Traveling the World With Your Best Friend at Any Age
“It’s By no means Too Late” is a sequence that tells the tales of people that resolve to pursue their goals on their very own phrases.
When Eleanor Hamby and Dr. Sandra Hazelip met greater than twenty years in the past, it was greatest mates at first sight. They by no means imagined that, at some point, their friendship could be featured on information exhibits, get joked about on “Saturday Evening Dwell” and cease individuals of their tracks in a Tokyo prepare station to exclaim, “Oh my God, you’re the TikTok touring grannies!”
Ms. Hamby, 81, and Dr. Hazelip, 82, have impressed individuals all around the globe with their undertaking “Across the World in 80 Days: At 81 and Nonetheless on the Run,” named in homage to Jules Verne’s Nineteenth-century journey novel. Their travels earlier this 12 months took them from the icy shores of Antarctica to the rocky majesty of the Grand Canyon, and racked up greater than 1,000,000 likes from 1000’s of followers alongside the best way. “We completely, completely weren’t anticipating this,” Ms. Hamby stated.
The ladies first crossed paths of their late 50s at a Christian medical mission in Zambia the place Ms. Hamby, a documentary photographer, was the director and Dr. Hazelip, a current widow, had come as a visiting doctor. 5 years later, Ms. Hamby’s husband additionally died, unexpectedly. Dr. Hazelip was seeking to transfer her medical follow to Abilene, Texas, the place Ms. Hamby lived, however didn’t wish to absolutely relocate. So, Dr. Hazelip made her buddy a suggestion. “She stated, ‘Should you’ll give me a mattress two nights per week, I’ll take you out to eat,’” Ms. Hamby recalled.
It was throughout these weekly visits that they found a shared love of journey. “At some point, I stated: Ellie, I’ve at all times needed to journey the trans-Siberian prepare. Do you suppose that’s one thing we may go on as a visit collectively?” Dr. Hazelip recalled. That was their first massive journey, in 2008, and journeys to Southeast Asia and the Center East adopted in 2010 and 2011.
On their first few journeys, the pair used a weblog to maintain their family and friends up to date. For the 80-day tour, a buddy helped them arrange accounts on Instagram and TikTok, and shortly 1000’s of followers world wide had been alongside for the journey.
“Folks stored saying how a lot we had been an inspiration — an inspiration for friendship, an inspiration to get out and do issues,” Ms. Hamby stated. The entire expertise “has positively been a life changer.” They usually’re not stopping.
The buddies can’t journey on a regular basis — they each nonetheless work, Dr. Hazelip at a hospice middle and Ms. Hamby for the medical mission — however their subsequent journey, round South America, is already within the works for 2024, Dr. Hazelip stated. “And our theme shall be: ‘We Are 82, and Journey We Can Do.’” (The next interview has been edited and condensed.)
How did you propose your 80-day journey world wide?
ELEANOR HAMBY: Nicely, we began with the guide: “Across the World in 80 Days,” by Jules Verne.
DR. SANDRA HAZELIP: We needed to go to as many cities because the protagonist, Phileas Fogg, supposedly went to on his journey. We additionally knew that we positively needed to go to all seven continents; he didn’t try this. After which we needed to see as many wonders or pure wonders of the world as we may.
HAMBY: In the long run, we wound up going to 18 international locations, and eight wonders. Sandy made a Phrase doc for each single day of the journey. We at all times begin with lodging, determining the place in a metropolis we wish to keep, as a result of location is No. 1. We actually simply want a spot that’s clear, as a result of we don’t spend a complete lot of time within the resort. After which we search for one of the best value. We love to seek out these gem little resorts, like the place we stayed in Cairo: $13.50 an individual an evening. It wasn’t a typical place most vacationers would keep — we needed to get to it within the alley — however we had a million-dollar view on the rooftop. We take satisfaction within the funds.
HAZELIP: Folks will say, “I want I may afford a visit.” I say, “Nicely, you purchased a brand new automobile final 12 months. I went world wide in 80 days.”
