Comments on: How This 70-Year-Old Couple Bucked Convention to Travel the World

By: John Higgins

John Higgins — Sun, 29 May 2016 19:43:43 +0000

Lin Matt’s lead to his interview with Don & Allison you wrote ” No one cared that Don was 70″. Well, why should anyone care. Don is simply another human being. We are all in this great continuum of life. Old people are not creatures from outer space. They are simply humans, people who began their lives before people who began their lives. Your remark, Matt, suggests a but of ageism – just as offensive as writing, “no one cared that they were black”

By: Vivian

Vivian — Mon, 28 Dec 2015 02:15:21 +0000

What an inspiration you two are! I have always dreamed of travelling the world…. But somehow we always seem to end up in Mexico, Palm Springs and Maui! It’s so convenient and easy! Your destinations sound so culturally exciting and interesting! We too, own a house in Vancouver now and let me tell you the prices are still skyrocketing as I am sure you are aware! What finally convinced you to put up that FOR SALE sign. We have children and 4 grandkids here and find it hard to be away from them for more than a month! Maybe we need to rethink that??? Loved this article and have forwarded to several of our friend who are in the same position as ourselves. Happy travelling!

By: Darren Bush

Darren Bush — Wed, 23 Dec 2015 10:40:45 +0000

This is an inspiring story of an old couple who sold their home just to keep their dreams alive. It needs courage to take such a brave step. I am happy for them as they are enjoying their life and doing best with it.

By: Lance Sterling

Lance Sterling — Sat, 19 Dec 2015 20:44:53 +0000

A truly inspiring story. My wife and I are in our late 70,s and still enjoy regular travel but we do like our 3 star hotels. There will come crunch time when selling the house will be seen as ‘unfortunate’ as this couple in the story will have to throw themselves on the mercy of the government in the later season of their life for aged care.

By: Moshe

Moshe — Sat, 17 Oct 2015 17:02:03 +0000

Thanks for this post…it was an inspiration…I am 63 and leaving in February for a solo so far backpacking adventure. First to Chaing Mi then to Bali, India and Sri Lanka and from there maybe down to Madagascar and Mozambique…I will be putting to the test that I can travel these places on the cheap…my monthly retirement income insures a steady source…have every intention of taking advantage of hostiles, I have found some good deals on Airbnb…when I was 20 I backpacked Germany, Belgium, France and the UK…it was amazing and I ran into a lot of amazing people and I look forward to more of the same…Life is and adventure if you want it to be…it has to be lived via experience not osmosis…I think Frodo I can do one more great adventure…love to live…live in love…life is an adventure…namaste

By: Catalina

Catalina — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 07:29:02 +0000

What a fantastic story and couple. Sometimes I let the little question creep in “am I too old to be backpacking around the world at my age?” and the answer always is a NO! I am about to turn 40 on the road and I am sooo happy to be realizing this dream of traveling long term; which I wanted to do for the past 10 years but kept putting off. The question creeps in because I am only 2.5 months into it and I am enjoying and learning so much that I almost feel guilty. ha ha!
Don and Alison are a true inspiration because they also chose to LIVE life! My best wishes for them and I truly hope I get to meet them on the road someday…

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 13:20:24 +0000

CouchSurfing is the way to go!! I am 69 and have travelled all over the world and the only way I can afford it is CouchSurfing or hostels! Either way you meet the most incredible people. I open my home to couchsurfers so it is a win- win situation! Also volunteering is amazing and again, a win-win experience. Was doing that in GUATEMALA in February and off to Haiti this September..using my free Arroplan points of course!!

By: Eva

Eva — Mon, 20 Apr 2015 18:37:26 +0000

I am so inspired by this story!
Thank you Matt for sharing, and thank you Don and Alison for dispelling my fears of traveling in my “old” age. My daughter and I are leaving for Nicaragua in a couple of weeks and she persuaded me to get a “real” backpack, with no wheels, so I’ve been stressing over how I will be able to handle that, plus a myriad of other things that I never gave a second thought to when I traveled in my 20’s.
My adventurous spirit has been renewed 🙂

By: Duncan Ridgley

Duncan Ridgley — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 06:34:20 +0000

I so agree with this. I wanted to travel in my 20’s. I had a mortgage, kids on the way etc and… it was a week here and week there. We got to 40 and my wife said ” We do it now or will will never go”. We took our three young kids out of school in 2004 and have never looked back. The thing about traveling when your a bit older is, your more tuned into the world, less shy and are able to integrate as you say with a bunch of collage backpackers but also all the different kinds of people you meet on the way. If you think your too old to travel, you may actually be at the best age to travel.
And if your like 80, hey, you can take some risks you never could when you where twenty and had your whole life ahead of you 😉

By: Robyn d

Robyn d — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 19:35:53 +0000

So inspiring! I am 50 now and finally got on the road fulltime, still working, over a year ago, after a couple of false starts in the previous decade. As much as young nomads inspire me, I also love to follow older nomads, with their continuing or renewed zest for life. You keep my hope alive!