In terms of travel, the last few months have been incredible for me. First, I had the opportunity to join Road Scholar on a trip to Prague. On this adventure, I learned just how fun group travel can be. Every day had a theme, which I loved. At the same time, the formal activities weren’t overwhelming. I had time to walk alone. I discovered secret parks. I wandered through tiny shops and expansive gardens. And, of course, I made plenty of new friends.
Shortly after my Road Scholar trip, I completed a one month train journey around Northern Europe. This second trip was much more fast-paced. In 10 days, I travelled 6,000 kilometers and visited 12 cities. I travelled by train, car, boat and bike. I stayed in a new hotel every 2 days. It was an amazing experience… if a little tiring.
My goal on both of these trips was to inspire the women in our community to step out of their comfort zone and consider alternative travel options. Along the way, your kind words and virtual hugs kept me going. Thank you so much for your support!
One of the questions that I asked myself over and over again, as I worked my way around Europe, was whether I was pushing too hard. Was I trying to see too much? Would it have been better if I had taken it easy and “stopped to smell the roses” more often?
Obviously, there is no “right” or “wrong” answer to this question. Both approaches have their advantages and disadvantages.
One the one hand, like many women over 60, I feel a great deal of pressure to see as much as I can in the time that I have left. On the other hand, if I am honest, sprinting from place to place is harder on my body and mind than it used to be.
Does Road Scholar Offer the Best Blend of Fast and Slow-Paced Travel?
The more I thought about it, the more I realized that Road Scholar is actually an amazing blend of fast and slow-paced travel. On the one hand, all of their programs offer intellectually stimulating activities. They keep your mind buzzing (sometimes spinning) with new ideas.
On the other hand, they don’t force you to go beyond a comfortable pace. If you want to take part in the optional activities, you can. If you want to use your free time to sit at a local café and watch the people passing by, this is also completely fine.
Perhaps this was the main lesson that I learned on my most recent trips.
There is no “right” or “wrong” way to travel. There is no “too fast” or “too slow. There is only the pace that we need at a certain time in our lives.
Sometimes we need intensity. Other times, we need intimacy. The trick is to take the time to evaluate where we are in our lives and to choose our travel adventures consciously.
Personally, I’m a big fan of Road Scholar. Their travel adventures can be as fast-paced or relaxing as you want them to be – and, if you don’t know what you need in a particular moment, they can help you to discover that too.
Don’t forget, for a limited time, Sixty and Me community members can enter to win $500 off their next Road Scholar adventure. All you need to do is click here and sign up for their free catalogue. There’s no pressure. So, what have you got to lose?
I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! Please take a minute to join the conversation below.
Do you prefer fast-paced or slow-paced travel? Do you find that the kind of travel adventures that you enjoy has changed over the years? In what way?