Granny Lena: Old Age is Not a Hindrance

There is a lot of stories about people, who decided on a spontaneous travels. They quit school or job, tired from the routine, in the hope to find themselves discovering new countries and customs, seeking inspiration in strange cultures, unusual encounters and adventures. Tens of men and women, singles and couples, young and mature people. They have blogs, they write books, create photo albums about their travels, tell what they have learned from "the road". But today our guest is a completely different person.

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Let me introduce: Granny Lena. She is 89 year old lovely lady from Russia, who 6 years ago decided to travel, saving part of her pension and tries 1-2 times a year to visit a new country. At first glance, it may seem that there is nothing unusual, many retirees prefer to travel. She do it alone.

It's amazing to save money on travel with the Russian pension, which at best is 250-300$ a month and you can't manage your pension savings, you simply get them metered. These money is usually not even enough for a normal food. So part of the money to travel Granny Lena earns, growing and selling potted flowers, she doesn't ask for any handouts even from relatives.

Not to say that Granny Lena has a carefree and happy life. In 3 year old she became an orphan. When the Second World War has begun, Lena was 13 years old. She helped in the rear in Orenburg - plowed fields with oxen for sowing, then sown and helped to harvest. Later, Lena worked at the Creamery and wore the cans of milk, which weighed 50 kg. Because of the accident she tore off a finger phalanx.

She changed a lot of jobs, like many of others she helped to rebuild the country after the war. Got married, had a daughter, but then her husband started drinking and beating her and daughter. She and her baby left him and began to live independently.

It is unknown what exactly happened in the life of Granny Lena seven years ago, but this event abruptly changed the entire habitual way of life of the pensioner. She always travels with a large travel backpack to have the required equipment, because she doesn't have the excess money to buy prophetic in the journey. She admits that it's very hard to carry such a heavy backpack, but says that she always and everywhere meets people, who help her.

Overall health allows her to travel. Though, she walks with a cane, but do it quite briskly and quickly. The only serious problem is poor vision. One eye is almost not see, and the second sees very badly, it's prevents Granny fully enjoy the beauties of unfamiliar countries. Granny Lena is planning to do eye surgery, last operation was unsuccessful, but she was not discouraged.

She is almost 90, but Granny Lena thinks very sensibly, she has a flexible and sober mind and boundless desire to travel despite her age. In her travels, there is a lot of things she'd like to try, but ignorance of the language and terrain doesn't allow to do it all. For example in Vietnam, she was afraid to go in the sea due to big waves, but then kind people showed to her beaches with calm water, where she could swim. When ordering food and other purchases, she explains with gestures what she wants, it is works.

The guys, who made these shots, offered granny Lena to ride a bike, to which she happily agreed and was happy. She was so pleased with the driver that he hugged her long and wouldn't let go. She is not limited in her desire by fear or by strict outlooks on life. For a man who has lived all his life in the Soviet Union, it's unusual to intrude or something to ask, she is a very humble person and doesn't want to disturb anyone.

In farewell, Granny Lena unobtrusively gave her companions some simple but valuable advice:

• Give birth to a second child "One child is not the case!"
• Dream! "If I dream - everything comes true! Dreaming is not a sin!"
• Never suffer beatings from your husband! Go away and don't go back. Granny left her husband 20 years after marriage, but regrets that endured for so long
• Do not be afraid anything.
• Travel as much as you can.
• Everywhere there are good people willing to help. The world is not without kind people.
• Just be grateful for everything!

Thanks Ekaterina Papina for what she shared photos of this amazing granny!

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Under the tag #people I try to write about not world famous people, about those who have their own life paths. I have wrote about many people with amazing stories, speaking on the topic of how their actions and goals inspire or baffle me. But, perhaps Granny Lena is the first person who pushed me to concrete actions. In the last post I wrote about how i ruined the dream of my wife, we were not able to attend the concert of her favorite band, and who knows when they will come again. But this wonderful lady has made me think: if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, Muhammad must go to the mountain. So I just must to go with my wife in the country and in the city, where the band will be performing in the near future. @natord

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