Well when being kissed or hugged by a good looking Italian man I am 18.

After returning from Italy and feeling jetlag I am 110.

I am at the age to be old enough to remember when one didn't ask a lady her age, lol.

I will be 31 soon in a few months.

I'm 55 in Nairobi today. Friday I'll be 56 in Amsterdam.

Does it matter?

Well, at least some of you took my question seriously. Perhaps the word "average" was a poor choice, but hey, I wouldn't have evoked such answers had I not chosen to use that particular word.

Yes,I do agree with Suec1 as well as gruezi and some others that responded. I honestly think age is an important issue here as different ages have different interests and certainly our abilities change as we grow older. What one person thinks is an easy climb, another might have great difficulty doing. Judging from some of the answers I have read in the past, I figured I was older than the "average" poster here!

For the record, I turned 64 while we were in Rome. A great place to have a birthday (no matter what age). My hubby (who is 65) and I found a little out of the way cafe and had a late lunch/early dinner, listened to a bit of music that was being played, shared a bottle of wine and just watched the world go by. We plan at least one "big" trip a year, to be gone about a month. And then do smaller trips to visit family (in CA) and go other places in the U.S.

BTW trafaelwyr..............memory is the SECOND thing to go!

Thank goodness you came back. It would have been awful to have put all that effort into wit and repartee and had it missed:)

I'm 27, with a one-year old attached to my body. So am either 28, or 14 depending on your math.

It all depends..I wasn't born yesterday, the first day of the rest of my life, biological age and chronological age. And this all assumes that we are using a 365 1/4 day year. Perhaps Fodor age? How many years have you been posting?

"Kellye, what do you have for those who are "sweet 16"? "

Enjoy life as it comes at you and don't be in too much of a hurry to grow up. You have your whole life to be an adult, while childhood is a fleeting and quicksilver illusion.

I wish I had been able to travel internationally at that age--the possibilities that opens up in my mind... Who knows what different paths I might have taken due to that exposure? You are blessed!

I'm trying to bless my children with that gift, one at a time, and have started with my 13yo who shared our first European trip together last summer. We are both bit by that particular bug now and are dreaming and budgeting and planning. :-)

The older the violin, the sweeter the music. (58)

I think Ize has a point with regard to the ages of the people who post questions here.

Some people ask for "nice hikes in the Alps", and after several postings you find out that they consider a 2 mile walk a "hike" while for me it is more in the vicinity of a full day with a bagpack.

Maybe the physical age does not always help, but I doubt that anyone would give the same advice to a couple of 20 somethings which you'd give a 70 something.

Also people ask for ideas for travels with their "teen" children, which can be anything from 13 to 19 to my understanding. And I can hardly think of a qualified answer when they do not give their kids' ages.

I will not even comment on those people who ask for "nice restaurants"... without saying what they consider "nice" ;-)

I think it boils down to the fact that often some additional information would be quite helpful, and that the people who try to answer questions here cannot read the posters' minds with regard to their preferences, abilities, likes & dislikes, needs, etc. etc.

Fair point, but I can recall some queries - and replies - assuming that people in their 60s need to be handheld everywhere, and getting the appropriate response. And, of course, there are all sorts of things like tastes and interests to be considered as well.

It comes down to questioners, as much as respondents, spending a bit of time thinking about what question will produce the most productive response!

Some sage advice from the baseball great, Satchel Paige:

"Age is a question of mind over matter--if you don't mind, it don't matter"!

"Don't ever look back--something might be gaining on you"!

Jinx Hoover

i like this thread. congratulations original poster.
I'm 35.

I do to - interesting and humerous! I'm 44, my husband 45, our kids are not yet teens. It is helpful to know the ages of people providing advice or asking questions, but it's only as important as all the other information to get an idea of the perspective of the poster or answerer - for example, we live in the mountains and are VERY active, so a fair amount of walking for us is probably more than most people would be interested in whether they're 20 or 200. We're interested in art, history and especially food. Not shopping. So do not rely on me for knowing anything about the best stores, anywhere!

Happy 59th birthday Iwan2go!

I turned 63 on 10th Nov...my DH will have to wait quite a few years to catch up!

For some strange reason I feel I need to reply to this posting, whilst ignoring the "average/mean" discussion.
We are just getting over our jet lag after returning from a 6-week sojourn in Italy.I am 71, my husband 75 and our other traveling companions are 66 and 70.
Our visit to Italy was probably a great deal different than that of the 20, 30 and 40 year olds visiting this forum, but we loved it.
We, actually I, drove over 5000 kilometers in cities, the beautiful countryside, Amalfi Coast and several "old" towns like Catania and Monreale, where the streets were narrower than the vehicle I was driving.
Our first B&B was a lovely one in Torino, with 68 steps to the apartment. We managed. What we didn't manage was a schedule that included 10 hour days touring the sights in Rome or Florence, or visiting 3 beautiful Tuscan hill towns in one day. We did what we could enjoy and collapsed into bed in the knowledge that our arthritic joints would allow us another such day on the 'morrow.
I encourage senior citizens of any age to get out there and do what they can. You can only learn from it and learning keeps the mind young, as we all know.

Hear hear, Bellini, good for you!

I know my interests have changed from when I first started traveling to Europe when I was a lot younger.

Fodors seems conservative compared to other travel sites, so maybe lifestyle, not age, is the factor here.

