Many people talk about future retirement and how, when they retire, they are finally going to start doing a lot more traveling, see the world, and many of them do. However, some do not, which is a shame because they end up putting it off for too long and eventually lose the desire, the mojo, the means, or the health to do it when the right time finally comes.

But I have been retired for some time already, and for me it is starting to become the opposite. I have the means, but as I get older, I seem to need to travel with more stuff, which increases the nuisance factor for me. All the packing and preparation, moving through airports, flights , layovers, ground transport, then unpacking, checking in, packing again, checking out, and flying back, it is all becoming more exhausting. When I get to a different place, I very much enjoy being there and do not miss being at home, but I am starting to question whether all the effort is really worth it.

I used to take three or four international trips a year. Now I am down to just two longer trips on average. I will do two again this year, but for next year I am even thinking about maybe just one.

I do agree that travel is food for the soul, and you do need to change the wallpaper from time to time. Otherwise you become stale and stuck in the same routines, and you stop seeing, learning, and thinking about new things. So I still think travel is important, I am just wondering how to balance the fatigue of it all with the enjoyment.

I guess there are all types of people. Some want to travel all the time, and some do not want to travel at all. And with all the wars, chaos, unpredictable weather, natural disasters, and extra security involved with air travel these days, you do start to wonder if it is still all worth it.

Fortunately I have traveled to the places I wanted to see. About 25 countries.

No desire to travel anymore like you say, too much hassle.

If I hadn't been travelled out, by working for the airlines, surely it would have increased in retirement. Also if not with airlines, travels would have been just exploring the East coast of USA.

Although, in retirement, if not working for airlines, it certainly wouldn't be flying around, as TSA, cost & time to get anywhere is a bit much, and to me, not worth the time or money.

My traveling in retirement would have probably just been in the Americas, especially since visiting Nat. Parks is almost free for seniors. Plenty to explore other than the East coast.

2 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Fortunately I have traveled to the places I wanted to see. About 25 countries.

No desire to travel anymore like you say, too much hassle.

Yes, I do get how you feel having seen a lot of the world already. These days most of my travel is not about seeing new places anymore, it is more about going back to places I enjoy and want to spend time in. It is also a way to break out of my routine. Different weather, architecture, food, people, all of that is great. It is really just the hassle that gets to me as you noted.

At the same time, I worry that if I stop traveling altogether, I will lose something important, like spending time in places I genuinely enjoy and getting away from home at times. So I guess it is just that love and hate relationship with travel, and I probably just need to accept the sacrifices a bit more because on some levels, I do feel it's still worth it.

My desire for travel hasn’t diminished at all post retirement, and now that I have so much more money and time than when I was young, I’m doing lots more of it. Just exploring cities and swimming at beaches though, instead of the long hikes in the mountains I used to love. I’ll continue as long as my health lasts and it’s still possible to fly (the latter might not be for much longer).

After decades of travelling, the thrill of discovering somewhere new may fade for some - but that’s a deeply personal thing.

For many of us, the desire to be somewhere different never really disappears. What changes is the appetite for the journey itself. Long drives, long-haul flights, endless waiting - they take the edge off in a way they never used to. In many cases, the effort of getting there begins to outweigh the reward, and the journey becomes a burden rather than part of the adventure.

What still draws me is landscape, not place for its own sake. The Alps and other mountainous regions continue to hold a powerful pull - there’s something about the scale and grandeur of mountains that brings a sense of calm I don’t find anywhere else.

I’d also love to explore the great national parks of the United States - though, for me, the fact they’re in the US is something of a drawback.

New Zealand remains exceptional - somewhere I could happily spend extended time again, especially the South Island.

Cities, on the other hand, hold little appeal. Barcelona, Paris, Hong Kong, London, Prague - to me, they’re simply cities. I recognise their history, their art, their architecture, the food - but none of that truly resonates. What does appeal, however, is what those cities host - great theatre, live music, and performances. That’s where they come alive for me.

Ultimately, the issue isn’t curiosity - it’s the act of travelling itself. I’ve done so much of it that the shine has worn off. These days, it’s not the destination that puts me off - it’s the thought of getting on another plane.

I traveled so much in my career, I feel the places I haven't seen are just too much hassle. I traveled at a time when I wasn't competing with thousands of tourists to stand in long queues to see <whatever> must-see is on offer.

If I had not picked Thailand, for the reasons most of us did (I was thinking of Thermae just today), I would have picked México. PR is easy, very varied lifestyle, good climate, safe (don't believe the fake news). I've campered with my family to all but three (northeast) Mexican states. I'd do it again!

My feets are my only carraige. 2026 plan is Baku, Tbilisi, Baku, NYC (all completed) then back to Baku, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bangkok, Chiang Mai with stops in Vientiane, Komodo and Frankfurt. 2027 is Siem Reap, Bangkok, USA, Tbilisi and Batumi then maybe Athens or Crete.

Or Ill just be lazy and stay in one place. Visas are easy in Cambodia, Uzbekistan and Georgia. By easy I mean cheap and no hassle.

