In the previous post we met John Waite – a man who has been dubbed ‘The World’s Oldest Backpacker’. After his wife passed away in 1982 he retired from his job in Melbourne and set off to travel the world. Almost 30 years later, at the age of 89, John is still staying in youth hostels while he explores the mysteries of our race. Throughout his journey he’s inspired many a young backpacker. These are some of his stories…
John Waite is sitting at a table in the kitchen of our hostel, rifling through some papers and books he carries with him around the world. He travels light and only has two changes of clothes in his backpack, but he sacrifices a bit of extra weight for these mementos of his journey. They are his version of a diary – a collection of photos, signatures and messages from people he has met over the past 30 years on the road.
John shows me a signed photo in the front of his latest notebook and tells me it’s the President of Iceland. He’s not bragging or trying to impress. Over the years he’s realised that other travellers enjoy hearing his tales as much as he likes to share them. John tends to tell stories in the same way he travels – slowly and with no fixed direction. But also with a sense of humour that mixes the dry wit of his English motherland with the sarcasm of his adopted Australia.
In one of his older books, which he’s left at home in Melbourne, is a message from Mother Teresa. He met her while he was working in a hospital in India just a few days before she died.
“I didn’t know she was sick,” John says, not trying to be humourous.
The message is one of his most cherished souvenirs, along with a similar note from the Dalai Lama.
“Everyone thought I wouldn’t go up to him but I did,” he says.
“I just told him I was backpacking around the world and we had a bit of a talk about that.”
John worked with the United Nations in Sudan in the early 1990s. He didn’t intend to get involved but he met a friend in Namibia who was a doctor and he invited John to join the aid effort. John didn’t realise until the end of his contract that he was actually getting paid for all the months he had helped. He would happily have done it for free but he accepted the money because it helped prolong his travels.
His brushes with charity have also taught him an important lesson about humanity.
“I tend now to look at people and judge them as I find them and as they treat me,” he says.
“With anything that goes wrong I look at myself first and think about what I have done and if I’ve done something wrong.”
That way of thinking is still something he associates with an incident in Islamabad when he was attacked by a group of boys.
“I was stoned in Islamabad but it was because I was wearing shorts,” he remembers.
“But, then again, it was partly my fault because you’re supposed to cover up. It was about six youth but I walked up to them and they ran away.”
There was a much more serious attack in Mexico City that almost cost John his life. The way he puts it, he was left for dead. Intrigued when he mentions this, I ask him for more, hanging on every word as I have been for the whole time we’ve been talking.
“I had a bad feeling walking down this street and then suddenly there was this guy with a short length of pipe,” he says.
“He made a rush for me and I lashed out and caught him in the balls and he yelled and screamed and dropped the pipe.”
That wasn’t the end of the story, though, because there was another man who came at him. John hit out at him as well and once again protected himself.
“I could see another one but he wasn’t close enough to be a threat,” he continues.
“But that was the last I knew, because there was another one behind me obviously. He hit me across the head and knocked me out. I woke up about 4 in the morning in the gutter soaked in blood with my clothes ripped down the side to get at my money belt.”
John made it back to his hostel, avoiding another robbery attempt along the way, and eventually got medical and consular help to get his journey back on track.
For some people, an assault on their body and their sense of security would be enough to make them rethink their path in life. Not for John. He knows what he’s doing and he knows the risks. He sees the world as inherently good and the people in it as the richest source of pleasure. He’s got no intention of slowing down.
“I’ve planned the next 50 years and then I’ll think about the next 50 after that,” he jokes.
“So if you want to dance on my grave I’ve got news for you. If I have to slow down I’ll buy a pair of rollerskates and keep going.”
He laughs softly and smiles. But he also looks me in the eyes with a gaze that shows how serious he is. Then John Waite turns the page of his book to find another story.
** For more about John Waite, you can check out - Part 1: The World’s Oldest Backpacker
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Turtle, like the name suggests, likes to take things slowly. Luckily that's one of the best ways to see the world - and that's exactly what he's doing at the moment.
