The author’s grandfathers were both employed by the pre-war motor industry. His singer father, John Hanson, would test John’s knowledge of car makes on the long journeys between theatres. He has seen UK car numbers increase tenfold in his lifetime and this is a personal account of his love of classic cars before their success leads to their demise. The motor car took him around Australia; ending up in Darwin 12 months after cyclone Tracy. He explored the wilderness, whilst as a lawyer he represented the Crocodile Dundees of the Northern Territory. He has bought over 70 cars, enjoying their beauty, the aural pleasure of the exhaust note and addictive pleasures of oil and petrol. From Coventry to Darwin and back – an Auto Biography with a difference!
This book is the story of the first fifty years of my life, covering the period from my birth in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire, at the end of World War Two, to my return to England following the failure of my business in France in the 1990s. I was part of the huge increase in the UK birth-rate after the war ended, which has led to us being described as "Baby Boomers". My parents were from humble origins. My father worked as a blacksmith at the local steelworks, whilst my mother found employment as a bus conductress and seamstress until she gave birth to my elder sister. I was fortunate to possess above-average intelligence, enabling me to gain entry to the local Grammar School and, eventually, to two Universities. My career path began at the steelworks, then took me to a major car manufacturer, followed by stints at an international bank and a management consultancy, after which I ran my own business for twelve years. The story is not intended to be simply a chronological summary of significant events. It tells of countless incidents, some humorous, some serious, in a packed and varied life that could so easily have been cut short when I was diagnosed with Diphtheria at the age of three. Travel is a recurring theme, as is the variety of characters that I met along the way. My aim has been to show that with single-minded determination and a modicum of good luck it was possible for a working-class "Baby Boomer" to achieve success in life without falling prey to society's unspoken wish that we all conform.
On the first day back at school at Clee Grammar, Cleethorpes, the Head, Mr Shaw, started by saying “a new year and new decade “. It was Colin Shaw and it said C. Shaw on his office door. Appropriate for a seaside town! This got me thinking, At the age of 14. a decade had been a lifetime. The next decade would be another life time. In 10 years, I would have done my O and A levels, gone to college and may be even married! 10 years! I could not comprehend it. As it happened, each decade of my life did change dramatically. 50’s school. 60’s Grammar school and college. 70’s Family, allotment and weightlifting. 80’s O.U. and climbing UK. 90’s climbing Europe. 2000’s Retirement. 2010’s mountaineering worldwide and then 2020’s Covid! I started taking photos when I cycled over the Alps in 1964. Since then, I have amassed 7000 slides. 40 years later photography went digital and now I have another 10,000 or so. Therefore this little book is a photographic record of the changing decades of my life.
As Kay Hoflander personally knows, Baby Boomers are a generation all of their own. From having parents known as the "Greatest Generation" to witnessing the moon landing and ushering in the digital age, this generation has experienced it all. This collection columns are a compilation of the musings and adventures she has experienced as a Baby Boomer in a world more virtual than reality. The humorous and whimsical approach she brings to life leads readers to reminisce the writings of Erma Bombeck. Tackling everything from aging to "going viral", her columns remind us not to take life too seriously and maintain focus on the things that really matter. Join Kay Hoflander on a honest and refreshing look back on the experiences of this unique generation and the challenges of aging digital.
All baby boomers are children of their time. In Our Time After a While, writer Lloyd Billingsley backpacks into that time, the tail end of the tail-fi n era, in its very birthplace. In the motor cities of Detroit and Windsor, the streets, schools and parks jostled with a vast cast of characters. The author charts their adventures, and the sound track no border could stop, and which would spread around the world. This was long ago, but like Bob Seger the author is still humming a song from 1962, and still looking back in wonder. In Our Time After a While, his fellow baby boomers and all others can join him. Memories are made of this.
Some adventurous folks climb mountains, swim the English Channel, run the bulls at Pamplona, walk the Appalachian Trail, or sail around the world. Douglas Jewell found adventure through long-distance hitchhiking. This book chronicles three hitchhiking trips. Two coast to coast and back trips, in 1976 and 1994, lasted two months and covered 8,000 miles apiece. The 1989-'90 journey to the U.S. Virgin Islands and back included hitchhiking by yacht and sailboat. Douglas' exploits have had amusing, even comical moments, mixed with heartwarming interactions with downhome people and nature. There were threatening incidents, too, including gun-packing rednecks, sailing through a Perfect Storm, and getting trapped in a mountainous box canyon. Through perseverance, this Baby Boomer wrapped good and bad into life-altering experiences. Standing with thumb out and backpack on his back, the array of interesting characters he encounters in his travels is an intriguing cross section of real life Americana. DOUGLAS JEWELL realized at an early age that he was not one to follow the crowd. The status quo would not do. Despite excelling in school, the thought of a traditional 9 to 5 corporate existence had no appeal. Thus, at age 20, the creation of 'The List'. The list was 10 things to accomplish in life - live in a North Woods cabin, Florida, California and the Caribbean, work on a dairy farm, experience an extended visit to Australia and India or China, hitchhike across America, start and own a business, and find a women who would be a kindred spirit, best friend, and companion to the end of their days. Eight of those goals have been realized. The basis of his life has been "A man has only two things in life - his word and his work." His unshakable belief in that pledge has led him to adventures and accomplishments, as well as disappointment and hardships.
A brief introduction to Full-Time RVing as a lifestyle for retirement. Many Baby Boomers are nearing an age where they might want an early escape from the daily grind of work. This book will provide you with information that explains how full-time RVing can be an affordable alternative for early retirement. It will provide basic knowledge to get you started down the road to fulfilling everyones dream of enjoying life before its too late.
At My Itchy Travel Feet, The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Travel, writer Donna Hull and photographer Alan Hull travel the world recording their boomer travel experiences with words, photos, and videos so that you’ll know exactly what to expect. Their goal? To get boomers off the couch and out into the world. In this Blog to Book, they’ve chosen some of their favorite journeys to share with you. Take a road trip in Northern Italy, drive the California Big Sur coast, or explore Arches, Canyonlands, Glacier, and Grand Tetons National Parks. You’ll find a chapter on small ship luxury cruising and a travel tips section with advice on road trips, cruising, travel photography, and multi-generational travel. So, pull up a chair, grab a cup of coffee, and start reading about active travel for boomers. It’s guaranteed to make your travel feet itchy!
Drawing on the latest research this book examines the tourism and leisure needs of older people. Chapters review the particular behaviors, characteristics and special requirements of the senior market and provide examples of good practice and service provision. The book highlights how important an understanding of this emerging market is to tourism and leisure providers. It also suggests ways to effectively market to and provide for this expanding group in the future.