Ill have my 72nd birthday party in Nana

Paul Wertico was the drummer for many years with the Pat Metheny Group. He says he remembered when he ran in to tell his wife:

Pat just called -- WE'RE GOING TO ROME!

He said he knew it was time to move on when he went in to his wife and said:

Pat just called. We have to go to Rome. AGAIN!

38 minutes ago, Yagoda said:

Ill have my 72nd birthday party in Nana

Wow, amazing. I mean, who wouldn't want to, right? Hard to imagine anything better than being there in such a divine place amongst all your REAL friends for your birthday. Oh, wait...

Now in my retirement, I have my own reasons to travel. I got back from Myanmar 5 days ago, and after locking myself in a wardrobe for the Water Festival period, I'll apply for a tourist visa to return for a few weeks, having 'updated' my kit for coping with the lack of electricity up-country :)

Traveling can be tiring, and as we age, we tend to lose stamina. This means it's important to travel more wisely. Pack light, schedule longer layovers to allow for rest, and, if you have the means, opt for business class. It can make a significant difference in your overall travel experience.

1 hour ago, Yagoda said:

Ill have my 72nd birthday party in Nana

Really? Nana is disgusting.

The days of rewarding globe-trotting are over. Overcrowded airports, strikes, polluted beaches, visa hassle, crime, traffic, people everywhere glued to their smartphone, everywhere jail for drugs, everywhere jail for mongering, everywhere jail for catcalling ...

What's the point?

I have visited 87 countries so far, and I don't think I'll make it to 100 in this lifetime. I would have added another four to that by now (Colombia, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Mexico - where I should/would have been today), but my flight to the region with Qatar Airways was cancelled due to the senseless war in the Middle East.

And I completely concur with the OP's observation: I enjoy BEING in other places, but as I age, I HATE GOING there. For example, this will be my first Songkran in Thailand in at least a dozen years. I usually visit highland places in Asia with perfect, cool weather at this time of year in India (Mussoorie, Ooty), Sri Lanka (Ella, Nuwara Eliya), and Vietnam (Dalat and Sapa). I had almost everything booked to go to Dalat this month, but when I went to book my flight to Dalat from Saigon, I found out that the Dalat airport is completely closed for repairs/renovations. It's the first time that I have heard of a whole airport being shut down - for a full half a year.

I could have gone to India again, for the eighth time, but I just couldn't bring myself to deal with the hassle - even though I already have a five-year tourist visa for India. In my youth (and as recently as last year), I wouldn't have hesitated to put up with the hassle for a month in the mountains. Now, I just can't be bothered.

But, again like the OP, I do find that I need a change of scenery a few times a year. My daily life in Bangkok is extremely routine, which I actually enjoy for most of the year. But I would go crazy if I didn't visit other places too. Last year, for example, I took a tour of Central Asia (Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan), and this year I would like to visit Turkmenistan and possibly Mongolia. It's a shame that I didn't get to visit those countries in Latin America that I mentioned above, because I can't see myself trying to visit those countries again after failing to do it this time. (I had booked seven intra-Americas flights that will not be refunded because they were not cancelled. But I couldn't take those flights because I was not able to start my trip due to the war. So that was $2,000 down the drain.)

And while I still hope to do a bit more traveling in the coming years, if I am for some reason unable to do so, I feel like I have done more than my share of exploring the world.

I suppose I'm a bit like some of the posters here, however I don't have the urge to visit countries or islands that I haven't been to so far, because for me, I have been to every country/island that I want to go to, so have no need to travel further.

I've also been to countries where people normally wouldn't want to go like Nigeria and Libya (the Sahara desert) when they were unstable and fighting various wars. They were certainly adventures, but not places one would want to be if one had the choice.

Out of the way places like Trinidad and Tobago, Rarotonga, Vanuatu as well as New Caledonia and Fiji held some sort of mystique, but once seen, no need to revisit.

Living in the UK and then in New Zealand, as well as spending time in Australia has not encouraged me to look elsewhere for travel and entertainment/adventure, as well as the places I've already mentioned, but then again having travelled to and stayed in France, Italy, Malta, Spain, Belgium and a few other countries has meant that I really don't need to travel anywhere else, nor will I.

Staying here in Phuket is probably where I will see out my days.

1 hour ago, Mr Awesome said:

Traveling can be tiring, and as we age, we tend to lose stamina. This means it's important to travel more wisely. Pack light, schedule longer layovers to allow for rest, and, if you have the means, opt for business class. It can make a significant difference in your overall travel experience.

My recent trip to Myanmar with my backpack containing my computer and school books etc to donate indicated to me that I'm getting older, and a heavy backpack is not a good idea! So as I'm passing through Bangkok on my way back to Siem Reap, I've bought a wheeled, cabin luggage size suitcase for my next trip :)

But one advantage of getting old is to be able to jump the long immigration queues at airports! Use a stick, hobble a bit, look as if you're about to keel over and you are whisked to the front of the queue! (It works for me....)

For myself I'd like to revisit the places I've been with pristine beaches and warm climate. For the sake of my teenage kid I'll be traveling to new destinations every year.

