Perm Retirees Blog About Budget Travel to Warm Countries
Retirees from Perm have started a travel blog on Yandex Zen. In it, they show their interesting travel life, review places, and offer useful tips. Their channel has grown popular, amassing 59,000 subscribers. We spoke with the creators to learn more about their journeys.
The blog of the spouses from Perm is called «Pensioneram Ne Siditsya» (which means «Retirees Can»t Sit Still«). It began with an article they published in 2019, detailing their first independent trip. »Until 2012, my husband and I only vacationed on package tours: to Turkey, Egypt, Cyprus, Thailand,« the author says in the blog. »And we didn«t even imagine that one could travel independently, without guides and travel agencies.» In their latest article, the bloggers recall how they started traveling: «In 2009, we thought: we should go on vacation somewhere abroad. After all, all our acquaintances had already been to Egypt and Turkey more than once, and we didn»t even have passports.«
The blog is run by the Perm couple, 68-year-old Andrei and 59-year-old Svetlana. Andrei worked in restaurants and cafes before starting a small trade business. Svetlana was an individual entrepreneur before retirement and previously worked for 17 years as a music teacher in a Perm school; she now sings in a vocal ensemble. The couple has three adult children.
«They Recognize Us and Bring Gifts, It»s So Nice«
Primarily, Svetlana and Andrei travel around Southeast Asia and Russia. They have visited Thailand, Vietnam, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Cambodia, Turkey, Egypt, and Cyprus.
The family considers their trip to the Philippines in February last year the most memorable journey.
«We went there for the first time, swam in the ocean with sharks and schools of sardines,» Svetlana shares with 59.RU. «People mainly go to the Philippines to see the underwater world, as it»s very developed there, to go snorkeling — swimming with a snorkel and observing fish. Sri Lanka was also very memorable for its wildlife: we have cats and dogs running around, but there — monitor lizards, monkeys, peacocks wandering, lemurs jumping on branches. You sit on the balcony, and monkeys are jumping on branches, or a peacock is walking nearby, or a monitor lizard.«
Snorkeling is swimming on the water«s surface to observe the underwater world using a mask, snorkel, and fins.
Svetlana shared with 59.RU how the idea to start a channel came about, to show people travels, and discussed its goal.
«First, experience accumulated from travels since 2012: we went for winter stays in Thailand, Vietnam every winter,» says Svetlana. «I really wanted to tell and show about it. The mission or goal is to show that even retirees can go to a warm country, because we travel on a budget, and I show it.»
The couple brainstorms ideas for videos and articles together.
«We walk together, discuss what else to share. In travels, topics come naturally. At home, I focus on diary and savings: I write a little diary about our ordinary daily life in Yeysk (on the Sea of Azov), share where to save, what discounts, cashback offers, which banks we use, and people find it interesting.»
Over the years, the couple has begun to be recognized in other countries — their fellow Russian subscribers often approach them.
«On the beach in Sri Lanka, people who had read our articles came up to us,» Svetlana says happily. «They were very grateful for the useful information and even brought small gifts from Russia.»
How to Decide and How to Save
The blog author offered advice to novice travelers unsure where to go or how to take the plunge abroad.
«If people are afraid to travel independently for the first time, I»d recommend going through a travel agency on a package tour, where everything is arranged: transportation, transfers, hotel,« Svetlana says. »To Turkey, Egypt, Pattaya, Phuket — that«s where everyone usually goes, and it»s great for beginners. On tours, you can learn how it all works, and then plan your own trips independently.«
Currently, Svetlana and her husband don«t live in Perm; six years ago, they moved to Yeysk on the Sea of Azov. Some friends live there, and after visiting, they liked the city: »Very pleasant for retirement living.«
The traveling retiree revealed how they fund their trips: they use their savings, and Yandex Zen provides a small income.
A 59.RU correspondent asked Svetlana how to save on travel.
«You can use early booking promotions or last-minute deals,» the blogger shares. «I»m subscribed to many Telegram groups for travelers and various bots that send last-minute offers. You specify your departure city, duration, hotel rating, and number of people, and the bot sends two or three offers daily. There are amazing prices: to Turkey for 35,000 rubles (about $350) or to Egypt for 40,000 rubles (about $400). You should use all kinds of bots for last-minute tours and tickets.«
Previously, we featured a blogger-fisher from Lysva who gathers thousands of views.
