No Matter Your Age, Travel Has No Limit
Age is just a number, right? You hear it wherever you go. And yes, age IS just a number. But how many of you really believe it?
Here at Workaway we have a combined age of 345 (we definitely just made that up, but you get what we mean) and we have stories of travel flowing through the doors every day. And for us, age really IS just a number, we stay at hostels with travellers 20 years younger than us, head on trips with people 20 years older (and a hell of a lot wiser than us) and come across people with exceptional stories about their disabilities. But who are we to talk?
We let these travellers do the talking for us – these people show us sky’s the limit and how they will always ‘find a way or make a way’ to travel the world.
Keith Wright the world’s ‘oldest backpacker’ at the age of 95
Keith Wright, a pensioner from Queensland started travelling solo at the age of 85. His first trip was a bus journey through Turkey. Since then, he has travelled the world on a strict budget, saving up money throughout the year for flights and hostel accommodation. He says “I have seen things that most tourists haven’t seen, because I walk the back streets and take trains or buses to nearby towns for the day.” Keith sounds like our kind of guy! Staying in hostels on a shoestring budget all at 95 years old! What a dude!
Cory Lee travels the world in a wheelchair
Cory’s life goal is to visit every continent, even Antarctica – all in his wheelchair. Diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy at the age of two, Cory, now 26, has been in a wheelchair ever since. However, he doesn’t let that stop him travelling the world and he has even started his own blog about the highs and lows on travelling with a disability with tons of tips for other wheelchair users. Cory is a constant inspiration to the travel blogging world and is also one of the most talented writers out there!
10-week baby travel the world for 10-months
Because when you have 9 months maternity leave why not travel the world with your newborn? Karen Edwards, 31, and partner Shaun Bayes, from London, did exactly that! Packing just one backpack between them, the family boxed away their belongings, sold their car and put their house in London up for rent! They travelled to Asia, Australia and New Zealand, for 10 months during their time off from work. Karen says ‘Both Shaun and I were keen backpackers before I fell pregnant and everyone thought we were completely nuts when we said that we were going to take Esmé when she arrived.’ Now, have we found the world’s youngest backpacker?
Tony Giles, totally blind and 80% deaf in both ears
Tony has visited all seven of the World’s continents, completed his goal of visiting all fifty states of the USA, crossed the Arctic Circle, visited every country in South America, and all 10 Canadian provinces. He is totally blind and 80% deaf in both ears without his hearing aids and also had a successful kidney transplant in December 2008. He has also written several books about his world adventures and has his own website. The books are travel diaries of the observations and experiences of a blind man as he travels around the world. Now, we really don’t think we have any excuse to not travel!?
Woman visits 7 Wonders of the World after cancer diagnosis
Last year, Megan, 31, fell while rock climbing in Yosemite National Park. Soon after, she got hit by a car while riding a Vespa. And then only a short time after, she was diagnosed with skin cancer. All in the same month. She then realised there was no time like then to complete her bucket list and travel to all the 7 wonders of the world – in just 13 days! “Everyone has that unique opportunity to live any life they want to live,” Megan said. “It’s just about listening to themselves.”
What inspirational stories! While we understand that it is not possible for absolutely everyone in the world to travel, whether it be because of your age, disability, money or other issues, we think that those who REALLY want to can find a way. So keep travelling guys!
About Alicia
Alicia helps run Workaway mission control in Hong Kong, she's also our marketing whiz and helps with design. She has backpacked, travelled and volunteered extensively in many different parts of the w
Share the Workaway idea
15 comments
Join the Workaway community today to unlock unique volunteer experiences and free accommodation with over 50,000 opportunities around the globe.
Join Now