Updated: 12/05/19 | December 5th, 2019
I love highlighting reader stories. I want people to realize that they aren’t weird or crazy and that lots of people from all different walks of life spend time traveling the world. One of the most common questions I get from people older than me is “Do you ever see people my age do this?” Too many people think the kind of travel I encourage is only for young people.
But I’ve seen a lot of older couples on the road, and today’s reader story is from Jeff, who at 50, along with his wife, sold everything and went on a trip around the world.
Nomadic Matt: Welcome Jeff! Tell everyone about yourself.
Jeff: I’m currently 53 years young, living in Houston, TX, and married to my lovely wife, Tamara. I was raised as a Navy brat, so I got used to traveling very young. Our two biggest moves took us to Hawaii for three years, and Athens, for two years.
After settling in Alexandria, VA, I went to Virginia Tech before heading off to the world of corporate America for 27 years. My wife and I travel frequently (no kids) and enjoy seeing mostly different places each time.
Our first “big” trip together was in early 2000. We found $300 round-trip tickets to Paris — and got them! A week later, we were engaged at the top of the Eiffel Tower.
What inspired your big trip?
For my 50th birthday, my wife planned a surprise trip for us to Easter Island and Torres del Paine in Patagonia. That trip was in October, and it triggered our RTW trip.
Once back home in our normal lives in November, I came home from a run one evening and said, “Let’s do it.”
We had NO plans for such a trip, but we knew we had the means. After some contemplative itinerary planning with a huge world map on our kitchen table, we made the call to the airline’s “special” RTW office to cash in our frequent flier miles.
It was mid-November, we’d just purchased two RTW plane tickets, and we were leaving in January. In two months. That was when the serious trip planning began!
Where did you go on your trip?
We went around South America, Europe, China, Southeast Asia, and Egypt.
Did you feel that being 50 was a hindrance in any way?
No way! Age was never a concern. We might have used the age-old phrase “do it while we’re young” in talking about it (to encourage ourselves!), but it was not a hurdle in our planning or going or the experience. We’re both very active to begin with and during our almost-year of traveling, we had little more than one or two minor “stomach issues” for a few days.
Did your friends and family think you were crazy?
They didn’t seriously think we were “crazy,” but when we first told them they were shocked. I had been in my corporate job for 16 years and am clearly the more conservative of the two of us. Imagine saying (or hearing), “we’re quitting our jobs, putting all our ‘stuff’ in storage, renting out our house, giving our two cats away (for the trip), and cashing in all our frequent flier miles for two round-the-world plane tickets!”
It’s a mouthful to just say, but almost everyone ended up shifting from thinking “crazy” to excited, thrilled, jealous, encouraging, and anxious to follow us along the way online.
How did you save money for your trip?
We both had good-paying jobs for years, we’re both rather averse to debt (none beyond our mortgage, which was paid by our renters), and we’ve always made sure to save as much as we could. We’ve always traveled, but never consciously planned long-term for a big RTW trip.
I think it was perhaps because I turned 50 that we sort of backed into making the decision to go round the world (kind of a “lets do it” revelation) after a spectacular two-week trip to South America.
What was your travel style? Were you staying in hostels, guesthouses, hotels?
All of the above, and more. With a lot of saved up frequent flier miles and consolidated credit card miles for the same airline, our six primary RTW flights were business class.
Some were really sweet, while some ended up being little more than coach. But it was all good. That was the fanciest part of the whole trip, and we sometimes did look forward to the airport lounges.
We lived out of our backpacks the entire time. Sometimes I’m sure we looked out of place in the front of the plane with our hiking boots and t-shirts, but it was fun being up there at the time.
A lot of older couples and people feel that round-the-world trips and backpacking are for young people. What would you say to them?
I understand and have heard that, but age is just a number. There are ALL ranges of ages traveling all over and around the world. We’ve seen several people older than us hiking up and down the mountains of New Zealand, there were all ages climbing up Mt. Sinai to see that sunrise, and there were all types carrying just backpacks through airports and bus and train stations.
