Tips
More and more people are travelling after retirement. Here we recognise that whether you are an experienced traveller, or a first-timer, you may have special needs while your away.Here we give you some tips to remember while travelling!
Your health overseas
It is important to be aware that the situation overseas may be very different to what you are used to at home. Organising comprehensive travel insurance before you depart can save you the worry of unexpected medical costs. Regardless of how healthy and fit you may be, it is still essential to have health insurance before you travel!
Tips to maintain your health and fitness:
Before departure:
- Visit or call your doctor to find out if any vaccinations or health checks are required
- If you are prescribed malarial medication, take it as prescribed, prior to leaving
- Make up a small medical kit. Include items such as headache tablets, antacids, antiseptic lotion, cotton wool, band-aids, latex gloves, safety pins, 30+ sunscreen and an appropriate insect repellent
- Factor the effects of jet lag into your itinerary. It will affect you less if you fly west.
While travelling:
- Keep important medication with you in case your luggage goes missing
- Be aware that items such as pins and tweezers cannot be taken on board in your hand luggage
- Take enough medication with you to cover the length of the trip – it may not be available overseas
- Keep taking your prescribed medication
- Don’t over exercise – especially in hot climates
- Where local tap water is not safe, drink plenty of bottled water (also use this to brush your teeth) and always check the seal on the bottle
- Avoid ice in cool drinks – freezing preserves germs, it does not kill them
- Beware of uncooked food including salads and fruit that you cannot peel
- Include ‘rest time’ in your travel itinerary
- Wear comfortable shoes, a hat and sunscreen for sightseeing
- Dress and behave conservatively, in accordance with local customs and sensitivities
- Wear a pair of sandals when showering
To help avoid deep vein thrombosis (DVT) when flying:
- Drink plenty of fluids (but avoid alcohol)
- While seated stretch your feet and lower legs
- Walk around the cabin at regular intervals
Finance and planning tips
- Organise a variety of financial options for while you are away, including credit cards, travellers’ cheques and cash
- Contact your debit card provider to confirm the location of automatic teller machines (ATMs) and whether your card will work in the ATMs overseas
- Take photocopies of valuable travel documents including your passport, airline tickets, itinerary and travellers cheques. Leave a set with a friend or family member at home, and keep another copy in a separate place to the originals while overseas
- Pack your senior citizens card, it might not work overseas, but it is worth taking with you – just in case
- Ensure that your passport has at least six months’ validity – some countries will not allow you to enter otherwise
- Irish passport fees for seniors were waived in 2005 for persons aged 65 and over. This means anyone aged 65 and over will not be required to pay any fee for the issue of a 10 year passport
Featured Holidays
MSC Splendida – Ex Barcelona
- Departs 05th February 2012
- Hosted by celebrity chef Anthony Worrall Thomson
- Full Board
- Balcony cabin
- Departs from Barcelona
- from €519 per person
Flights & Insurance extra
Subject to availability at the time of booking