They have just returned from a few days in Prague singing with a choir and are already preparing their suitcase. Isabel Rodríguez (77 years old) and Mario Ubach (81) are avid travelers with more energy and enthusiasm than many millennials half their age. Since retiring, this couple from Barcelona, she a nurse and he a surgeon, have not stopped moving. They are also bloggers. You can follow them on Conmasde70, where they share their adventures. "Soon we will have to change the name to Conmásde80 when I turn that age," Isabel points out when talking to EL MUNDO over the phone.
If you follow them, you will see that they are not just taking weekend getaways. They are not casual tourists. On the contrary, they are experienced travelers, brave backpackers who have thoroughly explored the world and more. "In segments, I think we have done the equivalent of two trips around the world," says Mario.
Their passion for travel goes way back. Isabel and Mario used to rent a camper van or whatever they could and hit the road with their young children. But in 2015, when the kids were grown and they no longer had elderly parents to care for, they bid farewell to the 24 years of cooperation they had dedicated. Feeling still "excited and strong," they started to travel... for real. "I was a surgeon for 40 years. At 70, I hung up my scrubs and said enough," recalls Mario. "We are going to focus on ourselves."
They kicked off their retirement with a four-month journey through Southeast Asia. They continued with six months in the Philippines, Japan, and New Zealand the following year. With Latin America in their sights, they traveled through Chile, Bolivia, Mexico, and Guatemala. Panama, Colombia, the Dominican Republic... And in between, medical check-ups and tune-ups. In Mario's case, a knee and a hip prosthesis: "It beeps at every airport," Isabel remarks.
They also took other trips accompanied by their grandchildren. But since January 1st, they are once again on the road alone. They will be on the continent until late April. "First two months in Colombia, before heading to the Pearl Islands archipelago in Panama and crossing to Cuba. We will explore the entire island, except for Havana, which we already know," summarizes Isabel. "We are just as excited as with other trips because the beauty is in going together. So, going to Timbuktu is just as special as going to Granollers here."
Regardless of the destination, some things remain unchanged. They travel as backpackers, staying in budget hotels and eating at local markets. Mario is in charge of planning the itinerary, often months in advance. "I always book the outbound and return flights. I usually confirm the first and second night's stay at a hotel. You have to be prepared, have a plan B. But then it depends on how we feel, whether we like a place or not."
For transportation, the surgeon prefers shared taxis over large bus lines and doesn't rule out overnight trips to save on a hotel night. When it comes to food, he believes you can't be too picky because it can blow the budget. Mario says that age has taught him to put everything into perspective. "The 24 years as a volunteer in Africa taught me to 'not impose my conditions. Lowering the Westerner's usually high standards is very important."
Isabel adds that traveling is also "work because you never stop and have to get up early if you want to see certain things, but what nature gives you makes it all worth it." They spent two months in Iceland in 2022. The nurse recalls a day when they drove all day and took a ferry just to see Elephant Rock, a rock formation with that silhouette on Heimaey Island. "We managed to see it with water and without water, and at dusk, the sky gave us not one, but three auroras borealis, one in the center and two on the sides. I even cried."
Isabel points out that what has changed the most in recent years is the overcrowding of certain places. "Sometimes we have had to stay an extra day at a destination to take a photo without people. Before, we could do things just the two of us. Nowadays, with Instagram, travel is crowded. In Colombia, we know there are areas where we will be alone, but the crowds overwhelm us."
What's the secret to enduring so much travel? "The key is to wear rose-colored glasses every time we leave the house. Then we see everything beautiful and appreciate what life gives us." Mario agrees: "We have always been athletes, which helps, but it's the spirit. Perhaps there comes a time when due to your physical condition, you can't keep traveling. For now, that's not our case. So, we will keep doing it as long as our bodies allow."
They have many more weeks of travel ahead in Latin America. And a few more projects. Isabel will be back in Barcelona for Book Day to present her latest work, a solidarity novel titled Maruja, published by Círculo Rojo. All proceeds from the sale of her books go to the Banco de Recursos Foundation. We also asked if they already have a next trip in mind... Mario is intrigued by New Caledonia, the archipelago 1,407 km east of Australia and 1,477 km north of New Zealand. Just around the corner. That's the spirit.