I am making last minute preparations for a 2 week holiday in Europe with my husband. It was mainly following an itinerary used by my daughter some years ago. Still, it involved a lot of planning.
I am not sure what is going on but certainly I feel a lot of anxieties, quite unlike our visit to Switzerland last year. Perhaps it is the notion that Spain is not as safe as Switzerland .
On the other hand I am wondering whether anxieties generally increase with age. I did a bit of googling and found reasons alluding to increased symptoms of anxieties with age.
First of all travelling for me now is not like 5 or 10 years ago. Now, long flights seem to take a toll . Last year I came back with severe inflamed blocked ears. Moreover, many mild ailments have surfaced or worsened over the last decade including GERD, diverticulitis, IBS, rheumatism, not to mention newly acquired food intolerance. The fear of having to get medical help in a strange country must have worried the mind.
Next our youngsters are warning about pick pockets or being mugged. Their worries are not unfounded as our alertness is no longer that sharp. In fact our cognitive powers seemed to have weakened; during our last UK trip we were dumb enough to follow a person who promised to show us a nice Asian restaurant. We fled when he led us to some dark streets. Not to forget we also have failing eyesight and lack physical nimbleness.
The insecure feeling is exacerbated by not being tech savvy. Just back home I am already telling cashiers to be patient when I am using 'paynow" to foot my bill. What more in foreign countries when most outlets are cashless and not accepting credit cards for small amount. Then you are not sure what "wallets" work in different countries. You also don't want to draw unnecessary attention fumbling through your phone and wallet real or virtual. Alas what a hassle even to buy food !
Oh one website suggests GAD (general anxiety disorder) increases with age because older people don't sleep well, having to go toilet or experiencing hot flashes. Lack of sleep make them feel tired, irritable and anxious. Oh wow! what about sleeping on a new bed in a new environment?
No wonder many older people prefer package tours or cruises. At lease you don't have to figure your way to the right platform of tube stations or rush for the next train while conquering the stairs with your luggage.
Two travel quotes from Paulo Coelho are worth pondering:
-If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine - it's lethal. (Hmmm...)
-"The danger of an adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort" (Well I don't know about that, especially at my age)
