I’ll do it when I retire…
December 20th, 2007 by Paul McMillan
I heard this phrase again recently on a tour in Chiapas, Mexico, and it filled me with the usual amount of amusement and bewilderment that people seem so certain of their future that they can plan trips when they retire.
Without trying to come across too pessimistic or cynical about life; you can never be sure whether you will even make retirement age let alone be fit enough to enjoy the kind of trips you think about when you are young and able bodied. By the way; I attach no specific age to ‘young’.
The trip that was being discussed was one to the Northern Territories in Australia. Now, having been there and enjoyed it immensely, I can hardly think of a worst place to be if your health is not in good shape. It’s extremely hot and humid and the fun aspect is going trekking and exploring in the National Parks. I was shattered doing that at 25 let alone 65+.
If you have a trip in mind, do it. Don’t wait and put things off to some magical point in the future. Life is just not set up to be as certain as that. And don’t give me any nonsense about kids and responsibilities; traveling is a great education for kids, in my opinion it far surpasses what they will learn in school, and your job/career is simply not good enough to stop you doing what you want in life. Just my view, obviously.
Oh; if you are retired and want to go traveling, get stuck in.
(photo taken from the BBC Website)