This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.
31 Responses
Love, love, love this story–tell him that if he ever gets to Texas, I want him to meet my dad–who is planning his next 50 years, and finished his first (mini) triathlon at 84! Here’s the link: http://www.50plusandontherun.com/2011/11/now-thats-inspiration.html
Thanks for this story–it made my day.
Nancy
50+ and on the Run recently posted..Oh, Now I Get It
It sounds like they would be quite the pair!! I know John is in the US at the moment but he refuses to use email so I’m not sure where exactly. Just keep an eye out for an energetic 89-year-old with little white shorts!
Sounds like a heck of a guy. Wouldn’t mind having a chat with him myself.
The Travel Fool recently posted..Travel Bloggers and how to Spot Them
I hope you get to meet him one day. It’s a chat you won’t quickly forget!
That is my pop and he is a good guy
How fantastic to hear from one of John’s family! Please pass on my best to him. And please show him all the wonderful comments on his story so he can see how much he has inspired people!
Turtle, these two stories were touching. I’m so glad you’re capturing some of John’s wisdom. More, more!
Oh, I can’t do any more stories about John. I’m far too tired trying to keep up with him
Wow but these two posts are amazing. I found you through Twitter, and so glad! My dad is the same age, and, in fact, is also called John. I wish he could meet him. For his age he is actually quite fit and very much together mentally. His only problem is his attitude to life, which is, shall I say, the opposite of John’s, and I feel that he could be enjoying life so much more! John Waite is living proof! So many folk give up looking for adventure or even anything mildly energetic when they get older, and it makes me angry! Heck, I even have friends of my own age who do it. Shame about the email though – wouldn’t it be amazing if he blogged?!
Now off to peek at the rest of your blog, having found you! Thanks for this inspiring post!
Linda recently posted..Fine Dining in Tenerife, or Why Should the Tourists Get All the Good Stuff?
Thanks for the comment, Linda. I’m so glad to have you on board! I suppose the most inspirational thing about John is that he is in the minority. Most people his age tend to think they’ve done all the hard work and it’s time to relax. It’s just a pity when people do work so hard for so long and then don’t have the motivation to get the benefits from all of that.
He made me feel that still i have the opportunity to do all the things i want!
By the i am from Mexico and I apologize for the incident not all Mexicans are like that!
I don’t think anyone would hold it against the country. From what John was saying, he certainly didn’t!
Enjoyable read!
Thanks guys!!
what an amazing guy, thanks for sharing
No worries – thanks for the comment!
travelling around the sphere has been a childhood dream of mine…I am jealous of this man, meaning if he can do it at his age why can’t I?
Eric Mahinay recently posted..First New Year in Poland
Exactly! Nothing is stopping you! Good luck!
really amazing and inspiring story! speechless after reading it… hoppe you feature more interesting people that you meet on the road!
It would be hard to find people more inspiring than John… but fingers crossed for some more interesting features!
would love to meet up with such a person! Those people always pass on the positive energy needed to keep going!
Someday I’ll Be There – Mina recently posted..Great People of the camino – Ismael
You’re right – there was certainly plenty of positive energy coming from John!!
WOW! Awesome story! He must be a good inspiration to all travelers and backpackers.
Wow 30 years of travel, that’s amazing, I’m not sure I’d want to travel for that long
It’s a long time!! I’m getting tired after just one year of travel.
I wonder how big of a barrier language is for him. It must be quite hard to communicate.
I imagine it’s as hard as for anyone who is travelling the world. But sometimes having he right attitude and disposition can help a lot!
An amazing story! What a guy! Most of us wouldn’t handle such travel without our laptop open every day catching up with email, messaging friends on Facebook etc etc. I love that he’s in some ways on this journey ‘alone’ – just out there living it – staring death in the face and carrying on regardless.
John King recently posted..The London Routine
I don’t know how he copes without even an email address! I guess that’s how the world was when he started travelling so it’s what he knows best. Still, as you say, most of us would find it impossible!