By Jane Hansen, 4-time traveler, Groveland, California
I started traveling on my own after my husband died. I have a single friend who likes to travel, so sometimes we travel together, sometimes we travel separately. Destinations just pop up for me. I don’t go someplace just so I can say I’ve been there—I travel because I want to see new places, so I try to go to places that I haven’t been.
Most recently, I took OAT’s Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia adventure. It was one of the best trips I’ve ever been on! My Trip Leader Ron Chomdee was just an absolutely terrific person. Really exceptional! He led us through all four countries, and everything worked well, because he was very efficient. And the people in my group were very pleasant.
Jane enjoys a boat ride with some of her fellow travelers in Cambodia.
Angkor Wat was a real highlight of the trip. It’s one of the few remaining ancient wonders of the world, and it was everything I had hoped it would be. In fact, I was able to do just about everything on this adventure, except that, physically, I didn’t want to go into the Cu Chi Tunnels on my hands and knees in the dark—but then, I wouldn’t have wanted to do that 20 years ago, either!
Did I mention that I’m about to turn 91?
You see, I don’t consider travel difficult. What I like to do is spend several weeks with a small group, because I really feel as though I get a sense of the destination. Small groups are much more manageable. In 2002, I went to China with a different company. There were two buses of people, and we spent a lot of time waiting to get on and off the bus. With OAT, you get to stay in different kinds of accommodations, too, that are too small for larger groups. It’s just a different kind of trip.
Jane doesn’t let age hinder her travels—and feels that attitude plays a large role in your enjoyment of your trips.
Some people, when they travel, just want to be entertained. They want everything to be exactly the same as it is at home. But when I travel, I know things are going to be different, and I just ignore the things I don’t care for. You make up for it in what you learn about the culture. That’s why I don’t take a lot of pictures or keep a journal. I like to see what’s there while I can.
The fact is, I refuse to look and act my age. I know that I got lucky with the genes I inherited. But more than that, in travel, a lot of your enjoyment depends on your attitude. You see, I’m an optimist. I always expect my trip to be good, and it always is. You can’t be fearful that something’s going to happen. It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling solo or not. Anyone who’s in good health can enjoy travel. Just drink bottled water, take your pills, and have fun!
Discover the splendor of Angkor Wat—and other architectural marvels—on our Ancient Kingdoms: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam & Cambodia adventure.