Spring Edition 2024 | Living Power Magazine
Who doesn’t love a heartwarming, inspiring story? Our friends at AMBA share the tale of Sandy Hazelip and Ellie Hambry. These two friends wanted to do something special to celebrate their 80th birthdays. When Sandy proposed a unique adventure for their milestones, Ellie was immediately thrilled with the idea: to travel the world in 80 days for their 80th birthday.
Starting Their Journey
The two met in Zambia 23 years ago while on a medical mission. They have been sharing journeys and adventures ever since. This special one commenced on January 11, 2023. First stop: Antarctica.
In a mere 80 days, their itinerary allowed the two to experience the northern lights of Lapland at the North Pole, a sleigh ride pulled by huskies in Finland, a hot air balloon ride in Egypt, camel rides in the deserts of Africa, the awesome ancient structures of Rome, a two-day ship ride across the treacherous Drake Passage where 20-foot waves rocked their boat, and a search for wallabies in Australia.
The two documented their journey on their social media platforms and quickly gained thousands of affectionate and amazed followers. Many—including a fan in Rwanda and another in Colorado—invited them to visit them and stay at their homes. As the Rwandan wrote, “You 2 are amazing!”
Sandy laughs when recalling her family’s reaction to their social media popularity. Her grandchildren would comment on her social media updates, “There’s my grandmother having fun!”
“We’re not wanting our comfort zone. We want an adventure,” Ellie explained. “We were together 24/7 for 80 days and it’s made us even closer than we were.”
The two enjoyed their travels so much that they’re even planning another. Sandy revealed, “We are planning another trip! We’ve got some ideas about where we’re going and what we’re going to do, so you just need to stay tuned for the next adventure because it’s going to happen!”
Whether you’re planning on traveling with your bestie or staying close to home, our friends at AMBA have an amazing program for NCRGEA members. AMBA Discounts provides amazing savings for you on everything from travel, car rentals, hotels, clothing, dining, jewelry, electronics, and more. Best of all, your membership is absolutely FREE! Start saving today—visit PassportCorporate.com now! NCRGEA members can get your Passport access code by calling our office at 919-834-4652.