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Fast breaking travel news and creative tour opportunities for senior travelers
October – November 2025
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1. My husband and I spent six days, 12 hours a day, at a lovely country resort to the west of Madrid, Spain, helping dedicated Spanish adults improve their spoken English. Though it was hard work, this volunteer vacation was something that had been on our bucket list for 20 years, and it delivered in spades! Oh, and did I mention it is entirely free resort accommodation and meals for all us overseas “coaches”?
2. Animals are showing up in airports in ever increasing numbers … and I’m not referring to “don’t touch” sniffer dogs. These are specially-trained canines, felines and even miniature ponies who love people and are there for the sole purpose of calming the anxieties of travelers of all ages. Check out this good news story!3. Ireland is always worth considering as a destination. With this story, we give you plenty of reasons to get to know this diverse and charming country with a deep cultural history and many natural gems, AND we announce an exciting new musical tour of Ireland too!
4. Ever thought of visiting Dundee, Scotland? Now you will, as the monumental Victoria & Albert Dundee Museum of art, design and performance has opened there in September 2018. An eye-catching global phenomenon.
5. Learn about two-week Indian rail adventures aboard the luxurious Deccan Odyssey train: one route exploring less-traveled southern regions and the other across the north from Mumbai and Rajasthan along the Himalayan foothills to Kolkata on the east coast.
We invite you to check out our Feature Link of the Month and our latest Travel Product Reviews.
A Gem of a Volunteer Vacation in Spain
My husband and I have known about Spain’s VaughanTown for over 20 years, and we have heard unqualified enthusiasm from friends and colleagues who have participated in the program during that time. 2019 was our year to jump in and give this six-day volunteer vacation a try ourselves, starting with a three-hour group bus ride from Madrid with our students!
The key to each program is IMMERSION for those Spaniards, most of them in their early to mid-thirties up to early forties, who want to improve their spoken Spanish for their career prospects. Over four decades ago, Mr Richard Vaughan conceived the idea of renting a nice Spanish resort far from city life and encouraging volunteers of different professional and national backgrounds whose first language is English to apply to share the resort (nice four-star accommodations and all meals free of charge). These Anglo volunteers make up the other half of the conversational partnership in a very well organized 12- to 13-hour-a-day program that starts with sharing breakfast (9 a.m., two Anglos and two Spaniards at each table) and ends with dinner about 10 p.m.
Much of the time in between is spent in a rotation of one-on-one 50 minute sessions that go on each day as one Anglo and one Spaniard go for country walks together or share a coffee on the terrace or in the huge lounge overlooking a panorama of mountain scenery. Other times are spent on planning group activities … all in English! … like costumed skits or presentations with plenty of laughs and encouragement all round.
During the week, confidence in conversational English improves measurably, and both groups prosper in life lessons while exchanging points of view, knowledge about everything from cultures and sports to family life. Friendships blossom between people of very different generations and experiences. Yes, it is hard work for the Anglo volunteers as it is for the Spaniards, but the rewards are unique during this very special encounter! Perhaps unsurprisingly, most of the Anglo volunteers, who came from the UK, the US, Canada and Australia in our session, were retired, and it is a great option for solo travelers.
Why does Italy’s Leaning Tower of Pisa lean?
The Leaning Tower of Pisa began to tilt during its construction in the 12th century due to soft, uneven ground. The construction process was halted multiple times, and when it resumed, attempts to correct the lean by building the upper floors in a straight manner only shifted the center of gravity, causing the tower to lean in a different direction and worsening the tilt. The lean has been an integral part of the monument’s character, although from time to time engineers have undertaken extensive work to stabilize it and prevent a catastrophic collapse.
Experts have now concluded that the Leaning Tower of Pisa is still ‘straightening up.’ Even after modern-day active stabilization ceased, the tower has continued to correct itself. Recently, with new technology, experts were able to confirm that the tower has straightened an additional 1.6 inches on its own since work ceased. Plenty of visitors climb up and down its 297 steps every year, and so far so good!
