Page 135 - Guerin Media Ltd | Active Retirement Ireland Members Annual 2016
P. 135
TRAVEL TIPS TRAVEL
• Decant all your liquids into 100ml bottles - no • Beware when using internet cafes abroad. Your privacy
panic when you forget to pack one away in your may be compromised and key strokes monitored for
check-in baggage! payment and passwords.
• Pack jewellery & cosmetics in a bag that will also Make the most of your Freedom!
do as a 2nd handbag. Everyone aged 66 and over living permanently in the State
is entitled to the Free Travel Scheme. Some people under
• Pack a scarf! It has multiple uses: sun cover, eye 66 also qualify. If you qualify for free travel, you are issued
with a card that you must carry with you when using
mask, towel, make-shift bag, skirt etc. public transport. In some cases, a Free Travel Companion
Card is available which allows a person to travel with
• Put your contact details, home and abroad, inside the holder (if they are unable to travel alone). Free Travel
Cards are non-transferrable and can only be used by the
your suitcase. If your luggage goes missing, there named person. Free travel is available on all State public
is no guarantee that your luggage label will transport (bus, rail and Dublin’s LUAS service) with some
remain attached to the handle. exceptions.
WHEN YOU’RE THERE... There is no better incentive to keep in touch with
family and friends or check in with other ARAs around the
• Check all around you before you leave the bus, country. Travel can also mean education and mentoring,
perhaps you can find a home away from home by linking
train, taxi, hotel, restaurant. When you are in with another community group who may benefit from
somewhere new, there are always plenty of your input.
distractions, so get into the habit of
double-checking to ensure you don’t leave The Freebird Club
anything behind.
‘New Ways to Grow’ was theme of the 2015 European
• Travel Insurance is an absolute must. Not just for Social Innovation Competition and Ireland’s “The Freebird
Club” was selected out of over 1,400 applications from
the financial aspect but their local knowledge and over 40 countries. The Freebird club offers a new way
immediate action also is worth the effort and of travelling for independent older adults, a means to
payment. unlock some of the asset value of their homes and earn an
income, as well as promoting social and cultural
• Keep your money sources separate - use one card interaction in later life. Freebird members who choose to
become ‘hosts’ can make their spare rooms available to
for the majority of purchases/cash and keep fellow members to come and stay for a nightly rate. These
another elsewhere, just in case. Always keep a homestays will always involve the host being present, as
small amount of cash separate to your wallet - you this concept focuses as much on enjoying the company as
never know when you might need it. the accommodation.
• Keep a copy of all important documents in your “The Freebird Club is a real ‘heart and soul’ project which aims to
connect older people in a very real way that can improve their quality
suitcase or even better, scan them and email them of life. From an Irish perspective, I believe it has particular potential
to yourself - passport/travel insurance/drivers licence/ to connect the older Irish diaspora in very positive ways, both with
tickets and booking invoices - if you lose any one of their peers in Ireland and also internationally”
these, they are much easier to replace if you have says founder Peter Mangan.
copies.
www.freebirdclub.net
• Making friends when abroad can be extremely
BON VO YAGE!
rewarding but remember that not everyone has your
best interests in mind. Overly friendly or pushy locals
and tourists should be avoided - learn to say No,
politely but firmly.
• If you have questions, ask the concierge in your hotel
or visit the local Tourist Office. Offers from strangers
could lose you a day in visiting shops/markets/
restaurants you have no interest in - your driver/guide
most likely gains commission from everything you
buy!
• Know the culture before you go! Respect local way
of life and you will have a thrilling and rewarding
holiday. Some countries frown on public displays of
affection or revealing attire.
• In any country, you are an obvious target to thieves
if you wear noticeable jewellery and carry expensive
handbags/luggage. Don’t give them an excuse!
• Don’t let your credit card out of your sight when
making payment. Unscrupulous retailers can put
through false payments or steal your details.
www.activeirl.ie Active Retirement Ireland 135
• Decant all your liquids into 100ml bottles - no • Beware when using internet cafes abroad. Your privacy
panic when you forget to pack one away in your may be compromised and key strokes monitored for
check-in baggage! payment and passwords.
• Pack jewellery & cosmetics in a bag that will also Make the most of your Freedom!
do as a 2nd handbag. Everyone aged 66 and over living permanently in the State
is entitled to the Free Travel Scheme. Some people under
• Pack a scarf! It has multiple uses: sun cover, eye 66 also qualify. If you qualify for free travel, you are issued
with a card that you must carry with you when using
mask, towel, make-shift bag, skirt etc. public transport. In some cases, a Free Travel Companion
Card is available which allows a person to travel with
• Put your contact details, home and abroad, inside the holder (if they are unable to travel alone). Free Travel
Cards are non-transferrable and can only be used by the
your suitcase. If your luggage goes missing, there named person. Free travel is available on all State public
is no guarantee that your luggage label will transport (bus, rail and Dublin’s LUAS service) with some
remain attached to the handle. exceptions.
WHEN YOU’RE THERE... There is no better incentive to keep in touch with
family and friends or check in with other ARAs around the
• Check all around you before you leave the bus, country. Travel can also mean education and mentoring,
perhaps you can find a home away from home by linking
train, taxi, hotel, restaurant. When you are in with another community group who may benefit from
somewhere new, there are always plenty of your input.
distractions, so get into the habit of
double-checking to ensure you don’t leave The Freebird Club
anything behind.
‘New Ways to Grow’ was theme of the 2015 European
• Travel Insurance is an absolute must. Not just for Social Innovation Competition and Ireland’s “The Freebird
Club” was selected out of over 1,400 applications from
the financial aspect but their local knowledge and over 40 countries. The Freebird club offers a new way
immediate action also is worth the effort and of travelling for independent older adults, a means to
payment. unlock some of the asset value of their homes and earn an
income, as well as promoting social and cultural
• Keep your money sources separate - use one card interaction in later life. Freebird members who choose to
become ‘hosts’ can make their spare rooms available to
for the majority of purchases/cash and keep fellow members to come and stay for a nightly rate. These
another elsewhere, just in case. Always keep a homestays will always involve the host being present, as
small amount of cash separate to your wallet - you this concept focuses as much on enjoying the company as
never know when you might need it. the accommodation.
• Keep a copy of all important documents in your “The Freebird Club is a real ‘heart and soul’ project which aims to
connect older people in a very real way that can improve their quality
suitcase or even better, scan them and email them of life. From an Irish perspective, I believe it has particular potential
to yourself - passport/travel insurance/drivers licence/ to connect the older Irish diaspora in very positive ways, both with
tickets and booking invoices - if you lose any one of their peers in Ireland and also internationally”
these, they are much easier to replace if you have says founder Peter Mangan.
copies.
www.freebirdclub.net
• Making friends when abroad can be extremely
BON VO YAGE!
rewarding but remember that not everyone has your
best interests in mind. Overly friendly or pushy locals
and tourists should be avoided - learn to say No,
politely but firmly.
• If you have questions, ask the concierge in your hotel
or visit the local Tourist Office. Offers from strangers
could lose you a day in visiting shops/markets/
restaurants you have no interest in - your driver/guide
most likely gains commission from everything you
buy!
• Know the culture before you go! Respect local way
of life and you will have a thrilling and rewarding
holiday. Some countries frown on public displays of
affection or revealing attire.
• In any country, you are an obvious target to thieves
if you wear noticeable jewellery and carry expensive
handbags/luggage. Don’t give them an excuse!
• Don’t let your credit card out of your sight when
making payment. Unscrupulous retailers can put
through false payments or steal your details.
www.activeirl.ie Active Retirement Ireland 135
