Age doesn't weary them !

Submitted: Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 10:42
ThreadID: 23260 Views:2900 Replies:12 FollowUps:14
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One of the things I do to keep myself busy is to hire radios out.
I have a 73 year old gentleman hiring one for a west east crossing of the Simpson.
Talk about "grey nomads". This guy must have more energy in his hands than I have in my entire body !
Age might not weary them but it certainly wearies me :))
What's the oldest 4wd traveller that others have come across ?
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Reply By: Nudenut - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:01

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:01
willem!
AnswerID: 112572

Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:28

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:28
I just knew someone was going to say that. And his mate's older...and here they are traversing tracks that a younger person might think twice about. And they're probably having more fun also !
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Follow Up By: blackmax11 - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:00

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:00
My Mum [81] & Dad [85] are still caravaning and fishing from their tinny. They walk every day, morning and night, rain hail or shine.
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Reply By: Member - iMusty (VIC) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:39

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 11:39
David Martin?

The amount of hours he's poured into this site can only mean he's about 190 yo.
AnswerID: 112576

Reply By: Rod W - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 14:11

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 14:11
Tony, the owner of Diemals Station. He’s over 75 and as fit as a mallee bull.
AnswerID: 112600

Reply By: traveller2 - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:03

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:03
About 15 years ago we met a chap at Douglas Hot Springs who had just started travelling at 81!
His wife had died and he decided that now she had passed away he could try camping (she never would).
He'd got the old Valiant out, had it checked over, bought a similar vintage 2 berth Millard van and was travelling on his pension, stayed in all the freebie spots, travelled as funds allowed him. He had never left Melbourne except to go along the GOR in all his life so it was all new, he was having a ball.
The wife and I had a tummy bug so we were as crook as Rookwood and he kept an eye on the rugrats while we recovered.
His one lament was that he had not travelled much earlier in his life and he reckoned we were doing it the right way while the kids were little.
AnswerID: 112606

Follow Up By: Member - Beatit (QLD) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:45

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:45
G'day,

"Crook as Rookwood" haven't heard that for a while. Must be a Sydney person, referring to the old Rookwood cemetary I thought and crook it is.

Kind regards
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Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:55

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 15:55
What great stories. Years ago I met a retired couple in a van park, on the pension and saving up for the petrol money to get to the next spot. They'd already been round Oz 4 times they told me.
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 17:48

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 17:48
We once met some people in Rainbow Beach who were on a SKI Trip..... "Spending Kids Inheritance"

Geez I laughed at that... and still am!!!
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Reply By: motherhen - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:00

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:00
When we were at the Esperance caravan & camping shop, there was an elderly couple who had dispensed with the caravan - too old to handle it - and were buying and fitting out a TENT.
AnswerID: 112627

Follow Up By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 08:55

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 08:55
Hi Motherhen, did I see the other day you are from around Bridgetown?
Send me an email, as i have friends who moved there about 12 months ago, cspest at capri dot net dot au. (or behind my rig pic)
As for aged travellers, my father in law has been travelling for 10 or so years 90% of the time and has just bought new 4by and new van and is planning another 10 at least? he is 76.
He travelled for 9 months a couple years back and never stayed in a C/Park once! Sounds good to me, all I have to do is retire?
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Reply By: GOB & denny vic member - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:01

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:01
goodday
we had an elderly couple opposite us in the alice a couple of yrs ago helped the old fella unhook he was struggling with his h/r level rides but they in the early 80s driven up from adelaide no probs dunno how far they had come but got dolled up and off the went for the evening

steve
AnswerID: 112628

Reply By: Wisey (NSW) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:26

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:26
Footloose

That same 73yo has been SKI'ng for years, and I don't begrudge him one bit for it :)) It's not my inheritance, it's HIS hard earned.

Last week he (and I ) were up over the Blue Mtns in wet and cold weather hiking to waterfalls and distant plataues, driving like we were teenagers who just got our license, camp cooking like we were kings & sipping on antifreeze . Live the life you've got, there's rarley a second chance. He's my dad, he's my BEST mate.

Have a great trip Jim
Wisey
AnswerID: 112631

Follow Up By: Muddy 'doe (SA) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:37

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:37
Hah,

I was doing that the other week with my Dad who is 63. We had a great time fishing and camping for a week. I just hope he is still capable of such activity with such gusto when HE is 73 and older!

