I’m accustomed to being the youngest in a group of my peers.  I started kindergarten a year early (at age four).  I was the last of my high school friends to get a driver’s license and the last of my college classmate friends to celebrate turning 21 by chugging a pitcher of beer at The Pretzel Bell in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

But no more.  In my group of 18 traveling in Cambodia and Vietnam just now, I was the oldest by two years and most of my fellow travelers were ten years younger.  They were very complimentary, several remarking that they hope that they will be as vigorous as I am when they reach my advanced age.

There is no denying that there is a difference in me from just a few years ago. For starters, the 95+degree temperature and accompanying high humidity was a problem for me more than the others, and seeing Cambodians and Vietnamese natives sometimes in jackets and sweatshirts didn’t help.  Yes, everyone breathed a little more easily when we were back in our air-conditioned bus, but I was probably the most relieved.

This 80-something blogger will check out the humidity before choosing her next destination.

Lesson learned.