One thing most people plan to do after retirement is travel. For some reason, people rarely use their vacation time when they are working to travel and then plan to do major traveling after working for twenty to twenty five years. Traveling after retirement is a great idea however. You are able to spend more quality time in places, without a “set” schedule from work telling you that you must report back to the office in a few days. You can actually take your time and experience relaxation like never before.
One way many people choose to travel after retirement is by RV. If you are planning to travel across the country, an RV is actually a great idea for your trip. You will save tons of money on airfare when you choose to drive yourself across the country. Even if you want to stay in hotels some of the time, you can still benefit by having a smaller RV to drive around in. You will love being able to experience the country completely and will see things you would have missed if you flew from destination to destination.
Another thing you can choose to do is take smaller trips. For instance, if you can afford to do so, you can plan to travel at least two weeks every other month. So, you would be gone for two weeks and home for six and so on. This is a great thing to do when you are wanting to visit places around the world where driving is not an option. It typically only works when you have grown children as well.
Jeanette Pollock is a freelance author and website owner of retirementdotcom.com. Visit Jeanette’s site to learn more about retirement traveling.
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Long a popular Mexican beach resort, and one of the nicest resort areas in Mexico, Puerto Vallarta is a sophisticated and beautiful city with a relaxed atmosphere.
Tourists have been coming to Puerto Vallarta since the 1930s, but it really became an “in” place after John Huston’s Night of the Iguana was filmed here in 1964. The film starred Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor, who later bought homes there. Now some two million visitors a year come to PV, as it’s often called.
Puerto Vallarta has historic areas with cobblestone streets. Some say the shopping is the best of any resort town in Mexico, whether at the Mercado (market) downtown, or at any of the many little shops. There are numerous art galleries. On a vacation day, you can have a swim, work on your tan, do a little shopping and gallery-hopping, devote some time to doing nothing, try a fine restaurant, dance the night away — and repeat the process the next day with a different set of beaches, stores, restaurants, and nightspots! Puerto Vallarta is an excellent destination for a beach vacation that also gives you the flavor of modern Mexico. It’s very popular with Mexican tourists for that reason.
With a population somewhere above 300,000, Puerto Valllarta is a relatively intimate city. It’s never very far from the ocean, as the city runs along along between the mountains and the sea. It’s actually in a bay, Banderas Bay, which results in gorgeous views. Watching the sunset can become a daily ritual, perhaps at one of the many cafes near the beach, or perhaps from a hotel patio in the hills.
You can explore outside of the city with a boat ride across the bay to Yelapa, take an outing to Mismaloya, even doing a little kayaking along the coast. If you are traveling with children, there are many enjoyable and educational things to do and places to go: whale watching in season, for one. With over 20 miles of beaches, it’s easy to find your own favorites.
The weather is delicious in winter — you might want a light jacket or sweater in the evenings — and can be very hot in summertime. It’s on the humid side year round. A tropical haven!
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Rosana Hart has traveled to Mexico many times. Her website, www.mexico-with-heart.com, contains the full text of a book she wrote about traveling in Mexico, as well as information and travel tips
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Portugal is a European country situated on the Iberian Peninsula in the southwest corner of Europe. The west and south of Portugal are cornered by the Atlantic Ocean, giving it some of the most dramatic coastline in Europe.
Portugal borders only one country, Spain, which makes up the rest of the Iberian Peninsula.
With a coastline running over 500 miles Portugal is bursting with scenic sandy coves and rocky cliffs with a dramatic inland landscape.
Portugal is a very pleasant country to visit - especially for any person in love with seafood. All along the coast are amazing restaurants dedicated to cooking fresh fish. Most restaurants are reasonable priced with generous portions. When you are having food in Portugal don’t forget to sample the excellent local wine. While Portugal is noted for Port, excellent wines are home grown in regions north of Porto and Lisbon.
If you are in some of the more popular tourist spots it’s wise to make a reservation. It’s also standard practice in Portugal to add a 5 - 10 percent tip for waiters who are poorly paid.
English is widely spoken throughout Portugal and the locals are extremely friendly. A large selection of English-written newspapers can be bought in most of the larger newsagents.
Portugal is a country rich in arts and history. The architecture of Portugal differs from region to region. The Romans were the first to leave behind their enhanced structural design. Muslim invaders from North Africa during the eight-century have also enriched the architecture in southern Portugal. Portugal is littered with incredible Churches, temples and old buildings. Some old buildings are restored and turned into great hotels.
Hotels in Portugal are plentiful in tourist areas and cities, but in the countryside they can be rare. If you are travelling through the Portuguese countryside plan your journey well in advance.
Sporting holidays can be had at any time of year. While the Portuguese are mainly into football, most marina sports can be sought along the entire coastline. If you are looking for a golfing holiday Portugal should be top of the list. Most of the best golf courses in Portugal are found in the Algarve region, which has a reputation as one of Europe’s top golfing destinations.
The Algarve region of Portugal, situated in the south of the country, is the perfect spot to visit at any time of year. Its climate stays warm all year round and the scenic coastline offers a large variety of marine activity.
Fishing is a valuable way of life for many in Portugal. Each year during the month of August a massive seafood festival is hosted by one of the ports in the Algarve.
If you are looking for a really special place to visit - try some of the Islands along the Portuguese coast. The Azores lie 800 miles west of Portugal in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. Known for the peaceful way of life, the Azores volcanic history has left a truly magical landscape. With easy access from mainland Portugal, the Azores are well worth a visit.
TJ Tierney is an award winning photographer and a freelance writer.
He frequently writes for the Travel site Trovoo.com, Art site Goldprints.com and the Gift ideas site shop-4us.com
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