Jan Simonds is the world’s most incredible backpacker because she’s 78 years old

SHE has backpacked around 28 countries in five continents. Along the way she’s witnessed some of the world’s most monumental moments. This is a truly mammoth adventure.

Will you still be backpacking in decades to come?

IF THERE’S ever a story that will make you want to get up off the couch, this is it.

Queenslander Jan Simonds has backpacked around 28 countries in five continents. And she isn’t about to slow down any time soon.

So what sets her apart from the thousands of other intrepid travellers around the world who sling on their cripplingly massive bags and venture into the unknown every year?

She’s 78.

That’s right, 78! We spoke to Jan about her mammoth backpacking adventure.

Q: When did you start to backpack?

I was 17-years-old when I embarked on my first backpacking trip with friends, which saw us venture around Australia. Four years later I sailed back to London (my birthplace) to get married. The wedding didn’t go ahead and I returned to Australia, but my love of travelling persisted.

She won’t be stopping anytime soon. Picture: Abigail Denham-McQuillen

Q: Why do you backpack? Do you travel alone or with someone?

Backpacking is an affordable option for me, but also it’s very sociable. The people I’ve met are amazing. The response I’ve had from young people is always so interesting and nice … they often say I’m an inspiration when they see me travelling (at 70+) in the same fashion that the 20-somethings are travelling.

I’ve backpacked alone, with friends and in small groups to various places. A few friends have also asked me to escort them to various places on their first trips, to show them the ropes. At my age now, I think backpacking in small groups is probably better than travelling solo.

A beach in Panama. Picture: Bart Everson

Q: You must have lots of funny or memorable stories to share, can you tell us some?

There are too many. During my time Vietnam I slept in a home stay with a friend. We met two young girls who wanted to find a boyfriend, so we dressed them up in traditional Vietnamese wedding costumes and took them into the local village as a joke. I think that was possibly the funniest night of my life.

Last year I took a friend to Hong Kong. On that trip we encountered a very rude hostel manager who was horrible to all of the young tourists (but not to the ‘senior’ travellers) — I had to call the police three times on behalf of these young tourists as they were getting a raw deal from the hostel manager.

On this trip we also went to Penang, and stayed at Love Lane. I was curious about the “no chickens” signs as I thought it was odd that they wouldn’t serve chicken on the menu (“everyone eats chicken”, I said). It turns out that over there “chicken” is the symbol for prostitutes, and Love Lane used to be where the mistresses of rich Chinese men lived.

And I’ll always remember the boat ride on the Mekong Delta in Vietnam. Let’s just say it was a wild and blowy trip, and lots of fun.

Love Lane. Picture: Ephidryn

Q: Were there any times that you felt unsafe?

There was a rather scary car trip to Penang at night where the taxi lights were broken. The driver had two other passengers who had to get to the airport in limited time, so he tailgated another car the whole way to the airport. But we still made it there safely! He was only a young driver, and I told him he did a great job.

I also escorted a friend back to the Philippines when she was at risk of being deported from Australia. I wasn’t scared for myself, but I was scared for her as I knew that her family circumstance in the Philippines was not very safe. I was in my late 60s when I went with her back to her home country to make sure she would be safe. I was available to help, and so I did.

And there was also the time I went backpacking in South Africa when Nelson Mandela was released. A friend and I flew into Johannesburg and travelled down the east coast to Capetown. My travelling companion was a white South African, who was very concerned about the political unrest and danger at that time. I remember my friend was shocked to see dark-skinned women walk out of the “white” toilets at the airport (because of apartheid), but I didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. I didn’t feel unsafe at all in South Africa, despite my friend’s paranoia.

Cape Town, South Africa.

Q: What’s your advice for anyone wanting to follow in your footsteps?

Most importantly, go for it! It’s easy once you start. Fear of the unknown is the biggest thing to overcome. Also:

• The first thing to pack is your sense of humour.

• Always pack spare reading glasses and spare teeth. You don’t want to be in a foreign country trying to source new dentures.

• Have a good level of fitness.

• Always ask for help. I always ask the local hostel manager to write any directions on a piece of paper (in the local language) so that I can hand it to the next bus driver or tour guide.

• In Asia you might be shuffled from bus to bus, but you’ll get to your destination eventually.

• Have patience, as a holiday time zone is different to a “normal” time zone. Chill out, there’s no rush.

• Pack your bag, then throw half of it out before you go.

• If it doesn’t bleed it doesn’t matter. Maintaining a healthy perspective on life helps to keep you strong.

So, what’s next for you?

My next trip is to Hong Kong in June 2014 with a friend who is in her 60s. And later in the year I’m going back to the Daintree with another friend, to check out the resort we used to work at.

Final thought from Jan:

People seem to think what I’ve done is incredible, but to me it’s just what I’ve done. I think I’ve been lucky and led a pretty charmed life.

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