A new type of 'gap year' has emerged and it's booming for older Aussies
The thought of a gap year might conjure up images of 18-year-olds backpacking through Southeast Asia or drinking their way across Europe.
But a new type of 'gap year' has emerged, for an older generation.
Increasingly, Aussies over 55 who weren't able to travel the world in their youth are making up for lost time, and heading overseas on extended holidays, dubbed the 'golden gap year'.
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Older travellers are embracing golden gap years after their kids leave home. Getty
One person who's wholly embraced the trend is Lester. In his 20s and 30s, travelling for fun just wasn't an option.
He married young, helped raise his wife's younger siblings, mortgage prices were skyrocketing, he had a demanding nursing job, and there simply was just no space for discretionary spending.
Aside from a honeymoon to Fiji, and a scholarship trip to the US, he'd never had the chance to travel.
So once his kids grew up and left home, Lester knew it was time to hit the road.
Starting things off with a short trip in Malaysia after a work conference, he then booked onto an Intrepid tour through Thailand, and hasn't looked back since.
He's now been to over 20 countries since his kids left the nest, with more on the horizon.
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Lester has travelled the world as much as possible now that he has the freedom to do so. Supplied
He's using his 12 months of long service leave to travel the world, with plans to retire not long after he goes back to work. He tells 9Travel that he just doesn't want to go back to "having travel opportunities hampered by a regular work commitment".
Though nowadays it's considered a rite of passage, 80 per cent of over-55s didn't take a gap year after high school, according to Intrepid Travel's Golden Gap Year research.
And like Lester, many Aussies are choosing to hold off on their big travel adventures until later in life, reaping the benefits of having more money and more confidence in their older years.
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Travelling when you're older comes with more curiosity, confidence, and money. Getty
"I would not have travelled alone as a younger person. I just wasn't that confident. I admired my friends that did that in their late teens at 20s but it just wasn't me," Lester tells 9Travel.
The data backs it up.
Forty per cent of Australians aged 55+ say they have a deeper appreciation for different cultures now than they did in their 20s, while 32 per cent say they feel more confident and open to new experiences when travelling today compared to their young adult years.
Lester says that a highlight is getting to meet and hang out with locals. Supplied
"Ticking off the 'must see' sights in 10 countries across Europe in 14 days is not my idea of travel, but it may have been when I was 20," says Lester.
"I love the local interaction. I like to research a little bit before I go. Try to understand the correct cultural gestures, a little bit of language, some customs. I like trips where I can immerse myself in one country."
As for his favourite spots, Lester lists Turkey and India as his most memorable destinations.
Lester opts to join group tours for peace of mind when planning trips to far-flung destinations that are off the typical tourist trail.
He next has his sights set on a month-long slowed-down trip through Japan with multiple nights in each location.
Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia are also top of his list for future travel.
