81-year-old best friends traveled the world in 80 days—here’s their advice for staying young at heart – VegOut

When Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip — two lifelong friends from Texas — set out on January 11, 2023, to circle the globe in just 80 days, they expected postcards and bragging rights, not viral celebrity.

Yet their Instagram handle, @aroundtheworldat80, exploded as the 81‑year‑olds selfie‑stamped seven continents, nine world wonders, and 18 countries in less than three months.

Their itinerary read like a Jules Verne fever dream: penguin‑watching in Antarctica, camel treks under the Egyptian sun, helicopter flyovers of Mount Everest, and salsa lessons in Buenos Aires.

Traditional outlets from CBS News to ABC7 scrambled to chronicle the “traveling grannies,” while TikTok stitched their laughter into motivational montages.

What lit up comment sections wasn’t just the stamp count; it was the duo’s refusal to let age dictate adventure.

In a news cycle obsessed with Gen‑Z influencers, two silver‑haired grandmothers rock climbing in Bali felt downright paradigm‑shifting—proof that the passport doesn’t retire when you do.

Reading about Ellie and Sandy made me rethink my own “someday” myth

While researching their story, I devoured every interview, blog post, and photo journal Ellie and Sandy shared.

Ellie, a documentary photographer, beamed against a clutter of camera lenses. Sandy, a semi‑retired physician, sipped chamomile tea but radiated espresso energy.

As they explain, they promised their 80‑year‑old selves they’d do this. Then COVID made them wait a year. So at 81, they just walked faster.”

Their zesty humility jolted me awake.

As a 34‑year‑old writer, I’d been quietly hoarding a “someday” list: hike Patagonia, become conversational in Japanese, sleep under Icelandic auroras.

Watching two octogenarians tick off my bucket‑list items before lunch forced a harsh audit:

Was I postponing vitality under the illusion of unlimited tomorrows?

Ellie and Sandy weren’t super‑athletes or trust‑fund nomads. They were purposeful planners who booked budget Airbnbs, packed carry‑on only, and scheduled travel vaccines between grandkids’ soccer games. Comfort zones, they insisted, shrink or stretch according to practice—age is merely the mileage badge.

Science agrees: purposeful adventure is longevity medicine

Their anecdotal vigor mirrors a hefty stack of research on healthy aging.

Early evidence suggests that getting yourself into new places — travel, day trips, even varied daily routes — may help keep the aging brain sharper.

Studies link more leisure travel with better memory scores and lower depression/loneliness in older adults, and moving through diverse environments engages brain circuits (including the hippocampus) tied to mood and memory.

Meanwhile, plant‑forward diets — Ellie and Sandy’s default after years of medical mission trips — are consistently associated with lower inflammatory markers and improved energy in adults over 65.

Add movement (hauling bags through 11 airports) and community (two‑person buddy system), and you hit the trifecta every gerontologist preaches: purpose, mobility, connection.

In other words, the very factors that kept the grannies globe‑trotting are the same pillars that extend health‑span—science just caught up to their intuition.

Five road‑tested habits for staying young at heart

Before we dive in, remember: Ellie and Sandy insist adventure longevity is a muscle, not a miracle.

The tips below are distilled from their interviews and travel blog—adaptable whether you’re 18 or 88.

• Plan, don’t postpone. They penciled “Around the World” into their calendars two years out and reverse‑engineered savings goals, vaccinations, and walking prep. Treat big dreams like doctor appointments—schedule first, justify later.

• Travel light to move fast. Each carried a 26‑pound backpack: three quick‑dry outfits, one travel‑size medical kit, and a foldable walking stick. Less baggage equals more agility—on cobblestones and in life choices.

• Prioritize plants for stamina. Their default meal? Local veggies, lentils, and fruit. Heavy meat dishes were “souvenir bites,” not staples, keeping digestion easy for 12‑hour sightseeing days.

• Build a joy‑accountability buddy‑ship. Friendship was their secret fuel. When Sandy’s knees complained in the Himalayas, Ellie cracked jokes; when Ellie’s camera jammed in Zanzibar, Sandy found a repair shop before sunrise. Shared goals beat solo excuses.

• Celebrate every micro‑milestone. They snapped victory selfies at airport gates, bus stops, even laundromats, turning mundane logistics into dopamine hits that carried them through jet lag. Small wins compound big resilience.

The wider impact: redefining aging, tourism, and activism

Ellie and Sandy’s romp is more than a feel‑good headline — it’s a sociocultural nudge.

Tourism boards now pitch “silver explorer” packages, airlines highlight senior‑friendly routes, and TikTok’s #GrannyGoals hashtag fuels intergenerational travel envy.

Longevity scientists cite the pair in keynote slides to illustrate neuroplasticity in action. And for the plant‑based movement, their story amplifies a potent message: nutrient‑dense, lower‑impact diets don’t just spare the planet—they bankroll decades of mobility to enjoy it.

Eco‑crusaders often frame lifestyle change as sacrifice — the grannies frame it as ticket to Everest flyovers and Galápagos selfies. That rebrand could be the missing spark for persuading fence‑sitters who equate sustainability with deprivation.

Closing reflection: write your own 80‑day chapter

As I wrapped up my notes, I returned to one of Ellie’s photos: the two of them leaping—not posing—beneath the Taj Mahal sunrise, arms thrown sky‑high.

The caption read, “Next stop, wherever.”

I printed it and taped it above my desk, daily proof that horizons widen when excuses contract. Their journey underscores a deceptively simple equation: curiosity + companionship + plant‑powered vitality = ageless adventure.

Whether you’re plotting a weekend bike tour or a seven‑continent blitz, the math holds.

So, dust off that dream itinerary, phone a friend, pack light, eat green, and capture the sunrise — before another 80 days slip quietly off the calendar.