Eight decades of travel – Ken Bowes, the nonagenarian traveller

Ken Bowes is in his 90’s and still travelling the world. From his first trip around New Zealand in 1953 to recent travels around Chad and Republic of Congo, Ken still has further plans for the coming years. Below we talk to him about his life of travelling and how things have changed over the decades.

What and when was your first trip abroad?

My interest in bush whacking and rock climbing led to a five months rock & ice climbing in New Zealand in 1953 during university holidays.

How many countries have you visited?

Depends in how you define a country. I have been to Somaliland, land north Mogadishu. Most claim this is part of Somalia . e.g visiting Hargeisa.

The United Nations recognises 193 countries. Lonely planet – about 220 odd but include Wales and Scotland and a few similar.

I have visited about 205. The remainder are in West and Central Africa. – about 7  I have been to all the others in the world.

How difficult was it to be stuck at home for a few years during covid? Did you ever consider that you travel days might have been over during this point or was you still eager to get back out on the road again?

Covid was very different. I was quarantined in Cameroon for nearly three weeks and missed three west African Countries that I was about to visit. I was just in quarantine in Australia.
I am eager to get back e.g a recent tour to Chad and the Congo with Lupine travel.

What are the biggest changes you’ve seen around the world over all your years of travelling?

The biggest changes have been the difficulty and expense in obtaining visas in North Africa from Australia, which was no problem in the 1970’s and 80’s.
Border crossing problems – particularly Eritrea, Djibouti, Somaliland again and the Mali – Algeria one.
Restrictions in assessing certain places e.g I climbed to the top of the pyramid of Giza in Egypt in 1958, not now.
Also wandering around the acropolis – again prohibited now.
However people remain the same- reasonably happy and very helpful (I exclude Gaza and Ukraine currently).

What are your future plans for travelling? Do you have many more places you’d still like to see for the first time or other places you’d like to go back to?

The remaining few in N. Africa and probably a return to Japan and Greece (selective) Europe currently does not appeal. Too many countries.

What’s the most transformative travel experience that you’ve had?

In very general terms, realizing that  people all over the world adapt to their situation and are not much different to people in my own country Australia.

This question could be discussed a length.

Have you ever been in any dangerous situations?

Yes. I was climbing in Nepal in 1980 when an avalanche occurred and killed my three climbing partners. I was very lucky to escape. In Chile in 1973 when the presidential palace was bombed and Allenda the president was killed. Curfews and restrictions were applied.
Interrogated at length by the police in Tehran from where i took photos of the graffiti on the former American embassy, which was then in the hands of the army.
Held up on a public bus in Guatemala by a gunman demanding money.

What’s your favourite country that you’ve visited?

My favourite country depended on the reason for visiting e.g. animals and wildlife – Africa and the Antarctic peninsula, archaeology – Libya and Egypt. Art and national parks – the USA, Skiing – Canada. Colour – India and Africa, Waterfalls – Venezuela and South America.

Has the way you travelled changed over the years? Do you prefer to have more comfort the older you get?

Yes. When my wife was alive she would only travel business class on a flight over 6 hours.
I travel economy and request an exit seat with leg room because of the 4 ½ increase in price of business class.
Age has brought in a desire for more comfort, particularly a hotel room where everything works. Resorts do not interest me currently.

There are a lot of benefits to the way the world has started to open up more now and become more accessible to more people around the world. But are there any aspects for you that you feel are negative around modern day travellers and the increased amount of people travelling?

Post-covid the number of countries and flights has increased and made the worlds more easily accessible. Visas are still a problem.