About Us Now
Since we started this blog in December 2018 a lot has changed; with us and with the world.
We still travel and now that I am retiring we will travel more often. We appreciate the freedoms we have so much more now since it was taken from us during the global pandemic. I hope at some point in the future that will be nothing more than a place marker between now and then.
Retirement has given a whole new meaning to our travels. Then it was a shining beacon of joy in our every day life that we could look forward to, plan and cherish. Now it is a compulsion that drives our thoughts, takes centre stage in our evolution and has drawn us closer together. We are infinitely grateful to be able to share our travels with you.
The basic premise of our travel philosophy has not changed however. We may have more time but in order to best use it we have to continue to plan and research in order to get the most value from our budget travels.
Being able to travel during the off season will help and I am not too proud to take advantage of any seniors discount I can. We have built up loyalty with our preferred brands and earn discounts and perks that really help. We are more comfortable doing independent trips and using private excursions. We love a good picnic but will splurge on local cuisine. And wine, always wine.
We are content to wander along cobblestone streets, sit in quiet reflection in ancient places of worship and explore the art and history of every country in every museum. We are not afraid to climb marble staircases or navigate archaeological digs, but we will need more time to do so.
We love to rise with the sun, and set with her as well. Our days of dancing the night away are few and far between. We have embraced aging and have become better versions of ourselves in doing so.
This is a whole new chapter for us and for At Our Age Travel and we welcome you along for the ride. Buckle up!!!
About Us Then
We don’t take vacations anymore, we travel. Let me explain the difference as we see it.
When our children were little a vacation was a well-deserved two weeks of nothing but eating, sleeping, and damage control. We didn’t want to do anything strenuous especially take tours or see the sites. It would have been hell with small children. We did do a week in Disney when they were little, twice in fact. It was magical just like the brochure says. Then we went back again, just the two of us, for our 29th anniversary. That was magic!!!
Our children are grown now and our lives are vastly different. We aren’t retired so time is still at a premium. Our health is good, we’re active and in our minds, still young. We’re a little better off financially, but not so much so that we don’t appreciate good value. Waiting until we retire to travel is not an option. We have many friends who gambled with that and lost.
We have to get the most out of our time, budget and experiences. This blog is designed to share with you what we have learned, sometimes quite by accident, and other lessons after debilitating trial and error.
We do a lot of research, we budget our travel money carefully and we plan well in advance. This helps to get the best rate before demand increases the price. We take full advantage of every value proposition we can find; efficiency apartments instead of hotels, public transit instead of taxis or tours, and when possible going in the off season.
Since we stopped struggling just to survive we have developed a finer appreciation for history, culture and art. Travel takes on a deeper significance while we search for meaning in what we see and do. We strive to be honest travelers. This means embracing the culture, traditions and food of the areas we visit.
There is a difference between cheap and value travel. We splurge on what really matters to us and save in other areas. Determine what matters to you. If you are looking for luxury destinations, this is not the site. If you, like us, want a travel experience you can cherish, I hope you will join us.
Happy Travels!!
Cyndi and Ken Hornby