At 76, many might think the globetrotting days are behind them. But for Elaine Kingett, travel has only become more vital to her sense of self.
Kingett's love affair with exploring new places is as strong now as it was when she was a teenager. She recalls how her dream of life on the road in a Scania lorry never faded and how she used to devour maps of far-off lands. After losing her husband and subsequent relationship breakups, Kingett still held onto this passion for travel - one that refuses to dwindle even now as she ages.
Recently, Elaine embarked on her first naturist holiday in southern Crete with nothing but a 'No hold luggage' attitude and ended up having the time of her life. While staying at Vritomartis Naturist Resort where most guests were couples, Elaine discovered it was only when interacting with these strangers that she realized just how old society often views women over 50 as, well, invisible.
Yet there's one place Kingett would never set foot in: cold water. It sounds counterintuitive for someone who has always had a love-hate relationship with her age - which she admits has brought with it several health scares including a heart attack and breast cancer - but says that if anything her mortality awareness has only heightened her desire to travel further out of her comfort zone.
Her travel choices, as an older woman, share many similarities with women of any age. While acknowledging the awkwardness of eating alone in restaurants or bars at night, Elaine attributes this with using a notebook and pen instead of constant phone scrolling. Her experience navigating public spaces after dark in big cities has taught her survival skills such as putting away phones on the street.
The internet is also proving to be an invaluable resource for Kingett's travels. Google Translate helped navigate unfamiliar languages while Google Maps ensured smooth transfers from one place to another, leaving a solo Race Across The World competitor feeling quite content.
So what's next for this globetrotting septuagenarian? Her friend suggested she spend a month at Bone and Body Clinic in Goa for an osteoarthritis treatment - or perhaps travel to Taiwan which Kingett has never been to.
Kingett's love affair with exploring new places is as strong now as it was when she was a teenager. She recalls how her dream of life on the road in a Scania lorry never faded and how she used to devour maps of far-off lands. After losing her husband and subsequent relationship breakups, Kingett still held onto this passion for travel - one that refuses to dwindle even now as she ages.
Recently, Elaine embarked on her first naturist holiday in southern Crete with nothing but a 'No hold luggage' attitude and ended up having the time of her life. While staying at Vritomartis Naturist Resort where most guests were couples, Elaine discovered it was only when interacting with these strangers that she realized just how old society often views women over 50 as, well, invisible.
Yet there's one place Kingett would never set foot in: cold water. It sounds counterintuitive for someone who has always had a love-hate relationship with her age - which she admits has brought with it several health scares including a heart attack and breast cancer - but says that if anything her mortality awareness has only heightened her desire to travel further out of her comfort zone.
Her travel choices, as an older woman, share many similarities with women of any age. While acknowledging the awkwardness of eating alone in restaurants or bars at night, Elaine attributes this with using a notebook and pen instead of constant phone scrolling. Her experience navigating public spaces after dark in big cities has taught her survival skills such as putting away phones on the street.
The internet is also proving to be an invaluable resource for Kingett's travels. Google Translate helped navigate unfamiliar languages while Google Maps ensured smooth transfers from one place to another, leaving a solo Race Across The World competitor feeling quite content.
So what's next for this globetrotting septuagenarian? Her friend suggested she spend a month at Bone and Body Clinic in Goa for an osteoarthritis treatment - or perhaps travel to Taiwan which Kingett has never been to.
76 is still pretty young, right? 
she's got this fire in her that's driving her to keep exploring and pushing herself, even with all the health scares. I love how she's embracing new experiences, like naturist holidays - who knew being naked could be so liberating?! 
it's also crazy how society can make us feel invisible, especially as women get older. but she's not having it! 
using her notebook and pen instead of phone scrolling is genius too - we should all take a page out of her book 
. what I'm really curious about though, is how she navigates public spaces after dark in big cities... has anyone else noticed any weird looks or weirdness? 
You know, I think it's amazing that Elaine is still so passionate about traveling at 76! 
She's got this whole 'no hold luggage' thing going on, and it sounds like she's really embracing the freedom of solo travel. It's crazy how society can make women over 50 feel invisible, but Elaine is defying those expectations with her boldness 
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. It's amazing how travel can bring people out of their shells, right? Even at 76, Elaine's still got that fire in her belly for exploration 
. And honestly, who cares if she's a little self-conscious about eating alone or navigating the night – Google Translate and Google Maps are basically like having your own personal Sherpa guides, lol 
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I just read about Elaine Kingett and it made me think, older people are still so underrated when it comes to adventure. Like, who says you can't be a free spirit in your 70s? 
I think we should all take a page out of her book and not let age hold us back from experiencing life to the fullest. I've always been fascinated by naturism and I'm definitely adding it to my bucket list after seeing Elaine's story...who knew being nude could be so liberating? 
. We should be showcasing our adventures and experiences, not hiding behind some arbitrary age limit.
Now if only more seniors could find similar confidence in using their phones...
I mean, 76 is old, but age shouldn't be a barrier to experiencing new things. She's showing us all that it's never too late to try something new and push past our comfort zones 
I'm loving how she's using technology to make her travels easier and more accessible – Google Translate and Google Maps are total game changers for solo travelers like herself 
Elaine's story is so inspiring, you know how much I loved watching those travel documentaries with my grandma back in the day? 
I'm loving Elaine's attitude towards life! It's amazing how age can bring new perspectives, but also new challenges 
. I think it's awesome that she's using her experiences to learn and adapt, like putting away her phone in public 
Taiwan sounds like an amazing destination - has anyone been there? What are some must-try foods and activities? 
Also, I'm curious about Bone and Body Clinic in Goa... how's the osteoarthritis treatment process? Does it help with the travel aspect too? 
. I'm glad Google Translate is her BFF when it comes to navigating foreign languages and Google Maps is her travel planner extraordinaire 
. And now she's off to India for some osteoarthritis treatment... sounds like a real adventure! 
So here's to Elaine Kingett: the globetrotting queen of our dreams 
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... she used to take these long road trips with her friends and would always bring a portable radio with her favorite tunes. It was so cool how she'd pack a small bag, fuel up the car, and off they'd go. Nowadays, it's all about those fancy GPS devices and online booking platforms, but I think there's something to be said for the old-school way of traveling.
Back in my day, we didn't have all these new-fangled safety features like Google Maps or apps that track your every move. But I guess times have changed and it's not as scary as it used to be. Still, I can imagine how empowering it must feel for her to be able to travel on her own terms.
She sounds like an inspiration, embracing her travel passion and not letting age get in the way. Using a notebook instead of her phone when eating alone or walking around at night is genius, btw 
has anyone tried it? 
. Like, she knows she's not invisible just because people think older women should be quiet and meek. Not on her watch!