Muddy
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Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:48

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 18:48
Wisey, long may he do it. I certainly hope he has a great trip.
I have many tales to tell about Grey Nomads, but one of the most memorable was a group I met in pool at Mataranka. They had been on the wine, well and truly. I'm no prude, but even I blushed. If they had been teenagers I would of been upset. I didn't realize that "oldies" could be that graphic.
Then there was the tour campfire and singalong group up on the Cape. Didnt matter what they sang, one guy could only sing 1 line, over and over. He had a lovely bunch of coconuts...from 6 till 11pm. We were in a tent not far away trying to sleep.
Later, as I collapsed on a rock at the Tip, along came the same guy running up towards me, videocam under an arm. I asked the female tour person how that guy did it. She stopped, shook her head and said "I dunno. He's 80 yo and I wish he would try and remember that !"
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Follow Up By: Member - Barry W (VIC) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:15

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:15
Wisey great tale, cherish the moments, my dad is 76 and for the past several years he keeps telling everyone how old he is, sits at home and does very little can't get through to him
"IT'S ALL IN THE MIND"
How true "live the life your got" !!!!
Good on ya Jim
Cheers
Barry
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FollowupID: 368857

Reply By: Wisey (NSW) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 19:02

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 19:02
Jim

A world of experience we are yet to gain in our years of getting older. Long may we live and have fun while living it.

Wisey
AnswerID: 112638

Reply By: Member - Bernard - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:58

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 21:58
We love travelling all over Australia too.

I'm only a young 66 (helped by gym three mornings a week) but when my 33 year-old daughter asked me what is was like to be old, I told her the truth -- I feel just like I did when I was 21 ... I just get out of breath more quickly!
AnswerID: 112683

Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:07

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:07
Now that's a worry. I'm far from 66 and I get puffed out too easily. (no gym:). Many mornings I feel well beyond my age.
However they do tell me that 50 is now the new 30 !
A young travel agent I know risked legal action when she queried if it was prudent to book a group of over 65's on a mountain trek in Nepal. Apparently the group organiser had been sky diving the week before. Ye Gods, my body must be around 90 then !
Now that the grey nomad tag almost applies me (when I can get away), I'm in absolute awe of anyone older zapping around.
I think it's marvellous !
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FollowupID: 368873

Follow Up By: Member - Bernard - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:16

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:16
Hey Footloose.
I wasn't always fit and healthy. Getting to new knees five years ago started me on the "being a bit fitter" trail. Everyday was a challenge and everyday showed an advance. So decided to do that for my living style.

Stuff what everyone else thinks or tells you about getting older, and bugger the kids -- enjoy life! Anyway, doesn't getting older also mean getting wiser?? You've got loads of fun ahead -- even if you're not yey 66.

Regards,
Bernard
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Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:23

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:23
Thanks Bernard, you've made my night. Gee, I wonder if there are still any nightclubs open at this hour .....................:))))))))
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FollowupID: 368877

Reply By: Wisey (NSW) - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:52

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 22:52
G'day
I just got back from the planning session with Dad and one other bloke is 75yo and he's taking swhmbo. So watch out for the grey nomads in the red GQ's (2) one with the boat loader rack and one itsabushi LOL :)))

Cheers
AnswerID: 112703

Follow Up By: Footloose - Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 23:06

Tuesday, May 24, 2005 at 23:06
I spent 18 months planning my trip in 84, including a familiarization trip. When I got there I found things very different . It was so much better !!
I'm looking forward to hearing how these young fellas of yours go.
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Reply By: jaaap - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 10:07

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 10:07
In 1996 we stopped in the van park at Norsemen WA.
Next to us was an older couple with a Jeep and an older van obviously set up for bush camping.
Turns out that they were well past the retirement age (estimated 80+), wildlife photographers, but they had absoconded from the retirement village they were living at some 2 months before, didn't tell the management, thought they might "return in a month or two before it gets too hot"

Full of life and good fun

I hope that they are still absoconding
AnswerID: 112750

Reply By: steve-h - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:02

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:02
Me and my 53 Yr old brother (me 44 ) are planning a trip from NSW to WA for our other brother who turns 50 next year . We plan to take 3--4 weeks to get there and the same home again . When our 82y old father found out he said that he wants in which troubled us a little until we realised that he walks 5--7k each day , plays 18 holes twice a week and mows his own lawns (1 acre block) . We are now more worried about ourselves than we are him

Steveh
AnswerID: 112772

Follow Up By: Footloose - Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:06

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 at 12:06
And I'll bet your dad charms the heck out of the backpackers along the way :))
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