They turned 80 and decided to travel the world: ‘It really has been fun’

They turned 80 and decided to travel the world: 'It really has been fun' Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip, both in their 80s, are proof that adventure has no age limit.

Key points

• Their travels worldwide are documented in a joint memoir, "Here We Go: Lessons for Living Fearlessly from Two Traveling Nanas, " which was published in September 2025.
• Two best friends in their 80s, Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip, have gained viral fame on TikTok for traveling the world.
• Hamby and Hazelip are the 85-year-old best-friend duo behind the popular TikTok account @aroundtheworldat80.
• In January 2023, the women finally embarked on their worldwide exploration, hitting all seven continents, including the seven wonders of the world.
• Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip inspire others to embrace travel, friendship and aging fearlessly.

For context, the duo, known as the "traveling nanas, " have visited all seven continents and over 50 countries together.

Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip have seen the Northern Lights in Finland, sailed down the Amazon River at night, and ridden the Trans-Siberian Railway – and they did it all in their 80s.

Hamby and Hazelip are the 85-year-old best-friend duo behind the popular TikTok account @aroundtheworldat80. It has over 110, 000 followers. Calling themselves the "traveling nanas, " the Texas-based women chronicle their travels worldwide as octogenarians, showing how their age doesn't stop them from exploring the furthest corners of the globe. In fact, their plenty of years of lived experiences and wisdom work in their favor.

"When you're younger, think when you're sixty, I'm just going to stop and not do anything, " remarked Hamby, who is additionally a photographer. "Life is just beginning at 60, 70, 80."

I am 96 and the picture of longevity. These are my tips for living longer and better.

Together, the grandmothers have visited over 50 countries on all seven continents and have no intends to slow down. They're living proof that adventure can come at any age.

In a way, Hamby and Hazelip were fated to become travel buddies. They met on an international trip. It was over 20 years ago, during a medical mission to Zambia that Hamby organized and where Hazelip was one of the doctors.

"If you can go to Zambia and sleep out in a bush in a tent with no running water, no electricity, then you can travel anywhere, " Hamby remarked.

Regarding five years afterwards, the women grew closer. At the time, Hazelip spent two nights a week at Hamby's house since she took a medical director's job at a nearby geriatric clinic. Then, Hamby lost her husband in an accident, and she turned to Hazelip, whose own husband had died years ago from illness. They bonded over grief during late nights drinking coffee and talking. As Hamby put it: "One chapter closed, and another one opened.", or.

It was during one of these chats that Hazelip mentioned she always wanted to ride the Trans-Siberian Railway – the longest in the world that crosses the expanse of Russia. Hamby didn't hesitate to say yes. Living life: Making the most of your afterwards years.

Meanwhile, the two embarked on their adventure in 2008, even having what they believe was an encounter with the KGB when their empty train car was halted, and a mysterious man interrogated them. They took it in stride, stayed calm and discovered they were compatible as travel companions.

"We weren't sitting there wringing our hands and crying. Actually, it was sort of an adventure, " Hazelip remarked. She continued that her career in emergency rooms has assisted her stay calm in stressful situations, and the two additionally benefit from Hamby's experience directing medical missions.

Meanwhile, the friends point out how they're different from each other – with Hamby saying she's created of "spice" but balanced by her friend who is more "sugar." They even set aside solo time on their trips, like if Hamby wants to zip line in New Zealand, Hazelip will relax with a cup of coffee. At the end of the day, seeing the world with their best friend has been priceless.

"It really has been fun to share it together, being the same age and never having a clue that any of this would ever happen, " Hamby remarked. Retirement is not the difficulty: It's the decades that follow. Adventure at any age.

Just before 2020, the duo decided to plan their biggest trip yet to celebrate turning 80: travel worldwide in 80 days, inspired by the Jules Verne novel, "Around the World in Eighty Days." They had everything booked and ready to go, but the COVID-19 pandemic postponed their travels. In January 2023, the women finally embarked on their worldwide exploration, hitting all seven continents, including the seven wonders of the world. They visited Portugal, Japan, Easter Island, Antarctica and more – and they did it all on their own.

"We did everything ourselves, " Hamby remarked. "No travel agents, no one going with us. We carried our own luggage, and we met friends."

For seniors, travel is more than just fun; it can backing active aging and improve their well-being. Research supports that navigating new places and session new residents can contribute to positive emotions and higher self-esteem.

Their independence and the way they embrace the unknown struck a chord online. Even though the women weren't trying to become viral or famous, individuals became interested in their story once they kicked off sharing their travels on TikTok. To the women, their age was never a limiting factor.

"We always say we'd rather fall off the mountaintop than fall out of a bed at a nursing home, provided we have a choice, " Hamby remarked. "Keep moving. Once you stop moving, your body shuts down."

As Hazelip jokes, and they're still on the move – even with four artificial knees and one hip replacement between them. They're at present returning to each continent for an entire month, taking the time to dive into destinations they didn't spend enough time in. In Asia, they'll hone in on Southeast Asia, such as Bhutan and Laos.

"It really is about saying yes, " Hamby remarked. "Adventure has no age limit."

Kathleen Wong is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY. She's the author of "The Conscious Traveller Hawai'I" and is based in Hawaii. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

Taken together, the developments around they turned 80 and decided to travel the world: It really has point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.