These 81-year-old best friends traveled the world in 80 days

(CNN) A pair of pals from Texas are proving there’s no age limit to adventure—even if you’re 81.

Documentary photographer Ellie Hamby and doctor and lecturer Sandy Hazelip travel the world in 80 days, from the beaches of Bali to the desert adventures of Egypt.

The octogenarian grandmother started their ambitious adventure on Jan. 11, according to a blog the pair use to document their travels.

Their first stop was a place that daunts even many seasoned travelers: Antarctica.

Reaching the southernmost continent first requires crossing the Drake Passage, the notoriously choppy stretch of water between the southern tip of South America and the South Shetland Islands in Antarctica.

“For almost two days, we were oscillating and gliding in the Drake Passage, and we were holding on like hell,” Hamby told CNN. “It was crazy.”

“But when we set foot on Antarctic soil, you forget all that,” she recalls. “The beauty of Antarctica is unbelievable seeing penguins, icebergs and glaciers – it’s just, it’s amazing.”

Since their first adventure, the duo have traveled to 18 countries on all seven continents, often in matching T-shirts. They’ve also amassed a social media-loving following on TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook, where they stalk “traveling grannies.”

Harzlip told CNN she met Hamby after her husband died in 1999. Before he died, he “planted the seed in my heart that we should start taking our grandchildren on missions in the summer,” she said. That led her to the Zambia Medical Mission, a program run by Hamby and her husband in southern Africa.

The pair bonded over a shared interest in travel and a commitment to prioritizing unique experiences over comfort and amenities while abroad. After Hamby’s husband died in 2005, the two became closer as widows.

Harzlip said the idea for their trip came up a few years before they were about to turn 80.

“I just had the idea because we’ve traveled overseas together before,” she said. “So about four years before we turned 80, I mentioned to her one day, ‘Ellie, wouldn’t it be fun to be 80 and travel the world in 80 days?'”

On their website, Hamby and Hazelip say them Dedicated this trip to their late husbands Kelly and Don. “We miss you and hope you will join us on this adventure,” they wrote.

Originally, the two planned to disembark in 2022 when they were 80 years old. “And COVID shut down those programs,” Hazelip continued. “But COVID didn’t let us down. So we went this year, and our theme was, ‘At 81, still running.'”

Over the past three months, the pair rode camels in Egypt, met elephants in Bali, danced in Nepal and observed the Northern Lights in Finland.

Despite the challenges of international travel, the best friends say they made it through without any hassle.

“We’re both very independent and very stubborn. But we seem to allow each other space,” Hamby said. “We just understand each other, we know it’s a good thing we’re doing, we kind of respect each other’s feelings.”

For Hamby, the highlight of the trip is the people they meet along the way.

“We loved all the sights we saw, but what we remember most are the people we met,” she said. “We met some of the nicest, kindest, friendliest people in the world. We now have friends we love all over the world.”

“We’ve always said that when we started this, we weren’t planning a vacation,” she added. “We planned an adventure. Every day is an adventure.”

They told CNN that even though Hamby and Hazellip have finished their worldly pursuits and returned home to Texas, the pair are already planning their next trip.

They also share an important piece of advice for all travelers concerned about language barriers on their adventures.

“You know, people often ask us about language and how we manage it,” Hamby said. “We said to Sandy and Ellie that there is only one language and that is the smile. We found that it worked wonders because we often realized there was no English. But the smile spoke all languages.”

They also encourage other older travelers not to let age hold them back. Aside from a few minor concessions — such as deciding not to ride motorcycles in Bali for fear of falling — they say their age has not affected their foreign itineraries. They say that if they get hurt on the trip, they have confidence that their kids “know that we’re doing what we absolutely want to do, and they’ll be at peace,” Hazelip said.

Hazelip describes 81 as the “perfect age” to start their tour.

“Getting older does give you a little wisdom in making decisions,” she said. “That’s the fun part. I think at this age where I appreciate beauty so much, I can really soak it up. It’s the perfect age for me. I’m grateful for that.”