I used to think getting older meant slowing down. Turns out, it just means packing smarter.
Recently, my friend and I spent an entire afternoon walking the cobblestones of Casco Viejo in Panama City, Panama— up and down uneven stone streets, in and out of shade while stopping every so often to admire a balcony dripping with bougainvillea. By the time we sat down for dinner, my feet were done and my knees had opinions. I remember thinking: Traveling is one of the best parts of my life. I won’t let my body talk me out of it.
That afternoon didn’t happen by accident. It happened because somewhere along the way — probably around the time I turned 70 and moved to a new country by myself — I stopped treating “staying active while traveling” as an afterthought and started making five things part of my packing list. They moved from nice-to-have and became non-negotiables.
I write a lot here about starting over, about beach life, about what it means to build something new in your seventies. But none of that works if your body can’t keep up with the life you’re trying to build. So today, I want to share the five things I never travel without — the practical stuff that makes it possible for me to keep saying yes to adventures at age 71.
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1. Shoes that actually support uneven ground
I learned this the hard way, wearing the wrong sandals down a hill in El Valle and struggling on cobblestones and jungle trails — Panama does not believe in flat, predictable surfaces. Now I travel with real arch support, every time, no exceptions. It’s not the cutest item in my suitcase, but these shoes help me to actually enjoy the walk instead of counting the steps back to the hotel.
2. Something for legs on travel days
Long flights and long bus rides used to leave my legs swollen and achy by the time I arrived anywhere. A pair of compression socks changed that completely — they live in my carry-on now, non-negotiable for anything over two hours. It sounds like a small thing, but It’s a game changer when you land somewhere new and want to explore immediately instead of needing to put your feet up to recover.
3. Sun protection – reapply that sunscreen plus…
Living near the equator will teach you fast that one application of sunscreen doesn’t cut it. I learned while living in Florida before moving to Panama that SPF 50+ is essential for face, body and lips. I start by applying lotion and reapply with spray. That has worked for beaches and hikes.
I was an elementary physical education teacher in my former life, outside for six hours a day, and usually wore UPF 50 Tops with long sleeves plus a hat. My skin has thanked me. For maximum sun protection, I highly recommend these tops. Protection in the sun also helps energy levels. There’s something about not fighting the sun all day that leaves more of you left for the other parts of the trip.
4. Start each day strong and ready to go
I’m not doing full workouts in hotel rooms, but I start each day with a short routine – at home and on the road. It consists of: thirty toe raises, twenty wall push-ups, thirty squats and stretches. It’s done in no time and is the difference between starting the day stiff and being ready to go!
5. Something to stay hydrated in the heat
Panama’s heat is no joke, and plain water doesn’t always cut it when you’re out all day. I started carrying electrolyte packets after one too many afternoons feeling foggy and flat for no obvious reason. It turned out the obvious reason was dehydration I hadn’t noticed creeping up on me. Now it’s just part of how I drink water here — a packet in, and I feel like myself again within the hour. Also works great after a session of pickleball.
This is not about looking young, although it helps!
I want to be clear about something: this isn’t a story about fighting age or holding onto some idea of who I used to be. It’s the opposite. It’s about staying capable enough to keep living the life I actually want now — the one with cobblestone streets, boat trips to Coiba Island and hiking to waterfalls with new friends I met after 70. The above mentioned gear is just the quiet infrastructure underneath all of it.
Never too old to begin again — but it does help to bring good shoes and socks!
If posts like this are useful to you, I’d love to have you along for more — I write about travel, building a new life in Panama, and staying healthy to keep traveling later in life here and on Substack.
