Destination NSW teamed up with YouTube channel Yes Theory to help fulfil 102-year-old San Francisco resident Dorothy Smith’s lifelong dream of visiting Sydney.
A 102-year-old from San Francisco visited Sydney last week, completing her bucket list dream of visiting all seven continents.
When two young men told Dorothy Smith they would take her to Australia so she could fulfil her dream, she initially thought it was a scam.
However, Ammar Kandil and Staffan Taylor were completely serious. The pair, who produce Yes Theory, a YouTube channel with almost 9.3 million subscribers, met Dorothy in October 2024 while filming a story at The Redwoods Retirement Village in Mill Valley, California.
During their visit, they discovered Smith had always dreamed of visiting all seven continents. She had been to Asia, North America, South America, Antarctica, and Europe but never made it to Australia.
Dorothy and Adrienne Smith at Bondi Beach. Photo / Yes Theory
“Travel is important to me because it’s a big world, and each country is different and has something different to offer,” Smith told Destination NSW. “I want to see them all and I don’t want to miss anything,” she added.
Kandil and Taylor partnered with Destination NSW and Qantas to make her dream a reality and last week she flew to Sydney for a visit.
“It’s never too late for an adventure, just try and see and I think you will be surprised how well you do.” she said in a video Yes Theory shared about her trip yesterday. “You either rust out or wear out. I chose to wear out.”
A busy Sydney itinerary
After boarding the Qantas flight, Smith and her daughter Adrienne were welcomed into the cockpit to meet the pilots before settling into business class for the flight.
Smith’s visit involved a Sydney Harbour cruise, a koala and kangaroo encounter at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, touring Sydney Opera House and Bondi Beach. She also visited the Botanic Gardens and Museum of Contemporary Art.
Smith said she loved visiting Sydney, saying the city was beautiful and the people were so friendly.
“The people are charming, the food is good, the scenery is just wonderful, and even the weather is nice,” she said. However, she told 7News she didn’t expect the city to be quite so developed.
“I was expecting more (wild) plains with grasses growing on it,” she told the broadcaster.
The Sydney Opera House was an especially incredible spot to visit, with Smith being more than twice as old as the iconic building.
Smith inspires thousands in YouTube video
Few people live to 102 years old, let alone travel long haul and Smith was happy to share her tips for a long and healthy life.
“You have to exercise, you have to eat lots of fruit and vegetables and stay hydrated,” she said. The final tip was to have fun, she added.
Yes Theory’s video of Smith’s trip has been viewed almost 321,000 times since it was shared on December 2.
More than 1770 people commented on the video, many expressing awe about Smith’s energy for life.
“Her heart is so youthful,” one person wrote. “Here I am at 27, feeling tired, anxious and stuck...this is just what I needed,” another added.
An account seemingly linked to Smith’s retirement village also commented, writing: “Seeing her travel across the world to Australia and live out such a meaningful adventure has been truly heartwarming for our entire senior community.”
