I hope you’re loving this new series “Women Over 50 Tell Their Stories, as much as I’m enjoying compiling it.
It’s lovely to be able to feature women over 50, telling their stories about life, love and work. We have so many different stories, such varying opinions and fascinating life history amongst us.
Today I’m handing you over to the inspiring Jan Robinson who lives in Queensland Australia. I’ve known Jan for a few years as a fellow travel blogger, although we’ve never met in real life. But I think it would be safe to say we’ve got to know each other quite well via social media, and I’m sure you’re going to enjoy her story as much as I do.
Over to Jan ….
When I was a fourteen year old there was a television advertisement for Mum Deodorant. It featured a beautiful young girl typing at an office desk. I thought to myself “that’s what I want to do”.
I had no high-flying aspirations!
Around that time, the wanderlust inherited from my Grandmother gained momentum. Geography was my favourite School Subject and I’d won an award – it was an intoxicating (to me) book about Brazil. From that moment I knew I would travel to places very different to my home in Australia.
I did become that girl typing away in an office and I have travelled the world, although not yet to Brazil.
Working forty years in Office Administration saw me doing everything from making tea, to taking minutes, running accounts payable and organising events. It was far more challenging and fulfilling than I ever imagined.
At one of my Admin Jobs where I started as a temp and stayed for years, I met my husband, travelling partner and blog photographer Marty. We’ve had some incredible times in the forty years we’ve lived together.
When our kids were little I started my own mini-catering business. This gave me the freedom to stay home during the week and the opportunity to meet a lot of people. Although there was considerable prep time involved, I only worked outside the home one day each week. That was a good era too.
To this day I am hugely interested in the various ways people earn a living.
For the past six years I’ve been a travel-blogger. Blogging has expanded my world amazingly. I’ve met new friends, developed a different skill set and learned much about the world and where I want to travel next. Travel Blogging feels like a totally natural progression of our lifestyle.
It is interesting to contemplate the What If’s.
What if the Internet had been around, when I started travelling as a 17 year old?
What if cheap flights had opened up the world back then, like they have today?
What if I had taken up blogging as a young woman and walked a different path?
Isn’t life grand?
Jan’s Blog
You can find Jan’s blog at Budget Travel Talk where she offers some great tips and ideas for budget travel around the globe.
Jan also wrote a blog post on Lifestyle Fifty, way back when I first created this blog in 2013. You can find it here: Grandmother’s legacy
Previous posts in which Women Over 50 Tell Their Stories
Be Featured: Women Over 50 Tell Their Stories
Would you like to be featured in this series? Please let me know in the comments section below and I’ll contact you via email.
Stretch Pants – Outfit of the Day – Get the Look!
I’ve had the pleasure of meeting Jan IRL earlier this year, and loved getting to know her better here – thanks for sharing Jan and Jo!
Having met the bubbly Jan and her Marty a couple of times it is lovely to read more about her. She is such fun!
Would love to join this series Jo if you have a spot free x
Waving to Jan, we met at a Problogger and she’s such a cheery and fun person, great to have around and to go armchair travelling with.
Ahh, so lovely that you both met at Problogger 🙂 Time for another so we can all catch up methinks 🙂
I love this story and can’t wait to hear about your adventures, as and when you finally do make it to Brazil!!
When you look back it makes the years appear so seamless – Yet the serendipity of life popping up to put that book in your hands and your work introducing you to your now 40 year life’s companion is positively magic 🙂
Hi Linda, thank you for popping by. You are so right about the serendipity and magic, and Jan’s story was wonderful, wasn’t it.
I’m loving this series Jo – it’s so interesting having a little glimpse into the lives of other 50+ women. Everyone has a story and usually a variety of jobs that they’ve turned their hand to at some stage. I think it’s amazing how we’ve all adapted to the changes in technology and we haven’t been left behind – instead we’re picking and choosing what suits us and making this time of life great. So nice to read about Jan and how her life has evolved.
If you have any free spots I’d love to be included xx
Thanks Leanne 🙂 I’m also sometimes amazed at the changes we’ve been able to take on board in our lives as a matter of course rather than specific training. Sometimes though, I truly think we are the lucky generation in that we have been able to pick and choose and move on until we find something that suits us. Will email you – would love to feature you in this series 🙂
What a story Jan! You and I both started in office admin and became travel bloggers. Now I know you can cook, I will look forward to some of your home cooking (only joking)! You’ve led an interesting life for sure.
I think we’ve all led interesting lives Kathy. I love reading about others and yours was amazing. I do enjoy cooking but my clientele were standing around waiting to bid at an Auction and only wanted easy to eat and cheap take-aways. I also cooked sausages and learned that the smell of fried onions would bring customers from everywhere lol.
Hahaha – I agree about fried onions Jan – I’m one of those customers!
We shall be there knocking on Jan’s door together Kathy!
Thanks for including me in your series Jo and I can’t wait to read about more real life experiences of women over 50.
Pleasure to feature you Jan. I love your stories 🙂 I can’t wait to see how this series unfolds too – there are so many fascinating stories to be told.