city along the way, stay there for a few days, and then take another flight to the final destination; upon my return, I'll do a variation on the same.
-- Opt for better quality Airbnbs or hotels. On this trip, I stayed in a miniscule Airbnb -- admittedly, in an ideal location. However, the washer was broken, the hand shower attachment was also broken, and there was little cutlery or the ability to clean/dry plates. It's worth paying more to avoid these issues.
-- Perhaps focus less on land trips and more on cruises.
We are different. We have enough money to buy all the goodies, but why?
I'm older than you. We traveled to Europe at least 20 times. We have been to the Far East, Australia (2025), and NZ (2024). We always fly in the main cabin.
I got a great seat cushion that I found on Amazon. Even if I go to a local upholsterer and order a special seat for $200 it's still OK.
I don't sleep great on planes, but melatonin helps a lot. I don't get a long jet lag, I keep taking melatonin in the next several days and I walk outside in the sun. I usually get to the destination in the morning, rent a car and start driving. Anytime I'm sleepy I take a nap. In the first days, it may be 3-4 times. Even when I sleep well and I'm tired, I take a nap. I have been napping once a day since I was a kid.
Flights: unless it's a first class, where the seat goes all the way down, I don't see the need. If I can save $400 per person to Europe with one stop, I will take it.
The worst choice IMO, are the comfort class at Delta, they make the airlines the most amount of money. The seat size is the same, you just get an extra 2-3 inches in length between the rows. I never had a problem finding space for my carry-ons.
There is no way to get around the total time of traveling when you fly fast.
Hotels: I usually find great deals, that's the key. A 3-star hotel can be better than a 4-star hotel. We love smaller, more personal hotels. That doesn't mean a smaller room. Finding great hotels takes me more time than anything else.
Cruises: not for us outside of the Caribbean. We like to enjoy the culture, the cities, and the people; you can't do that with a cruise.
For use, travel means being busy. We can rest at home.
