Who Says Adventure Has An Age Limit?

Adventure in life is not only for  the young. Or for that matter, not only for men! We have a guest story of an adventurous outing by a group of not-so-young women (and men too!) from India. 

The story has been written by Padma Ramesh. Who is she?

Padma Ramesh is a journalist, trainer and a film academician by qualification and profession.

Off the professional track, Padma is a reluctant adventurer. She loves to travel, dreams of distant lands, and makes exhaustive itineraries—but also breaks into a mild panic every time she has to leave home. Airports make her nervous, packing stresses her out, and don’t even mention visa queues. Yet, once she’s out there, there’s no stopping her. Whether it’s climbing down a crater or climbing up to the top of a waterfall or bonding with strangers over food and films, travel informs her (and often, her next story)!

 We thank Padma for the story and the pictures. Over to her.

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 Who says adventure has an age limit?

They say travel is a young person’s game—well, "they" have clearly never met a woman in her 60s with a passport, a young heart, and a fierce desire to stand next to a geyser or a volcano before her knees give out! Who says adventure has an age limit? At 60 (or 70, or pushing 80 if your bones agree), a vacation in Iceland is less about speed and more about spirit and soul and getting high on adrenaline.

Welcome to the age of bold, brilliant, and beautifully seasoned travel. Whether you’re recently retired, escaping the kids (or grandkids), or simply chasing your next adventure, Iceland is calling—and guess what? It’s not asking your age.

Iceland isn't just for 20-something influencers dangling off cliffs in crop tops. It’s also for sassy, seasoned women who understand that the only thing better than a glacier is a glacier followed by a nap and a glass of wine!

From steaming geothermal lagoons to thundering waterfalls and wild volcanic landscapes, Iceland has all the drama and beauty of a Netflix series—only better, because you’re in it. And trust me, nothing says “I'm still fabulous” like standing next to an erupting geyser with one’s woollen scarf flapping in the arctic wind like a Norse goddess.

So we –a group of ‘dil se young’ and enthusiastic senior citizens hiked that trail, forded that stream (or stared at it while someone younger carried forward), and let Iceland remind us: adventure doesn’t retire — it just packs a few more thermals and a backup knee brace.

Reykjavík:

We started off with Reykjavík, Iceland’s capital—a city so charming it feels like a Hallmark movie set. Our cruise ship docked early so we could get out into the city by 8.30 am.

Pop into the iconic Hallgrímskirkja Church for panoramic views of the city—there’s an elevator, so no knee-cracking stairs required. The architecture alone is enough to make one want to make the effort.

The Golden Circle

The Golden Circle is Iceland’s most famous route and the ultimate proof that Mother Nature outdid herself here.

The magnificent Kerid crater 

1 Þingvellir National Park

This UNESCO World Heritage Site is where tectonic plates are drifting apart, and Iceland’s first parliament was formed over a thousand years ago. It’s dramatic, historic, and there’s plenty of flat, walkable paths with benches to support your aching back.

2. Geysir Geothermal Area

The Strokkur Geysir puts on a performance every 10 minutes. You’ll gasp, you’ll laugh, and yes—you might get wet.  Raincoats are highly recommended here.

3. Gullfoss Waterfall

Prepare to be wowed! Gullfoss (‘Golden Falls’) is like Niagara’s cooler Scandinavian cousin—raw, roaring, and perfect for a holiday photo.

“Isn’t this just breathtaking !”

Lake Myvatn-- A shallow lake formed about 2300 years ago. Myvatn translates to 'lake of midges' in English reflecting the abundance of these insects in the area. We swallowed a few despite our attempts to cover our faces.

Ísafjörður: Fjord-Side Fabulousness

Nestled in the heart of the Westfjords, Ísafjörður is perfect for the traveler who’s seen the Golden Circle, loved the Blue Lagoon, and now wants something more remote, more raw, and more real.  The Dynjandi waterfall (like Gullfoss’s dramatic twin)is pure magic.

For the 60+ Set: Ísafjörður Travel Tips

• Pack the Layers, Again: The wind here has opinions, and it shares them loudly. Wool is your friend.
• Embrace the Slow Life: This isn’t a place for racing through checklists—it’s for breathing deeply, taking photos, and saying things like, “Isn’t this just breathtaking?” every 20 minutes.

