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Special considerations

For many, conquering street food, crowded bus rides, aggressive market touts and squat toilets without lighting are challenge enough. But there are some groups who must also cope with a number of issues, from a medical condition to sexual-preference discrimination. This chapter focuses on the concerns these travellers face and offers a few tips that will hopefully smooth out their journeys.

Discounts for seniors

There’s enough material to write an entire book on senior discounts. In fact, several people have. One of the things that seems to get better with age is the amount of rebates available: seniors might get anything up to fifty percent off museums and other sites, and local transport. Look for notices at ticket windows, check your guidebook, and – most importantly – get into the habit of asking.

Budget flights

On airlines, the magic discount age is usually 60 or 62. Rates vary, but you can typically get ten percent off “the lowest published fare”. And that’s exactly how you should phrase it when you ring a travel agent. Not only that, but you’re often allowed to bring someone of any age along at the same rate. Several struggling airlines have cut back senior discounts lately, but it never hurts to ask, since they are still available, if only for select destinations or times.

Budget accommodation for seniors

There’s nothing that says you have to be a youth to stay in a youth hostel. In fact, in many of the calmer hostels, senior travellers far outnumber the youths. International Youth Hostel cards (web_icon hihostels.com) in the US cost just $18/£11 if you’ve turned 55. Also, there are organizations like the non-profit-making Road Scholar (web_icon roadscholar.org), which runs trips around the world for those aged 55 and older. For roughly £100/$150 a day you get a room, food, educational classes on a variety of subjects and the chance to meet plenty of like-minded, interesting people. Seniors may also be offered ten to fifty percent off normal rates at major hotels (and some minor ones) across Europe. Always enquire when you book.

Travel agents

  • CARP web_icon carp.ca. Not the most inviting acronym, the Canadian Association of Retired Persons is a travel agency for Canadians over 50.
  • Senior Women’s Travel web_icon poshnosh.com. They ditch the “old lady” image, with adventures for the 50-plus set with a thirst for active travel.
  • Wired Seniors web_icon wiredseniors.com. Under “Seniors travel guide”, they have lists of “senior friendly” travel agents and hotels.

Senior gear and gadgets

There are a number of speciality items available these days, from lightweight canes that can be collapsed and stored in hand luggage to inflatable back-support rests, that can make a mild trip comfortable and a rough ride tolerable. Browse senior-travel websites such as web_icon seniorsuperstores.com for ideas.

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Considerations for travellers with special health conditions

When planning your itinerary, think about the medical facilities of the country you’re visiting. The Netherlands, for example, will have a more modern healthcare system than Pakistan. But also keep in mind that many developing countries have at least one world-class, English-speaking hospital, which often supports the large number of expatriates working there. Guidebooks list such facilities where available. You can also find them online before leaving home at web_icon hospitals.webometrics.info.

Consider also the temperature of the places you’re headed. Even if you’ve experienced such sweltering heat before, it can be another thing entirely if you’re out walking in it most of the day or staying in places without air conditioning.

If you’re concerned about pre-existing ailments, discuss them with your doctor before leaving and keep an eye out for symptoms. Depending on your case, it may not be a bad idea to bring a copy of your medical file along, or at least the relevant pages. Check your medical insurance for travel coverage and supplement it with any special travel insurance you may need.

How to bring your meds

Bring your prescriptions if you want to get refills, but ask your doctor to include the generic name since some brand-name prescriptions are not available abroad. Keep medicines in their original labelled container to avoid problems at customs, and have the prescriptions handy. (The label on the plastic bottle is not always enough, especially if you’re transporting stronger pain medications which may require a special permit obtained at the pharmacy.) If you need medication refilled in an emergency, a good travel insurance plan will assist. And keep the phone number of your doctor and pharmacist with you for backup.

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Travellers with disabilities

Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t travel around the world. There’s going to be more planning than an able-bodied person may face, more hassles, and you may have to give up more independence than you’d prefer at times, but if you’re prepared to accept this the rewards are immeasurable.

