When you were much younger, vigorous and good looking, you probably had no trouble meeting new people while roaming alone. If you were really lucky, you were overwhelmed by eager characters wanting to meet you. On the other hand, if you’re now 55 plus, and although you’re still quite a handsome character, you must admit your good looks have matured a bit. Meeting people while traveling may have become a more complicated task. But don’t be discouraged, take a positive attitude and jump in with both feet to what could be an enjoyable experience.

Especially in these tough times, we're sorry to see honest, hard-working people lose business. Over the years, we’ve had experiences with good, so-so and bad local agencies. Nevertheless we’ve been gradually weaned away from them. With the emergence of the internet, we found we could do the job at least as well by clicking travel sites and online agencies on our computer.

Think ahead and be prepared. You know old man winter, hurricanes, tornados and busy holidays too often cause delays. And just everyday screw-ups in the air and on the ground also leave you stranded. You could be stuck in airports, bus stations and highway traffic jams for hours or days. Here are some suggestions that could make that wasted time pass a bit more quickly:

1. At age 83, while not disabled, I have difficulty walking, especially coping with the hectic rush and crush of swarming humanity in airports, train and bus stations. I recommend that all disabled and aging passengers get notes from their doctors on official stationery, giving details of the patients’ conditions.