这几年出门旅行时发现，不少退休的叔叔阿姨都会结伴出行，四处游历，欢乐无比。连旅游市场都开始关注到这一点，并将这一新的消费群体成为silver consumers（银发消费族）。在国外，银发族们都开始像大学生一样过gap year了。
The newly coined term ‘Grey Gapper' describes people who are 55 and over, and who have decided to take a gap year. Gap years are normally associated with young people and students, who are taking a break from education to backpack around the world, staying in hostels and partying a lot. However, according to a survey by the Post Office, ‘grey gappers' are now on the increase, with 25% of people aged 55 and over taking a long break to travel the world.
Grey Gapper这个新创的词指55岁以上、决定进行一次间隔年旅行的人，我们可以称为“银发gap族”或者“银发空档族”。通常来说，间隔年都跟年轻人和学生族有关，他们会在上学期间暂停学业，背包周游世界、住青年旅馆，四处狂欢。不过，一项调查显示，“银发gap族”的人数在持续增加，55岁以上的人群中有25%会暂别常规生活，周游世界。
This age group is typically in an extremely comfortable position to partake in an extended adventure. They are mature people with savings, grown up children and empty nests, years of hard work, stress and pressure behind them; so why not shed some responsibility and indulge?
这个年龄段的人正处于生活最舒适的阶段，可以参加时间较长的出游。他们成熟有积蓄，孩子已成年离家，努力工作多年，压力不再，所以为什么不卸下责任，放肆欢乐呢？
Some empty nesters set off, iPads in hand, to faithfully tick sights and destinations off a long-held travel bucket-list. Others look for work or voluntary placements overseas; one third of globalvounteers.org participants are now over 55. The baby boomer generation have a love of travel, backed up with money and ambition, and many refuse to take retirement sitting down.
有些空巢族手里拿着iPad出发，按照计划许久的旅游清单一一造访那些景点。有些则会寻找海外的工作或志愿服务机会，globalvounteers.org网站三分之一的志愿者都是55岁以上的。婴儿潮一代喜爱旅行，有足够的资金和雄心，很多人并不愿意把退休作为安享晚年的终点。
