Aging & Travel

How does one reconcile to the fact of becoming too old or infirm to travel like one used to?

With my wife (who can no longer drive) I’ve just spent 4 days travelling by road to enjoy a 6 night visit with family members.

I could have taken a commercial plane, and had about the same financial outlay, but I’ve always enjoyed the journey on land. The scenery of New Zealand, even in the North Island, is so diverse and it changes so often over a journey from Wellington to Northland.

This time, though, I found the journey more gruelling than ever before and I came back from the trip feeling exhausted, with no taste for further travel by road over that sort of distance.

I’m finding it very hard to accept that my state of health may mean I never do that drive again.

I guess it's all part of coming to terms with the fact that being young at heart does not defeat every aspect of age or ill health.