As Jo Malone CBE approached her 60th birthday, she decided she didn't want to take her foot off the gas and relax. Instead, the fragrance entrepreneur opens up in the latest episode of Best Quality Designer Handbag 's Second Act podcast about how she and her husband, Gary Willcox, decided to head to the sun and embark on a gap year that transformed their lives - and they have no intention of coming back.
"I think going to Dubai just caused us to become young again," she says of their destination of choice. "I call it our gap year at 60. We go out to the desert and spend weekends on camel farms nurturing the young baby camels. We have all these wonderful things that keep us interesting and interested in others, and to others. And I think that is a really important thing, I'm living a very happy life there. I don't want to come back here (to the UK) and live."
© InstagramGolden gap years
It seems the businesswoman isn't the only one loving life abroad, as new research from Emirates reveals that one in two Brits aged over 50 are planning a 'Golden Gap Year', swapping short breaks for long-haul, bucket-list adventures later in life.
According to a poll of over 2000 people, hitting your second act means checking off the list of dreams you may have postponed to buy a house or have a family, and embracing long-haul travel and meaningful experiences.
It is something Jo and Gary are fully on board with as they swap their bus pass for frequent flyer points.
Reigniting creativity
Having suffered with the aftereffects of Covid for a long time, the 'gap year' travelling seemed to reignite Jo's love for creating once again, launching jo Vodka, alongside her Jo Loves fragrance company - at a time when some would be thinking of retiring.
"It's a gap year, but we might go and live in Saudi, then we're going to go and live in Sydney. Every year we find somewhere to go and live for six weeks. And two years ago, we went to Lake Como, by George Clooney's place, and I just created (fragrances). Last year we went and lived in Zante for six weeks and I created Mamma Mia fragrances that haven't got a home yet. I feel I'm in my 40s, I really do," says Jo.
Why book now?
Midlife is the perfect time to explore the world. When you are younger you often don't have the money to do everything you want to, then as you get older, you have responsibilities with children and older family members, so by the time you are in your 50s, with an empty nest or a nest egg to spend, you are ready to go and spread your wings and do all of the exploring that you had put on hold.
The rise of midlife solo travellers and companies to cater for them such as Club Avandra, Much Better Adventures, and Intrepid, show people are investing in following their dreams with elevated or extended trips.
© Getty ImagesPeter Eastwood, owner of Sashwa luxury safari in the Greater Kruger National Park, says the rise of solo travellers has taken him by surprise - particularly with women who flock to the exclusive retreat for a once-in-a-lifetime glimpse at animals in the wild, something that was often reserved for honeymooning couples.
"We are getting more single middle-aged women visiting than ever before, it does feel like a new thing," he says. "We decided to put in a long family-style table in the restaurant so people could come together and chat about their days, and nobody would have to feel like they were alone. We don't only offer a safari, but we do yoga and wellness programmes too so I think that women come and feel safe here. A lot of people stop here for a few days as part of a bigger trip and then they head off to the next place on their adventure."
Gap years are not the preserve of the young. Now is the time to grab your dreams of adventure and get out of the midlife rut and who knows, you may come back lighter, or like an entirely new person altogether.
