Anyone who travels afar these days can’t help but wonder or worry….a little… about how our fast changing world is affecting how we travel. I know I am noticing some changes not always for the better. For me, who is in her senior years and often travelling alone, it’s becoming more of a challenge.

The rapid evolution of our technology which has had a drastic change in how we communicate has probably had the greatest impact upon how we now must travel. When I started my travelling in 2008 I did not have a cell phone or Smart phone. I did not have a computer or an E-reader. The only piece of technology I carried was my new digital camera bought the year before when I lost my Fuji camera with film while vacationing in Cuba.

Now I travel with a cell phone… which may soon have to be traded in for a Smart phone…. a tablet with and E-reader, a small laptop computer, and a camera, along with  other ‘must-haves’ such as, chargers, USP cords, adaptors and other technological gadgets designed to make my travel easier….or so I am led to believe. Frankly all these gadgets just make me more stressed. I admit I am a dinosaur when it comes to all the new technology, but I am forced to get on board with it all. If I don’t have a an app for this and that, I am often left up the  creek without a paddle. Internet cafes are fast disappearing the way of the Dodo so I can forget trying to find a place where I can get a copy of anything, such as proof of my booking at a hotel or an airline ticket. Folded paper maps that you can hold in your hands are scarcer than hens teeth. Now I am supposed to find my way around with Maps Me. A young man I met on my travels last year downloaded this app onto my tablet. I tried it out while in Viet Nam, but found it so confusing that I ended up going east instead of west for more than five kilometers before I discovered my mistake. I needed to see the whole picture of the area not just a partial one in order to get some proper orientation. I needed a map!

Today, changes in our climate are having some effect on where and when I travel. Our earth is definitely feeling the effects of global warming. Granted, we are noticing more weather extremes here in North America than the countries in SE Asia where I have been travelling to. Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam are on or near the equator, making the effects of climate change more subtle. Nevertheless, I have noticed that the time period in Chiang Mai in the north of Thailand for comfortable weather with clear sunny days is getting shorter every year. Now we are lucky to get two months of this kind of weather before the intense heat and humidity set in. By mid February it’s getting too hot for me to stay any longer forcing me to leave for a more moderate climate. To arrive back in Nova Scotia before April is too soon since our winters are long so making a stop in one of the countries in southern Europe has helped to solve this problem. The downside to this is that it’s more expensive than any of the countries in SE Asia.

One of the many wats or temples in Bangkok.

Furthermore, it should come as no surprise that the cost of travel is creeping upward in most areas. What this means is that unless I have more money to increase my budget, I am compelled to limit my travel and opt to stay in one place. The more travelling and sight-seeing I do, the more I spend. Everyday living expenses in food and accommodations have increased over the years but not too drastically. It just takes more careful planning to keep my costs within my budget. In Thailand it’s still cheaper to eat out than it is to eat in. But, for how long? In Bangkok, the present government is cracking down on street vendors forcing them into markets or out of business entirely. This will definitely make a difference in the cost of meals for those travellers who thrived on eating authentic Thai street food at fabulous prices.

Street food in Bangkok.

Surprisingly, the cost of my airfare over and back has not increased by much, if at all, depending on when I make my bookings… the earlier the better… along with the help of a good travel agent. You can easily book a round trip fare from Halifax to Bangkok starting at $1200 and upwards depending on the class and flight times you prefer. However, if you break your flight up with short or long layovers as I do because I want to stay awhile in Europe, then you pay for the privilege. When doing this, it’s best to enlist the help of a travel agent.

Although the cost of flying hasn’t varied much, the days of leisurely air travel, which once travellers could look forward to, are fast disappearing. Most will agree that air travel is becoming more and more challenging. Increasing numbers of passengers, overwhelmed and poorly trained customer service personnel, more competition among the airlines, uncertain weather conditions, ever-changing technology, and strict security due to the threat of terrorism have all taken their toll on what used to be fun way to travel. We have all heard of the horror stories resulting from cancelled flights and missed connections. Just read the testimonials given by anyone who has experienced this, or better still talk to those you meet. Everyone has their story. I encountered all of the above when travelling westward over to Thailand with American Airlines, but since I changed my direction by heading east via Europe, I have had fewer problems. I have been lucky…so far.

Another reality…I hesitate to even mention this… is that I am not getting any younger. By eating well and remaining active, I have so far avoided having to rely on any medications, thus, eliminating the problem of carrying prescription drugs. Vitamins and other alternative health foods are available in most of the countries in SE Asia, and the ones that aren’t or are simply too expensive, I take with me. I confess I don’t get any kind of health insurance as the Thai medical system is not only inexpensive but in most cases very good. The other SE Asian countries are iffy and in some cases bad. I have accepted the fact that if I should need medical care, I will simply pay the cost because any type of medical insurance today would cost me more than the cost of my flight over and back. Taking extra caution on where I go within the countries I visit and limiting my movement by not trying to see it all, helps me keep my costs down and eliminate any possibility of getting sick or injured.

Despite the changes and challenges of travel today, it doesn’t seem to be affecting the number of people who are on the move. Tourism is up in most parts of SE Asia as it certainly is in Europe and here in North America. Many of us would agree that it’s the Chinese Effect. This huge country with its strong economy has put them on the move…young and old alike. I think it’s a good thing as it is the best way to gain an education especially for the young who will inherit the problems our world is facing. From my own experience, I count travel as one of my most valuable educators. However, now as an older traveller, I question just how it can contribute to my own personal growth.

Sunset in Laos

Supposedly with age comes wisdom gained through our long life experience, but does aging not also come with greater challenges to our capacity to be more resilient in our physical and mental abilities? If this is so, then am I not going to be affected more by the changes taking place in the world.

I can’t help pondering this dilemma after ten years of travel. The monumental changes in how we communicate, move around, and the increasing number of people travelling these days have all upped the ante to my own personal challenges. Travel was easier ten years ago. Was that because I was younger and more naive to its challenges, or was I simply that kid in the candy store exploring and savouring all the new countries and cultures I visited all the while relishing the new-found freedom that came with it? Perhaps now the time has come for me to turn my focus away from the fun and freedom of escaping our winters to concentrate on how to be of more service at home in this troubled world we find ourselves living in.

Early morning monk walk for breakfast – Luang Prebang.

Laos