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Travel Tuesday--
Published 1 day ago • 8 min read
Dear Ageless Traveler,
I am about to take a six-week trip, and it's never easy to plan. But after visiting 140 countries, I do have some hints and tips.
I also have a roster of places I've found worth the effort of long-term travel. In an earlier newsletter, I reported on how we Ageless Travelers are taking Gap Years, where we travel for months at a time.
My trip is taking me to the Galápagos with GoGalapagos, the Ecuadorian Amazon, and barging through the Champagne Valley in France with European Waterways. Then I walk in the English Lake District with Ramblers Worldwide, followed by NYC for a family gathering and a United Nations meet-up in Geneva.
Want to know how Stu, my husband, and I do it? You'll find out here:
Ask Adriane: How to Plan a Long Winter Road Trip
News You Can Use: Hacks for Hydration in Airports and Compensation for Delayed Flights
Culture Vulture: Digital Detox Vacations, Prepping for Long Trips Like Hiking Adventures
Luxury Travel for Less: How to Make an Affordable Bucket List Trip the Trip of a Lifetime
On this week's The Ageless Traveler podcast I dish with fellow traveler addict Karen Gershowitz, on climbing Kilimanjaro, culinary immersion and why it's important to talk to strangers.
Never stop traveling
Cheers,
Adriane
This Week's Highlights
On This Week's Podcast
Meet Travel Addict and Author Karen Gershowitz
On this week's podcast I cover inspirational topics with Karen Gershowitz as we talk about solo travel, travel with knee and back issues, climbing Kilimanjaro after age 70, our favorite places for culinary adventures and how grandparents and parents can give kids the love of travel.
Check out this tiny souvenir my Mom bought for me from the Brooklyn Museum in 1955 to fuel my love for understanding other cultures, times and places. I still keep it on my shelf. Tell me in fanlist what ignited your interest in travel.
Q. I want to take a cross-country road trip, and my biggest issue is the state of the roads, as I start in autumn and will likely be driving in winter as well. Any tips?
Mahalia from Indiana.
A. Funny, I just wrote an article on my 145-mile drive down the Mother Road, Route 66. Check out my nostalgic road trip story. Also funny, before I started researching your question, I didn't know that your state, Indiana, has the best road conditions in America, followed by Minnesota, Vermont, Georgia, and Kansas. So you are beginning right.
As you travel east, road quality declines. Ohio is ranked #21, Pennsylvania #11th with a high roughness index of 119.9. New Jersey is the 15th worst state for road quality. New York has the 5th worst roads in the country, with 30% of its lane-miles in poor condition and a roughness index of 135.0.
But roughness isn't the real problem in winter on long drives. It's the freeze-thaw cycles, and the salt, particularly in NYS (I TRULY KNOW FROM EXPERIENCE). Thaws act like fertilizer for potholes. And truth be told, Indiana isn't immune to potholes either.
My suggestion (actually, Stu's suggestion, he is a human GPS): go south first, to West Virginia and Delaware, instead of I-80/I-76 through Pennsylvania. Take more time and go through rural roads with nice stops in small towns.
Bring a shovel and snow brush, road salt, antifreeze, jumper cables or a portable jump charger, and your AAA card!
News You Can Use
1. Hydration Hacks
Airport water fountains are germier than you think. Skip them, bring a filtering or UV-sterilizing bottle, and drink 8 oz. every hour in the air. and use electrolyte powder (I buy mine at CVS). Skip the wine! Good news: The TSA allows frozen solid water when presented for screening. This is important if your gate is far from a water-dispensing machine, usually found near bathrooms.
Travel Tuesday Tip: My favorite bottles are: the LifeStraw Go Series, which traps bacteria, parasites, and microplastics; the Larq Bottle PureVis, which uses UV light to automatically neutralize germs; or another hydration-science option built for long-haul comfort. On land, I use the Yeti Rambler, a buy-it-for-life option that's nearly indestructible and can even transport ice cream if chilled beforehand. Dehydration on planes can cause real symptoms like fainting and headaches.
2. Passenger Rights for Delayed Flights
Have you noticed the increased incidence of delayed and cancelled flights? I sure have. For long flights, your rights are not uniform; they depend on your flight's origin and the airline's home base.
For UK and European long-haul flights exceeding 3,500km, you may be entitled to cash compensation of up to €600 (£520) if the delay was within the airline's control. You also have the right to reasonable food, drinks, and communication after a four-hour wait. If a delay forces an overnight stay, airlines in these jurisdictions must provide hotel accommodation and transport, regardless of the cause of the delay.
In the United States, the Department of Transportation's new 2024 Refund Rule applies. For international flights arriving in or departing from the U.S., a delay of more than six hours now qualifies for a full refund of the unused portion of your ticket. You'll also get automatic refunds of checked-bag fees if your luggage isn't delivered within 15 hours (shorter international segments) or 30 hours (segments over 12 hours) of arrival.
