Grey nomads

Oops- forgot to insert the link.

Here it is

[http://blogs.smh.com.au/travel/archives/2009/02/the_rise_of_the_greypackers.html]

Not-so-poor elderly hostelers can poor-mouth more plausibly now that we are in the midst of another depression.

Nothing wrong with watching 'Matlock' either!

Do you think of yourself as a greypacker? Is it a rising trend, or has it always been this way?

Well - the writer certainly got his come-uppance from most of the people who commented!

A couple of my favourites ...

my mother has been backpacking for years in Australia and overseas and she's now 81 and still fails to see why she should waste money and sit alone in a hotel when she can be slinging a backpack into a bus on a senior's fare and meeting people around the country in backpacker places. She worked hard bringing up six kids and helping with some grandkids as well, I just hope I can keep going the way she does. She still rides her bicycle to the shops to save fuel and body surfs, but is now choosing slightly less dangerous beaches...

And -

ADVENTURE BEFORE DEMENTIA!!!

thanks for that blog...loved it. lots of good memories.

the writer certainly got his come-uppance from ...

There was no come-uppance to be had. His first para was tongue in cheek. He was clearly admiring of the people like his parents who've back-packed all their lives, and continue to do so.

Obviously we read the blog differently, Sarah. I thought the tone of it was extremely patronising (and I'm not talking about the 1st paragraph).

But maybe I was being too sensitive?

Talking of patronising...

Who on earth chose that photo to represent us? And the tone of that para has irritated me enough not to bother reading the whole article. "Put a shine on their golden years"? Yuck.

Oh yuk! But I read it through and then put up a blistering comment ..... :-)