When traveling with the elderly, these points will definitely help you

After returning to my parents, I really felt that my parents were aging, their legs and legs were no longer flexible, my thoughts were stuck in the past, and everything I said was just a memory stuck in the past.

Think about it, how long has it been since they left the streets outside their home and took a walk outside.

Thinking back carefully, the number of times I took my parents to travel across provinces was almost zero. Taking my dad to travel has become a regret. My dad’s legs and feet are no longer very flexible and he no longer dares to go out. This kind of regret can only be I make up for it by traveling around.

In order to realize the plan at the beginning of the year, I took my mother out to see the outside world. If I was too afraid not to go, it would become a regret.

Departure on April 19th and return on May 4th. During the 16-day trip to Jiangsu and Zhejiang, 6 different cities, I took my mother with me. During this period, I was invited to travel with my son twice. It was an unforgettable trip for me, my mother, and my son. It was a trip that will be deeply remembered. The beauty of staying everywhere.

Taking the elderly to travel is different from traveling by ourselves. There are many things that need to be prepared and paid attention to in advance. I have summarized the following points and share them with you:

Taking the elderly to travel is by no means a matter of wishful thinking. It is not just about letting the elderly go where they want to go according to their own intentions and travel according to their own ideas.

Communicate in advance and tell them your ideas in advance, including when, where to go, how many days, and how to go. Respect your parents’ wishes, consider more from their perspective, and fully solicit their parents’ opinions. , and with the consent of the parents, decide on the follow-up matters.

One way to travel is to join a group tour, and the other is to go on a self-guided tour.

I personally suggest that if you have time, it is best to accompany the elderly on a self-guided tour. It is not recommended to throw some money to the elderly, just sign up for a group and let them travel on their own.

I don’t like group tours in the traditional sense, where others can arrange my own preferences. There is also the pressure of shopping along the way, and the time is relatively tight, which is not conducive to rest.

Although self-guided travel requires time to find hotels, design routes, book tickets, etc., it is relatively free. Just do your homework in advance. If you get tired in the middle, you can make adjustments at any time to make it as comfortable as possible. The itinerary is rich but not tiring.

The most important thing is that the process of traveling together is a beautiful memory for parents and children.

Whether it’s with a group or on your own, it’s best to be by your side.

If you choose a self-guided tour, you have to prepare a lot of things in advance. Travel time, route, attractions, transportation, accommodation, food, weather, etc. must be carefully considered. This requires doing your homework. Although It's tiring, but definitely worth it.

Make a travel plan based on the Internet, be as detailed as possible, but don’t make it too rigid, especially don’t buy hotels and tickets too early, otherwise it will be troublesome to make adjustments in the middle.

1. Choice of travel destination:

If it is a place where parents want to go, it is easier to decide, but most of the time parents don’t know where to go, so we need To choose, follow the following points:

Elderly people have a nostalgia complex. You can go to places you have been to before and see what changes have happened now. This way, you will have many topics to talk about during the trip.

Or it may be mentioned in historical stories. Old people are more likely to have imagination. Oh, this is the place I heard about in that poem. It turns out to be like this.

Another option is that there happens to be familiar relatives in a certain tourist attraction. Meeting with relatives in a foreign land will make the elderly very happy.

Then there are things we are more familiar with and can provide guidance and explanations to parents.

I chose to travel to Jiangsu and Zhejiang this time based on the following considerations:

First, the scenery and weather in the south are more pleasant in spring, with warm spring flowers blooming and good natural landscapes.

The second is that my son is in college in Nanjing, and his parents have a deep affection for him. The mother can go and see her son’s school and environment, and have an intuitive impression, which will help her have more relationships with her children and family in the future. topics to make the elderly feel more involved.

Thirdly, my mother, son and I all wanted to go to Yangzhou to see the saying "Fireworks descend in Yangzhou in March". On the middle of the weekend, I made an appointment with my son to go to Yangzhou together, and took a telephoto shot on May Day. Going to Shaoxing and Ningbo with my son, I can travel with my children, which is very meaningful.

Fourth, my mother has been to Nanjing, Suzhou and other places more than 30 years ago. She can recall the past. I have also been there a few years ago. It will be more interesting to recall things from different periods with my mother.

2. Design a reasonable route:

The design of the route must correspond to the time, determine the length of stay at each place according to the length of time, and take into account weekends and holidays. Avoid peak areas during festivals so that the crowds will not affect the mood and quality of travel.

We must fully consider the convenience of transportation and give priority to high-speed rail, followed by trains and cars.

For the first and last stop, it is best to choose a relatively large city, because the transportation will be more convenient, there are more options for airplanes and high-speed rail, and tickets are easier to buy.

When choosing to set off from one city to another, it is best to set off in the morning. The advantages of this are: first, you will not have to travel with luggage because you have to check out, and secondly, the elderly have early breakfast I have the habit of going to bed early and getting up early, so I won’t be too crowded if I catch the subway or train in the morning.

Our route this time: Nanjing----Yangzhou----Suzhou----Shaoxing----Ningbo----Hangzhou.

The first stop is Nanjing. It is very convenient to buy train tickets, high-speed rail, and airplane tickets from Xi'an. You can buy them according to time and cost performance. I chose the ordinary hard sleeper bus from Xi'an to Nanjing (because it takes 4 hours to take the bus from Hanzhong to Xi'an) , it will be more tiring if you take the high-speed rail, and the price of flying is relatively high).

The last stop is Hangzhou. We arranged the last stop after May Day, and the ticket price was more suitable.