No matter how much planning you manage, you’ll still need to prepare yourself for the unexpected: unstable or missing handrails, faulty ramps, narrow passages, and assigned assistants with little training and even less enthusiasm. Greet them with good humour and look for ways to solve the problems on the spot.

Prepping for the trip

Much depends on your type and degree of disability, and no one has a better grasp of that than you. Stay in control of your options. An activity that may not be a possibility for someone else could be fine for you. But if a travel agent or tour operator hears that you’re disabled first, they may decide which things are appropriate for you and present you with an inappropriately limited selection. In other words, look into things you’d like to do, then ask questions to find out if you can be accommodated. Don’t simply look for “activities for the disabled”.

Before you begin your trip, whether you’re joining a tour or doing it alone, think about ways to enhance the experience of travel and remove potential obstacles. For example, a deaf traveller may wish to purchase a rail pass in advance to avoid the hassle of buying individual tickets at a station counter, and a sight-impaired traveller might pick up souvenir replicas of the famous monuments once they arrive to help get a better understanding of the structures they’re standing in front of. Consider activities that can be done on an equal level. For those in a wheelchair, a cultural show, garden and recommended restaurant should take minimal preparation beyond confirming that they can accommodate you where stairs and doorways are concerned.

Brace for what you’ll face

In most wealthy countries you’ll find a mix of excellent accessibility and complete lack of it. However, there should be a fundamental infrastructure in place and your requests for assistance will often find an experienced ear. In less developed countries, expect to find little infrastructure, if any at all. What you may experience, however, is a refreshing abundance of helpers with an enlightened indifference towards disability. On the other hand, you may feel like a novelty act at times. If so, keep in mind that you may be one of the first independent disabled people that locals have seen.

Several of the world’s great attractions are still inaccessible, or at least extremely difficult for manoeuvring, such as the tombs in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, the ruins of Machu Picchu or the trail down the Grand Canyon. At such times, you’ll either have to content yourself with a view from afar, have a travelling companion videotape it and replay it on the spot, or find alternative activities.

It’s not impossible to find accessible toilets, but it may not be easy. Make sure there’s one at your hotel. Access-Able (web_icon access-able.com) has a database of hotels that accommodate those with disabilities, plus listings of places to rent special medical equipment and get it repaired.

Help for transport with disabilities

Whether you’re travelling around the world or around a vast country, flying may just be the best of a sorry selection of choices. The toilets may be impossibly narrow and the seats painfully uncomfortable, but at least it’s generally the quickest option. Always call the airline well in advance if you need any special assistance. If you have a wheelchair, let them know which kind and be prepared for a transfer to a special aisle-sized chair. At Disabled World (web_icon disabled-world.com), there’s a list of flying tips for those with disabilities. Click Travel and Air Travel.

On the ground, taxis are usually the most convenient, most comfortable option for getting around a city, but also the most expensive. In some enlightened cities (Vancouver and Wellington, for example), there are local discounts for the disabled. There are more buses and trains equipped for wheelchairs now than there used to be, and taking the time to find out where they’re available will be a big budget saver. With assistance, the transport possibilities are as limitless as your imagination – take a ride on a dhow, rickshaw or hydrofoil.

If it still seems a bit overwhelming, or you’d like some help just getting started, there are a number of organizations set up for this very purpose:

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Travelling with children

While it’s perfectly possible to travel with kids, it is different. Often very different. Your pace will be slower, your adventures less adventurous and your backpack heavier – oh, and your budget will go out the window.

If your children are old enough (at least 6–7 years old), an extended trip to foreign lands will create memories that last a lifetime. That said, one thing you should not do is plan for your kids to have some sort of cultural awakening during the trip. If you try to force an experience on them just because it means something to you, you are pairing up travel with conflict. Relax your grip and the travel bug just might bite them. The surest way to make that happen is to show them that you are enjoying yourself – not sulking because they don’t appreciate exactly the same things you do.