It’s a cliché, but you’re not getting any younger, so just go for it. You don’t have to plan to go all the way around the world in one trip either. Start your adventure small and let it grow from there. My wife got a t-shirt somewhere on the road that says, “If you don’t go, you won’t have a story.”
Did you have any fears about your trip?
We didn’t plan much in advance to go round the world, even though we had verbalized it from time to time, so there wasn’t too much time for fear. Besides, for years now we’ve tried to abide by a “No Fear” rule, which we reminded ourselves of as we were booking the tickets.
My wife is better at this than me, but we’re pretty good overall. We just needed to get plans in place for all the logistics of the way we were taking our trip: furniture storage, house renting, what to do with two cats, stopping and redirecting mail, how to file taxes, and other generally mindless stuff that you don’t think about.
Oh, and quitting our jobs! The not-so-mindless stuff like “what will you put in a backpack to live with for the next year?” was actually a bit easy. We had to get some shots, and visas too (and some medicines just in case), but in those two months of real planning, the excitement and countdown far outweighed any fear.
What was the biggest thing you learned from your trip?
Take your time. Go slower. Become more immersed in the new and different. We saw parts of 65+ cities in 22 countries in just nine months. There are no regrets about what we experienced, but we moved too much. We did get a little tired near the end, and came home earlier than we planned in our original itinerary.
Our coming home early was an intended surprise to some at the time, and we were happy to be back when we got here, but it was not long after we got back that we wished we had stayed on the road!
Another lesson is that there’s a huge traveler network all over that is generally very willing to share their dos and don’ts and their experiences.
What did you do when you got back? Was it a big adjustment?
Not living out of a backpack or catching a plane/train/bus in the next week was an adjustment. After about four months home, my wife returned to her consulting work, but I have not returned to corporate work (by our choice). I did get a part-time job for about six months last year, but we’re fortunate enough to be able to live off one salary.
My not working gives us the highly desirable flexibility to do things more easily for long weekends, or a week here and there as we wish. One of those things high on our list is traveling again, sometime in 2014. We’ve got our bucket list of places we’ve not yet seen, so now we just need to pack up again, and go!
What advice would you give to people looking to do something similar?
The three pieces of advice I would give would be:
- Don’t worry about language — Even if someone doesn’t speak your language, in the end it’s not terribly difficult to get by with just pointing.
- Don’t be afraid of staying in hostels — Most have the option of private rooms, the prices are almost always cheaper — and the employees are generally very friendly and knowledgeable travelers.
- Don’t be afraid of change — If you have to, or just want to, doing something you hadn’t originally planned could very well end up being a highlight of your travels.
Jeff and his wife show that long-term travel is not just for the young but also for the young at heart. The tips and advice on this website are ageless. It doesn’t matter how old you are, once you get to Paris, we all face the same costs. And I like how Jeff and his wife stayed in hostels too. I love seeing older travelers in hostels — they have such wonderful travel tales, and I like seeing people push back against the belief that hostels are just for the young.
So if you are thinking to yourself “I’d love to travel the world but I’m too old for that budget/backpacker thing,” let this story convince you otherwise and inspire you to travel.
Become the Next Success Story
One of my favorite parts about this job is hearing people’s travel stories. They inspire me, but more importantly, they also inspire you. I travel a certain way, but there are many ways to fund your trips and travel the world. I hope these stories show you that there is more than one way to travel and that it is within your grasp to reach your travel goals. Here are more examples of people who found work overseas to fund their trips:
- How Oneika Found Teaching Jobs abroad
- How Arielle Got a Job on Yacht
- How Emily Taught English to Fund Her RTW Adventure
- How Michael Saved $14k in 6 Months Making $9 Per Hour
- How Jessica and Her Boyfriend Worked Their Way Around the World
We all come from different places, but we all have one thing in common: we all want to travel more.
