Why I created an additional version of My Senior Gap Year… “The Youthful Art of Midlife Travel”
I love telling this story… I was riding with my regular cycling group on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. I was introducing myself to someone I hadn’t met before. As we were riding alongside each other, I mentioned I was from Perth and had recently travelled overseas. He said he was just reading an article in Saturday’s paper about a guy from Perth who had just been backpacking around the world. “Oh”, I said, “that was me”. He went on to say that after reading the article he felt inspired to message his wife, who was away for the weekend, to tell her how much he appreciated her! “Wow”, I thought. To me this was my gift in return. That my story was able to offer some inspiration to others.
I have had the privilege of receiving a number of similar messages about the story. Not quite as coincidental as that one, but there was one message I received that inspired me.
It was a message from Jeni in New Zealand. Her message told how she lost her wonderful husband after 30 years together. She was visiting her son and grandchildren in Perth when she heard the my senior gap year story on TV. “I knew in that moment that I should do something like that”, she said. The next day she emailed her boss and applied for a year’s leave. While she said her gap year will be a little different than mine, perhaps a little less spontaneous, she’s promised her kids she’ll be safe. Her plans so far include walking the Camino de Santiago (which she is currently one third through it), staying in a tiny village in France and volunteering in Cambodia. Not only are her kids so proud of her and wishing her happy adventures, she said, but a great inspiration to others.
Her story was an inspiration to me. The My Senior Gap Year book is currently being translated into Chinese by a publisher in Taiwan for worldwide distribution later this year. In addition I also had interest distributing the book in the USA. So after Jeni’s story I decided to take this on as my next challenge. That these such stories may also inspire others, even in some small way, to live their travel adventures – or whatever their, or your adventure maybe.
But there was one small issue. While the term “gap year” is second nature in countries like Australia, in North America, and particularly USA, it’s a little known term. Plus “senior” normally refers to someone out of senior high school. Hence the new additional version with the title, The Youthful Art of Midlife Travel.
In some ways this title sums up the story. I know from my own experience, the fear of stepping out of the comfort zone was a big hurdle to push through. But, wow what a youthful feeling it is when you do it, particularly in midlife… well ok, in latter midlife for some of us! For many of us, its travel. For you it may be a different challenge.
If you’ve read My Senior Gap Year, thank you. I hope you gained something from reading it. If you haven’t read it, you can order the My Senior Gap Year book in Australia through myseniorgapyear.com.
For North America and other countries, I am very excited to announce the new additional version, The Youthful Art of Midlife Travel – Now available by clicking this link: Amazon.com. (For Australia, click this link: Amazon.com.au)
A story I hope may inspire you to live your travel adventures.
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Download a COMPLIMENTARY COPY of
The Youthful Art of Midlife Travel
Available only from now (midnight 30 April PST) until midnight May 4, 2019 PST.
Click here to download: Amazon.com.
AUSTRALIAN Amazon accounts click here: Amazon.com.au
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of the book on Amazon.
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You’d think English is English no matter what country…. Not always the case, as with this Canadian Roadie… Introducing The Youthful Art of Midlife Travel…..
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