Are there any backpacking travellers out there who are a bit older than most of the people who contribute to the Thorn Tree? I'm a 54-year old Australian woman who has travelled extensively over the years - backpacked and worked all over Europe and the UK years ago, and over the past 10 years or so have travelled around India, Nepal, Thailand, Bali and a bit of Java - as well as spending a month touring on both the East and West coasts of the USA with my son and daughter. Have also been to New Zealand, Fiji and more .... I'm planning another solo trip later this year to Sumatra if things are OK in Indonesia. At this stage I'd just like to get a feel for how many 'mature-age' people there might be who like the Lonely Planet lifestyle and who might read this?? Please reply if you'd like to share travel experiences etc.
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G'day msmarg,
There are a lot of us doing just what you described. And in a lot of the same countries. I'm a 46 year old Aust. male who spends every spare bit of time walking in jungles and trekking anywhere that is off the beaten track. In fact in 4 weeks a mate and I are off to trek the Khao Sok National Park in Thailand for a week or two.
How have you found the communication ability of the young people of today , when you are overseas. From my experience you can't get them away from the omnipresent TV and video in the corner of every restaurant and bamboo hut!
I always seek out older people if I feel like a drop of conversation.
Keep tavelling. We may bump into each other one day!
Regards
David
Last time I checked , I am 57, and am in the Lonely Planet state of mind. I am a nomad at heart....just returned from the Northwest hiking the trails of Olympic Mts. and now ready to go again! I can't believe all the women our age that are travelling alone......
I'm I 28 year old male from Melbourne and all I can say is
that in 20 or so years time I hope I'm still adventurous and
have the same 'go get em' attitute that you guys have. Happy
travels to all of you!
Hi
I'm 47 and still on the road. My parents were in the US
military and stationed in Korea,Japan, Germany, Italy, Spain
and USA. So noplace is home and I'm spending about 2 months
of the year doing overland trips. I get odd reactions from
some but most young backpackers are great and it's good to
see to next generation on the road. I figured I'd quit when
they throw me out of the backpackers hostel for repeating
myself too often or snoring too loud, or going on and on
about how great things were 25 years ago. Has not happened
yet so happy trails and see you on the road.
Good Luck in all your travels, I Can't wait to be old!!!
I'm 22 and have travelled for 2yrs... unfortunately our
country is under a lot of stress (S.A) which makes it
really difficult to explore the world, but I will be making
an efford on getting back on the road... so enjoy while
you're still young-at-heart and I hope that I one day can
also be travelling at a ripe age
DAN
msmarg,
You're a breath of fresh air as well as a kick in the butt!
I've raised my wonderful kids, developed a career, built a
business and enjoyed it all. But travel, while always in my
heart, has been an infrequent reality. Now that I'm ready
to quit working and pick up play, I've been wondering how
safely an older woman can travel alone. Backpacked with my
sons in Mexico a summer ago and LOVED it. I could use some
encouragement from any older female travelers. Thanks for
the inspiration.
Gents,
I have used your tomes many times in the past, finding them
handy both for travel and for living (abroad that is)
purposes. However, I must say that I was fairly pissed to
see your TV program on that little English chap who was
travelling in Japan. It seemed that alot of attention was
paid to bull fighting and mongoose/cobra fights in Okinawa.
I guess the chap is entitled to his opinion, but it really
paints the entire country with one brush - fairly shoddy,
not to mention unfair stuff. I guess I am lucky enough to
have lived in Japan for a few years and realize that this is
not representative of what goes on in the country as a
whole.Unfortunately, many watching the program are likey
narrow-minded twerps who now think that the Japanese are a
pack of animal abusing arseholes.
i'll be 55 this year & have been traveling extensively on public surface transportation for the past 10 years...primarily through latin america which was the most interesting part of the world that i found in my business days.
....while i don't backpack or sleep on the ground I only carry a shoulder bag & seek out hostels & budget hotels for accommodations.
