Anna Hyman, 60s, runs travel website The Foody Traveller
In your sixties, people expect you to slow down, but I much prefer to be out and about – travelling and trying new things and recording them for others to share.
I haven’t always been a travel writer. In fact, over the years, I’ve had several different jobs, from running a catering company to editing lifestyle and legal publications. But in the early 1990s, when an old colleague contacted me to see whether I could write a travel piece for his magazine, I found my real passion.
Sadly, the magazine eventually folded in 2008 and I was made redundant. I also suffered from a bout of bad health and for a while was housebound. However, while I was recovering, some of my travel industry colleagues asked me to help with their websites. I realised that I loved the immediacy of the work and after some thought, decided to combine my two passions, food and travel, and create my own online magazine.
The Foody Traveller was launched in 2011 and, to my delight, it has become popular with both readers and professional bodies – I never know what the next email will bring. I also have over 10,000 Twitter followers.
Over the years, I’ve travelled extensively both abroad and to some great British locations. I’ve had some wonderful experiences, although must admit it can be exhausting – I get sent full-on itineraries, often with little or no free time.
I could have retired years ago – but why would I do that? I love what I do and life never stops being exciting.