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Midlife Reimagined: How a Leap to Colombia Reignited My Curiosity, Courage, and Sense of Self
Originally written by Anastasia Baker for The Telegraph
We’re hugely grateful to journalist Anastasia Baker for beautifully capturing the spirit of our Midlife Leaps in her recent feature for The Telegraph. You can read her full original article here (please note, a subscription may be required).
For those who aren’t subscribers, we’ve shared an adapted version below, which we hope still conveys the heart of Anastasia’s experience and why this kind of purposeful adventure matters so much.
A therapist once told me that menopause often separates women into two camps: those who shrink back, losing confidence and choosing safety, and those who lean forward, eager to rediscover themselves after decades of caring for everyone else.
For a long time, I didn’t know which one I would be.
I’d always been at ease with travel - flying across the Atlantic to see my children working in the US, juggling my own business placing maternity nurses - but those trips felt functional, not life-affirming.
Then a friend returned from a midlife trip to Peru, her eyes bright, her stories crackling with adventure. She’d been living out of a rucksack and sleeping under the stars. I felt a pang of envy and nostalgia. The last time I’d been that free was backpacking in the late '80s. Could I still do it?
The midlife travel had been organised by The Leap, the purpose-led travel company created by the unstoppable Milly Whitehead.
When I met Milly, I recognised something familiar in her: an understanding of the strange in-between space midlife creates. The children grown. The routines set. The ambitions that once defined me had quieted, but I knew I wasn’t ready to settle.
I didn’t want a spa. I wanted something real.
Milly’s message resonated: midlife doesn’t have to be a crisis - it can be the moment you wake up. When you get out of your comfort zone, do something meaningful, and share it with people who truly see you, you remember who you are.
So, at 57, I signed up for Colombia. A country I knew almost nothing about, with 12 women I’d never met, trusting that the experience would shape me.
We began in Barichara, often called Colombia’s most beautiful town, reached by a hair-raising bus ride from Bogotá. Cobbled lanes and whitewashed houses felt like stepping back in time. With Josie, our guide and long-time resident, we wandered artisan markets brimming with woven textiles and ceramics.
At sunset, we gathered around a table piled high with local dishes (yes, including the famous fat-bottomed ants) and something shifted. I felt more present than I had in years.
The next morning, yoga and a gong bath in a shaman’s home eased us into the rhythm of the place, preparing us for what came next.
One day, we joined a reforestation project, planting saplings alongside locals. Another day, we worked with a women’s cooperative, patching roofs, bottling preserves, and making leather purses. Nothing was staged or performative. It was practical, purposeful, and deeply human.
And somewhere in those hours of shared work, I felt my identity loosen. I wasn’t a mother, a wife, or a business owner. I was just me—present, useful, unmasked.
Evenings became sacred. Boots off, wine poured, we shared stories—about feeling invisible, about bodies changing, about wanting more from life. We laughed and cried and realised how much we still had to give.
Milly has a talent for creating these spaces—both literal and emotional—where women can step out of roles and just be.
We left Barichara for the Caribbean coast, hiking into Tayrona National Park. Covered in sweat and mosquito bites, I caught my reflection in a cracked mirror and thought: She’s still here.
We floated by canoe down a jungle river and ended up at Buritaca Beach, where cocktails and hammocks waited.
This wasn’t a trip designed to smooth over the edges of midlife. It was the opposite—a chance to strip away what didn’t matter and remember what did.
Travel companies often offer volunteering or curated escapes. But The Leap’s combination of challenge, cultural immersion, and contribution felt unique—and necessary.
There’s a growing movement of women over 50 rejecting passive tourism in favour of meaningful, values-led experiences. And when you share them with others, the effect multiplies.
Milly summed it up:
“We’re not trying to fix anyone. We just create the space and give the nudge to step beyond the familiar. That’s where the magic happens.”
And she’s right. When you’re planting trees or swapping stories with a stranger-turned-friend, you stop worrying about your hair or your waistline. You just show up. Whole, weathered, and alive.
Our final stop was Cartagena—a city of colour and rhythm—where we danced in courtyards, browsed market stalls, and felt the journey coming full circle.
I didn’t come home with souvenirs or a tan. I came home with something more valuable: clarity about how I want to feel—curious, connected, and unafraid.
If you hear that quiet longing inside you, know this: it’s not too late. Sometimes all you need is a plane ticket and a little courage to remember who you are.
Just like Milly rediscovered in Namibia, purpose plus adventure can flip a switch at any age. And sometimes, it starts with getting a little lost.
Thinking about your own Leap?
From the buzzing streets of Bogotá to the pristine beaches of the Caribbean, Colombia offers a perfect mix of adventure and cultural immersion. Hike through the misty mountains of Barichara, wander through Cartagena’s colorful streets, and kayak through the magical waterways of Tayrona National Park.
Looking for a unique, meaningful adventure designed around your group? Our Tailored Travel programmes allow you to create a bespoke itinerary for groups of 8 or more, heading to the most exciting and rewarding destinations across Africa, Asia, Central and South America.