...it's a giant step down since my retirement from 1st class air & hotel travel in terms of comforts...but i'm hooked on crossing into & through countries via boats, or on buses & trains with windows that open & allow me to soak in the passing country side;
...my days of making a living are over but I'm always on an alert for "jobs" that pay little or nothing but either contribute to a good cause or satisfy my curiousities &/or sense of adventure...i've had many of them;
...can't say i've loved every minute of my travels..there's many a spot in my diaries that have a "....what the hell am i doing here?...i'm hot! cold! lonely! even a threatened!..."followed by a ..."i've found a piece of heaven on the next page....like a birdie on 18 it keeps me coming back.
....unfortunately my wife of 30 years doesn't always take to my traveling style....but fortunately that's the only unfortuately i have to offer here. she is willing to fly to most any destination i find along the way that I say will interest her....also fortunatey...when there, she won't even hint at taking a taxi when a bus will do...she tries most all types of foods...she loves people & playing with kids even when her primary mode of communication is a smile...she can make do with a bathroom down the hall if it's clean.
...i love it
What an inspiration! I'm 27 and about to venture to Europe
alone for the first time, and I am truely inspired by all of
you!! Keep on travelling and remember that if we weren't
meant to travel we'd be born with roots!!!
Eu nao sei escrever muito bem em inglΩs mas queria contar
pra todos que estou precisando de inspiraτπo para encarar o
sonho de viajar para a Europa que nao conheτo, tenho 45
anos e ainda nao criei coragem. Li suas mensagens e fico
admirada e atΘ um pouco ansiosa com esta alegria de todos,
viajar Θ sem d·vida uma felicidade.
╔ na minha opiniπo a melhor escola pra o ser humano, nos
torna melhores. Kisses!!!
Hi: I wanna know the Justine Shapiro's Home Page
...please. Thank you very much everybody!!!!!!!
Glad to see that a lady of 54 is backpacking and would like
to hear from her re experiences. My husband and I intend to
retire in 4 years, he will be 64 and I will be 60, our aim
is to see as much of the world as possible while we are
still fit. Backpacking seems to be the way to make our
dollars stretch further and to really experience other
cultures and environments. We intend to plan ahead by
keeping our fitness level up, taking first aid course and
generally planning our direction.
That was very inspiring and heart warming about travel
while you are getting old and older.
I am a 48 year old male and have started travelling just
about two years ago, and absolutely loving it.
I wish I had started on my adventures at least 10 years
earlier. I now know there is so much to see and so little
time. So far I have been to Costa Rica, Mexico, Bali,
Brazil, Germany, India and Thialand. India is my native
country but I never travelled there on an adventure.
I am going to China in September and Nepal in November.
It may seem like I have travelled a lot but still there
are so many, many places to see.
I plan on travelling until I drop dead. There is no other
fun equal.
Keep on travelling,
I can really identify with the comments once bitten your world is never the same. I am now 47 and spent alot of time in my 20's + 30's travelling - mostly India but generally in Asia. And always backpacking. I met my husband in Europe and on our way back to Oz I brought him through India, Indonesia. He would be off tomorrow but ... We look forward to hols and getting back to those exotic and fascinating places, the food, the unpredictability but the way things are now in Oz thinking about it is stressful - In the last years we have been to Kalimantan, visited the orangutangs, almost got swept away from the island we were on in a river during flood, then went off the East Java - the year after we went to Flores and I can tell you from real life experience ... take your malaria tablets .... following year went to Krabi and Ko Lanta and last year to Boracay in the Philippines. It is great way to really live ... only problem the holiday peirod is nowhere near long enough.... I only hope that when we get to retire there will be a way to hit the road and enjoy our blue planet. All I can say is enjoy - enjoy.
My parents, aged 48 and 46, are the ones who gave me the
travel bug. Usually I find it's the other way around. So
far they've done New Zealand, Malaysia, Bali, Thailand
twice, Vietnam and Laos.
Last year I broke the news to them that they were going to
have to forget about grandkids for a bit because in April
next year I am going to quit the job, defer the study, kiss
the partner on the cheek and hit the road. Their reaction
was "Great, we're doing the same thing at the same time -
we can meet up!" I'm really looking forward to meeting up
with them in the UK (believe me, I'll be the one dragging
them out of the pubs) and hopefully traipsing around
Germany with them too.
