We are both 85 years old now, and we have been the best of friends for the past 25 years. We are known as “Traveling Nanas”, and the adventures we've shared have taken us to 53 different countries, and we have no plans to stop any time soon.

Whether exploring caves in Slovenia, taking a boat tour along the Spree River in Germany, or enjoying beautiful waterfalls in Iceland, sharing these experiences together—often while wearing matching T-shirts—is always one of the most exciting things about our friendship.

Although we are in our eighties, we haven't slowed down at all, and in fact, we haven't even spent too much money.

We like to show others that there is no age limit to taking risks.

20 years ago, we met during an international trip in Zambia. Later on, we connected because of our shared experience of grieving the loss of our husbands, became friends, and discovered that we both were full of curiosity about the world and were willing to say "yes" to adventure.

So, after traveling together to several countries, we decided to embark on an ambitious journey in 2023: to circle the world in 80 days at the age of over 80.

In these 80 days, we visited seven continents, 18 countries, and numerous wonders of the world. In Finland, we rode husky sleds; in Egypt, we took hot air balloons; we flew over Mount Everest; and we also made a stop in Argentina on a whim.

During this 80-day adventure, we learned to adapt to unexpected changes and also got to know each other better. One thing we discovered is that one of us is the “sweet” type, while the other is the “spicy” type.

Sandy will always open his arms to people no matter where he goes, and he has also taught Ellie to do the same. In turn, Ellie encourages Sandy to step out of their comfort zones and says "yes" to every adventure.

We didn't set out to become famous, but after posting travel content online, we accumulated a considerable following and also caught the attention of people from all over the world.

After that, we wrote a book about our own experiences, and we even traveled a few times with our grandchildren, encouraging the next generation to experience the world as well.

Although we love traveling, we still take our age into consideration when planning these adventures. While we are full of energy, we have learned that traveling alone—rather than joining large tour groups—is what suits us best, as it allows us to move at our own pace without having to worry about keeping up with others.

However, we usually don't take time to rest, as we prefer a busy schedule and going to bed early rather than taking short naps during the day.

For us retirees, viewing the world is not necessarily expensive.

Since these adventures are very important to us, we know that now that we are retired, we must plan carefully in order to afford the travel expenses.

We choose to spend our money on travel rather than on new cars and other luxury items. Since we both own our own homes and our retirement income is sufficient to cover our daily expenses, we can use our savings to pay for our travel costs.

Fortunately, we have been quite good at saving money for most of our lives, but since we started traveling together more frequently, we have become more frugal and more mindful about how we spend our money. For example, we try to save on hotel accommodations, transportation, and food.

One of our favorite places to stay was at Royal Pyramids Inn in Giza, within the Cairo metropolitan area, for just 12 dollars per night. Not only is that price incredible, but our stay experience was also very worthwhile. We will never forget sitting on the rooftop of the hotel, enjoying a good cup of tea, and watching the light show on the pyramids.

Another advantage of traveling in one's 80s is that we can enjoy some senior discounts, including on museums, trains, and ferries.

Moreover, although it’s tempting to collect souvenirs from each destination, we rarely do so – because we prefer to spend our money riding camels across the Syrian desert or fishing for piranhas in the Amazon River.

But the places we’re most willing to spend our money on are those short trips that create the most unforgettable memories—whether it’s snorkeling around the Great Barrier Reef, enjoying “Happy Swing” in Bali, or hiking on Easter Island. These moments keep us going, and they’re absolutely priceless.

We won't stop any time soon.

As long as we can continue, we plan to keep taking risks. In February, we will head to Southeast Asia to visit more countries that are on our wish list.

Since that round-the-world trip, we have been exploring one continent at a time, staying for about 30 days on each journey.

Overall, traveling together has made us realize that there is no age limit to adventure, and we can't wait to see what will happen next.