HAMBY: If there’s a giant, thrilling factor we all know we wish to do, like snorkeling within the Nice Barrier Reef, we’ll ask the resort to advocate an organization and guide that upfront, too. The remaining, we go away it as much as the locals to inform us.
How do you adapt when a wrench is thrown into your plans on the final minute?
HAMBY: Sandy and I principally have a constructive outlook on an issue. It’s not like, “Oh woe is me, what are we going to do,” crying. No, we see the issue, and we all know there’s an answer on the market. We’ve simply acquired to maintain a transparent thoughts and a smile on our face, and the answer will come.
Was journey at all times a giant a part of your lives?
HAMBY: I grew up on a farm in Oklahoma, in a really rural space, and I actually didn’t journey in any respect. However I used to be consistently studying about individuals like Amelia Earhart or books by authors like Pearl S. Buck. I simply had an actual curiosity in any lady who was exploring. My husband and I married once I was 18, and after we completed school we made an actual funds journey to Mexico Metropolis. That was the start, as a result of we found out we didn’t must be rich to journey, and we may get pleasure from it.
HAZELIP: My husband and I, our travels had been principally to household reunions in Kentucky or to go to grandparents. Our first actual journey, after our youngsters had been grown, was a Caribbean cruise. That was a lot enjoyable, however it was additionally far more my husband’s type of trip.
HAMBY: Sandy and I are usually not cruise individuals. We prefer to journey to fulfill the locals, not different vacationers.
HAZELIP: Shortly earlier than my husband acquired sick, he planted a seed in my coronary heart to start out taking our grandsons on mission journeys within the summertime. And so, after he died, once I discovered about Zambia Medical Mission, I made a decision to go on that journey and take a grandson. That’s how Ellie and I grew to become acquainted. And the journey has simply exploded since.
What’s your favourite factor about touring collectively?
HAMBY: Sandy hugs everybody — not just a bit informal hug, hug — and she or he’s at all times smiling. I actually like that about her. I’ve by no means been a hugger; my household can inform you that. It’s not my psyche. However Sandy has taught me to be extra open with individuals. It’s been actually stunning to see how individuals all around the world wanted Sandy’s hug.
HAZELIP: Ellie has taught me that it’s essential to be on the proper place at sunup and sunset so you will get the precise mild for that good image. And he or she’s simply so enjoyable.
HAMBY: We had been simply lucky that we crossed paths and got here into one another’s lives after we did. Whenever you lose a partner, it’s very troublesome, and it’s fantastic to have a buddy that has had the identical expertise and understands find out how to be a buddy to somebody when that occurs. A powerful friendship is admittedly essential to the grieving course of.
How do you reply to your households after they fear about your embarking on these massive journeys or say, ‘Grandma, are you positive you wish to be traipsing round Lapland or Bali by yourself?’
HAZELIP: I can run circles round you, child. On synthetic knees.
HAMBY: We inform everybody: “We didn’t go on a trip. We went on an journey.” And we by no means missed a day; we had been both on an journey, or we had been flying. That’s why not too many individuals will journey with us. My youngsters prefer to loosen up on the seashore. They wish to keep at dearer resorts.
HAZELIP: That’s not an journey for us.
What recommendation would you give to individuals who have been dreaming of an journey like yours?
HAZELIP: Stand up out of your straightforward chair. Step out of your consolation zone. Make some plans and dwell.
HAMBY: Age is simply a quantity. Should you suppose you wish to strive one thing, don’t be afraid to step out. Do it. Since you’re going to remorse when you don’t, and you’ll by no means remorse when you do.
What have your travels taught you?
HAMBY: Belief in individuals, as a result of they’re principally good. Simply attain out and smile. Severely, a smile will carry friendship. It can open doorways. It can knock down that barrier or make that particular person extra possible to assist when you will have an issue. I assure you’re going to have a a lot happier journey and also you’re going to fulfill a complete lot extra individuals when you’re smiling.
