For Eleanor Hamby and Dr. Sandra Heslop, adventure didn’t end at retirement. At 80 years old, the two best friends set out to travel the world, and turned their stories into a book released this week.
Hamby and Heslop first met nearly 20 years ago while serving on a medical mission in Zambia. After both lost their husbands, they forged a friendship built on service, late-night coffee and a shared love of travel.
“We love people. We strongly believe in the goodness of humanity, and that people just should open their hearts to this world,” Hamby said.
The pair travel on a budget and without tour guides, which has led to unforgettable experiences. On their first big trip together, riding the Trans-Siberian Railway in 2008, they witnessed a man being taken away by KGB agents and found themselves searched as witnesses. Years later, they were in Syria when civil war broke out and escaped the country in an unmarked car.
Their biggest challenge came when they set out to circle the globe in honor of their 80th birthdays. The trip was postponed by the COVID-19 pandemic, but they completed it a year later under the motto, “Around the World in 80 Days at 81 and still on the run.”
That journey caught the attention of a New York literary agent and eventually Random House. The result is their book, Lessons for Living Fiercely from Two Traveling Nannies, which hit shelves Sept. 16.
The women, now in their 80s, have since continued their travels across South America, Oceania and beyond. On social media, they’ve gained a large following among young people who tag their own friends in videos of the duo’s adventures.
“It’s all about friendship,” Heslop said. “And second, it’s all about age is just a number. You don’t have to go around the world like we did, but you need to get up out of that easy chair. Step out of your comfort zone, make a list of things to do and live.”
Their book is available online and in Abilene at several local retailers, including Seven & One Books and Barnes & Noble.