Anxious Flyers Relax with Furry Ambassadors
Many travelers experience varying degrees of anxiety no matter what the age or number of times passing through airports. Most of us have become used to seeing specially-trained dogs at airports with a mission to sniff out drugs and other prohibited goods; however, these are “do not touch” animals so they don’t get off track. So are service dogs for individuals with a disability.
By contrast, dogs, a few cats and most recently miniature horses (see newly-added Vancouver International Airport segment below) are showing up at an increasing number of airports with no other mission than to calm the nerves of people of all ages waiting to board their flights or dashing between gates for connecting flights. The message is the reverse of encounters with the sniffer dogs or service animals, namely, “please pat me” and you will feel better in just a few minutes. We look at three of these initiatives and applaud the dedicated volunteers who donate their time to make our travels a better experience.
The Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has launched the Less Airport Stress Initiative (LASI), which is a four-legged unit made up of seven friendly dogs. “We recognize that an airport can be a stressful environment,” says Reg Krake, director of customer care, Vancouver Airport Authority. “By introducing the YVR Ambassador Dogs through our LASI initiative, we hope that our four-legged friends will help to ease any anxiety associated with travel. We are already seeing that LASI is enhancing the airport experience for passengers, visitors and even employees.”
YVR’s therapy dog program is in partnership with St. John Ambulance. Molly, Bailey, Mira, Norman, Grover, Kermode and Soda are only onsite in the terminal Mondays through Fridays, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The YVR Ambassador Dogs are accompanied by a dog handler and YVR Green Coat Volunteer, ready to answer any questions. The dogs are easily identifiable with their YVR branded leashes and St. John Ambulance bandanas.
Vancouver International Airport (YVR) has introduced a new trial program featuring miniature therapy ponies to its existing “Less Airport Stress Initiative” (LASI). The program aims to provide emotional support and comfort to travelers, especially those experiencing anxiety. The two ponies, Magic and Tinkerbell, are provided by Green Acres Therapy Horses and will be present at the airport during scheduled visits.
YVR is the first airport in Canada to feature therapy ponies in its terminals. The ponies, known for their calming presence, are part of a unique approach to passenger well-being, particularly to support families, children, and guests with accessibility needs.
Preflight jitters are common for some travelers so Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, (PHX) is offering a scratch behind the ear and a rub on the belly to calm those nerves with a Navigator Buddy. Passengers and visitors to Sky Harbor will have the opportunity to pet and interact with a therapy dog while waiting to board a plane or after landing in Phoenix. Navigator Buddies are dogs in a registered pet therapy program who will volunteer their time – along with their owners – to provide some tail-wagging comfort to airport travelers. Navigator Buddies interact with passengers both before and after security. In addition to providing comfort, they are part of the Navigator volunteer program so their handlers are also ready to answer questions and provide directions to travelers.
To be accepted in the Navigator Buddies program, dogs must be in good standing with a qualified pet therapy organization. They must be vaccinated and have current health records; must be outgoing with a good temperament; and must have experience in a busy environment. Navigator Buddies are expected to be well-behaved and friendly, and not approach other traveling dogs or working animals, such as police K9 unit. The program launched in September 2017 and is filling up classes for more volunteers and their pets.
Calgary International Airport (YYC) has expanded its menagerie of therapy animals for nervous flyers, recently welcoming a pair of cats from the city’s Pet Access League Society (PALS).
The two felines, who now join the 50 dogs from the PALS program, visit the airport once a week for approximately 90 minutes, providing companionship to passengers waiting to board their flights. The Calgary-based non-profit program began its partnership with YYC in April 2016. Similar programs have recently launched at smaller airports in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Have you had experience with an airport anywhere in the world where pets are part of the welcoming and departure committee? If so, drop us an email Alison@travelwithachallenge.com with your encounter and we may well do a follow-up on this developing story that clearly adds a new dimension to 21st century travel.
Become a Vagabond in Ireland
Since 2002 Vagabond Adventure Tours of Ireland, https://vagabondtoursofireland.com/, has been creating opportunities for visitors to embrace Ireland by walking, biking, horseback riding and kayaking its lands and waters, imbibing history and culture along the way. Having tasted considerable success, the company decided to launch Driftwood Journeys in 2010 with a slightly more relaxed but equally stimulating itinerary goal, and Vagabond has again hit gold while sacrificing none of its charmingly-Irish whimsical approach (see the website and you will understand).