Make today the day you take one step closer to traveling — whether it is buying a guidebook, booking a hostel, creating an itinerary, or going all the way and buying a plane ticket.
Remember, tomorrow may never come so don’t wait.
How to Travel the World on $50 a Day
My New York Times best-selling paperback guide to world travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off the beaten path, save money, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Click here to learn more and start reading it today!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight
Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner or Momondo. They are my two favorite search engines because they search websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation
You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as they consistently return the cheapest rates for guesthouses and cheap hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance
Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. I’ve been using World Nomads for ten years. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
- World Nomads (for everyone below 70)
- Insure My Trip (for those over 70)
- Medjet (for additional repatriation coverage)
Ready to Book Your Trip?
Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
Michelle
I love this! Good for you two! 🙂
Chris
This story sounds familiar… we’re not 50, but 27 going on 50! Well done Jeff and Tamara!
Brian
Extended travel as a pre-retired, post college-age, adult does have special challenges. It’s not impossible (we’re certainly doing it) but older folks generally have more commitments and responsibilities that need addressing. In no particular order, here are just a few of the things a 40 or 50 year old individual might need to consider that a 20 something typically does not:
1) Leaving or taking an absence from a career years or decades in the making
2) The needs of your children
3) The needs of aging parents
4) Financial obligations: mortgage, tuition, etc
5) Health insurance
6) The wishes of a spouse
Lots of stuff needs to come together to make extended travel viable for people who are in their peak-earnings and child-rearing years. Some of that can be planned for, some of it not so much.
On the plus side, older folks typically have more financial resources than do 20 somethings, which can certainly make travel more enjoyable (no need to work for your hostel bed).
Our advice, from a couple who’s been there, is to keep your life simple and your needs few. That keeps your options open for any number of things; including full-time travel in your 40s, 50s and beyond.
Heather Sunseri
As I was reading Brian’s comment and list of concerns for those of us in 40’s and 50’s, knowing my husband and I plan to travel ATW at some point, I was thinking to myself, “Check, check, check…” I can check off almost everything on that list. However, I also think that list just tells me I’ll need to do some additional planning that a 20-something didn’t have to do. I can do that. And I like Brian’s suggestion to keep your life simple. That is something my husband and I are striving for as we near the decision to plan a big trip.
This was a great post! Love that couple. Thanks for sharing it, Matt!
Lorrie
We didn’t sell everything because we hadn’t accumulated much but we took leaves of absence for a year for the year we turned 50 to travel. We live in the remote north so living expenses for housing allowed us to rent/mortgage free for 15 years, our son was independent and on his own and our parents are “young” world travellers in their 70’s so we didn’t have much in the way of those responsibilities. We had people house sit and take care of the cats. We’re both professionals and have decent salaries so can afford to live off one salary and bank the rest.
We also didn’t do the backpacking thing though. We did in 2000 when we did South America, New Zealand, and Australia. This time we started in Europe, went to southern Africa and Madagascar for about 5 months, then India for a month, then Morocco for a month and back to Europe for the spring. We found the key to continuous travel is to plan breaks of just sitting for a couple of weeks and doing the domestic thing…at the end of two weeks we were itching to get going again.
The hardest thing? going back to work! Incentive to retire for good and travel more often.
Oliver
I’m 53. Don’t have a mortgage, no children, no aging parents. No husband. I planned my life this way to be able to travel when and where I wanted. Now I just have to get up enough guts to do it alone!! Meanwhile, I’m having fun daydreaming and gathering all the info, tips and tricks I can before I make my leap.
susan greene
I am 60. single. and free to do what I want to do. I lived in Scotland 6 yrs. and went to London a lot. love to travel but health is not that good, so thinking I could maybe find someone to partner up with. both in usa and abroad. what would be a safe way to meet others to find travel partners. thanks for this great site. ty, susan
Sheena
It’s good to know there are other single females 50+ doing it. I’m planning my trip for September 2014 and will travel alone – that’s the most daunting part but so much to see that I just have to do it.
remie
Hey,were you able to travel in 2014?…i planned to have a short visit to beijing 4 days last week of July 2014…cant stay that long coz im still working..and planning also a trip malaysia..cambodia..vietnam by end nov this year..im 53 and fit as ever to travel..
