Two 81-year-old best friends, Sandy Hazelip and Ellie Hamby, have garnered thousands of followers after documenting their journey around the world in 80 days on their blog, “Around the World at 80”. The duo set off on their adventure on 11 January, with their first destination being Antarctica, where they had to cross the notoriously rough Drake Passage. Their travels then took them to Easter Island, Argentina, Finland, the North Pole, Rome, Zanzibar, Zambia, Egypt, India, Nepal, Japan, Bali, and Australia, covering 18 countries on all seven continents. Hazelip and Hamby have also been documenting their travels on Instagram and TikTok, where they have amassed over 52,000 followers.
According to the two friends, their journey was sparked by a comment from Hazelip five years ago, when she suggested taking a trip around the world in 80 days when they turned 80. The pair’s travel philosophy is to “just go with the flow and enjoy the journey,” even if it doesn’t go according to plan. Hazelip and Hamby met some of the kindest and friendliest people on their adventure, which they described as an adventure rather than a vacation. They often wore matching T-shirts during their travels.
The best part of the trip, which lasted more than three months, Hamby told CNN that it was the people she and her friend met along the way.
“We love all the sights that we saw, but the things that we remember the most are the people that we met,” she said. “We met some of the most wonderful, kindest, friendliest people in the world. We just have friends now all over the world that we love dearly.”
The trip has inspired many of their followers to embark on their own adventures, with some even saying that Hazelip and Hamby have proved that anything is possible, regardless of age. Despite returning to Texas, the duo is already planning their next trip. They also revealed that their smiles were their universal language, allowing them to communicate with people from all over the world.