So how does a traveler become a vagabond in Ireland? There are two ways: join a Vagabond Adventure Tour or a Driftwood Journeys of Discovery Tour, both of which are popular with the older traveler, albeit with slightly different percentages participating. Amy Rankin, Co-Director of Vagabond Tours of Ireland breaks down the numbers: the adventure tours comprise 40% Baby Boomers, 40% Generation X, and 20% Millennials, the latter being nearly all part of multi-generational groups. The company’s Driftwood Journeys do have a stronger representation of older guests with 60% Baby Boomers, 30% Generation X, and 10% Millennials. Both options attract multi-generational family groups on many scheduled departures.
With five geographically-distinctive tours from six to 11 days each, Driftwood Journeys offers a fully guided, relaxing small group experience surrounded by Ireland’s majestic countryside, visiting hidden beaches and learning about high kings, giants and poets. Maximum group size is 15 with more emphasis on the scenery, culture and history and not including as many outdoor pursuits.
Vagabond Adventure Tours currently offers four tours from seven to 12 days each crafted to a guest fitness level somewhat more demanding than the Driftwood Journeys with some off-road 4×4 experiences included. “We pride ourselves in offering a perfect blend of Irish history, culture, outdoor activities (hiking, horse riding, cycling and kayaking), great Irish scenery, friendly locals, music and pub life,” says Amy. Maximum group size is 13 participants.
Examples of what guests may enjoy are an overnight at Abbey Glen Castle Hotel. Another evening finds hosts Neil and Katy providing a true Irish welcome and dinner prepared by Katy who cooks food on a large Aga for her guests at the Gougane Barra hotel. They are the fifth generation to steward this property that looks out on an island where once stood a 6th century monastery.
Landscapes like the Cliffs of Moher that lunge first into the sea and then become shrouded in mist over glacial valleys, mountain-fringed bogs and meadows beckon guests into their walking shoes and onto bicycles. Sheep dogs working their flocks on an Irish hill farm reveal centuries of breeding – and bonding with their owners — that have sustained farming families and contributed to the woolen industry. Always on call to chat their visitors up are shopkeepers, potters, an Irish polar explorer and whiskey distillers at the oldest pot still distillery in the world. Guests will also watch the famous Irish crystal being made.
Vagabond is the only Irish tour company named in Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2023.
NEW MUSIC TOUR: Hit the high notes on this tour operator’s brand new Irish music itinerary, 8 Day Jigs & Reels Ireland Music Tour.
Images courtesy of Vagabond Small Group Tours of Ireland.
Food for ThoughtAustralia has the most national parks in the world, being home to more than 500 in total. These parks range from tropical rainforests in Queensland to arid deserts in the Northern Territory.
A Unique Design Museum Opens in Scotland
Created under the parental stewardship of the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, Victoria & Albert Dundee, www.vam.ac.uk/dundee, is a monumental museum of art, design and performance that opened its doors on September 15, 2018. Located on the waterfront of Dundee, Scotland, its commanding presence is reminiscent of the equally revolutionary Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. No doubt this new global design landmark will be the talk of the museum world well into the future.
Kengo Kuma, architect of V&A Dundee, says: “The big idea for V&A Dundee was bringing together nature and architecture, to create a new living room for the city, a centre of gravity. I’m truly in love with the Scottish landscape and nature. I was inspired by the cliffs of north-eastern Scotland – it’s as if the earth and water had a long conversation and finally created this stunning shape.” Mr. Kuma is also designing the stadium for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
Photo above: Travel disguise costume from Star Wars: Attack of the Clones the work of Scottish costume designer Trisha Biggar. ©Michael McGurk
As Scotland’s first design museum and the first V&A museum outside London, V&A Dundee tells a global story, investigating the international importance of design alongside presenting Scotland’s outstanding design achievements which are many in every walk of life. Its construction and fit-out took three and a half years to complete. Once part of the city’s docklands, it stands at the centre of the £1 billion transformation of the Dundee waterfront.
