Over the years, at Expat Explore we have learned that one of the best ways to experience travel is with your family. Family travel offers you the chance to create memories to last a lifetime with some of the most important people in your life!
Canadian mother-daughter travel duo Sylvia Dickson, 93, and Diane Richardson, 58, experienced a dream trip on the Irish Explorer in May 2022. By travelling at the age of 93 alongside her daughter, Sylvia proved that age is just a number and it’s never too late to travel or make memories with family! After their trip, Sylvia and Diane chatted to Expat Explore about the highlights of their Ireland tour.
What it’s like to travel with family
Living in different countries, with Sylvia based in Edmonton, Canada and Diane currently living in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, a trip offers these two women the chance to spend quality time together. Better yet, they get to do so while embracing the joy of travel!
“Travelling with Diane is just the best. Doing anything with one of your family members is so much fun,” says Sylvia. Diane shares her mum’s sentiments, “I’m very fortunate to have someone who is game for anything. There’s not much that my mum doesn’t think she can do (and if she has any doubts, she’ll say so). So as long as she lets me be the boss, we do fine, haha!”
Ireland held a huge amount of appeal for the two women. “About 18 months into the Covid pandemic, my mum mentioned that she’d had a dream about being in Ireland and it got me thinking that’s a dream that we could make a reality,” says Diane, “The ease of getting there from western Canada, the fact that they speak English and just hearing about how great the Irish people are made it inviting.”
It’s never too late to travel, even at 93!
As many of us will have learned, travelling at different times of your life comes with unique challenges. When we’re young, we might not be so wise. When we reach our senior years, we are more travel savvy but probably won’t be doing as much as we did when we were 21! However, it all depends on how you approach life! It’s never too late to travel, you may just have to think about things a little differently.
“I did not anticipate any problems but at this point in my life, I did realise there could be,” explains Sylvia when asked about travelling at the age of 93. “Because I was in good health and travelling with Diane (who was okay with it), I was comfortable.”
Diane explained that the pair weren’t too worried about Sylvia’s age affecting any aspect of the trip, it’s all about how you approach things – age is just a number after all! Additionally, it’s important to think practically, “Our deal is that we pack so that I can manage all our luggage. We only take a carry-on and I have a backpack while mum has a small, rolling suitcase,” says Diane. “We also take a small backpack that we use on the trip for water, snacks, jackets, etc. that mum can manage if my hands are full. On both tours, I had expressed to mum that if it was too much for her we could always stop for tea and join up with the group at the bus later. She has serious FOMO though so we didn’t miss out on anything!”
Related: Take a look at these top budget tips for senior travel.
Why Ireland was the perfect destination for this trip
As mentioned above, Ireland was the destination of choice for several reasons including easy access from Canada and the locals’ hospitable reputation! Sylvia and Diane previously completed the 7-day Great Britain tour in August 2019, visiting England, Scotland and Wales. “After having done the other three countries and enjoying them so much, Ireland seemed to be the missing link. Anyone who had visited Ireland could not say enough good things about its beauty and the friendly people,” says Sylvia. On the Irish Explorer, travellers spend a week travelling through Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, experiencing the picturesque natural scenery, historic cities and hidden gems along the way.
Another great motivator for Sylvia was the fact that the two women had thoroughly enjoyed their first tour with Expat Explore and received great support for the staff. “During the trip in 2019, the tour guide always made sure I was okay,” she says.
Group tours are also a great way to see a number of top destinations and travel attractions, no matter your time limits. “If we didn’t do an organised group tour, there are certainly things that we would have missed and it would be more stressful,” explains Diane, “The best part of a coach tour is that you just have to show up on time and be ready to go, everything else is looked after for you. Our Irish Explorer tour leader Inge ran a great tour and she clearly loves her job and her adopted country.”
Travelling post-Covid: were there any delays and concerns?
Over the past couple of years, Covid-19 has thrown a metaphorical spanner in the works for many travellers. Luckily, Sylvia and Diane didn’t have any delays or concerns when travelling in May 2022. Diane shared that the pair only decided to join this tour in late 2021, with Sylvia adding, “I am very fortunate. Diane did all the research and presented it to me with an invite to join her. How could I say no? Fortunately, Covid-19 did not restrict our plans.”
Sylvia and Diane’s highlights of the Irish Explorer tour
The mother-daughter duo has so many fond memories of this trip! Sylvia enjoyed several excursions, “the Ring of Kerry tour from Killarney was spectacular. Our bus driver was so competent that you were very relaxed. I loved the carriage ride with the deer and beautiful flowers and our delightful driver who had us giggling the whole time. Our last evening, which was a delicious meal and authentic music, dancing and Irish folk culture, was a perfect end for our tour.”
Diane also enjoyed the outdoors and getting a taste of Irish culture. “The Ring of Kerry is a beautiful drive with the sheepdog demonstration being a highlight of that day. And the ride through the park in Killarney was beautiful (we had good weather),” says Diane, “The Irish Music Evening on the final night at The Merry Ploughboy was the perfect way to end the tour.”
What it’s like travelling with ‘strangers’
On group tours, you’re often hitting the road with a group of strangers. However, on Expat Explore tours, they usually don’t remain strangers for long! “My mum is very social so the group didn’t stay strangers to us for very long. Everybody is there for the same reason and while some people like to keep to themselves, most are happy to make new friends along the way,” shares Diane. Sylvia adds, “You start as strangers but after a day or so, you have a bond that you share. So many interesting people on this tour!”
The joy of travel and meeting new people
Sylvia has done her fair share of travelling, first visiting Europe in 2008. Travelling is the chance for Sylvia to meet new people and see new places. “2008 was my first year of travelling to Europe. I did a River Cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest which was very enjoyable. In 2013, I took a 16 day bus trip of New Zealand. I loved it and enjoyed travelling by bus and interacting with so many nice people. I have not been on a trip that was not enjoyable! Once, I did go on a Cruise from Montreal to New York but didn’t enjoy that as much. I missed the interaction with people that you get with a small group tour.”
Diane has also been lucky enough to travel to destinations including the United Kingdom and the United States over the years. She enjoys travelling and there is a lot more of the world that she would like to explore! Diane shares, “My number one is Barcelona. I’ve discovered that I’m a city traveller and this is a city I really want to see.”
The wonderful impact of travel
Travel is a beautiful thing because it has a great impact on so many of us – it leaves people changed. Experiencing different countries around the globe allows us to see the world through new eyes.
Sylvia and Diane agree. “You meet people from so many walks of life and it gives you a much broader outlook and, hopefully, understanding of the world,” Sylvia explains. Diane adds, “It gives you the opportunity to see how other people live, what is different and what is the same. It’s a chance to learn about other cultures, taste their food and experience a little bit of what life is like in foreign lands. I think it makes people more empathetic and understanding of different cultures.”
Finally, any advice for anyone who has never travelled before?
“You don’t know what you are missing. Do give it a try.” – Sylvia
“The world’s a big place and you should go see it.” – Diane
You heard them! If Sylvia and Diane have inspired you to embark on an Irish adventure of your own, take a look at Expat Explore’s tours that visit Ireland! Whether you travel with family, friends or hit the road solo, you’re sure to have an unforgettable travel experience, no matter your age!