Travel

Meet the travellers over 60 inspiring the world on Instagram

Jun 05, 2017

Travelling means different things to different people. For some, it’s an annual getaway with the family, for others it’s a year-long jaunt across the globe. Whatever travels is for you, there are a whole host of travel bloggers and Instagrammers who are inspiring retirees to get out and explore the world. Here are just some who are worth liking, following and getting some travel inspiration from on Instagram.

1. @travelpast50

A Taiwan “hamburger.” Guabao, it’s called. Braised pork belly, pickled cabbage, ground peanut, cilantro, on a steamed bun. Incredible #streetfood for about $1.50 USD.

A post shared by Tom Bartel & Kristin Henning (@travelpast50) on Sep 1, 2016 at 6:14am PDT

Tom Bartel and Kristin Henning left their home and their jobs in 2010 to travel the world full-time. “We concentrate on destinations and experiences many in our age group desire: historic sites, national parks, cities and cultural destinations, food and drink, active travel, and personal connections,” the pair says.

2. @ToTravelToo

Travelling Baby Boomers with @ospreypacks #totraveltoo

A post shared by totraveltoo (@totraveltoo) on Jan 27, 2017 at 2:06pm PST

A life of long hours and hard work led husband and wife team Duncan and Jane to seriously consider the option of an early retirement. “We began to ask ourselves if we really could keep this pace up for another decade,” the pair say on their blog. “We worried whether, at the end of that time, we’d still be healthy enough to follow our travel dreams.” Once their kids left home, they downsized and began their travel adventure. They’ve visited 21 countries and travelled more than 18,000km in the process.

3. @LifePartII

It was amazing to be able to see and interact with the Fishing Cormorants on Lake Erhai near Dali, China. • • • • • #travel #china #birds #artofvisuals #athomeintheworld #awesome_earthpix #awesome_photographers #awesomeearth #awesomeglobe #TLPicks #bestplacestogo #discoverglobe #earthfocus #earthpix #exploretocreate #fantastic_earth #ItsAmazingOutThere #livetravelchannel #nakedplanet #natgeotravel #ourplanetdaily #passionpassport #stayandwander #travelawesome #travelingourplanet #wildernessculture #wonderful_places #bbctravel

A post shared by Jonathan Look (@lifepartii) on Aug 19, 2016 at 4:25pm PDT

Jonathan Look decided to sell all his possessions and retired early with hopes of travelling the world. Now that he’s done that, he wants to inspire others to do the same, especially baby boomers. “I started this blog to demonstrate to my fellow baby boomers that the world is not some scary place to avoid, but it is still open and available to those who are motivated and curious enough to go out and see it for themselves,” Jonathan says.

4. @Donnahull

Now this is a romantic breakfast. Remembering a special getaway at Birkenhead House, Hermanus South Africa. #babyboomertravel #romanticgetaway #birkenheadhouse

A post shared by Donna Hull (@donnalhull) on Feb 11, 2017 at 7:17pm PST

Donna and her husband Alan decided to travel after they watched Alan’s parents move into a retirement village together when they each left the workforce. It wasn’t long after that the pair started to get itchy feet to travel the world. “Take me on a trip” Donna’s mother-in-law would say. In 2000 Donna and Alan married, went on their honeymoon in Hawaii and haven’t looked back from a life of travel since. “Boomers bring energy to their travels. We’re willing to try new activities and embrace new experiences with an open mind. Boomers have a zest for life, both at home and on the road,” Donna says.

5. @GypsyNester

Refreshed after siesta—so civilized—we head next door to the #Palace Hotel, another of Don Ernesto’s favorite haunts, and toast to #Hemingway with a refreshing #cava! Taking on Madrid before walking through the #Basque Country of #Spain with @vbtvacations ! Follow along LIVE –> http://www.gypsynester.com/basque.htm #travel #traveling #traveltips #vacation #spain #europe #ig_europe #mytravelgram #instapassport #travelgram #instagood #igtravel #ig_spain #visitspain #walking #madrid #visitmadrid #visitamadrid #wine

A post shared by The GypsyNesters (@gypsynester) on Sep 5, 2016 at 8:54am PDT

Once Veronica and David’s kids moved out, they were left with an empty nest. But rather than feeling down about the children having moved on, they felt excited about what the future could bring. Unfortunately a lot of the information they found about being an empty nester was negative and they decided to change that. “Just about everything we could find was lamenting how terrible it is that the kids aren’t around anymore. A lot of self-help, and self-pity. We don’t personally respond well to self-help, we prefer a kick in the butt,” Veronica and David say.

6. @TravelinLass

If you ever get to Cuenca (my beloved adopted home here in Ecuador), you simply MUST head to the Rotary mercado (tucked near the 9 de Octubre mercado) to experience a most amazing (and oh so fragrantly refreshing) “shamanic cleansing ritual”. Fair warning: it will set you back a whoppin’ $3 and… there’s a bit of alcohol spitting involved! 😉 #cuenca #ecuador #expat #travel Read the full story: http://www.travelnlass.com/2016/03/16/good-times-good-friends/

A post shared by Dyanne Kruger (@travelnlass) on Feb 28, 2017 at 5:38am PST

Dayanne Kruger has spent the last 30 years visiting more than 40 countries. Now in her 60s, Dayanne recently backpacked solo through South Africa and Mozambique for two months, relising her dream of going on safari in Kruger National Park. “My surname is Kruger, and the park is named after my great-great-bazillion-great uncle,” Dayanne says.

7. @Holeinthedonut

At the famous #Sydney Opera House. Such a beautiful city, but also very expensive. #Australia

A post shared by Hole in the Donut Travels (@holeinthedonut) on Feb 21, 2017 at 4:34pm PST

Barbara Weibel was a corporate high-flyer until she decided to throw it all in to become a travel writer and photographer in 2007. She continues to write about her trips around the world and has recently been to Austria, Mexico and Switzerland.