In my prime and on holiday abroad

As an alternative view on what it’s like to be in your prime, particularly for those over 55s who do have the resources to take holidays and enjoy themselves, comes a warning from the Foreign Office entitled “Overseas And Plastered phenomenon” (OAP – another witty acronym?). While the advice is basically sound, it did smack of coming from the John Cleese University of the B******g Obvious. Issued just before Easter it has aroused a great deal of indignation from journalists and readers alike. “Patronising” was a word often seen.

We don’t disagree with the basic sentiments and the call for sensible preparation and behaviour while on holiday but we are talking about people who are old enough and experienced enough to make their own choices and take the consequences.

And so, we reproduce the warning as published, and can do no better than then refer you to two articles in the Times Online (by Janice Turner and Minette Marrin) which provide another perspective.

“Taking risks abroad has no age limit
Foreign Office warns of Overseas And Plastered phenomenon

Although most of you might think that when your parents go on holiday it’s a civilised affair, this isn’t necessarily the case. Research from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office shows 1 in 5 older travellers take risks abroad that they wouldn’t contemplate at home, with favourite activities ranging from bungee jumping and parasailing to water-skiing and moped-riding. Hardly surprising then that 1 in 5 couples say they or their daredevil partner has been injured along the way, which is even more concerning when 65% of older travellers have previously admitted they didn’t take out travel insurance on their last trip abroad.

The research which surveyed over a thousand Brits aged over 55 further shows that older travellers are indulging in one Martini too many, putting their safety at even greater risk. Over half admit they drink more alcohol than usual whilst on holiday and a third say they’d indulge even more in an all-inclusive resort where the booze is included. This, according to the British Embassies in popular resorts, can lead to problems and has previously caused incidents of drowning.

What concerns the Foreign Office most is that more than 8 in 10 people don’t routinely have a health check before embarking on their travels, with more than a third never doing so, believing that they will feel better after a break in the sun. However, if pre-existing illnesses or undiagnosed symptoms flare up whilst away from home, receiving urgent medical attention can be costly.”

“I want to be a saga lout” by Janice Turner

“Saga louts cause ‘holiday havoc’ and ignore health risks” by Minette Marrin

Book Review

Silver surfer’s colour guide to travel and holidays

Simon and Susan Veness, Published by Foulsham, 2007

If you’re in the middle of the post-Christmas, mid-winter gloom, holiday planning process, you’ll love this hugely useful guide to researching travel and holidays on the internet. It’s practical, comprehensive and written largely for the UK market by a highly experienced husband and wife team who have been working and researching online for the past ten years.

 

Regardless of your existing level of expertise in internet searching, this simple, step-by-step handbook tells you everything you need to know about online travel from your first ideas of where to go through to the full booking process, taking in hotels, flights, sightseeing, insurance, and much more in between. Not only is it an easy read but there are loads of handy screenshots and illustrations to make the process extra clear.

 

These days, the complexity of options and prices on offer in respect of every aspect of travel can be daunting. So, even if you consider yourself an internet whizz, you’ll find the book contains masses of tips to help you access exactly what you want and get the best deal.