Most people take a “test trip” before retirement.

The problem?
Most of those trips don’t actually test anything.

They’re just holidays with better intentions.

In this video, Pauline and I break down four simple ways to do your first travel test trip properly, so you can work out what kind of travel actually suits you before you start making big, expensive retirement decisions.

Sections:

01:10 What is a test trip actually for?
02:01 #1 The Slow-ISH Test Trip
03:35 #2 The HYBRID Test Trip
05:19 #3 The 2 Week Local Test Trip
06:24 #4 The 4 Week Local Test Trip
07:25 Which Style Suits You Best?
07:48 The Destination Choice
08:37 What You're Actually Testing

If you’re somewhere in that pre-retirement stage — when one or both of you is starting to think seriously about long-term travel — this video will help you choose the right way to test it, without the pressure to get everything “right” the first time.

By the end, you should know which of these four styles fits you best right now.

If one of them immediately sounds like “that’s us,” let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear where you’re at.

And if you’re planning a travel-rich retirement and don’t want to learn the hard way, hit subscribe — we’re sharing what we’re learning as we go.

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If you’re planning a travel-rich retirement, one of the biggest questions you’ll face is:

What’s the best style of travel to help us travel more — without running out of money, energy, or enthusiasm?

Many people assume the choice is between budget travel and luxury travel.
In this video, I explain why that framing misses the point — and introduce a smarter, more sustainable approach: value travel.

This video is designed for people who aren’t just planning their next trip, but are designing a long-term retirement travel lifestyle.

In this video, you’ll learn:

01:12 How to get the best experience for the money, time and energy you spend
03:30 Budget travel vs Luxury travel
04:34 How Value travel changes the experience
05:48 How to plan your Value travel
07:12 Why Value travel is more important as we approach and enter retirement
08:43 Is Budget travel, Luxury travel or Value travel better in retirement?

This isn’t about chasing the cheapest deals or paying for luxury for its own sake.
It’s about getting the best possible travel experiences for the time, money, and energy you have — over the long term.

If you’re:

Still working and planning retirement travel

Recently retired and rethinking how you travel

Worried about making your money last without missing out

More interested in experiences than extremes

…this video will help you choose a travel style that’s sustainable, enjoyable, and realistic for the years ahead.

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This video is private.

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Thinking about slow travel in retirement? We were too. In fact, we were so sure it would be perfect for us that we almost based our entire retirement lifestyle around it — month-long stays, settling into one place at a time, living like temporary locals.

So we decided to test it before retirement… and thank goodness we did.
Because what we discovered surprised us and completely reshaped our future plans.

In this video, we share what actually happened during our slow travel trial run, what worked, what didn’t, and why testing your travel style early can save you a whole lot of money — and a whole lot of frustration — once you stop working.

WATCH NEXT:
How Pre-Retirement Travel Can Change Your Future Plans
👉 https://youtu.be/C6jHye2SwMk

If you’re over 50 and planning your post-work travel lifestyle, we hope this helps you shape a plan that truly fits who you are — not just who you think you’ll be when retirement arrives.

Let us know in the comments how you plan to incorporate travel into your life after you retire.

#SlowTravel #RetirementTravel #TravelOver50 #TravelTrialRun #PreRetirementTravel #LongStays #RetirementPlanning #TravelLessons

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Thinking about doing a day trip to Milford Sound from Te Anau? We joined Fiordland Tours on their full-day “Milford Sound Extraordinaire” tour — in rain, snow, wind, and a whole lot of waterfalls — to see if they really deserve that perfect 5-star rating.

#gifted #MilfordSound #FiordlandTours
*https://fiordlandtours.co.nz/milford-sound-fiordland-extraordinaire/

We also brought my almost-80-year-old mum along to test how suitable this tour is for travellers who are less mobile… and spoiler alert: she had the day of her life.

In this video we cover:

⛰️ The scenic stops on the Milford Road
☕ Morning tea, photo ops, and easy walks
❄️ What it’s like driving through real snow in spring
🚢 Our 1 hr 45 min boutique Milford Sound cruise
💦 Standing under a freezing waterfall for the 'gram
👵 How senior-friendly the tour really is
🚗 Whether to self-drive or take a small-group tour
💰 Is it worth staying overnight at the lodge?
⚠️ Road closures, avalanche zones & weather surprises

If you’re planning your first trip to Milford Sound — or coming back for round two — this video gives you an honest look at what to expect in all conditions.

*Fiordland Tours kindly hosted us, but as always, opinions are 100% our own.

Interested in taking this tour? Follow this link: https://getyourguide.tpk.lv/Axm6eoXg

📍 Tour we took: Milford Sound Extraordinaire (Te Anau)
📌 Location: Fiordland, South Island, New Zealand

If you enjoyed this, hit the 👍 like button, drop us a comment, and subscribe for more travel tips and stories for travellers over 50.

Next Stop… more New Zealand! 🇳🇿

Chapters
01:15 Self Drive or Day Tour
01:50 Which tour we chose
03:20 The Day Trip begins
04:36 Stop 1 - Mirror Lakes
05:45 Stop 2 - Tutoko River
08:25 Milford Sound Cruise
13:38 Stop 3 - The Chasm
15:39 Stop 4 - Falls Creek
16:04 Q&A
17:50 Final verdict

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Planning a road trip with your elderly parents? Whether they’re in their 70s, 80s, or beyond, travelling together can be one of life’s great joys — if you plan it right.

In this video, I’m sharing 5 practical tips for planning a stress-free road trip with elderly parents — from choosing the right accommodation to keeping everyone comfortable, well-fed, and happy on the road. These are the strategies Pauline and I are using for our upcoming New Zealand adventure with my 80-year-old mum.

This isn’t about caravans or campervans — we’re talking car travel, hotels, and apartments. It’s all about smart planning, realistic pacing, and keeping the journey enjoyable for everyone, no matter the fitness level.

Stick around to the end, because I’ll also share details on our follow-up video, where we’ll compare expectations with reality once the trip’s done. Spoiler: I’m expecting a few laughs, plenty of tea breaks, and maybe one or two “I told you so’s” from Mum.

If you’re over 50 and planning to hit the road with your parents or older relatives, this one’s for you.

Subscribe for more travel inspiration and real-world advice for over-50 adventurers — from road trips and retirement travel to planning your next big escape.

#NextStopRetirement #RoadTripTips #Over50Travel #TravellingWithParents #SeniorTravel #FamilyRoadTrip #RetirementTravel

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