Family Visits: Travel with a Companion

[Tamara 11]

Like everyone else who moves out here we left behind friends and family. After the years went by we realised that elderly parents were avoiding the trip due to their age,the distance, and the prospect of traveling by themselves especially if one partner had passed away and they were alone. It was a real shame that surviving parents might not ever see grandchildren and great grandchildren and get to visit Australia.

 

I thought that I would share my recent experience with perhaps the result being that your family can visit you, together with others who are in a similar position to themselves.

 

My father in law is 77. He's lived alone for many years after my mother in law passed away 14 years ago. Despite us being here in Adelaide almost 10 years he had never visited...it was just too daunting a trip!

Friends of our moved to Adelaide almost 4 years ago. They found themselves in a similar situation whereby a surviving parent would love to visit but the trip alone would just be too much to take on.

 

Solution: We both requested possible dates that they could travel and then put them in contact with each other in the UK. They had never met before.The result was that after a couple of get together's they jointly agreed upon dates, we purchased their tickets this side and everything was put in motion to have them visit for a few weeks.

Transport to Manchester airport was arranged, flights to Singapore, a hotel stop over and collection in Adelaide all sorted and after a barrage of calls and questions it was all finalised. The return trip for both of them was likewise arranged on the same date / flight.

Everything worked out perfectly and it was such a success that they will be coming out here again.

 

I am sure that this could work for many people who wouldn't want to do the trip alone.

 

Maybe a Travel Companion section on a migration site like this one with a request for a travel partner for approximate dates, location here, UK location etc and see if they can get together in the UK, find out if they are compatible to travel together and family this side can assist with the arrangements.

 

What do you think?

 

Do you or anyone you know have a similar situation where friends or family would love to visit but wouldn't want to do the trip alone?

 

I am not talking about a dating site! Just a get together of people who would get the support from having someone else to share the trip with. My father in law is already planning his next visit!!

[The Pom Queen 16,619]

A great idea. We had to rush my mum out last week but apart from the travelling the other thing was finding insurance because she is over 70, pre existing conditions and the length of stay.