When Texas best friends Ellie Hamby and Sandy Hazelip turned 80, they decided to celebrate the historic anniversary by traveling the seven continents of the world in 80 days.
The adventurous eighties from Dallas then rose to fame on Tiktok and Instagram after captivating tens of thousands with their warm friendship and great adventurous spirit.
Starting in January, the “travelling grannies,” who have been friends for 23 years, began their journey in Dallas, Texas, where they set off for Antarctica, where they explored a land of ice and penguins.
That would have been the trip of a lifetime for many – but not for Hamby and Hazelip, who went on to explore the other seven continents of the world.
‘We went to the North Pole in Lapland and saw the Northern Lights and went on a sleigh ride. We were in Zanzibar. We’ve been to Egypt, India, Nepal, Bali, Japan, Rome and of course London,” said Hamby NBC5.
The pair pose with the Northern Lights – just one stop on their inspiring adventure around the world in 80 days
The pair, both widows, posted photos of themselves on their TikTok account which amassed 50,000 followers and 900,000 likes.
Users saw Hazelip and Hamby wearing matching outfits on a swing in Bali, dancing in Nepal, being carried around in a rickshaw in India and on a hot air balloon in Egypt.
“People asked us, ‘Do you have TikTok?’ No. Maybe we should get this going,’ Hamby said.
“Even when we got to LAX, two people came up to me and said, ‘You guys are the TikTok traveling grannies.’ Yes! That’s us.’
The duo also made their way to Easter Island, saw the Northern Lights and posed with wildlife including elephants and lions.
People around the world stopped by the seniors and told them they were an inspiration, both of whom said they would hold on as they adjust to their lives in Abilene and Eastland, Texas.
Initially, the pandemic postponed the trip, so the friends actually celebrated their respective 81st birthdays around the seven continents.
But they say the trip they’ve been planning for years was worth the wait, all they needed was a slight name change to the itinerary: “81 and Still on the Run” became the official name of their tour.
Ellie Hamby poses with a lion in Zambia on her massive – but slightly delayed – 80th birthday celebration
Ellie Hamby poses on a camel in Egypt during the mammoth trip she and friend Sandy Hazelip took to celebrate turning 80
Posing in matching red dresses on a swing in Bali, the duo embark on adventures that would frighten many people much younger than them
The first stop on the journey was Antarctica – but instead of settling for the journey of a lifetime with one destination, Hamby and Hazelip kept going
Both agreed that their favorite part of the trip was the people they met along the way
“What excited both of us is how we brought joy to people as they followed us on this adventure,” Hazelip said.
The pair, who landed in Dallas late last month, exactly 80 days after they left, hope they have inspired members of future generations to realize that it’s never too late to embark on the expedition of a lifetime.
After the trip, Hazelip said the pair are anything but worn out.
Vacations are exhausting. You get exhausted on vacation,” she told USA Today. “This isn’t a vacation, this is an adventure, and an adventure just gives you energy to keep going.”