So they won't have jobs when they get back, and no money,
and really really itchy feet, but they will have done
something they have always wanted to do, but couldn't
because they were struggling to raise myself and my
brother. They're rewarding themselves now. And what they
will also have are some really great stories to tell their
grandkids when I finally get around to producing them!!
Great to hear from other doddering backpackers, I dont feel
nearly as silly now, I'm 47 and did a lot of travel on the
cheap in my 20,s, then got caught up in the suburban famiy
syndrome so I only get away occasionaly now. After a couple
of package holidays with the wife I realize that
backpacking is the only way to go!! Mainstream "travel" is
as dreary as TV. Recently hiked the routebourne track in NZ
and kayaked in Stewart is.[both in the south
island],fabulous stuff!! Hope to do more if I dont die
first!! go go gerries!!!
i haven't done any travelling for almost two years and and now even the thought of going away for a week or two makes me feel sick with anxiety
~~
thank you for reminding me of what i want to do and of course, for restoring my faith in the thorn tree
Wow! So pleased to hear I am not so alone after all. I
have travelled extensively over the years - the most recent
trip being ten months overland through Asia, Middle East
and Africa from Egypt down to Cape Town (got back home to
Oz about four weeks ago). Prior to that I spent three
months travelling through Bali, Java, Sumatra, Malaysia,
Thailand (well, just Bangkok to pick up visas), Laos,
Vietnam, in 1996. I am a 57 year old woman. I met a few
"wrinklie" men backpacking but only one other woman. Now
she and I are planning our next trip together. Should be
fun.
How great to see this (sub) topic come up! I'm 52 and just came back from Korea. The usual Canadian 60's and post-60's travel notches in my (expanding) belt-India, SE Asia, more India, and some more India..
At the beginning, lp guides used to describe what people do. Now it seems people do what lp guides describe.
In India , for example, it seems now that the tracks to the 'best bet' cheap hotel are rather well worn and one stays there, meets delightful people, and then ventures out into 'India' for the day the way one dips into the lake in Canada in May when it's still cold-quick . Then back to the hotel, company,...'civilization'...
If that's the scene as you find it..try Korea...no English to speak of, and whether you want it or not, fairly total immersion into truly different experiences and a true feeling of 'foreign' travel.
Please feel free to ' e' me for more..
There is no age for travelling, because it keep our heart young. But I'm wondering if I will be able to travel as much as I did until now because now my wife and I are planning to have a few children and everything that goes with it. I'm 30 now since the last week-end and I see the time is passing very fast. I just hope that I will be able to travel with my family and specially travel in the low budget because it is the best way for me to see the world.
I need some help. My brother is going blind and he is not
on the net or a computer and he wanted me to print him out
some info about the hosts on his favorite program The
Lonely Planet. Could you tell me what site I could get this
information. I would gratefully appreciate this, thanks,
Marie Lehmkuhl
Austria,Germany,Italy
I had forgotten that long before I was born, my Mum
backpacked and hitchhiked around Europe on the back of
trucks, not long after World War II. Had I not forgotten,
I wouldn't have been so surprised when she agreed to visit
me on part of my big trip around south america. At age 66,
she travelled alone to Ecuador, then travelled with me the
length and breadth of the country, from the highlands to
the coast on the train down the Devils Nose, on rickety
buses, dugout canoes in the Amazon Basin, visiting Inca
ruins and enjoying the markets and especially (as a devout
catholic) the ornately decorated churches. She also got to
know my future (Ecuadorian) bride and Ecuadorian friends I
had made.
5 years later, aged 71, she returned again to Ecuador, and
managed to see some more of the country, parts she had
missed before, and some old favourites.
If you are up to it, go for it!
Great post, msmarg!
You go Msmarge!!! You are an inspiration to women and the
silver haired set everywhere...I have quit my job for at
least a couple of years, and plan to move to Mexico and
travel the world from there...One thing I've learned as a
social worker for the geriatric set....don't jack around!
Life IS too short, no matter how cliche it sounds...
I'll be 40--thirty days from today, and can you believe
it, was feeling "too old" for such nonsense as traveling?!
