IT is said that if you can imagine it, it will happen. But sometimes even if you don’t imagine or wish it, it still happens.
A trip to America was never in our minds or in our plans. Yet on May 6 last year, we found ourselves at the LAX Airport after a grueling long flight from Manila.
The trip was entirely the idea of my wife’s younger siblings and their dear spouses who had suddenly and generously chipped in to sponsor our three-week visit to the west coast. To give them credit, they really made an effort to make our stay as enjoyable and memorable as possible. We can never thank them enough.
To my inquisitive senior citizen friend Del Garcia, as well as old folks who have never been to America, the question is what was the trip like?
Everyone knows that as people age, they become more anxious about the idea of traveling long distances. Travel can become more challenging, to say the least. There are no age limits to travel. My wife’s 80-plus-year-old aunt endures the punishing 14 to 18-hour trip across the Pacific to San Francisco, California every now and then. She is still as sprightly and as prickly as ever. However, many older travelers have to take into account factors that those of us in their prime never consider.
My first advice is make sure you are medically fit to endure a long trip (14 to 18 hours of sitting in a pressurized cabin). If your flight itinerary includes a stop over, that’s additional walking. Note that outside the Philippines, there are no tricycles or jeepneys to take you to the next couple of blocks; and commuter buses run on schedule and do not stop just anywhere.
Before our flight, we knew there was going to be a three-hour stopover (or layover) somewhere in Shanghai. What we did not know was that the layover at Pudong airport did not have a jet bridge. We had to go down a flight of stairs. While my wife was given a wheelchair, the three hours still took some effort on our part and it added to the total travel time. My advice is to book a non-stop flight if possible. It means a higher fare, of course. But it’s worth it for seniors specially those who have mobility problems.
When you check-in at the desk, you can request a wheelchair that will get you to your gate. We found the travel breezy because of this amenity. Thanks to helpful airport porters, we were whisked briskly through screening procedures, immigration and customs clearance checks, and happily got out of the airport in no time at all, to our amazement and relief. They just wheel you in and wheel you out. For a small tip, of course.
One thing though—requesting this assistance means that you will have to remain on board until all other passengers have deplaned, which can be a lengthy delay.
If you have an overactive bladder, check-in early so you can request for a seat near the comfort room. A seat near the aisle is the most convenient option and can help avoid embarrassment when it comes to waking up fellow passengers and asking them to move each time you have to go to the restroom. Limit liquid intake before and during your flight, or avoid diuretics, such as soda and coffee. Plain old water is the most bladder-friendly choice.
Once you’ve reached your destination, request your hosts for a day of rest in between your explorations. Thankfully, our hosts were sensitive enough to make our trips and excursions every other day. Also warn them that you may need to make frequent stops so they choose the route that have these stop overs. In our case, we found Google Maps to be very helpful in highlighting each rest stop along the route.
There is also the ticklish problem of how to get out of the itinerary meticulously designed by your hosts so you would be able to see what really interests you. Museums or national parks? Cultural events or theme parks? Local cuisine or the branded franchise restaurants? Local crafts or malls? It may be impolite to turn down suggested spots because, as locals, they ought to know better. Fortunately, our prepared itinerary was flexible enough to allow some changes. For instance, we were supposed to drive to Las Vegas but sensing that we were not up to it, our hosts took us to other spots that gave us more meaningful experiences.
I hate selfie tourism because it detracts from the significance of the scenery or the historic or cultural landmark. But in every destination we visited, we had to take the obligatory or perfunctory selfie. I had to be game so as not to destroy everyone’s ebullient mood.
Traveling together as a couple was reassuring, knowing that you’re with a loved one all the time. One of the worst nightmares is getting sick far from your immediate family while in a strange land.
But beyond the holiday aspect of our trip there was a deeper sense of satisfaction and fulfillment. It was a journey back in time, as my wife and siblings relived old times somehow reconnecting with their past selves as the young boys and girls they used to be. Being present now as older, wiser and better persons was their best gift to each other.
At the same time, it was also a journey to the future. In the faces of the transplanted nieces and nephews, and their states-born children, we saw the future of my wife’s clan in America. We could sense that the Filipino part of them is vanishing right in front of our eyes. Observing and talking to them, I realize a generational and oceanic divide. They are barely informed of what is happening in our part of the world. All they know are stuff they pick up on social media. Superficial things like beaches, food, fashion, music. Mano? Suman? What’s that? Rizal? People power revolution? They’re clueless.
What impressed us about that trip was the deference shown to seniors, the handicapped and the disabled. There was always a space vacant reserved for them. Wheelchairs are always available for use in all tourist attractions (albeit for a small fee.)
But having said that, I cannot help but note too that in bountiful California (or America) I saw patches of poverty, with unkempt, homeless white men on the streets, holding placards, asking passing commuters for help or begging for food. For example, in San Francisco, California, even panhandlers creatively stage themselves with signs such as: “Will work for food” or “I’m not going to tell you a lie, I need money for alcohol” to others and hoping somehow of getting a favorable response from passersby.
Even if it was in our bucket list, I cannot deny that the trip has changed us. For one thing, it has made us less envious of others who flaunt their travels on social media. Because we were able to experience things beyond the usual, that journey broke down the monotony of our daily routine and infused some adventure, excitement and exploration into our lives.
Marveling at the giant sequoia trees filled our minds with enough wonder to last through our remaining years. Seeing mountain ranges after mountain ranges, blue lakes, waterfalls and gorges has humbled me and has proven Gustave Flaubert right when he said: “Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”
Best of all were the museums and the heritage sites we explored, although there was not enough time to linger. Visiting the posh houses of family members, relatives and meeting their friends made us see how one can indeed prosper in that country through sheer hard work.
So, to our fellow seniors, if you get the chance to travel outside the Philippines, grab it. So what if you’re old? As someone said: “Better to see something once than hear about it a thousand times.”