During the May Day holiday, we made an appointment with our son to go to Shaoxing and Ningbo, which are relatively less crowded. We missed the peak tourist periods of Hangzhou and Suzhou and reunited with our son again. The experience was very good .

From the news, I saw that Hangzhou had the highest number of people in the country on May Day, and no one could walk on the West Lake. We went to Hangzhou on the 2nd, and the number of tourists dropped by about 60%. The experience of visiting the West Lake was super great. .

3. Choose the appropriate means of transportation:

First consider safety, speed and convenience; trains are the best choice, and it is recommended to reduce the number of car rides.

The second step is to take parents to try modern means of transportation that they have never taken before, such as high-speed rail and airplanes. When choosing, consider both time and sex.

For example, I chose to fly back to Xi'an from Hangzhou. After comparison, on May 4th, the price of a hard sleeper ticket for an ordinary bus was 399 yuan, and the time was 20 hours; the high-speed rail price was 653 yuan, and the time was 6 hours and 34 minutes; Flight costs 495 yuan and takes 2 hours and 34 minutes; flight is the most suitable.

Mom has never flown before, so she can give it a try. After being away for more than 10 days, she is quite tired, so she chooses to fly for a short time on the return trip to meet the psychological needs of returning home, so she chooses a flight around 4:00 p.m. Fly from Hangzhou to Xi'an, and then fly from Xi'an to Hanzhong at 10 p.m., so you'll be home in half a day.

The subway is the best choice for city tourist attractions. The design of subways in southern cities fully considers the needs of outsiders. Railway stations, high-speed rail stations, and various scenic spots have all opened subway lines, which is very convenient.

Secondly, choose the bus. I always think that the bus is the best way to get to know a city.

4. Items that must be brought when traveling:

First, medicines. The elderly have more or less health problems. My mother has high blood pressure and hyperlipidemia and needs to be taken every day. Take your medicines on time and bring enough of them. Secondly, you should also prepare cold medicines, gastrointestinal medicines, and medicines to prevent heart disease.

The second is clothes, shoes, socks, umbrellas, and sunglasses. The weather in late April and early May changes a lot, so you need to prepare both thick and thin clothes. You must also bring shoes and umbrellas when it rains.

The third is documents, ID card and senior citizen ID card. If you choose to travel abroad, you should also bring your passport. Admission to many attractions is free for those over 70 years of age.

The fourth is mobile phones and cameras. The elderly like to take pictures when they go out, so they should not only bring their mobile phones, but also a small point-and-shoot camera.

5. Make full use of various mobile apps.

Today’s travels are completely different from those in the past. Many things can be accomplished using mobile apps. This time, my son and I learned a lot about how to use mobile apps. It is very convenient and really makes it possible. With your phone in hand, your journey is worry-free.

See guide recommendations: Mafengwo, Ctrip.

Recommendations for purchasing air tickets: Qunar, Ctrip. The price of air tickets on Qunar is slightly cheaper than that on Ctrip. Ctrip is an old and trustworthy brand.

Purchase train tickets: 12306? Chixing (recommended by my son, the purchase is smooth and smooth)

Book a hotel: Ctrip, or the hotel chain’s own APP. Homeinns' "Boutique Homeinns" and Hanting's "Huazhu" have more discounts, are faster and more affordable than other websites.

City tourist attractions and food: Ctrip, Meituan.

Find the destination: Amap (highly recommended). The navigation function of Amap is incomparable. Subway lines and bus reversing routes are clear.

1. Safety first: Whether you are taking transportation or choosing a place to stay, it is recommended to choose a regular one with a good reputation.

2. Ensure a good balance of rest and play: We initially considered going to Wuxi as the third stop, and then to Suzhou, but after 4 days, we were a little rushed and tired, so we finally gave up Wuxi and chose I decided to stay in Suzhou for 2 more days. Firstly, there are many scenic spots in Suzhou, and secondly, I had to rest in the middle to avoid being too tired.

3. Choose a comfortable accommodation environment: It is necessary to consider not only cost performance, but also convenience and safety. Here is what I do: use Ctrip to check the city transportation routes and distances to scenic spots, and then consider it comprehensively after evaluating the hotel. The first choice is Hanting or Home Inn, which have a good reputation, and the location is near a subway station that is close to the attractions.

4. Make timely adjustments according to the actual situation: For example, there is a national marathon festival in Yangzhou on April 23. We didn’t know about it before and it was very difficult to find a hotel. Finally, we settled on a new area that is far away. We will arrive on the 22nd. After Yangzhou, I visited Xixi Lake and Geyuan in one day. The originally planned two-day trip was adjusted due to the actual road blockage during the marathon. One day later, I returned to Nanjing and stayed with my son for one more day.

5. Choose food that suits your taste: Check the restaurants recommended by netizens through Ctrip, preferably chain public restaurants. For example: Nanjing food stalls, Grandma’s Home (with branches in Ningbo, Hangzhou, and Suzhou), alleys, etc., have many local characteristics, affordable prices, and good services.

6. Teach the elderly some basic travel knowledge (this is very important): how to buy tickets when taking the subway, entering the station, how to read route signs, and transfer midway; how to buy tickets online when taking the high-speed rail , entering the station; when taking a plane, how to change the boarding pass, go through security, wait for the flight, etc.

Although it may be difficult to take parents on a trip, and there may be some unpleasantness on the way.

But it can allow parents to go out and see the outside world and see what they see. The excitement of the beautiful scenery, the pride when hearing them talk about it with relatives and friends, and having the same topic as the young people at home are all worth it after all.

Go out for a walk with your parents while their legs and feet are still flexible, so as not to leave too many regrets in life.

Believe me, traveling with your family must be the best memory in your life.