Sandy Hazelip and best friend Ellie Hamby just recently traveled the world in 80 days. But the 81-year-old best friends aren't stopping there. Supposedly, they have more adventures brewing up for the near future.
Hazelip initially proposed the idea of traveling the world in 80 days when the two best friends turned 80. Unfortunately, COVID-19 upset their plans, and they had to postpone the start of their trip.
On January 11, 2023, the two set off on their 80-day adventure at 81 years old. From Dallas, Texas, their first stop was over 8,000 miles away: Antarctica.
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The traveling best friends documented their adventures through YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Over the course of their journey, they've racked up thousands of followers and supporters. What started off as a simple idea has grown into something so much more.
From the northern lights in the North Pole and hot air balloon rides in Egypt to riding the waves of the Drake Passage and looking for wallabies in Australia, the pair made sure to make every moment of their journey unique.
“We’re not wanting our comfort zone. We’re wanting an adventure,” Hamby said during an interview with Today.com.
Fans from all around the world have shown their support in various ways, from purchasing AroundtheWorldat80 merch to sharing how the duo's journey has inspired them.
"I'm in Brisbane Australia. Just saw your story on the Australian Today show! So inspired by your travels. I hope I can do a similar trip and more importantly still be as vibrant as you two at such a grand age! ," one person commented under an Instagram post.
Hazelip and Hamby met in Zambia 23 years ago. The two were on a medical mission trip at the time. Over the course of the years, they've formed an unbreakable bond.
“It’s just really made us even closer than we were. We both — being widows — kind of found each other and found this friendship," Hamby shared.
They shared that budgeting out the trip was one of their top priorities in order to truly enjoy the thrill of their expedition. On average, their hotels only cost about $29 per night.
In their interview with Today.com, the two hinted at more adventures to come. “We are planning another trip,” Hazelip shared. “We’re going to reveal it in about a week or so. So it’s going to be something when we’re 82 in 2024. We haven’t come up with a good rhyme. We’ve got some ideas about where we’re going and what we’re going to do, so you just need to stay tuned for the next adventure because it’s going to happen!”