Your post has spurred me on, girlfriend, and everyone who
has said "I wish I had started earlier" is singing my song!
Music to my ears...and have made me know for sure, this is
the right thing to do...I'm leaving all my friends behind
with the white picket fence dream (it's killing them to get
there), and glad to hear I am in such good company! From
where I stand, the white picket fence looks like jail!
I will be looking for you and those just like you in my
travels....Good luck, hope to meet you on the trail, and
stay with it until I am long past your age...."Old age is
not for sissies!!!" But it is for those that want real
adventure and triumph in their life...good for you! Nydia
two years ago I sold my house and left my 22 yr old son and
have been travelling the world.Im 49 and feel about
25..sometimes younger!!!love this life and the challenges
and rewards it presents..
whatever age you are travellers have one thing in common
Love Lindy
hola como estas te habla victor (rochet ) de mexico
HASTA LUEGO
I LOVE EVERY SHOW YOU HAVE DONE! My boyfriend and I want to
travel with you one day, (how about a sailing trip?) Every
day, monday to friday, we tune in hoping that that day's
show will have been traveled by you. How did you get your
job, because A)I want your job and B) I want your job! We
were also wondering if during (I believe it was your
Pakistan trip), if you said 'got lit', or 'got a lift',
we've been debating, and we're still wondering. Come to
Canada and look us up, we'd love to meet you. signed, your
ever loving die-hard fans, Amanda Mahood and Mike Stewart.
I am 24, my boyfriend of two and half years is 41.
Last christmas he went to New Zealand and cycled from the
tip of North Island to the bottom of south Island. The
distance he covered was about 1500 miles and he did it in 5
weeks!!
I think all of the above posts are an inspiration to many.
But I think it is a shame that many of the above posts seem
to think they are old, When in fact they're not. I know
people my age who are actually older than those above.
happy travels
steelbutt
╠`M A BRAZILIAN MALE 52 YO, AND I LOVE TO TRAVEL, AROUND
ALL THE WORLD. I`M PLANING TO VISIT CHINA.
I WOULD LOVE RECEIVE MAIL OF ALL WORLD.
MY REGION IN NORTWEAST OF BRAZIL IS WONDERFULL, WITH SUN
ALMOST ALL YEAR , AND TEMP. OF 28 C.
I met a couple in their sixties on a harsh (economy) nine
hour train trip to the Copper Canyon in Mexico. They were
backpacking all around Mexico and having a fabulous time.
They were really cool
Happy travels!
My only problem is that I'm not as computer literate as those under 25. You and I have been there and done that and are continuing to do it. Stuff our critics!!!W e did it in the days before the Internet...we got off our bums and went out there and did it..nothing but an airline ticket in hand....more power to us...we can show these young ones what guts means....venturing into the unknown..with no Internet to help us....I'm off on a new venture...first time away without kids for 16 years.....must admit thaat the Internet is very useful........Eemail me if you feel like it......
Hello travelers!
I see that there are several experienced travelers out
there, and I'm hoping that you can give me as much advice as
possible on obtaining "economical" ways to travel. I
recently became vested with my present employer of 10 yrs.
and I want OUT! I want to travel and enjoy my life, as many
of you are doing. My concern is this...I know that I will
have to work while I travel in order to cover my expenses...
However,I don't feel that would be a problem for me, as I am
a very healthy, energetic and versatile 45 Yr old female of
Cuban descent,and speak Spanish fluently...But, are there
lots of employers out there that welcome travelers and
short-term employees? And what about obtaining jobs
overseas? Aren't there strict employment regulations in
many countries? How about accomodations, meals, and other
necessities? What's the best way to go? Is there a website
or some sort of publication that lists employers who welcome
travelers? Or something that caters to travelers on a
budget? I'm certain that many of you have all sorts of ways
of doing things when it comes down to being able to travel
inexpensively, survive the budget crunch and enjoy living a
certain type of lifestyle during your travels... Would you
mind sharing some of the information, techniques and
experiences with me? So that I too, can improve my quality
of life? I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the previous
postings and hope that we will become better aquainted in
the near future...possibly through our travels!
Looking forward to hearing from you all!