Many hotels and tourist spots have special facilities for seniors and often at an discounted prices.  Older people should always be alert to their surroundings, first because they don’t know the place and may not have any knowledge of its culture if traveling overseas, and second, seniors can be vulnerable and seen as an easy mark for thieves.  Also when booking a hotel ask about whether the shower is in the bath, that can make a big difference if you have mobility problems or if you are like me and afraid of falling in a slippery bath.

Seniors should make sure they carry all the appropriate documents they needed just in case a problem may occur like identity cards, passports, visas and a driving license. Make sure to make photocopies of these entire documents and keep it on a safe place. Ensure that all your documents are valid and as much as possible take out the original documents.

Choose if you want to travel by train, bus, ship or plane. It’s better to use airplanes if the destination is far and time is short.  Also vacation travel with friends or in a group is perfect. Organized groups for seniors are often more slow paced and perfect for your needs and is a safe way to travel.

Before the trip, get a thorough physical checkup.  When going on your vacation travel it's good to  know you are healthy and fit to avoid being on a trip to all the hospitals where you’re going.  Get vaccinations if needed.  Don’t forget to bring your medicines with you and make sure to include your prescriptions. This also applies to your glasses as well and I like to take a spare pair if I have one.

It’s better to prepared everything you needed on a vacation travel ahead of time to avoid unnecessary stress and regret later.

Image via Wikipedia

When you want to have a vacation, luggage is the most important thing to carry, well if you don’t have luggage where will you put all your personal things?  So it’s a must.  On buying luggage, you must consider if it is light to carry, expandable or does it have wheels, in able for you to move more quickly and be less tired.  Also you have to consider what your bag weighs before you add anything so the lighter the better.

Buying luggage in plenty of time before you leave is very vital because if you wait until the last minute it could ruin your dream vacation travel. No one wants a suitcase that breaks open in transit.  If you have plans to have some vacation soon then before you buy tickets think what luggage you will need.

If you’re planning to have a vacation travel for less than a week, then small luggage like a weekend bag or a small roller suitcase is best for you. But if you have more than a week or two, you need to buy bigger luggage so that you can bring more clothes and the essentials you can't do without.

Buying luggage can cost a lot of money, so it’s significant to consider you’re buying before you make it. Luggage can be both trendy and convenient but remember that it will quickly damage depending on its usage.  If you travel less, you should consider durability and practicality.  If you travel a lot, you should not only consider an item for it’s cost but how long it will last you.  Designer luggage is more durable and it is well made but you pay for that as well but it can be worth it if you travel often.

Evaluating cost, design, toughness and practicality will help you choose just the right luggage for your vacation travel needs and will help assure you that the luggage that you buy is an excellent one.

Last minute luggage buying is not advisable. Admit it, we are fond of last minute shopping, but you need to plan on buying luggage ahead of your travel schedule in order for you to make the right decision.

Remember, your luggage is your biggest companion when you’re on vacation travel.  Take care of it and make sure your luggage is always near you, if not, it might get lost, so be careful and don't wait until the last minute to buy it.  Check out great luggage on Ebay...Deals are on ESSENTIAL LUGGAGE on this site and also see some great deals to the right ------>

Words for the Music

I hope you enjoyed and the music which was very uplifting wasn't it.  I will be doing some reviews of the Philippines in posts in the future.

I hope you like roosters waking you up in the morning as they are everywhere.
This is a great place to get married or have your honeymoon.
You can catch the local bus around Rarotonga which is $4 one way or $7 return.
If you want flexibility then hire a motor bike or car.  We hired a small convertible which was a lot of fun.
All the dogs are medium to large size and not on leads.  This is probably due to interbreeding.
It has the best weather, not too hot or cold and is the perfect beach vacation.
You have to get a driver's license from the police station which costs $20 if you want to drive.When riding a bike you don't have to helmet if you go less than 25 kms.
Buy fresh local fruit like bananas and pawpaw (papaya) from roadside stalls.
Take an underwater camera.   You can get disposable ones.  The fish and coral are worth capturing.
Make sure you credit card will work in the automatic teller machines.  Banks on the island are ANZ and Westpac.
Take plenty of sunscreen and a hat.  This applies really to all summer vacation travel destinations but its summer all year round here.
Do a cultural dinner and show.  Most resorts hold them.
Sunday a lot of the shops are closed so don't wait for Sunday to buy those souvenirs.
Take your own snorkel gear.  You can snorkel anytime and anywhere you want then.  Most resorts have them but they won't allow you take them off their property.
Visit the Cultural Markets on a Saturday morning in town.  A lot of the same stuff but it is a good atmosphere with native dances and music as well.

These are my own observations but I encourage you to research the internet for others as well as this will give you a better idea of what to expect and what to do and not do at Rarotonga.  Whatever you do this has to be the best vacation travel destination I have been to.

When we arrived at the Banyan Tree we were taken into the main building to check in and were given some refreshments while this was being checked in.  We had some ginger and lime chilled tea which was so refreshing.  We were escorted by buggy to our Valley Villa and it was spectacular even at first sight with an outside spa and lounging deck, four poster bed with mosquito net, window seat and sunken shower/bath with separate vanities.

