Traveling with multi-generations
THE TRAVELERS: Lafayette, California mom and consultant Nancy Brown, age 40-plus; and her mother, Janet Mooers, former Moraga resident and international traveler, age 80-plus.
THE TREK IN A SEC: This mother-daughter duo was Barcelona-bound. Janet Mooers, a recent widow, wanted to see a few more sights before she retired her passport. Daughter Nancy was excited but hadn’t traveled with her mother since her high school days.
BEST ADVICE FOR TRAVELING WITH MULTIPLE GENERATIONS: Be patient when traveling with someone who hasn’t flown internationally since Sept. 11. Make sure passports are current. If you are sharing a room, try to fit in some alone time during your travels. Check in with your travel partner regarding the pace of the trip. Is she feeling rushed or tired, but doesn’t want to hold the other back?
COOLEST SIGHTS: Nancy’s highlight was Pamplona and the Ernest Hemingway sights: “I’d just read ‘The Sun Also Rises’ so Pamplona and San Sebastian were brought to life for me.” Janet’s highlight was the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain.
MOST MEMORABLE DINING EXPERIENCE: The pair had walked Barcelona’s La Rambla Boulevard down to the harbor in search of some seafood. Janet wanted a shrimp salad. At this particular restaurant you had to purchase the shrimp farmer’s market style. Due to the language barrier, a platter of cooked shrimp was brought to the table with their heads and tails attached. Eventually salad followed. The women spent the entire lunch prepping the shrimp for the salad. “It was frustrating at the moment, but quite hilarious looking back on our lunch,” remembers Nancy.
Insider Tip
Ours was a group tour with the majority of the travelers comprised of senior citizens. If you are an active adventure traveler or boomer traveler, be prepared to adjust your travel schedule to your traveling companion’s needs. My key word phrase for this mother daughter trip – be flexible.
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