Glenn Dixon
We were both 50-ish when we got out of debt, sold everything (no storage), saved up some money, quit our jobs and hit the road. We’re doing it slow. Spent the first year seeing the major US national parks, then the 2nd year in Mexico. We’ve now made it down to Costa Rica on our way to Patagonia. Love reading about others who have done the same!
Kirk
That is great ! Some of the comments viewed were concerning money etc. Many of us are not prepared to do this from a fiscal standpoint. I am 47 years old and left my corporate position and I teach at a college overseas ( about 12 hours per week ). This affords me 90 days paid holiday to travel the world per year, almost full time pay for a few hours a day. As close to semi-retirement as I can get and I get to feed my travel bug. I typically visit about 5 countries per year and have lived ( at length teaching ) in China, Vietnam, and the middle east. In addition to my travels, I get to live in and get to understand the culture of these countries unlike the typical holiday outing. Never say never and never let your age or income stop you.
Del
Congrats! My husband and I are 43 and 44 and are leaving in 41 days to start our RTW trip..Everyone has been positively supportive and envious..We both potentially have corporate jobs to come back to (we will see) but I am looking forward to being on the road!
Jonny Blair
I LOVE it Matt – great couple and great article. I like the way they stay in hostels – theyve broken the mould a bit and to be honest if I’m doing what they’re doing when I’m a bit older, I’ll be fairly happy and satisfied with my life!!
Laila Atallah
This is soooo inspiring!!! Thank you @Jeff, @Tamara, and @Nomadic Matt! All the specifics you give are especially helpful and empowering. I love hearing how it was your big, beautiful 2-week trip, that swung the doors wide open for your RTW trip. I like the “go slower” advice, too. My husband & I have a lot of miles, but I’m almost considering doing separate trips & buying tickets (the way Nomadic Matt says he did, in his book “How to Travel the World on $50 USD Per Day”).
Jackie
Agree with James. I’m sure it helps with finances and with
logistics that they have no kids.
Isabella Rose
That is a very inspiring story! So many people want to do something, dream of it, wish for it…and then sit back down on the sofa and watch a little more TV.
It is great that they got up and went for it!
Jan
I want to encourage older women who are a bit anxious about travelling alone to give it a go … try a few short trips and always stay in hostel dorms where you can enjoy the company of young people. Much better than being alone in the luxury of a hotel room. You can also join up with group day trips once you’re in a place – but pretty soon you’ll really enjoy the luxury of doing your own thing in your own time. I find that I meet many more people and experience a lot of kindness when I’m travelling alone. When I’m with my husband we’re much more self contained and maybe seem unapproachable. If you’re married to a man who loves his job and doesn’t want to retire you’ve got it made. Go alone and live like a queen on housekeeping money!
colin
Thanks for including that story Matt.. I had suggested on your questionare that you add older travelers. Seems you did it just for me. lol.
We had no air miles, no rental property and little money. Sold most of our 4th hand furniture and went RTW. If you really want to go,you’ll find a way. No whingers..
June 1st or 2nd next year at age 65+ we are starting 4/5 months NZ, Oz,Indonesia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand
Heidi Wagoner
Oh so much of this rings true. We are in our mid 40’s, quit our jobs and sold it all last summer and live in Spain. Currently we are splurging and seeing a bit more of Europe with the kids for summer break, but other than that in Spain. Life is good and if you stay out of debt and save, you can do it too.
Tamara Fisher
Heidi, are you still living in Spain? Spain is my favorite place that I’ve been to so far and often think about moving there.
