Woman sold everything to travel the world after living in UK's 'third saddest town'

A woman has shared why she chose to sell up, donate her possessions and explore the globe after her children left home and she found herself living in "the third saddest place in the UK". Siobhan Curham author of The Stars Are Our Witness, was left feeling lost after her son moved out and claims she "didn't like the life" she'd been "left with" following the pandemic.

Consequently, she resolved to make a change and has since spent time on a Rasta farm in Jamaica, ventured through Scandinavia, crossed the border from Slovakia into war-torn Ukraine, toured France for two months by train and even spent several weeks in the red light district. The writer spoke to Reach about why she opted to journey around the world and said: "In a nutshell, I decided to fly my empty nest. My son finished university and left home during the pandemic and, when the world started to return to some kind of normal, I realised that I really didn't like the life I'd been left with, reports the Daily Star.

She continued: "I'd moved to a town that was recently voted the third saddest place in the UK to live and that was certainly my experience of it.

"My relationship was on its last legs, and I was suffering from burn-out from six or seven-day working weeks. I felt really down and knew that if I wanted to be happy again I'd have to make some radical changes."

She added: "I ended my relationship and then spent a few months trying to work out what I ought to do next.

"I'd always wanted to travel the world when I was younger but wasn't able to and one day it dawned on me that the advantage of having an empty nest is that you're free to fly it too."

Siobhan eventually summoned the courage to relinquish her rental tenancy and took the plunge. She donated all her furniture and appliances to charity so others could benefit from them.

She said: "It felt so freeing, especially as the price of rental accommodation in the UK has gone through the roof in recent years.

"The choice between giving all that money to a private landlord every month or spending it on seeing the world became quite an easy one to make."

Thankfully, as a writer, Siobhan had no need to worry about work. The mum said: "I can work from anywhere as long as I have a laptop and internet access, so I've carried on working full-time as I travel."

She has made the most of her freedom, visiting some incredible places along the way.

Siobhan explained: "I've stayed in all kinds of places, from a cabin in the Ozark Mountains to a hotel in the red light district of Paris, and right now I'm in a tiny studio apartment in Krakow, Poland.

"As a woman with a slightly dodgy hip I've avoided hostels and always check the reviews before booking for any mention of a good mattress.

"Travelling around Jamaica and staying on a farm owned and run by Rastas was a massive culture shock in the best possible way.

"It really jolted me awake after the lockdowns of the pandemic and reminded me that there's a fascinating and varied world out there. I also discovered a really quirky and colourful town in America called Eureka Springs.

"I've travelled to Ukraine twice to see my son, who now works there for a relief organisation. Visiting a country that is at war and witnessing the spirit of the Ukrainian people has been a really humbling and moving experience, especially as I'm a World War II novelist and have written extensively about war but never directly experienced it before.

"It's really hard to choose one favourite, but if I had to, it would be Eureka Springs in Arkansas as I felt instantly at home and made a lot of great friends in the two months I spent there."

The writer has even made new friends, and inspired some, while on her travels.

She said: "I have met a lot of younger people on my travels though at events I've gone to, or working in cafes – and they all think that what I'm doing is really cool.

"I've also met older people who've been inspired by my adventures – a 58-year-old waitress I met in America ended up planning a solo trip to Europe after meeting me."

Siobhan began by booking three months of trips at a time, but now she only looks at the month ahead.

She said: "I can honestly say that I've never felt happier or more free. I've made so many great friends in so many different countries and had so many interesting experiences."

Plus, she claims that while there have been moments of fear, she has also grown as a person.

The mum said: "Growing up on a council estate in London definitely toughened me up and made me pretty street smart but there have been a couple of moments where I've felt a little afraid as a woman travelling on my own.

"But overall I've found it really character building and navigating those difficult moments have only made me feel stronger and more confident as a person.

"Crossing the border into Ukraine for the first time on my own was definitely a little nerve-wracking. I feel like that journey really toughened me up and now nothing fazes me."

When it comes to advice for others, Siobhan had some tips.

She said: "A great money-saving tip is to use one app to book as many of your trips as possible so you can unlock their loyalty discount.

"I've used booking.com for a lot of mine and I now get 20% off their accommodation, which makes a real difference.

"Eating out on your own is a great way to meet people and start conversations. The Meet-Ups app is another great way to meet people interested in the same things as you.

"When I was in Stockholm recently I used it to find a meet-up for writers and ended up meeting a fellow traveller there and we had a really fun time comparing travel tales."