Demonic looking lava rocks

Final Thoughts: Age is just a number (Especially when one is chasing waterfalls)

Whether you’ve soaked in Reykjavík’s hot springs, marveled at geysers on the Golden Circle, wandered the fjords of Ísafjörður, or sipped tea under the Arctic sun in Akureyri—you’ve proven something powerful: Travel isn’t reserved only for the young ! 

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Once again we thank Padma for all the pictures and the guest story. Senior citizens and others- now gear up for Iceland!

Some of the other guest stories which appeared in Ghumakkad's blog are listed below. As you can see, the guest stories enrich the content and broaden the spectrum of our blog's coverage. We thank each of the contributors for their guest story.

A Squirrel Comes Home . by Dr Rohini Tiwari. The picture story revolves around a baby squirrel who was abandoned and then adopted by Rohini and family in Coimbatore.

Women Hiking in Water - A real-life story of four women hiking in a waste deep river. With sudden surge in the river, they nearly got swept away!

Sketching at Eight - story of an eight-year-old who has a website showing his sketches which are trending on the social media. The story in Naman's words.

Male Showstopper - by Koushik Gopinath. The picture story showcases Krishna, a male tiger in Ranthambore Tiger Reserve in India.

Winning the Hearts of People - a story from the North East where the Indian Army adopts a front line village for uplifting the quality of life of the villagers.

There are many more guest stories in Ghumakkad's blog. You are welcome to contribute. Please ensure that the pictures are original. You can mail your story to hbindia@gmail.com .

Thanks for browsing. Stay connected. Do leave a comment. It keeps us going.

    - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad/ Secunderabad/ 9th October 2025

Postscript:

10th Oct 25: Dr GB Sethi wrote: Great story, I climbed the Pyramid in 2010, good feeling. (Eds: He was 70 year-old then! )

10th Oct: Ms Suchitra Chaudhuri wrote:  Thanks Harsh for publishing Ms Padma's brilliant writing. She has put so much life into her writing that 70 + like me feel there is no age bar for adventure & we still have interesting life ahead . Kudos to her.

#Iceland #WomenAdventurers #AdventureInLife #LifeIsAn Adventure #YoungAtHeart #SeniorCitizens #GuestStory #Cruise #Ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh

 

Teenagers Of A Different Kind

Teenagers who love to collect metal scrap, or like to live on a tree in the wilderness? Sounds weird? No, not at all! Ghumakkad shares a short story of three teenaged siblings having such varied interests. They live in California. I was with them after their school yesterday.

Who?

The three teenagers pictured above will be seen in the video interview below. Their brief intros follow in ascending order of age.

Maana- A thirteen-year-old who loves all animals. She says her neighbour's black cat awaits her return from school everyday. The cat senses Maana's arrival and scurries into the back yard. See the picture below.

Syon- The only brother among two sisters, Syon loves working with waste material and scraps and loves to create a thing or two. Be it a copper wire or discarded screws, he collects it all. See the stockpile under his bed in the video. He is also an enthusiastic 15-year-old Boy Scout.

Sachi- The eldest of the three siblings, Sachi loves to climb trees or jump into a river in the wilderness. As an 18-year-old she is very sensitive about the environment and its preservation.

No more writing or talking, let us hear them live in the video below.

Was it not admirable? Ghumakkad sure got inspired by the three siblings. Hat tip not only to all the three teenagers but also to their parents Anchita and Satyam. 

You may like to read our earlier story about the trio linked below.

Who Says Children Don't Read Books? A story for the children by the children who love reading books.

Even as a toddler, Maana led us all in a hiking trail. Click the link below to browse the picture story.

Toddler On A Trail - How a toddler leads a trail around a lake in California.

As we say children are our true assets. They will take the world farther. It is our duty to be with them, understand their thinking and ignite the young minds. Sachi, Syon, Maana and all the teenagers of the world- more power to you guys! Rock on.

Thanks for browsing and stay connected.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with inputs from Anchita Nidhindra/ Fremont, California/ 21st Aug 2025

#teenagers #futurecitizens #youngminds #shapingyoungminds #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh

Hiking in USA - The American River

American dollar. American football. American economy. American presidency, we have all heard.

