Backpack Amazing News: Keith Wright - Australia's oldest backpacker

When Keith Wright boards a plane later this year he will be embarking on his eighth trip to Europe – a fact that is made all the more extraordinary because of his age.  Keith was born at a time when Zeppelin and Sopwith aircraft battled it out  for victory over the Western Front and the famous Wright brothers (no relation to Keith) had only just finished conducting their flying experiments.

In 2012 Keith celebrates his 95^th birthday and as such is possibly Australia’s oldest backpacker – who prefers to travel independently.

Keith Wright and his Airline Tickets to Europe

“My belief is that if you are fit and able to travel independently, it is the best way to see as much as of the world as you want,” said the spritely nonagenarian.

Keith took his first solo trip when he was 85, after his wife Barbara passed away. This sojourn was a four-day bus trip through Turkey, which inspired Keith to continue exploring other countries. He prefers to travel in economy class on a round-the-world ticket and regular checks in to hostels, where he enjoys the comfort of a single room but occasionally has no qualms sharing a dorm room with Gen Y backpackers.

“Most people I meet are surprised when I tell them my age and amazed that I have come all the way from Australia,” he said.

“Wherever I go, I wear my Australia cap, which gets me a lot of attention from the locals.”

On one occasion, Keith was sitting on a park bench and a stranger saw that he was wearing his iconic Australia cap. The curious local said “Ahh, Australia is so far away. I have never been because I don’t like flying for that long.”

Keith responded, “Oh, it’s not that bad if you break it up by doing stopover in Singapore or Dubai.”

One of Keith’s favourite destinations is San Sebastian in northern Spain because he loves dining in the Pintxo Bars and looks forward to returning there on this holiday.

“I have hitched a ride on the back of a scooter in San Sebastian and seen things that most tourists haven’t seen, because I have walked the back streets and taken the train or bus to a nearby town for the day,” Keith said.

Since 2002, Keith has booked his travel at the Flight Centre and Escape Travel in Burleigh Heads. The team in the store have decided to make his next holiday even more memorable, by paying his upgrade to business class on his Emirates flight. It’s important that he can stretch out in style as he travels to Europe.

Flight Centre’s travel consultant, Christina Kerr, has booked many of Keith’s holidays.

“Every booking I have made for him has been an inspiration to me,” Christina said.

AT a time when a trip to the local bowling club would be an adventure, 95-year-old Keith Wright is preparing to set off on his latest journey - a two-month trip around Europe.

The pensioner, from Burleigh Heads on Queensland's Gold Coast, began travelling independently 10 years ago after his wife passed away.

He had always wanted to go to Gallipoli in Turkey for Anzac Day so he decided to sell their house and put the extra money towards a holiday.

He lives on a budget and saves every penny so he can head overseas every second year, staying in hostels and two-star hotels. He also travels to Victoria once a year for the Melbourne Cup.

He has been to 23 countries and 109 cities - his favourite being San Sebastian in Spain.

"It's such a relaxed lifestyle, you have the surf beach and the safe beach and nobody's in a hurry,'' he said.

At the end of this month he heads back to San Sebastian on his eighth trip to Europe.

He will also visit Madrid, Paris, Munich and Vienna on a hop-on hop-off independent rail journey, with a special side trip to London to see his favourite Aussie horse, Black Caviar, race at Royal Ascot.

He has budgeted $9000 for the trip.

Mr Wright prefers travelling independently and recommends other elderly travellers try it for themselves.

"They should get away and do it independently like I'm doing it,'' he said.

"They can choose where they want to go, not where the bus company takes them and it's not as regimented.

"If you have 20 people on a bus you get one bad apple and you're stuck with them for 20 days.

"I can do it on my own much better than the young ones I meet in hostels.''

Despite his legs being "a bit wonky'', Mr Wright said he will keep travelling until he gets "too old''.

He wears his Australia cap wherever he goes which gets him lots of attention from the locals.

Before retiring, Mr Wright worked for Ansett Airways and Pioneer Coach Travel, where he held roles in payroll and operations.

Mr Wright books his trips through Flight Centre and Escape Travel in Burleigh Heads and the agencies have paid to upgrade his Emirates flights to business class for their favourite customer so he can travel in comfort.

"Every booking I have made for him has been an inspiration to me,'' Flight Centre travel consultant and airfare specialist Christina Kerr said.

"I like to tell his story to other travellers, particularly those who may have thought themselves too old to travel overseas or feared that it was too expensive.

"Keith has become more like a friend over the years and when he travels he even asks the staff of the hostel to send me an email, just to let me know that he has arrived safely.''