Jeanie
At 58 in 2003 I did the last of my down sizing, left some in storage ( to be turfed out at a later date) & flew to China where I had a year contract to teach English. Eight and a half years later I returned home to Australia to deal with some family issues. During that time I did some travel in China, moved cities to work a few times, traveled to the Philippines for 20 days, Vietnam for 10 days plus a few trips back home. All by myself. I have no cash cow, but I did it. Maybe the secret is self confidence. Jeanie
David Read
My wife and I are leaving for Europe in September and hope to stay for 10 months until next summer, starting with three months in Italy. we have found that you can rent furnished Studios and Apartments for around $1,000 to $1,200 a month, and as the price includes Utilities and Internet we believe it is actually just as cheap, if not cheaper than staying at home. We sold our home just outside Houston and are officially “homeless” at the moment, we are spending this summer visiting our Daughter and the grandchildren in Virginia. I will be 76 next Tuesday, my wife is 67. We are not well off by any means and plan to spend no more than we would spend living in America. Fortunately we are both in excellent shape; we had planned the trip when we retired and were due to leave the weekend after 9/11; my wife refused to get on a plane at that time so this is our long “lost” dream trip.
David Read
Actually, we plan to stay in Europe until next Summer, must move around because of the 90 day “rule”, and then return to our Daughters place in Virginia for three months, basically until the grandkids go back to school; then Mexico in particular but also other parts of South America are on our agenda. I have dual nationality, British/American but my wife, who is from Belgium, had to give up her nationality when we became Americans over 25 years ago.
Jay Danson
Great article Matt. Since I was 16, I’ve been traveling though out most of the world. I did this partly by getting a job where I worked 9 months a year, so I always had three to travel. Now I’ve retired from this job and plan to travel 6 months per year. This is possible if you keep your living expenses low, put your stuff in storage so your pension, if it’s enough, will pay for your travel expenses. You should also keep to the less expensive parts of the world. These areas are often the most interesting anyways. Also, keep accommodation expenses low. A clean, safe room is all you need. Eat where the locals eat, it’s cheaper and better. For those thinking of doing it, just do it, you won’t regret it. I leave for a trip around the world in October.
Jan
Feb 2015 we leave for Australia & N.Z. & Tasmania, I will be nearly 71, young at heart and my hubby newly retired. We plan to buy a second hand Motorhome and go right through the country and all the way around Aust. We are not rich but have been saving for this trip.
We will take 7 months then sell the Motorhome and return to Canada. Go travellors GO.
Dave
To all you out there either single or coupled who are considering such adventures do it
I’m a 50 year old Brit guy who completed a solo RTW in March 2013 started in OCT 12 taking in SE Asia Australia and South America landed myself a job on my return and now considering my next options
No hassles with hostels you can book private rooms in many if dorms are not you bag also plenty of reasonable apartments etc available should you choose
A tip for anyone wanting to stop smoking head for Australia ciggies are a cool 18 bucks i stopped after one week and have not smoked since:)
Our memories are our life, go create some
Linda James
Wow. The couple’s success story sound a good adventure to me. 50 years old seem the right age for traveling and spending a lot of time in sightseeing and experiencing many adventures. I hope that I could be able to do this traveling adventure someday. What a lovely story of the nice couple.
Yves
Congrats — totally agree and headed that way this winter.
Kristin Addis
I agree with the suggestion of moving slowly. I have only seen a handful of countries over the past ten months but I’ve explored each one more in depth and come to understand the culture just a little more than I could otherwise have in just a few days or hours.
Kim
Great interview. My husband and I are traveling the world (we are in our early-30’s) and I hear people say to us all the time, “I wish we could do that but we’re too old.” Or some variation of the phrase. But out here on the road I meet people of all ages who are traveling. It can be done at any phase of life.
Hans and Di
I am 56 years old, my wife is 10 years younger, we are from Sydney, Australia and are 7 months into a one year RTW trip. Oh, I am writing this from a hostel in Montreal.
We are both very comfortable staying in hostels although we go for private rooms and we certainly take advantage of communal facilities. We have used a combination of transport including rented cars and buses.
