About Global Gadding

 

Helping Couples 50+ Plan Scenic, Stress-Free Road Trips

Welcome to Global Gadding, the home of confident, independent travel planning for couples who want to skip the group tours and do it their way.

We’re Angela and Richard, a travel-loving couple in our (very) early 60s who have spent over 40 years crafting road trips across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and beyond.

We’ve crossed Australia by rail and RV, hiked trails in New Zealand, driven a tuktuk across Sri Lanka, climbed giant sand dunes in Namibia, and eaten street food in Cambodia.

Every trip we share here is one we’ve taken ourselves — planned from scratch, paid for out of pocket, and documented with care so you can feel confident doing the same.

Now we share what we’ve learned so you can do the same — with step-by-step road trip planning tips, scenic itineraries, and printable tools that take the stress out of trip planning.

Whether you’re dreaming of your first road trip or you’re a seasoned traveler looking for new routes, our goal is simple:

Why Should You Trust Us?

✅ 40+ years of independent travel experience
✅ 30+ road trips self-planned — all self-funded
✅ No sponsored content or freebies — every word comes from lived experience
✅ Over 3,000 readers each month use Global Gadding to plan meaningful road trips
✅ Every itinerary and guide is built from personal experience

We’re not here to sell you a dream we didn’t live ourselves. Everything we share, we’ve used or experienced firsthand — and we’re still learning with every trip.

If you’ve ever felt like trip planning is too complicated, too time-consuming, or just plain stressful — you’re in the right place.

We believe travel in midlife should be joyful, empowering, and on your own terms.

A Bit About Us

A few snaps from the road — proof that we’ve been there, planned that, and are still exploring.

We live in beautiful North Wales with our three rescue cats — Olly, Sherbet, and Noodles — who keep us grounded between adventures.

When we’re not out exploring, you’ll find us enjoying the simple things: walking local trails, sipping white wine, crafting (Angela), watching football (Richard), or getting stuck into a DIY or gardening project. And yes — we’ll always say yes to coffee and cake.

I (Angela) worked as an aromatherapist and reflexologist at our local hospice for 25 years, which taught me to live life fully and prioritize what brings joy. That energy now goes into planning every trip, guide, and itinerary we share here.

Richard, a part-time self-employed finance professional, is the spreadsheet wizard behind our trips — tracking every expense and mileage while leaving the fun parts (planning!) to Angela.

What You’ll Find On GlobalGadding

We share:

• Detailed road trip itineraries (that we’ve done ourselves)
• Step-by-step planning guides
• Printable travel tools & checklists
• Honest travel tips and advice — no fluff, no filters
• Encouragement and inspiration for midlife couples who love to explore

Not sure where to start? Read our Beginners Guide to planning a Road Trip to get your first itinerary rolling.

What You Won’t Find Here

• Sponsored content or paid reviews
• Brand partnerships or press trips
• AI-generated guides or destination fluff
• Filtered photos that hide reality

We fund all our travels, write every word ourselves, and only recommend things we’ve personally used or experienced.

👉 Go From ‘Where Do We Start?’ to ‘This Trip Is Planned and Ready

Our free Road Trip Planner Kit helps you budget, map your route, book with confidence, and avoid the overwhelm — so you can enjoy the journey, not just the destination.