VirginiaC -- we should get together. I'm 69 and my husband is 76. We've been traveling since 1979 -- do a month at a time in Europe once or twice a year, usually renting or leasing a car. We just returned from Switzerland and managed to do an 8-mile walk along with a number of alpine walks (not hikes uphill!)of shorter duration. Amazingly, we could still breathe! About the only changes we've made in our travels is that rather than a string of one-nighters so we can see everything, we now luxuriate with 2 and 3 nighters. LOL Oh, yes, the other change is what we have to pay for lodging (and food and air fare, etc.). In 1982, a room in London at the Hart House was about 14 GBP. Today it's about 110 GBP. Equivalent to $100 per night for a hotel was a real splurge for us in the past. Now, $100 per night is a bargain. We hope to be able to travel for many more years, making adjustments as needed. For now, we don't feel much different than we did in our 40's (except when we look in the mirror), so you youngsters out there -- remember that age is mostly a state of mind.

I am 43, of course!

There are four of us in our traveling group. Average age - 23.5
Median age - 18
Range - 35

Go!

Well, it certainly has been interesting and entertaining. Sheila, yes I came back. Just can't stay away with all this great info. Thanks to solo_traveller6 for the congrats and also thanks to Lexma90. I appreciate the good thoughts, from all who took me seriously. And to Bellini 1, keep going. When I went to China a few years ago, my Mother said go climb that Great Wall while you still can. I'm doing all I can while I still can. And BTW, people in their 60's don't need to be handheld everywhere they go. But the energy level does diminish over time. But doing these things does help keep you young. It is nice to know however the ages of people who write the postings as some cannot do what you younger ones do.

49 year and 11 months.

I'm with Dejais, getting in my last "hey I'm in my forties" before I turn 50.

Is it fabulous forties and fantastic fifties, or vice versa?

Well, as for age-related travel advice, nowadays my capacity for walking-hiking depends on when I get my other knee replaced!

Otherwise, let's see -- I don't need to get snockered out of my mind whenever I go out, I don't need to worry about whether I am "Italian" enough in my attire, because nobody pays any attention to me, anyway. (Although for my own satisfaction I try not to dress like a slob.) I love little children, as only a grandma can. I love it when store clerks want to help me with my bag of groceries, and I tell them that I lift weights at the gym. I laugh when someone wants to help me step off a curb.

Well, I could go on, like an old fogey, but you get the gist.

Charnee

I think Padraig is right, people want to guard their privacy. However, if anyone can guess who I am by my userID, then they are people who know me personally and already know my age. I can't tell you mean and average because I am simply too tired. I'm 30 something and proud of it. It's not the age that's changed my travel habits, it's the kids.

I recently turned 38.

When I'm in Paris I feel like I am about 20.

I need to go to Paris more often.

I think it's not so much age as how good (or not) of physical shape a person is in, as far as travel advice. My style and level of activity on a trip is the same now (50's) as it was in my 20's, 30's, and 40's. I've always been a "slow travel" kind of person. The bigger difference is I have a bit more money these days, then a few decades back.

All that said, when I had a minor knee operation and had to walk with a cane for a brief time... THAT would have changed what I could do on a trip, and I FELT about 100 years old for that period of time.

Ize, I think YOU are the average age here on Fodor's (seriously).

Sue (and OP Ize)

At 78 (79 this Feb), I've walked with a cane (issued by the VA, so thank you for the gift)for the past three years due to a weak, bone on bone left knee...but it hasn't slowed me down much. As long as I have that support I can walk as far, but a bit slower, than in my younger years.

My wife turned 7O last week and after two hip replacements she's sprightlier than ever. We still travel indepedently, loving it...working on numbers of countries visited in the 70's count/

I'm the bloke who offered the Class Motto for all of us to consider:

"TRAVEL, 'TIL YOU UNRAVEL !!!!"

Stu T. (anyone older than me on this forum? If so, Bless you!)

Padraig

"How might people feel if I asked about their annual incomes?"

Actually there have been several threads about income and they were just as interesting as this one. I understand people wanting to guard their privacy w/ all the worries about identity theft out there...but at some point you have to take a gamble once in a while and join in on the fun.

OP...great question and the info given is very insightful as I peruse this board.

I'm 38

Whatever the reason of people may or may not have for not divulging their age, this thread has some pretty original answers :) I specially liked Jim21's answer!!

Birthday is tomorrow! I'll STILL be...45 - I mean 35?

I am near sarge in age: 51 years, 7 months & 10 days old.

You all reminded me of a couple I met a few weeks ago who were in their early seventies and had just returned from a bike trip around Tuscany. They travel independently. This trip was going to be in Switzerland, but the weather was bad there so they just changed their plans on the fly. Their next trip is still being planned but roughly will be to bike from SC to the Keys!

Charnee, your post made me laugh. I haven't gotten over being surprised when people offer me a seat on a crowded tube, but not so surprised that I don't take it!

I am 39 and so is my husband.

I double-dare someone to start a "what is the average annual salary of Fodorites?" thread!
;-)

Suze - that is good!!! - average salary!!! Hmmm,,,

I am 45. I always feel about 25!!

I am 39, I am supposed to have a "big crisis" in June when I'll turn 40. I hope I'll be travelling somewhere to celebrate ;)

I am 58 with a chance of rain.

I'm 39 years old. I hope to see more places before I turn 40 next year.

58 and partly cloudy -

Oh dear. According to at least one post above, I am une femme d'une certaine age as well. But I don't think that takes into account that the definition of "a certain age" shifts after one passes 30...just like dress sizes have changed in the last 20 years, so that what was once a 12 is now an 8. (But please, don't anyone start THAT post.)

I agree it's sometimes helpful to know ages when responding to questions, although peoples' activity levels can vary widely, and you can't really draw any conclusions JUST from a poster's age.

Time to check the oven...Happy Thanksgiving to those of us who are celebrating today, and happy Thursday to everyone else!