An Old Fart on your GAP Adventure??

[medicine_man]

Hi, I am 43 and have just booked Thailand Island Hopping, I hope the others on my trip are a good mix as I don't want to end up with a lot of "Old Farts" who are only in their 20's and 30's !!

[jimshu]

As I've said before...that's enough of calling us 'OLD!"

[voidczech]

I took my 62 year old mother on a GAP adventure last year to the Galapagos Islands and to Peru. Our group consisted of three 18/19 yr olds, the bulk of the people in 20s/30s, a single 46 yr old, and my mom! She had a blast and the others in the group loved her.

When I told her that instead of taking the train to Machu Picchu (sp?) that we'd hike the Inca Trail, she thought I had lost my mind! (acutally, she misunderstood starting at Km 82 for walking 82 Km! hahaha). Point is, she hiked the 45km at ~4000 meter elevation (did better than I did) and she snorkled (for the first time) with the sea lions and had the best trip of her life. In fact, at 64 next year, I'm planning on taking her on the multiactivity Patagonia trip where we'll bike, hike, raft for 2 days each. It'll be wild.

Bottomline, I think you should come on a GAP trip for sure! Hands-down, it sounds like these are the kind of vacations you should be doing. Try not to get pigeon-holed into a boring European ABC (Another Bloody Castle) touring vacation just because your friends are doing it!

I mean, if all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you too? At your age, you should know better!

- Simone

[francine_16]

I would agree with others have posted. As long as your physically able to do the activities on your trip you will have a great time. I have done trips with GAP with people in their 60s who have really shown those of us in our 30s that they can be more active then people half their age. On my trip to Africa we had two women in their 60s who sandboarded and climbed the dunes. They were great to travel with. We also had one woman who was 62, but acted like she was on her death bed. She was physically unable to carry her bag and really should not have been on a GAP trip. On my Peru trip there was a man in his 50s who made it to Dead Women's Pass at least an hour before me and actually as I was getting closer he came back down a bit to see if I wanted some oxygen. So I would say you clearly have some sense of humor if you can call your self an oldfart. So if your physically able to do the activities, book your trip.

[work2travel]

I love this topic.

I did an Explore Worldwide tour a few years ago where I was the youngest person by 20 years. My roommate was 30 years older than me! At first I was thinking- what have I gotten myself into, but I learned quickly that they were a great group of people I enjoyed spending time and sharing the experience with. I joined up with another tour afterwards with ImTrav that had a MUCH younger group, and I was missing my last group!

It's WAY more about commonalities than age. If you're an open-minded easygoing person, I think you'll get along with people and enjoy yourself at any age. Period.

[JaliscoJudy]

I think young people and retired people have a lot in common: Both have a go-for-it attitude and they don't worry about the small stuff.

I just got back from a trip to the archaeological sites of Tula and Teotihuacan with my 88-year-old mother (birthday today!) . She is a fountain of knowledge about Mexico's pre-Colombian history, which was a real bonus. She couldn't climb the pyramids this time like she did 40 years ago, but she enjoyed herself as much as anyone on the trip.

[Praha335Ci]

I've just returned from the Buenos Aires to Rio de Janerio Northbound trip and the ages were 21-34. This is a tour taken on a classic basis with a basic level of service . We did meet other GAP tours and it was predominantly young people - don't recall seeing older people on those other tours. I believe the tours taken on a "comfort " basis tend to attract a few elder people, but the classic tours are predominantly younger people.

[DanielBMe]

Generally here's how I feel about the subject. Better an old fart than a smelly one

On my last trip there were a few elders on it. They were very much get and go and got along well with everyone. So no issues there. The only problem was them constantly forgetting their teeth at the hotel and having to go back, delaying the bus....I jest... lol

[JaliscoJudy]

Generally here's how I feel about the subject. Better an old fart than a smelly one...

Especially on the bus.

[jimshu]

Yeah Daniel...lol that one.
The problem with us skydiving...is we don't dare smile!!!!
Actually there's a Utube vid of the wind whipping someones dentures out !

[voidczech]

Ah yes ... the good old dentures... I have some stories I could tell about water rafting with a denture-wearer .... I almost pissed my pants laughing (thank God I was still in the water!)

- Simone

[earth2al]

OK, here's my best Jeff Foxworthy impersonation- "You might be an old fart if you've read every post so far just to see how many of 'em you identified with Oh crap... I mean gosh darn it...

[jimshu]

I'm offended by the use of that swear word 'OLD"!!!!!!

[voidczech]

by jimshu on Tue Apr 14, 2009 4:22 pm

Well, this mod hadn't had his morning coffee so we're going to see this thread jumping around until Reditor can kick us out of Forum Rules.Sorry about that.
But I will be editing the thread head because as I'm approaching that old f**t age myself, I draw the line at anyone calling me 'old'!F**t you can get away with.

by jimshu on Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:40 am

As I've said before...that's enough of calling us 'OLD!"

by jimshu on Sun Apr 26, 2009 10:56 pm

I'm offended by the use of that swear word 'OLD"!!!!!!

Jimshu .....

LMAO! You are cracking me up! How about if instead of calling people "old farts" they just start calling them "farts" .... take the old right out of the equation?

- Simone

[jimshu]

At last, someone's being respectful.I'll go along with that Simone.Truth should never offend!