Accommodation
Retirees travel around the world with Airbnb
The travel bug can bite you at the strangest times. For Michael and Debbie Campbell, authors of the popular Senior Nomads travel blog, it came at a time in their lives when most people are looking to settle down.
At the suggestion of their daughter Mary, a food stylist based in Paris, Michael and Debbie decided they had at least one more adventure left in them. They threw caution to the wind, setting sail on the amazing, once-in-a-lifetime trip around the world.
But how exactly have they managed to do it?
Well, at least to a certain extent, Michael and Debbie owe their ability to travel around the world so extensively to Airbnb. The couple had downsized considerably before they first started their trip, which involved selling their sailboat, Volkswagen convertible and finding renters to take over their townhouse. It was after all this that their daughter Mary suggested they take advantage of Airbnb as a means of accommodation.
In an interview with the New York Times, Michael said his initial reaction to Mary’s suggestion that they travel in this manner was scepticism and he remembered thinking, “Has she looked in our bank account and seen more money than I thought we had?”
But after a little bit of number crunching the couple came to the conclusion that if they could afford live in Seattle after wrapping up their careers, downsizing and reducing their living expenses, they could afford to live abroad, renting out other people’s homes.
As you can see from reading the Senior Nomads blog, it didn’t take too long for Michael and Debbie to hit their stride. As a result of Airbnb the couple have been able to stay in some amazing places, including a grand formal apartment in Florence, a graphic designer’s unit in Paris, a farmhouse in Ireland and even an apartment with its own sauna in Estonia.
Mr Campbell described the intrepid couple’s trip perfectly to the New York Times when he said, “We’re not on vacation. We’re not retiring in the traditional sense. We’re out seeing the world in Airbnb apartments, because that’s how we can afford to do it.”
And Mary couldn’t be happier with the manner in which her parents have been exploring the world, but you do get the sense that she is amazed at how quickly the travelling duo have adapted, “Now, over a year into it, they’re much more comfortable in a smaller space. They don’t have a car over here. The walking lifestyle has been a discovery for them. They’ve redefined what they thought they needed. It’s so adventuresome and so different from anything else I hear that my friends' parents are doing.”
To follow Michael and Debbie’s adventure around the world, you can visit their Senior Nomad blog here. And to see some of the amazing locations check out Airbnb’s listings here.
Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.
Related links:
Inside 8 first class cabins that will amaze you
London’s 8 most photographed locations
Our Partners
