10
Loading video...
By Maria Morava
Relationships Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
A friendship spanning over 20 years has culminated in an epic journey for two senior women.
Ellie Hamby, 84, from Abilene, Texas, and Dr. Sandy Hazelip, 84, from Eastland, Texas, have proven that adventure knows no age limit. They shared their intention to travel the world together in a TikTok video—and, more importantly, how they made it happen. Hamby and Hazelip told Newsweek about their journey together and what they have learned from the world at over 80 years old.
"At 79, we had the same dream: to see the world together!" the friends wrote in a TikTok caption. "At 81, we did it! We did it all."
Read More on Relationships
...
A Friendship Forged by Shared Experiences
The women's friendship began over 20 years ago on a medical mission trip in Zambia, Africa, where Hamby and her late husband were directors and Hazelip was one of the physicians. Later on in Texas, both women found themselves navigating the world as widows—but their bond was solidified when Hazelip moved in with Hamby for a few nights a week when she received an opportunity to open a clinic at a facility near Hamby.
"About a month after Ellie's husband, Kelly, passed away, I called Ellie and said, 'I have a deal for you: if you will give me a bed for two nights a week, I will take you out to eat,'" Hazelip said. "That was 20 years ago. Over the late-night conversations, we bonded over the shared experience of widowhood, among other things."
Over the years, those moments together grew into a deep-seated friendship. The pair started their adventures together to "far-flung places" almost two decades ago, but it was their latest, most ambitious trip that brought them to the world's attention. The duo planned to travel the world in 80 days at the age of 80, but due to COVID travel restrictions, they couldn't make the trip until they were 81.
A Global Adventure
Hamby and Hazelip's travels have taken them nearly everywhere.
"We've been to all seven continents, most of the world's wonders and to almost 50 countries," Hamby said. "The best highlights aren't just about the places, but it's about the people we met along the journey."
And their journeys have not been without moments of excitement, including a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway and a trip to the Middle East in 2011 where they "found ourselves in the Syrian desert when the war started." Their most-recent senior travel adventure, the around-the-world-in-80-days trip, was done in 80 consecutive days.
Hamby and Hazelip said they had no idea their travels would turn them into social-media sensations, but they now get recognized in airports after a TikTok video received over 6 million views.
"Never in our wildest dreams did we think something like this would ever happen to us," the friends said.
An Inspiring Message
Now that Hamby and Hazelip have realized the joy and inspiration they have provided to others, they are dedicated to sharing their message of friendship and adventure.
For those who may feel it is too late to live out their dreams, Hamby and Hazelip offered a powerful final message: "Get up out of your easy chair, step out of your comfort zone, make a plan and live."
The friends even penned a new book, Here We Go—Lessons for Living Fearlessly From Two Traveling Nanas, serving as a road map to living fully, no matter what your age.
"We realized the world needed to hear our message of friendship," Hazelip said. "Living fearlessly and fully, loving those who cross our paths and opening our hearts to this big, wonderful world."
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines