In 2019, Intrepid traveller Sharon Cheung resigned from her job at a faculty. In January 2020 she offered her home to journey the world for 2 years. It was going to be her massive, unbiased, globetrotting journey. And then…effectively, in her personal phrases, right here’s what occurred subsequent.
In January 2020 I offered virtually all the pieces I personal. My home, my possessions, all the pieces. I’d resigned my job the month earlier than – working at a highschool, serving to youngsters who didn’t have English as a primary language – and the plan was to journey the world for 2 years. The home had really been offered in August 2019, once I was in Ukraine of all locations; I used to be on an Intrepid journey and I acquired a name from the property agent saying, “We’ve had an offer. What do you want to do?” I paused for a second, then blurted out, “Go for it!”
The determination to promote all the pieces had been constructing for some time. I’d been divorced for a number of years. Both my youngsters had graduated and began working in different elements of the nation. My job wasn’t difficult me anymore, and I’d begun to lose religion within the British faculty system. I believed, effectively this life isn’t stretching me, I’m not studying a lot. So I informed my son and daughter, “I’m going to sell the house. It’s too big for me anyway. What do you think?” And they had been very supportive.
When I acquired again from Ukraine, I began clearing all the pieces out of the home. I had one storage unit, concerning the measurement of a double mattress, and that now holds all the pieces I personal on the earth. I suppose, technically, I’m homeless. I gave most of my books and issues away to associates, or donated them to charity. The few objects I saved had been those with sentimental worth.
Then January 2020 arrived, and my travels started! It was going to be two years of journey. After that? Well, I didn’t have any plans. I had nowhere to stay, and nothing a lot to come back again to. I began in Greece, then wandered by way of Sicily and Spain, earlier than hopping over to Lisbon. This was in early 2020, when COVID was simply beginning to break, and other people had been turning into nervous. Having a Chinese surname had been a problem once I moved from London to rural Norfolk, however I hadn’t anticipated it to be an issue in 2020. I’d get numerous nervous seems to be in motels. It was a really unusual expertise. One supervisor mentioned to me, “Oh, you’re English? We thought you were Chinese. We’re going to send our children up to the mountains, where it’s safe.”
After Portugal, I flew to Wales to see my son for a number of days. I used to be attributable to fly out to Budapest, then Thailand. COVID was actually beginning to unfold by this level, and my daughter rang and mentioned, “Please don’t go. I have a bad feeling about this.” I used to be attributable to fly at 7pm that night. Just a few hours later, Hungary closed their borders.
What was meant to be a four-day journey to Wales ended up being three months of laborious lockdown. I used to be caught within the nation, unable to even cross the bridge again to England. I stayed with my son for a 3 months, then moved in with a good friend. I went from sofa browsing to a brief time period rental. Hopping from place to put. Living out of a suitcase.
I needed to maintain the journey dream alive. As 2020 wore on, and lockdowns shifted and opened, I managed a number of weeks of journey right here and there. My Intrepid Uzbekistan tour, deliberate for my birthday in 2020, acquired cancelled (a number of instances). I swung between emotions of freedom and panicky remorse. Over lockdown I’d have the odd day once I’d suppose, gosh have I don’t the precise factor? Selling my home, all the pieces I personal? But the following morning it’d be gone and I’d suppose, yeah, it was the precise transfer. I didn’t want all that stuff anyway.
“I don’t remorse my determination to promote all the pieces, even after the pandemic. Sometimes your plans don’t work out, however that doesn’t imply the choice wasn’t the precise one. “
This was a lesson I’d realized a number of years earlier than. My ex-husband wasn’t eager to journey wherever. Looking again, he was fairly controlling. But after I left him, the children and I moved from London to a bit of home in Norfolk, with a seashore on the finish of the street. And I realised my priorities had modified. In London I used to be going out on a regular basis, spending £70 or £80 on meals, shopping for a lot of garments. And after we moved to the nation I realised I didn’t want all that.
Six months after shifting to Norfolk, my youngsters and I had been in South Africa. Our first massive journey! We’d experience trains and keep in hostels. I’d get up at 2am and purchase low-cost flights and we’d go all over the place. Little mini adventures. The journey bug bit us all. We made a deal, my youngsters and I, that no-one may complain on our journeys. We’d every get to do one thing we preferred whereas travelling. We took turns selecting actions.
But then my youngsters grew up and went to school. I believed, if I need to get on the market and see the world, I’ve to do it by myself. So I’ve been travelling ever since.
I don’t remorse my determination to promote all the pieces, even after the pandemic. Sometimes your plans don’t work out, however that doesn’t imply the choice wasn’t the precise one. My massive birthday journey to Uzbekistan didn’t occur in 2020, however I’ve rebooked for October this 12 months. Before that, I’m going to Jordan with Intrepid. I’m going to stroll by way of the Siq and see the Treasury on the finish. I’m going to have my Indiana Jones second.
The final two years have been a little bit of a curler coaster. I’ve realized to be resilient and keep versatile. I’ve began to get my French up to the mark, with solo journeys to Paris and Provence. I’ve had per week in Cyprus, exploring each side of the inexperienced line. But most of all, I’ve realized the extra you journey, the extra you see the world, the much less stuff you really want.
Want to hit the street? Selling the home and all of your worldly possessions is unquestionably non-obligatory. Check out Intrepid’s small group adventures to search out your subsequent massive journey.