I’d say using “old age” as an “excuse” for not traveling is bollocks. Not staying in hostels for the same reason is also bollocks.
For any person, to mingle with people both older and younger, of different nationalities and backgrounds etc can only broaden your views and understanding of the world. Either you want to go, so you find a way of doing it, or you are a “homebody” so you don’t, which obviously is also perfectly fine.
Everyone to their own, but I would definitely say to “older” people, give it a go, you may just enjoy it. For us, traveling is awesome.
Fon
Wow, that’s an inspiring story! For many people at the age of 50, traveling might be the last thing on their mind. Majority of people in this age bracket think of retirement. However, this couple has proven one thing; long term traveling is not just for young people but for anyone that has the passion to explore the world.
Thanks for sharing this post, it was an inspiring story!
Michele
We are in this age bracket and have 4 months till we leave… are selling everything (except our house) and heading from Perth in Australia to Kuala Lumpur then overland to London.. so looking forward to getting out there and seeing what the world offers us. We are aiming for 2 years but hoping for longer….
Rashad Pharaon
Love it, great interview!
Jeff and Tamara share their way of taking a RTW trip. There is also another way–yours. So for anyone who feels this is one affluent couple’s dream, I don’t think there are enough pages in this blog for 7 billion individual entries.
One shoe doesn’t fit all.
Just remember, where there’s a will, there’s a way, and this particular one worked for them.
Thank you for sharing this story.
Craig Sampson
I’m 53 and have just got back from treking up to Annapurna base camp in Nepal with my 21 year old son & 24 year old best friends daughter…age has nothing to do with it, we had an amazing time. Met lots of wonderful independent travellers of all ages (one guy was 75 and runs marathons in his spare time, when not travelling the world).
Nepal is a cool place to travel very cheaply – Good hostels will cost £5 a night and will throw in a delicious big breakfast (banana porrige, toast, eggs, fruit juice & tea/coffee). Best tip: don’t bother taking anything with you, just take a big empty bag and fill it up there – clothes, treking gear etc super cheap.
Love Jeff & his wife’s spirit 😉
Richard Lindroos
My wife and I are in our late 50’s and did Sell our House, and all our stuff, ( except some Artwork/ memories more valuable to us than others, in our relatives closets) and we plan to travel for as long as we can. We have the one year French Visa for Europe ( a challenge in itself) and plan to stay at least a month if not two in the major cities of the world, followed by a couple months in rural areas that are cheaper. The apt and owners rentals are much less if you stay longer and negotiate a rate, plus the big expense for us is the travel cost of train and car and bus fares. The pace is slower and you get more of a Local’s experience as you are not surrounded by travelers. Our goal after South America and Asia is to find a place where we can stay for 6 months at a time. Yes, we have some pensions, plus dividend income from home sale and what we have saved for 32 years of marriage, but really want to explore for as long as we can on as little as possible without sacrificing the pleasures and experiences of the local culture. I can see how hard it would be with obligations, kids ( ours just graduated college and spent a month hiking through New Zealand on very little) pets etc. Just starting out, we will see how we feel a year from now. Good luck to all on their journeys.
Sam
I’m seeing more and more older generation people (hey, 50 is still young!) traveling around the World. The “travel bug” is infecting more and more people.
Gosh, I’d love to try sandboarding out! Like that photo!
martin
so glad I found this blog?as a young 50+ couple, my wife and I are just starting to travel and have had a few great trips so far?South America, Samoa, Europe to name a few and are really interested in learning more about RTW tickets and hosteling for the 50+ crowd. We’ve actually been denied hostel lodging because of our age and am wondering if this happens frequently and if anyone else has had that experience?any blogs on the older RTW travelers would be greatly appreciated?love to connect with this who have boldly gone before us..we are excited but have much to learn
Tracy Collins
Me and my husband are in our mid-40’s and are planning our travels – initially to Australia overland from the UK. After spending most of my 20’s travelling (no blogs then to record my adventures) I am looking forward to wandering once again! So far I have travelled to nearly 40 countries and lived in 6 on 3 continents. I get the comments that I am ‘running away again’ and the incredulity that we (a teacher and a nurse) are leaving jobs and a mortgage for a life of uncertainty.
