Is Middle Age Just a Number
Okay, we’re both in our early 50’s. When we first started researching everything there is to know about long term travel, nomads, backpacking or budget journey’s, there were a whole host of YouTube videos on ‘twentysomething backpackers’ and how to make the most out of hostels, drinking and the best places to party in SE Asia. If you search ‘middle age travels’ then this word seems to tip you into the ‘waiting for God’ categories when it comes to travelling.
I’ve always thought that middle age is the halfway point between birth and death so if you are in your 30’s then you are expecting to die at 60 – I don’t think so! Then what if you get hit by a bus in your 40’s – then there goes that theory.
Uuummm, 1st challenge – what do you research when all you can think about is ‘where can we get the best night’s sleep for the best price’. You want to look for tags that state ‘A/C’ in the list of amenities but we are travelling on a budget so there needs to be a happy medium somewhere.
Always use protection
That’s what we’ve always been told right? Well when you get to our age – protection means getting your shots: Rabies, Hep A/B, Typhoid, Tetanus. And then there’s the ‘what if’ treatments to have on hand – anti-malarial, anti-diarrhoea, anti-nausea, antibiotics, antiseptic and mosquito repellent. Well when you are twenty something, it means something completely different – take a packet of condoms!!!
What’s in our backpack
If we were to do a ‘packing video’ for our YouTube channel, it would be completely different to anything else we’ve watched. You will see a 1st Aid kit which would enable me to perform minor surgery, you would find fish oil tablets for our aching knees and you would also find panty liners so that I’m not suffering from a wet crutch as soon as I venture out of my room – oh and ear plugs so that we can get that good night’s sleep.
We’re ‘Active Relaxers’
Okay, so we’re in our 50’s. We are in holding pattern before we venture out on our epic adventure. We’re keeping in good health, we attend 2 Boot Camps a week and walk/run nearly everyday. We’re not super athletes but we’re trying to keep our fitness up so that we can take on all the challenges that SE Asia can throw at us – so does that make us ‘middle age’?. Apparently, according to statistics I’m supposed to be at the tail end of the Baby Boomer generation (just!) and Scotty is Generation X. This does not make us the people we are. This will not define how we should behave and fit into the moulds that society see us fitting into. We will not let this dictate who we are and how we are supposed to behave. We are supposed to be preparing ourselves for our retirement. We are supposed to be working for the next 15 years with 4 weeks off a year to fulfil our dreams until then. We are supposed to be betting on the fact that we will be fit and healthy enough to fulfil our dreams when we retire.
Sunrises are better than sunsets
I saw this quote during my research the other day and it is so true for us. Although we know that we can certainly make it through to see many sunsets, we will also be relishing in enjoying the sunrises and making the most of each day. Our travels will not be judged on how many great sleep in’s we had, but in how many mornings we were up before dawn to catch the breath taking sunrises we will see from numerous coastlines.
If we are classed as middle age, then we only have a little time left to experience as much of life as we can.
Those who died yesterday had plans for this morning, those who died this morning had plans for tonight. Don’t take life for granted.
Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.
“We would rather own a little and see the world – than own the world and see a little”