Why later in life is the absolute BEST time to travel solo

Even if your forties and fifties are but a distant memory, there’s no reason you can’t enjoy solo travel in your “later years” – in fact, with the number of older people “going solo” growing all the time, it’s clear that many people think this is exactly the time to head off on an adventure for one!

It’s easy to see why the idea is so appealing:

• You’ve been taking into account the preferences and interests of your family for your entire adult life – this is the time to do things on your terms!

• You’re more financially ready to spend on travel than younger solo travellers.

• You’re longing for a new challenge and ready to be forced out of your comfort zone. Travelling solo will ensure you do something completely different, and very probably learn something about yourself that you never knew before.

• You want to meet new people. Travelling on your own is a great way to do this. If you’re travelling solo as part of an organised tour you’ll have instant travel buddies, while if you’re truly on your own, there’s no better impetus for striking up conversations with strangers at that cafe/restaurant/bar/museum/tourist attraction. The friends you can make on a solo trip will amaze you.

• You’ve had a lifelong dream that wasn’t/isn’t shared by your partner, and a solo holiday will let you fulfil it.

• You want to boost your self-confidence. Trust us – if you go on a trip that you during which you do everything all by yourself, you’ll return feeling pretty damn capable – and pretty damn fabulous about yourself!

• You like the idea of being extra flexible, and being able to make and change plans on a whim, depending on the brilliant, unplanned opportunities that arise along the way.

• You want to explore or develop talents that you know you have – or suspect are lurking within! From cooking classes and painting courses to hiking trips and learning-to-sail odysseys, your passion can be a fantastic inspiration for booking a trip.

• You’ve got plenty of life experience and street smarts, so you’re wise in the ways of avoiding potential problems – and how to get out of any tricky situations! Travelling alone when you’re older is surprisingly safe for anyone with a normal amount of common sense.

• You simply want to do something exciting and totally unforgettable!

There are basically two ways to travel solo – you can join an organised group or cruise, where all of the planning and activities are handled for you, and you’re guaranteed instant travel pals to dine and sightsee with; or you can be an independent solo traveller, and do all of the planning, navigating and negotiating yourself. Yes, it’s more work, but on the plus side, you have even more freedom.

So if you’ve been harbouring a notion about heading off somewhere exotic on your own, what are you waiting for?!

Ready to take the plunge? The Travel at 60 team is here to help! We’re specialists in organising amazing trips for 60+ travellers, don’t charge any fees and would LOVE to help you take off on a solo adventure – or join one of our fantastic group tours or cruises. Call us on 1300 414 198.