We – on the other hand – can’t wait…..
Shari Posey
I almost thought I was reading a story about me and my husband who are in our 50s and our RTW trip 3 years ago. We rented out our house and plan to travel for a year but came back after 5 months. It was a fabulous 5 months but we also moved around too much were tired. And as soon as we got back, we wished we hadn’t. This year we are taking off for 6 weeks to South America, but next year is another BIG one…we are leaving for good. We learned a lot of lessons in our 5 months that we will apply to the next nomadic adventure.
danny
Really good to see what people are doing at any age. The key is the finances but also being able to do it as many pointed out (kids, aging parents, etc.). I did 3 months in the Balkan area but did not plan it well and hope to learn from it on my next trips.
Jonathan
I am 56 years old, my wife is 10 years younger, we are from Sydney, Australia and are 7 months into a one year RTW trip. Oh, I am writing this from a hostel in Montreal.
We are both very comfortable staying in hostels although we go for private rooms and we certainly take advantage of communal facilities. We have used a combination of transport including rented cars and buses.
I’d say using “old age” as an “excuse” for not traveling is bollocks. Not staying in hostels for the same reason is also bollocks.
For any person, to mingle with people both older and younger, of different nationalities and backgrounds etc can only broaden your views and understanding of the world. Either you want to go, so you find a way of doing it, or you are a “homebody” so you don’t, which obviously is also perfectly fine.
Everyone to their own, but I would definitely say to “older” people, give it a go, you may just enjoy it. For us, traveling is awesome.
Jayne
We got back from a one year backpacking trip Oct 2014, when we left to do the trip I was 46 and my hubby 43 (no kids). During our travels we stayed in budget accommodation (hostels, guesthouses etc) we even overlanded through Eastern and Southern Africa camping for most of it and were by far not the oldest on the truck either there were travellers in their late 50’s and even one couple in their 70’s. We love all the adventurous stuff and we don’t let the fact we are older stop us, it’s all in the mindset. We also had two mortgages to cover while we were away, both houses we rented, one of which is permanently rented because it’s an investment.
We saved for years for that trip and made sacrifices along the way. If you really want to live your dream then you will make it work, you don’t have to be rich to do it, we are not, we just worked and saved hard. Don’t let your age or the fact you have a mortgage stop you, just plan for it and put away that bit extra to cover the shortfall. We have been back almost a year now, back in our original jobs (I had a 1 year sabbatical) and saving for the next big trip, by then I will be in my 50th year and won’t be returning to the same job.
Menno & Janneke
Earlier this year, we just dipped our toes into backpacking travel to Thailand. We loved it. We are now in the process of creating an Airbnb in South Africa. We hope to initially make this available for free (once completed), to digital nomads who are prepared to assist us in getting a small income stream from online business. Whe we do embark on our long term travels, we’ll also rent out our home as well as the Airbnb. If there are any Tech Savvy travellers keen on visiting South Africa, let us know. Maybe we could share resources.
Julie
Ahhh…I feel like the people in these comments are my kind of people. I love adventure and travel. I recently spent 3 months in India and absolutely fell in love with it. I can hardly wait for the next trip. I need to connect with some travel bugs. It is axing how differently people think when they travel the world vs. Living in a really small bubble. Backpack and water bottle ready! Let’s go!
Jesus
We haven’t worked for 3 years and two months, and been living in Spain and traveling every now and then. We quitted our jobs and been living on savings. We felt like we really had to stop. Now we will be back looking for a job in 9 months as money runs out, we are terribly scared of going back to a boring working life, but we don’t regret it. We’re in our early fifties and don’t regret anything.