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Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip began their journey around the world on January 11, 2023. Their first stop was a place that even most seasoned travelers don’t get to: Antarctica. Although they admitted in an interview with CNN that they feared for their safety and even life during the crossing of Drake Passage, they do not regret a moment. “Once we set foot in Antarctica, we forgot everything,” said Ellie.
The 80-year-olds went on a trip around the world
So far, they have managed to visit 18 countries on all continents. As “travel grannies”, or “traveling grannies”, they conquered social media. They rode camels in Egypt, met elephants in Bali, learned to dance in Nepal and admired the northern lights in Finland. Despite the challenges they faced on their journey, there were no conflicts between them.
“We’re both independent and very stubborn, but we gave each other space,” Hamby explained. She also emphasized that they liked all the monuments, but what they will remember most about this trip is the people. Now they have friends all over the world and encourage others to follow suit. They note: “As you get older, you gain the wisdom to make your own decisions.”
Ellie and Sandy. A story of friendship
The women met in 1999 when Hazelip’s husband died. It was he who infected his wife with a love for travel and made her want to take her grandchildren to volunteer in Zambia. There she met Ellie. They immediately recognized that they had much in common, but it wasn’t until Ellie was widowed in 2005 that they became true friends. Four years before Hazelip’s 80th birthday, they had the idea to go on an 80-day trip around the world. They dedicated the trip to their late husbands.
Source: Gazeta
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