11 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

Many people talk about future retirement and how, when they retire, they are finally going to start doing a lot more traveling, see the world, and many of them do. However, some do not, which is a shame because they end up putting it off for too long and eventually lose the desire, the mojo, the means, or the health to do it when the right time finally comes.

But I have been retired for some time already, and for me it is starting to become the opposite. I have the means, but as I get older, I seem to need to travel with more stuff, which increases the nuisance factor for me. All the packing and preparation, moving through airports, flights , layovers, ground transport, then unpacking, checking in, packing again, checking out, and flying back, it is all becoming more exhausting. When I get to a different place, I very much enjoy being there and do not miss being at home, but I am starting to question whether all the effort is really worth it.

I used to take three or four international trips a year. Now I am down to just two longer trips on average. I will do two again this year, but for next year I am even thinking about maybe just one.

I do agree that travel is food for the soul, and you do need to change the wallpaper from time to time. Otherwise you become stale and stuck in the same routines, and you stop seeing, learning, and thinking about new things. So I still think travel is important, I am just wondering how to balance the fatigue of it all with the enjoyment.

I guess there are all types of people. Some want to travel all the time, and some do not want to travel at all. And with all the wars, chaos, unpredictable weather, natural disasters, and extra security involved with air travel these days, you do start to wonder if it is still all worth it.

Yes, travel has become such a hassle. I'm tired of dealing with the unscrupulous airlines and ever changing security and visa requirements. No fun anymore, too hectic. As you say, it's questionable whether all the effort is really worth it.

10 hours ago, Yagoda said:

My feets are my only carraige. 2026 plan is Baku, Tbilisi, Baku, NYC (all completed) then back to Baku, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bangkok, Chiang Mai with stops in Vientiane, Komodo and Frankfurt. 2027 is Siem Reap, Bangkok, USA, Tbilisi and Batumi then maybe Athens or Crete.

Or Ill just be lazy and stay in one place. Visas are easy in Cambodia, Uzbekistan and Georgia. By easy I mean cheap and no hassle.

Ill have my 72nd birthday party in Nana

Be interesting to see Azerbaijan. Once accompanied a big oil delegation from Baku to meet with the Victorian premier who was a lady. She said why are there no women in the delegation. They said we leave our wives at home. A different time.

We drove them around in Ladas. They were trying to sell them in Australia at the time. Don't think it went well.

Komodo was interesting. We walked up the hill with a goat. They killed the goat in front of us and all the komodos came out and tore it apart. Not sure they'd do it that way now.

Worth going to the next island of Flores. Lots of nature. Portuguese influence. Three colour lake is not bad.

8 hours ago, EVENKEEL said:

For myself I'd like to revisit the places I've been with pristine beaches and warm climate. For the sake of my teenage kid I'll be traveling to new destinations every year.

It all depends on age and health I travelled a lot when I was younger, but now, approaching 80 and rely on a wheelchair since I had 2 broken ankles. I do have too many problems just twice a year to LOS is enough for me.

To visit different places, certainly the desire increases......the actual travelling between places.....hate it.

The world now seems to be full of loud, obnoxious, selfish jerks.

17 minutes ago, MIke B Bad said:

To visit different places, certainly the desire increases......the actual travelling between places.....hate it.

The world now seems to be full of loud, obnoxious, selfish jerks.

These jerks have always existed, but now they have invaded our airports, flights and everywhere else imaginable.

15 hours ago, Kyoto Kyle said:

when they retire, they are finally going to start doing a lot more traveling

I reckon most here have only travelled between England and Thailand, now on the aged pension no money to travel.

depends how deep your pockets are.

also, your relationship situation. are you traveling alone or schlepping your thai gf from isaan who has no savings across the planet ? huge difference. doubles the cost.

1 hour ago, Hawaiian said:

These jerks have always existed, but now they have invaded our airports, flights and everywhere else imaginable.

Including this forum.

Desire for travel has become focused more on mental and spiritual travel rather than physical travel. Covid, mass tourism, climate change, degraded travel experience, and perceived low value have all had a dampening impact on desire to travel physically.

With travel video's on youtube on your big TV screen,

and google maps/streetview, you can go nearly everywhere

from the comfort of your own livingroom.

No airports/cattle class seats/waiting/border controls.

9 minutes ago, FlorC said:

With travel video's on youtube on your big TV screen,

and google maps/streetview, you can go nearly everywhere

from the comfort of your own livingroom.

No airports/cattle class seats/waiting/border controls.

And VR goggles travel apps soon ... they are still basic but will get better

You can climb Mount Everest maybe in VR .... go places you would never go in real life.

20 hours ago, Yagoda said:

My feets are my only carraige. 2026 plan is Baku, Tbilisi, Baku, NYC (all completed) then back to Baku, Tashkent, Samarkand, Bangkok, Chiang Mai with stops in Vientiane, Komodo and Frankfurt. 2027 is Siem Reap, Bangkok, USA, Tbilisi and Batumi then maybe Athens or Crete.

Or Ill just be lazy and stay in one place. Visas are easy in Cambodia, Uzbekistan and Georgia. By easy I mean cheap and no hassle.

Ill have my 72nd birthday party in Nana

Definitely shoot me a line, and let’s meet up at the propaganda bar