She turned 50, sold her house in two weeks, and moved her family to Vietnam. Meet the Canadian traveler who’s been showing the 50+ crowd that travel after 50 should be adventurous, affordable, and anything but ordinary.
Melissa Jensen runs Life After 50 Travel (lifeafter50travel.net), a practical, honest resource for mid-budget travelers who are done waiting for “someday.” She and her husband have visited over 60 countries together, and their philosophy is refreshingly simple: plan well, travel smart, and don’t let age be the reason you stay home.
I sat down with Melissa to talk about how it all started — in Vietnam, of all places — and what she’s learned about travel, aging, and keeping the adventure alive.
You made a bold move at 50 — what actually got you on that plane to Vietnam?
A friend in Barrie, Ontario, shared a job posting for a teacher-librarian position at an international school in Ho Chi Minh City. Melissa was about to turn 50 and feeling restless — and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. Her daughters were finishing university and were financially independent. Her parents were healthy. Her husband had recently left a stressful job. “This was our window of opportunity,” she says.
They made the decision within a week. Sold their four-bedroom home in two weeks. Bought a maintenance-free condo, rented it out furnished, found a friend to care for their dog, and were on a plane to Vietnam by July 2017. “It was a window of opportunity for us, and we took it.”
You still had Vung Tau saved in your Google Maps. What kept it there?
For Melissa and her husband, Vung Tau was the antidote to Ho Chi Minh City. “We loved the slower pace compared to the enormous population of the city,” she says. It was a go-to long weekend escape — reachable by ferry, gentler on the wallet, and easy to enjoy: beach days with locals, good food, and comfortable accommodations at a fraction of HCMC prices.
She’s quick to point out they only made it there twice — and that Vietnam being Vietnam, she’s sure it’s changed. “Revisiting places in Vietnam is always fun because there are new things to discover every time.”
Learn more about Vung Tau, Vietnam from our blog post:
Could You Retire in Vung Tau, Vietnam? What I Found After One Week
What do you wish someone had told you before your first trip to Southeast Asia?
Don’t wait until you’re 70. That’s Melissa’s honest advice. “Climbing uneven temple stairs and navigating city sidewalks requires stamina. We were glad we experienced this in our 50s.”
She also has a few practical non-negotiables: visit a travel clinic and get your vaccines before you go (she recommends shingles and pneumonia shots in addition to the standard tropical ones), never drink the tap water, and don’t book a Halong Bay trip during typhoon season. “The flooding can be intense.”
The upside? “We traveled to seven Southeast Asian countries during our expat experience because HCMC is such a great travel hub.”
How has your approach to travel shifted as you’ve gotten older?
Melissa and her husband are still building toward slow travel — extended stays of two to three months — but they’re not quite there yet. For now, they return home between trips for family and their dog. What has changed is how they travel.
“We book direct flights when possible, especially for long hauls. We stay at least two to three nights anywhere we go — no more one-night dashes. And we get tired of restaurant food much faster than we used to, so having access to a kitchen on longer stays matters.”
They choose trains over buses for comfort, love repositioning cruises for transatlantic crossings, and keep a couple of travel credit cards for points — without obsessing over them. The goal is enjoyment, not optimization.
What gap were you trying to fill when you started Life After 50 Travel?
Melissa started her blog because her friends kept asking her the same questions over and over. “I love sharing photos and things we learned from our trips,” she says, “and I realized I could just send people a link instead of re-explaining everything.”
Her target reader is a 50+ traveler with a mid-range budget who wants real information, not aspirational fantasy. And the blog itself has become something she genuinely loves — a retirement hobby that keeps teaching her: writing, photography, SEO, and affiliate marketing. “It’s always evolving.”
One destination that genuinely surprised you — in either direction?
Melissa can’t pick just one. Cambodia tops her list of unexpected highlights: Siem Reap won her over with its people and a local guide who left a lasting impression, and Phnom Penh delivered something more sobering. “Learning about the recent history of the country was overwhelming at times — and gave us so much insight into the lives of Cambodians today.”
On the water, the Perhentian Islands in Malaysia delivered some of the best snorkeling she’s ever experienced. The Red Sea cruise excursion in Sharm El-Sheikh? The worst — too many people, choppy water, cloudy visibility. “Note to self: skip the cruise ship snorkel excursions.”
What does your ideal travel day look like right now as you travel after 50?
One activity. That’s the rule. “If it’s a tour, we look for the half-day option,” says Melissa. An early morning walk or museum visit, followed by a proper lunch at a locally owned restaurant. Then, space in the afternoon for whatever the city offers up on its own.
“After 60 countries, we know how to avoid the obvious tourist traps. We search for places that are less traveled and try to visit in the shoulder seasons.” The goal isn’t to see everything. It’s to actually be somewhere.
What would you say to an American who’s curious about living or slow traveling abroad but hasn’t taken the first step?
Start smaller than you think you need to. “If you haven’t traveled much, try a shorter trip first,” Melissa says. Use YouTube to research destinations before you commit. Think carefully about transport — for Melissa, choosing trains over buses was a game-changer in both comfort and access.
And if the logistics feel overwhelming? Use a travel agent. “There’s no prize for figuring it all out alone. They’ll make sure you have your visas sorted, and nothing falls through the cracks.”
For travelers over 50 who worry they’ve waited too long — what do you want them to know?
Don’t wait any longer. That’s the short version.
The longer version: honestly assess your health and physical capacity, then choose a trip that matches where you actually are — not where you were at 35. “Tourism is physically demanding. Get to the gym or commit to daily walks before you go.”
If international travel isn’t feasible right now, a train trip through your own country can still be deeply rewarding. Cruises offer an easier entry point, especially off-season. And if you have a friend or family member who’s already slow traveling? Visit them for a week or two. “That might be the best way to sample that kind of life before you commit to it.”
For more insights on the benefits of slow travel, read our blog post about:
Slow Travel: The Anti-Aging Strategy You’ve Never Tried
Practical advice for a first slow travel experience in Southeast Asia?
Find a contact in the country before you arrive. Visa rules change regularly, and having someone on the ground to help you navigate arrival and settle in is invaluable. Melissa also recommends watching expat YouTubers who cover specific destinations, then visiting for a short time before committing to a longer stay.
On the home front: reduce your obligations before you go. “We downsized to a maintenance-free condo and rented it out. We minimized our monthly expenses in Canada so those savings could fund our travels.” The logistics of living abroad are manageable — but they’re a lot easier when you’re not carrying a big house and big overhead back home.
About Melissa Jensen
Melissa Jensen and her husband are a 50+ Canadian couple who have visited more than 60 countries on a mid-range budget — by train, ship, and plane. She shares practical travel tips, budget hacks, and real-world destination advice at lifeafter50travel.net and on Instagram @melissajensen22.
