When I retire, I will...

Travel...If you ask a representative sample of people who are approaching their retirement years what they are looking forward to the most about retirement, the most common answer that comes back is, “travel”.  There is something about the romance and fun of travel that appeals to us as we think about stepping out of the work world and doing things we have been hoping to do for all our lives.  Travel has that sense of adventure that calls to us when we look forward to a time when our responsibilities are few but we have the resources to realise our dreams.

If travel is a major objective of your retirement planning, the earlier in life you get started planning your travel adventures, the more fun your trips will be.  They say that anticipation is half the fun of a trip.  So why not start now planning for your various destinations and the adventures you want to have when you get there?

If you had a chance to travel during those child-rearing years, you no doubt already have some solid travel disciplines in place to use for routine trips.  Most of us have learned to travel smart from business travel or travelling to see family over the years.  But it’s a good idea to review your preparation checklists when you start thinking of longer trips, perhaps to more exotic and unknown locations.

Remember that when you are retired and planning longer trips, that is going to present some unique challenges in terms of packing.  It is one thing to pack for three days in Orlando but its something else entirely to pack for two weeks in Germany or Greece.  It takes an experienced and prepared traveller to only take the essentials and to keep your packing light and efficient.  Some core principles that will help you include…

Be smart and think ahead about where you are going and what you will need there.  Read as much as you can about your destination, use google maps and google earth, to look around your destination, book your accommodations well in advance so you know you are expected.  These kinds of preparations will make your retirement travel fun and exciting and keep you on the road regularly for many years to come.