Joy Ryan, 96, has visited six continents since getting her first passport at 91, but she must follow her doctor’s advice to do the same routine every hour on long-haul flights
Joy Ryan, pictured with her grandson Brad, has visited six continents (Image: grandmajoysroadtrip/Instagram)
A 96-year-old grandmother who didn’t get her first passport until she was 91 has still found the time to visit six continents. Joy Ryan shared one of the biggest issues with long-haul travel in her advanced years as she has to follow strict doctor’s orders.
Since first travelling abroad, Joy has explored destinations including Kenya, the Galapagos Islands and Antarctica. But her adventures come with a health concern: long-haul flights increase the risk of blood clots, something she has experienced before.
Flights lasting more than four hours can increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis, with the risk rising further on journeys lasting more than eight to 10 hours. For Joy, following her doctor’s advice to keep moving is an important part of her travels.
The grandmother, from Duncan Falls, Ohio, USA, and her grandson Brad are set to visit Thailand, Australia and South Africa later this year.
Her passion for travel began long before she needed a passport. Joy had originally planned to see the world with her husband, but he died just months into his retirement in 1994.
Two decades passed before another opportunity arose. She hadn’t even seen a mountain before joining Brad on an overnight trip to the Great Smoky Mountains, along the Tennessee-North Carolina border.
Brad had been struggling with depression after starting vet school and hoped spending time in nature with his grandmother would help his mental health.
That overnight stay grew into a mission to visit every US national park. Along the way, Joy discovered her favourite destination: American Samoa.
The US territory in the South Pacific sits almost 5,000 miles from America’s west coast. Joy was determined to visit its national park, and got her first passport ahead of the trip, reports the Express.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, she said: “You just feel comfortable because everybody’s so friendly. They don’t have much, but they share it with you.
“They take care of their elders, too. There are no nursing home. They take them into their homes and keep them, and then, when they pass away, they bury them in the front yard so they’re still looking after them.”
Now 96, Joy says it is remarkable to witness how differently people communicate around the world, even when she cannot understand them.
The pair’s Instagram account, @grandmajoysroadtrip, has more than 115,000 followers. Joy shares their adventures there, along with dating advice.
Brad’s book Grandma Joy and Me: A Journey of Healing, One National Park at a Time was published earlier this year.