Every day we were left some fruit delicacy and my favorite was local banana and cinnamon. We tried out The Cove which was an Italian restaurant and was very pleased with the views and the food.  We also had dinner at the Saffron and enjoyed that with its lovely ambiance. We had breakfast the first morning at Tree Tops Restaurant but it was a bit expensive so we opted to eat on our deck the rest of the time.

The whole Banyan Tree Resort is a very peaceful place and wherever you want to go you can get a buggy to take you there.  The resort is hilly and if you stay in the valley villas you will welcome the ride.  We used the pool and the beach area and walked across from there to Ansara Resort which is a sister resort.

My partner had a massage and I had a pedicure while we were there and we loved the attention the professional staff gave us at the Spa.  They really look after you there with a time to relax before your treatments with a refreshment and also another afterward.  We never felt rushed.

We spent 3 nights here but could have stayed a week.

Liked:  Peaceful, beautiful surroundings
Disliked:  Breakfast a bit expensive
Tip:  Explore every part of the resort and take the buggies

The garden room that we had was at the back of the resort but as the pool is in the center it was central to it, the main entrance and small shop and only a few more steps to the restaurant.  A tropical breakfast was included in the room rate.

The restaurant, called The Point, serves 3 meals a day and bar snacks and of course cocktails (check out the happy hour).  They have theme nights like the Grill and Seafood night which we enjoyed.  The food overall is a little expensive but you will have to pay similar at other resorts.  The meals were all good but can depend on the chef and there is entertainment at dinner times which was nice.

The garden rooms are large and the maid come in twice a day to make up the room and also replace towels and to turn down the bed in the early evening.  Each unit has its own small balcony.

They have an internet area where you can log on for free but it is slow to load but OK for emailing home.  The staff are friendly and helpful.  We had a problem with the safe in the room which was fixed in an hour.

I would recommend this hotel especially if you want a kids free experience.  I must admit it was quieter without children splashing in the pool and at meal times.  I would definitely stay there again and feel it would be a perfect hotel for a honeymoon.

Liked:  An adult experience was very relaxing and quiet
Disliked:  Can't think of anything
Tip:  Hire a car or bike to get around the island

These are long trips and it gets quite uncomfortable and difficult to sleep without a good travel pillow.  The airline travel pillows are only just better than having none at all.  I'm not a good sleeper anytime unless I am in my own bed so getting a sleep aid like a comfy pillow for traveling is a great benefit to me.  If I cant get at least a couple of hours sleep on a long journey then I feel like a zombie when I arrive.

There are a lot of travel pillows out there now including ones made from memory foam, filled with buckwheat or are light and inflatable.  You can use them also as a foot rest if you need to to relieve the pressure on your legs.  The best one for you is entirely a personal matter so you may have to buy more than one before you get the RIGHT travel pillow for you but choose one with good neck support.  Most will fold up and will fit in your suitcase or travel bag without taking up too much room.

Traveling is meant to be fun so take that travel pillow so you can arrive ready to explore and not ready to collapse.

US Auctions Australian Auctions Austrian Auctions Belgian Auctions Canadian Auctions French Auctions German Auctions Indian Auctions Irish Auctions Italian Auctions Dutch Auctions Polish Auctions Spanish Auctions Swiss Auctions UK Auctions

Best Match Time: ending soonest Time: newly listed Price: lowest first Price: highest first Price + Shipping: lowest first Price + Shipping: highest first

New Inflatable Neck Rest Car Air Travel Pillow Cushion

US $.99

59m

Inflatable Travel Pillow Neck Rest Compact Air Cushion

US $1.53

1h 13m

Inflatable Air Float Pillow Cushion BATH TRAVEL CAMPING

US $8.99

1h 25m

1

I'm not someone who is just out there to make a buck and who doesn't care that your holiday may be ruined by their advice.  I am a fellow vacation traveler. Saving money where possible for traveling is something I'm very serious about.  If I can save today it means I can travel tomorrow. I like staying in all types of hotels as long as they provide good value, are clean and safe.   What I mean is, that I like quality hotels and that doesn't always mean how much you pay.

I love cruising and have traveled alone, on single cruises, with my partner and also in a group.  See my page on cruising for more information on my trips so far (page in progress).  Cruising is a very relaxing vacation and I hope you get to love it as much as I do.  Even if you have never thought of cruising before, read my experiences and it may change your mind.

I love luggage and travel accessories (I am a typical woman). What you take with you can make or break an otherwise well planned vacation.
I have lots of vacation travel tips and ways to stay healthy and travel safely, and also for making and managing my money so I can keep on traveling for years to come.

I am not a so called 'expert advisor' or 'guru', but a real person who loves traveling, has been researching travel and health issues on the internet for over 16 years and who now wants to share this knowledge with you to offer you honest, personal and unbiased travel information. I know, I can hear you say, "suddenly everyone is a critic", and you may well think how can I help you when we all have different expectations? Why should you listen to me?  Who is she anyway?  You can get more information about me from my About Me page and make up your own mind.

Vacation travel is my passion and I hope you can save some time, money and avoid some travel disasters from reading Angeltraveler.