GadgetFreak

Heh, Im 52.

WillTravel

Your odds of a medical emergency increase with age, and I'm aware of many people in their early 60s who've had them. Of course I'd want to know about medical emergency procedures for people younger than 63 as well. When I take my kids on a trip, I always have in mind what the medical emergency procedures would be in the country in question.

GadgetFreak

I agree, good advice for any age in countries with limited facilities. With my wifes parents they even checked with their docs before going. While Im a bit younger than 63 one of the reasons I wanted to go to Africa is that I might not be able to do it in 20 years or whatever. I think as long as the OPs mom wants to go and if she has concerns gets advice from her doctor that there are reasonable insurance companies out there that can provide both piece of mind and real help if need be. That said, in our case we were clearly in some very remote areas where we would have been hours from help even by helicopter so there is a risk benefit analysis each person has to undertake. In our case we were pretty comfortable and delighted with the result.

Analise

Is that an age in which you see mothers to be confined to wheelchairs and retirement homes?

kellio33

Joey,
Where does your family hail from? Maybe mom would be interested in finding her "roots".
I took my dad to Germany for his first intl. trip and have not been able to stop him since! At 67 he just returned from Peru and then a quick hop to London.

wanderlust_jules

I also go with the NZ recommendations. I spent a month there between the North and the South Island and outside of Ireland I do not think I have come across nicer, good-humored people. As long as your mom can handle that long flight it is very easy to get around and the country is so diverse and beautiful. Hiking, scenery, wine tasting in the south, caves, more scenery and snorkeling in the north (weather permitting), etc. However, be prepared for lots of time on the bus getting from point-to-point.

And for a first time out of the country its not as crazy and crowded as London or Paris—or as expensive.

My mom was in her 40s before she got a passport and had been outside of the country. Our first trip was Hong Kong and my mom was totally overwhelmed but boy did she love the shopping!

peachfront

In Kenya there is a medical evacuation insurance that will fly you out of the bush in an emergency. I think our insurance was $25 for two weeks.

obscure2k

It would seem that some consider 63 to be very very old. Good grief, Nancy Pelosi is 66. I suspect that most folks in their 60's who are reasonably healthy are quite capable of going most anywhere. My late father-in-law travelled to China when he was well into his 80's. In fact, he didn't stop exploring the world until he hit 90 and started having some health problems. My mother, in her 80's visited Argentina last year. No problem.

WillTravel

If anyone thinks 63 to be very old, it isn't me, and I never posted it was.

party_boy

I agree with what most posters are saying. Ask your mother. However, I do like the posters who recommended a shorter trip or a cruise to get her acclimated to the hustle and bustle of travel. Both are very easy for inexperienced travelers and although you may not be, she definately is and going through the motions first can help in a larger more hectic trip.

I've tried to bring my parents out, but they've already beat me to it! My mother wanted to go to Africa, but when I offered I found out that my parents already bought the tickets! So they got some eVIP's for their trips.

Pat89339

After my Dad died I started taking Mom89339 on at least one trip a year. She had never been out of the Country before and didn't have a passport. We started out with domestic trips to see how travelling together worked out. Then we advanced to International. Talk to your mom and see what she likes.

I had no clue that Mom89339 had an interest in all things Benjamin Franklin, so we went to PHL. We also did a 1300 mile roadtrip in New Mexico, the state where she was born. We've made several trips to Manhattan, Vegas, Southern California, Washington, DC and Hawaii. We've been in way too many states to enumerate in search of the best outlet center.

Her first international trip was to Italy where we spent time in Milan, Rome and Florence. The thrill of her life was attending a Mass said by the Pope.

Her longest trip was down under to Australia. She loved Melbourne so much we extended our stay there.

This year we were talking about going to Egypt until I mentioned Switzerland or she may come with me to Croatia in April. She still hasn't decided which trip yet.

For Christmas I gave her tickets to her first Mileage Run (the ridiculously low fare to St. Louis). She's terribly excited about seeing what a mileage run is about.

Oh and Mom's going to be 82 this year.