If you are the only parent travelling with your children, prepare an “Affidavit of Parental Consent” form signed by the non-travelling parent. This permission to take the children out of the country will avoid trouble with immigration officers.

As at home, your primary concern is safety. It’s a good idea to involve your kids in planning what to do if you get separated; you’re not in Kansas or Kenilworth anymore, and they should understand that. For everyday health, make sure you bring a solid kit of everything you need to combat allergies, fevers, headaches, etc. Check with the airline that you will be allowed to bring everything on board, too.

Try web_icon holidaywithbaby.com for tips on travelling with toddlers, and web_icon travelforkids.com for older children. web_icon knok.com (a home-swapping site for families) and web_icon metowe.com (can arrange family volunteering trips) may also be of use.

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Considerations for LGBT travellers

It’s certainly much easier to travel as an LGBT person than it was twenty years ago, but legislation has progressed much further in some countries than in others. In Pakistan, for example, it’s normal for straight men to walk hand in hand down the street, but homosexuality is still illegal and homosexual acts are punishable by flogging and imprisonment. Human rights organizations estimate an LGBT population of about 500,000 in Uganda, but any same-sex sexual activity there can still get you life in prison. And in India, gay sex acts were re-criminalized as late as 2013.

Public displays of affection – know the local laws

Unless you’re trying to make an active protest against an intolerant government, learn the social and legal conditions before you display any behaviour that may land you in a foreign jail (this applies to heterosexual behaviour as well). The International Lesbian and Gay Association (web_icon ilga.org) has some useful resources on this. If you’re not sure, simply avoid public displays of affection, and take care to check attitudes to revealing or “inappropriate” clothing in the places you’re visiting, too.

Trans travellers

The good news is that travel in Asia and Oceania could be quite easy, with several countries having prominent trans/non-binary communities or legally recognizing third genders. Europe and North America, while hit-and-miss, are also possibilities; while you’re by no means guaranteed a harassment-free trip, you’ll be legally protected in most countries/states, and awareness is growing. The TSA’s screening process guidelines are available online (web_icon tsa.gov/traveler-information/transgender-travelers).

Unfortunately, much of the rest of the world is problematic. If your ID doesn’t match your gender presentation you could attract suspicion from officials; you may be misgendered on a regular basis, or even suffer harassment and violence; worst of all, you might have no legal recourse to fight this. Before setting off, make sure you’re especially well-versed in all the usual safety precautions (see Chapter 15) and familiar with the relevant laws and cultures of the countries you’re visiting. You may want to register with your embassy, as well.

While there’s not a lot of reliable information available for trans travellers yet, it’s worth checking the ILGA’s annual State Sponsored Homophobia Report, which also outlines regional attitudes to trans and intersex people (web_icon ilga.org/what-we-do/state-sponsored-homophobia-report).

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Tips for vegetarian travellers

It’s one thing to organize your diet at home, and quite another to maintain your eating habits in places where being vegetarian is a little-known concept. But it can be done, and it doesn’t even have to be stressful. Naturally, your chosen destinations are a major factor. Knowing where to look is another. A number of supermarkets, restaurants, resorts and B&Bs around the world cater specifically to vegetarians.

In terms of where to go, India is a vegetarian’s paradise. So is Thailand. Delicious non-meat Italian pastas and pizzas can easily be found. Japan’s food is lovely, especially for pescetarians. New Zealand, Spain and Spanish-speaking South America, on the other hand, don’t offer quite the same selection. In general, the ethnic vegetarian food you eat at home will be offered in wider variety in the country it comes from. There are a few excellent online resources that will lead you to a vegetarian restaurant anywhere in the world: web_icon vegetarianguides.co.uk, web_icon vegguide.org, web_icon vegdining.com and web_icon happycow.net.

The International Vegetarian Union (web_icon ivu.org) lists foreign phrases to help you explain, or at least state your dietary requirements. Most good guidebooks suggest vegetarian alternatives where available.

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