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Sometimes the best ideas arrive uninvited, slipping into the mind like a mischievous breeze, nudging a person toward an entirely new direction. This is what happened to Lorry Laby, founder of Senior Travel Buddies.
Senior Travel Buddies was not built from a boardroom strategy session or a corporate blueprint. It was sparked by curiosity, by a simple email about a small Irish guesthouse where an elderly man unexpectedly became the heart and soul of his son’s business. That tiny tale unearthed a bigger truth: older adults were eager to see the world, but too often found themselves grounded by a lack of compatible travel companions. Lorry had no background in marketing, no master plan for world domination, just an idea that refused to stay put.
So, she built it. Senior Travel Buddies is an online platform where members create profiles, match with travel partners using an algorithm designed to connect like-minded adventurers, and embark on journeys together. A moderated community chat, a monthly newsletter, and an extensive collection of articles and videos ensure members stay engaged and informed. For $19.95 a year, seniors find the courage to keep exploring which is more valuable than a subscription service.
TRAVELLING IS MAGICAL
Lorry isn’t a stranger to adventure. As a child, she moved across California, then Alaska, chasing experiences as if they were fireflies in the dark. Later, she and her sister hitchhiked across Europe, sleeping in tents, building bamboo huts on Greek islands, soaking in the wide-open wonders of the world. Although a near-fatal car accident in Greece cut one of her trips short, it did not extinguish her love for travel—it just taught her to appreciate it even more.
Over time, life, as it does, settled her into responsibilities: work, family, the ebb and flow of ordinary days. But when she relocated to Israel 12 years ago, proximity to Europe rekindled her need to wander. And wander she did.
WHAT STOPS SENIORS FROM TRAVELING?
Spoiler: it’s not age. The biggest concern? Solo travel. Many older adults are ready to pack a bag but hesitate at the thought of doing it alone. Some have lost longtime travel partners. Others have spouses who would rather stay home. And then there’s the nagging question: will I be safe?
Lorry hears it often. The Facebook group for Senior Travel Buddies brims with posts from 80-year-olds looking for adventure, widowers eager to reclaim their love for travel and people who simply don’t want to go alone. And that’s the beauty of the platform: it offers a solution to the ‘who’ so that seniors can focus on the ‘where.’
HOW TO STAY SAFE WHILE TRAVElLING WITH A STRANGER
Lorry gets it—no one wants to be stuck halfway across the world with someone who chews with their mouth open or wakes up at 5:00 am for spontaneous marathons. Senior Travel Buddies encourages potential travel partners to chat, video call and even ask for references before making plans. It’s about choosing compatibility over convenience.
And while the internet is packed with horror stories of nightmare travel companions, there’s another side to the story: the side where strangers become lifelong friends, where two people with nothing in common except a thirst for adventure end up sharing something priceless—the experience of seeing the world together.
TRAVEL SMART, NOT STRESSED
Lorry has a few golden rules for stress-free senior travel:
- Get fit before you go.A month of light exercise can make all the difference when navigating cobblestone streets or catching trains.
- Plan for downtime.Jet lag isn’t a myth, and seniors take longer to bounce back. Schedule buffer days to rest and adjust.
- Choose the right destinations.Places like river cruises offer multiple activity levels—bike tours for the energetic, walking tours for the leisurely.
- Research discounts.Many countries offer senior discounts, but some only apply to locals. A little digging can reveal hidden perks.
- Invest in travel insurance.Non-negotiable. Look for policies that cover medical needs, evacuation, trip cancellations, and lost luggage.
RETIREMENT ISN’T A FULL STOP
For Lorry, travel keeps the mind sharp, the soul engaged and the world within reach. It isn’t just about collecting passport stamps.
“People who love to travel retain their passion for life,” she says. And that’s the real secret. It’s not about age. It’s about refusing to shrink inside the walls of routine, about stretching toward new experiences, about keeping the heart young even as the years roll on.
Somewhere out there, a senior is staring at a world map, wondering if it’s too late to go. The answer is simple: no. Not yet. Not ever.
Adventure is calling. And thanks to Senior Travel Buddies, no one has to answer it alone.