The New Retirement. Jan Cullinane

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       Cruises. Someone else cooks, serves, cleans, makes your bed each day, provides entertainment and enrichment programs, and transports you from destination to destination. What's not to like? Obviously, the pandemic affected the 2020–2021 travel season, but in 2019, there were 30 million cruise passengers with more than half coming from North America. Ships range from the mega (almost 7,000 passengers) to the intimate. Having cruised quite a bit, I've noticed over the years that some people never disembark at the ports because they have been on so many cruises (and they tend to win all the Trivia games since they've heard all the questions before!). Recent welcome additions to many cruise ships include dedicated solo staterooms, so a single doesn't have to pay the dreaded “single supplement.”

       Escorted Tours. Ann and John B. love escorted tours through OAT (Overseas Adventure Travel). My spouse and I took an OAT tour to Israel/Palestine and absolutely loved it. It included visiting residents' homes, and having an open political dialogue with both Israelis and Palestinians. Hotels, transportation, transfers to the airport/hotel, most meals and some sightseeing are usually included in escorted tours. (OAT also offers exclusive women's tours.) Brian P., who is single, loves Smart Tours, which are all-inclusive and pride themselves on being affordable. Brian is a worldwide traveler and we value his advice, and indeed my spouse and I took a Smart Tour to India and loved it. Steve and Debbie L. did a bike tour in Europe through Backroads Rhine River Cruise Bike Tour, riding bikes through four countries in eight days while also enjoying the food and luxury of a small AMA Waterways ship along the Rhine. Those on the trip decided how many miles they wanted to ride during the day, and were transported back to the ship when ready.

       Singles' Travel. The travel industry is finally recognizing that not everyone is coupled. Check out the all-women Oh Solo Mio (www.ohsolomio.travel) or male/female Singles Travel International (www.singlestravelintl.com). Many companies will help match you with a suitable roommate if you want one, using a questionnaire to match up like-minded travelers.

       African American Travel (www.Africanamericantravelers.com). This company was founded in 2013 by Lawrence McLean to “broaden the reaches, horizons and perspectives of our community by bringing them to the world.”

       LGBTQ+ (Lesbian/Gay/Bisexual/Transgender/Queer or Questioning, and the + represents inclusion of all people). If you've cruised, you may have seen “Friends of Bill W” or “Friends of Dorothy” listed in the daily cruise activity program. Although many might know that “Friends of Bill W” is an invitation for Alcoholics Anonymous members to meet, “Friends of Dorothy” is an opportunity to gather with LGBTQ+ persons. The large cruise companies offer these get-togethers, and more cruise ships are tailoring itineraries and sailings to various groups.

       Educational Travel. It's almost an oxymoron – all travel is educational, in my opinion (even if it's learning how to make a trendy alcoholic drink on a cruise ship). However, there are some companies, such as Roads Scholar (https://www.roadscholar.org/) (formerly known as Elderhostel – the company wanted to eliminate the word “elder”), National Geographic Expeditions (https://www.nationalgeographic.com/expeditions/) and Smithsonian Journeys (https://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/) that really shine with their emphasis on learning. Greg T. went on a tour to the Amazon with National Geographic, which employs professional photographers, regional specialists, and naturalists. He learned so much about the flora and fauna of the area he felt he should have earned four college credits for a lab course in Biology.

       Voluntourism. Travel with a noble purpose? That's what a volunteer vacation should be. There are a large number of organizations that sponsor travel nationally and internationally, but there are a few cautions about this type of travel. Some experts say it would be better to pay for those who live in a village to perform work (such as digging wells) than have unskilled people who fly in from another country for a week to do the labor. And, it's been documented that sometimes orphanages, a popular voluntourism destination in some countries, aren't always what they seem; some places have “created” orphanages to receive money from the volunteers. Vet all organizations carefully. For voluntourism close to home, a good site is AARP's CreatetheGood (www.createthegood.org). Put in your ZIP code, and see what good things you can do in your own backyard.

       Multigenerational travel. What about several generations vacationing or traveling together? With three adult children, their spouses, and five grandchildren, my husband and I solved this by living on the ocean in Florida, with a pool in the backyard. That's an instant magnet for all generations, as well as siblings and their spouses and children. But for multigenerational travel that doesn't involve buying a house, consider cruises. The megaships have something for everyone, including free childcare and acres of swimming pools. The Disney ships cater to children. Our grandchildren loved the ship, including the three years and older youth clubs the ships offer and the ship's live theater performance of Beauty and the Beast that was Broadway caliber. Other suggestions include dude ranches, all-inclusive resorts, skiing, a safari, camping, and national parks. Paula K. takes each grandchild to a destination of his/her choosing (within reason) when he/she turns ten. Want someone else to do the planning? Search for “Tauck Bridges tours” or “Sierra Club family.” And heed this wise travel advice: “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money” (Susan Heller).Travel not your thing or you don't have enough money for this luxury? Think like Queen Latifah: “I don't have to take a trip around the world or be on a yacht in the Mediterranean to have happiness. I can find it in the little things, like looking out into my backyard and seeing deer in the fields.”

       Working/having a second (or third or fourth) career. Are you interested in pursuing work-related opportunities after leaving your primary career or considering starting your own business? That's up next in Chapter 3.