For Asia and other regions, the Montreal Convention, an international treaty signed by approximately 140 countries, allows you to seek reimbursement for proven financial damages from a controllable delay, including lost income or essential expenses, capped at roughly $7,000.
Culture Vulturing Around the World
Celebrate our 250th Anniversary of the USA with Abe Lincoln: A freebie in the nation's capital: You can now see what's below the Lincoln Memorial. As of June, you can explore the Undercroft, a 15,000-square-foot museum hidden beneath the monument. Interactive displays, historic construction workers' graffiti, and signed copies of the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment are a rare treat. Admission is free, but timed-entry tickets are required due to high demand.
Attention Smarties! The Gulbenkian Institute for Advanced Study Research Residency Fellowship "supports internationally recognized scholars and artists with three to eight months of independent research residency. Fellows pursue original academic or creative projects within a diverse intellectual community, in an environment focused on concentration, reflection, and knowledge exchange."
Shhh. Places for a Quietcation, focused on intentional stillness, silence, and digital minimalism. Hilton's 2026 trends report calls this "hushpitality", with rest and recharge topping the list of leisure travel motivations for 2026. Survey data shows a shift toward longer getaways, reflecting a broader move toward slow travel.
Here are unique, cultural Quietcations, where guides speak in hushed tones, no loud music is allowed, and slow, rhythmic activities like canoeing and fruit picking are offered.
Luxury Travel for Less
Not every long trip is worth the effort, but here are eight that fulfilled my highest expectations, along with a chart I designed to give you information and courage to go!
Cambodia,Go To Know The People. They suffered but have a spirit of survival that amazes and inspires. When you visit the Killing Fields, seek out the authors who write about their experiences, buy a book and get a signed copy from these amazing survivors.
Prague. You can hear music in the very air you breathe. The Baroque majesty of the buildings is a step back in time that touches the romantic soul. Yes, the history of WWII is brutal, but the modern vibe are enchanting.
Costa Rica: Between the Monarch Butterflies and the rose petals that the Arenal Volcano Lodge puts on your bed, it's no wonder Costa Rica has become a mecca for wellness travel.
The Ozarks: Check out my podcast on Pine Bluff. There is no more raw talent and craft-as-art in the USA than what's found here, a real statement of humanity's ability to create beauty.
Naples, Florida: I love it because it's fancy, but not too fancy. Enjoy sun, water, and elegant cocktails, take a trip down to North Port (Little Odessa, for a lithium-filled mineral bath), and feel like a big spender without a heavy lift.
Cartagena, Colombia: Buy shoes, eat sea bass, dance, wander through ancient towns. Cartagena has spirit.
Budapest: If you've never taken a river cruise, the Danube is the place to start. River cruises usually begin or end in Budapest. You get all the history, food, fun, and remembrance in one city.
The Greek Islands: If you can, take a gulet, a small Turkish boat, to the more remote and sybaritic islands. If you're in heavily touristed Mykonos or Santorini, take a local bus, get away from the crowds, and walk along the true island. You'll start to understand why most of the Greek Islands qualify as a Blue Zone for wellness travel.
Travel Tuesday Accessibility Tips
Siem Reap’s famous Angkor Wat in Cambodia: Temple complexes involve uneven stone paths and stairs; tuk-tuks handle most transfers, so walking can be limited to what you choose. Prague: Old Town is largely cobblestone; comfortable, supportive shoes are a must. Trams are an easy, low-effort way to cover distance.
Costa Rica (Tamarindo area): Terrain varies from flat beach towns to rugged eco-lodges; ask ahead about paved access if mobility is a concern.
The Ozarks: Best sites are outdoors and hilly; caves and waterfalls may involve stairs or uneven ground, but scenic drives offer a low-walking alternative.
Naples, Florida: Very flat and walkable, with strong accessibility infrastructure; one of the easiest destinations on this list.
Cartagena: Walled Old City streets are cobblestone and can be uneven; heat and humidity are a bigger factor than terrain.
Budapest: River cruises minimize walking; the city itself has good public transit, though some historic sites have stairs.
Greek Islands: Village streets are often stepped and hilly; local buses help you avoid the longest walks between sights. Like most Blue Zones lots of uphill to keep you fit!
Let's Create Community Together
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Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman.
“Older Women & Friends: Stories of Aging Well” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels myths, explores the many contributions older women make, and the wisdom they’ve earned and are anxious to share. Older women know a thing or two about living with a keen sense of wonder and an abiding appreciation for the gift of longevity. So, it’s time to change the perception that the gig is just about up when, in truth, the second wave of the journey has just begun.
Congratulate Jane on supporting Good Grief. You’ll love the way she gets the most interesting guests to tell the most interesting stories.
Another Champion of Good Grief and a powerhouse podcaster:
Attention The AGELESS TRAVEL WOMEN:
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Host Beverley Glazer, Reinvention Strategist and Empowerment Coach, is honest and grounded. Beverly tackles everything from grief and identity shifts to ageism, sovereignty, and libido with confidence and depth.
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