At the heart of the museum, the Scottish Design Galleries feature 300 exhibits drawn from the V&A’s rich collections of Scottish design, as well as from museums and private collections across Scotland and the world. At the center of these galleries stands the magnificent Charles Rennie Mackintosh Oak Room meticulously restored, conserved and reconstructed.
With free admission, V&A Dundee is open seven days a week most months from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Two Luxury Train Journeys Explore India in Style
The term “luxury” should not be overlooked when considering these trips: be warned that the price of each one is commensurate with the word. However, they are clearly a once-in-a-lifetime, blow-the-budget opportunity to travel like a Maharajah or Maharani to experience some of India’s most amazing destinations.
Golden Eagle Luxury Trains www.goldeneagleluxurytrains.com offers two rail adventures aboard the gleaming Deccan Odyssey train: one through the north and one through the south. The Madras Mail itinerary offers clients the opportunity to join Golden Eagle’s president and founder Tim Littler on a President’s Tour in celebration of the company’s 30th anniversary. It covers the very best of southern India, from Mumbai to Hyderabad. Then the Darjeeling Mail tour travels coast to coast across northern India, taking in the hill plantations of Darjeeling, the bazaars of Delhi, the sites of Agra (think Taj Mahal) and the spiritual pilgrimage mecca of Varanasi.
During the Madras Mail tour, discover a land of contrasts on this two-week rail odyssey across southern India, from vibrant cities to peaceful backwaters, and immaculate beaches to rolling tea estate foothills. Revealing a slower, peaceful and more exotic side of India, this itinerary showcases India’s innumerable ancient monuments and spectacular World Heritage Sites.
After a stay at the five-star Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in Mumbai, join the Deccan Odyssey as it weaves its way southwards to Kanyakumari in the state of Kerala, mainland India’s southernmost point. Highlights along the way include: the beaches and temples of Goa; a trip on the Nilgiri Mountain Railway, India’s only rack and pinion railway; and a Kathakali Dance performance in Cochin before looping north towards the main cities of Tamil Nadu. In Chennai (Madras) swap the Deccan Odyssey for a few nights at a beachfront luxury resort, before continuing the journey by air to Hyderabad for some final sightseeing to complete the adventure. It departs December 5, 2019 with 7 nights aboard the Deccan Odyssey and 7 nights hotel accommodation (2 in Mumbai, 3 in Chennai and 2 in Hyderabad) plus all meals and beverages included.
Joining the Darjeeling Mail tour, allows 14 nights to unravel the color, character and diversity of India while traveling from Mumbai to Kolkata on this fascinating new trip. It begins with two nights at the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel to kick off the tour. Then guests climb aboard the Deccan Odyssey, their hotel-on-wheels for the next week. The first stop is Udaipur in the western state of Rajasthan to discover the city’s tapestry of lakes and palaces, before exploring the finest sites of Jaipur and Delhi. There is plenty of time devoted to the magnificent Agra Fort and Taj Mahal, ahead of the train’s arrival in Varanasi. Situated on the banks of the River Ganges, this cultural center is one of India’s most spiritual places, where Hindu pilgrims bathe in the sacred waters and perform funeral rites. Golden Eagle guests will have the privilege to witness these time-honored ceremonies before taking a private river cruise.
Leaving the Deccan Odyssey, the tour continues on another spectacular rail passage to the hill station of Darjeeling, this time aboard the narrow-gauge Darjeeling Himalayan Railway’s ‘Toy Train’. With three nights here, learn about the colonial history of the town, visit a local tea plantation to sample the freshest cup of tea, and take an early morning trip up Tiger Hill to watch the sunrise over the snow-capped Himalayas. A flight to Kolkata (Calcutta) signals the final days spent absorbing the sights and sounds of India’s former capital. It departs on December 14, 2019, with 7 nights aboard the Deccan Odyssey and 7 nights hotel accommodation (2 in Mumbai, 3 in Darjeeling and 2 in Kolkata) plus all meals and beverages included.
Prices for these tours are per person based on two people sharing. They include a fully guided off-train excursion program, porter service, airport transfers, the services of a tour manager and all gratuities.
Images courtesy of Golden Eagle Luxury Trains.