Have you heard about 'The American River'?

Even I hadn't until I hiked up to the river named 'The American River' recently! It is a 50-km long river emanating from the Sierra Nevada mountains and merging with the Sacramento river. Historically the river is known for the gold deposits. It now offers white water rafting, kayaking and hiking and camping along its banks.

Thanks to Hemant and Deepali who live in Davis California, we hiked together yesterday. It wasn't a huge hike by distance or altitude. But it was tougher than that because of searing heat in which we did it. It was high noon with temperatures nearing forty degrees Celsius. We were almost dehydrated on the return leg. I had to take frequent breaks to catch my breath. But the view along the river bed and cool flowing water of the river more than made up for the sweat! Interestingly, the starting hill is called the Cardiac Hill. The trail is named Cardiac Trail. And those who can not tackle steep slopes, there is an alternate trail aptly called the Bye-pass Trail.

After you park your car at China Bar Area Auburn, you go along a shallow canal with flowing water. A narrow path along the canal with several pointed stones slopes down gradually. But you can't lift your eye for fear of tripping on one of the several stones. We couldn't start early that day. We met several hikers returning from the hike. One of them narrated sighting two rattle snakes on the way. It rattled Deepali till she completed the hike three hours later! It was already past 9AM and the Sun was showing its might. Those who can not hike, are recommended to take a car pass and drive down along a tarred road to the bottom of the hill.

See the flowing water of the canal in the video below.

After 20 minutes or so along the canal, we turned left down the slope of the Cardiac Hill. The trail was pretty steep going down. I anticipated the challenge on the return leg. We kept going util we reached the road head for those who came by a vehicle. The river in all its glory was captivating. Gurgling in some part while calm and steady in another. See the pictures and the video below.

You can get a feel of the river in the two short videos below:

Hemant and I wend down to the rocky river bed. Deepali shot some more pictures while we spent a while in the hot Sun.

After cooling ourselves a bit, we commenced the return hike up the steep slops of the Cardiac Hill. We were short of drinking water and the heat was building up. Therefore, after going up for 15 minutes or so, we decided to take the Bye-Pass Trail. It was  a bit circuitous but easier on the knees. I forgot to bring a hiking pole. With ageing knees, hiking poles are a big help for both- going downhill or climbing up. It was Hemant's encouragement and frequent halts that I could complete the uphill return leg. We had told Deepali to move ahead to escape the heat.

We ate black berries on the way up to replenish the energy. 

You can hear the heavy breathing of a Veteran going up the hill in the extreme heat.

After almost five hours in the blazing Sun, we returned to our car. Car AC seemed heavenly. Trekking in Himalayas in its cool climes was much easier than fighting the dehydration in the searing heat of Californian summer.  See Deepali's new car below.

The rarefied atmosphere of Ladakh offers another degree of challenge to the hikers. You may browse our story of a recent hike in Nubra Valley in Ladakh.

High Altitude Hiking in Ladakh - Is it Risky? - The story of hiking with grandson in a river bed at 13,000 feet above the mean sea  level.

Sharing below the story of another hike in California done 11 years ago. All the toddlers in the story are now teenagers who have kept up their love for hiking.

Toddler on a Trail - Picture story of hiking around the Pinecrest lake in California. The hike was led by a toddler. Incredible? Read on.

Here is a recent picture of Ghumakkad (in Navy Veterans cap) with some of the then-toddlers-now-teenagers!

The American River, south fork offers river rafting of Level 2/3. The day we were hiking in the north fork, few Pilani friends aged around 75, were doing river rafting in the south fork. Sharing their pictures courtesy Prem Jain my BITS batchmate. Never too old for an adventure, isn't it?

Thanks for browsing and stay connected.

   - Harsh-the-Ghumakkad with Hemant and Deepali Bhargava/ Davis California/ 10th Aug 2025

#hiking #trekking #california #cardiachill #auburn #cardiactrail #byepasstrail #summerhike #dehydration #theamericanriver #sierranevadamountains #sacramentoriver #navyveteran #ghumakkadhb #ghumakkadharsh