Solo Travel Adventures: Safe Travel for Women, Preparing for a Trip, Overcoming Fear, Travel Tips
Equipping Women over 50 to Safely Travel in Confidence
Is fear holding you back from traveling because you don’t have anyone to go with? Are you concerned about being a woman traveling alone? Not sure how to prepare for a solo trip? Do family and friends think you are crazy for even considering solo travel in this day and age?
In this podcast, you will become equipped to travel safely by yourself. You’ll learn things like tactical travel tips and how to prepare for a trip, and how to overcome the fear so you can discover the transformation that travel can bring. My mission is to see more women over 50, empty-nesters, discover how travel can empower them. If you want to enjoy your next travel adventure solo, then start your journey here.
Hi Sister Travelers, I’m Cheryl, solo travel advocate and coach. I spent nearly 20 years putting my family/children first and felt guilty about even considering solo travel at the time. After my divorce and transitioning to an empty nest, I began to rediscover my passion for travel, built confidence in myself, and started to explore again. I have experienced life-changing adventures through travel and I want the same for you.
If you are ready to find freedom through travel and build your confidence while safely navigating new places, then this podcast is for you!
Pack your bags, grab your plane tickets and check one more time for that passport. It’s time to explore the world!
Email: adventuresredheadrambler@gmail.com
Solo Travel Adventures: Safe Travel for Women, Preparing for a Trip, Overcoming Fear, Travel Tips
From Settled Life to Global Nomad: Kim's Journey Through Divorce and Pandemic
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to embrace a nomadic lifestyle after decades of traditional living? This episode brings you Kim’s extraordinary journey from a settled family life to a liberating nomadic existence. Kim, an adventurous empty nester and recent divorcee, found herself storing her belongings in January 2020 and embarking on a life of global exploration. From her middle-class roots in California to navigating travel restrictions in Mexico and solo adventures in Tanzania, Kim shares how she balanced her new life on the road with maintaining family connections.
This episode uncovers the profound transformation that came with Kim’s unexpected transition during a personal upheaval and a global pandemic. We delve into the challenges and joys she encountered, from finding secure Airbnbs in different cities to discovering self through solo travel. Kim’s stories span the globe, highlighting the spontaneity and unpredictability that define a nomadic life. We also discuss the nuances of feeling at home in multiple places, the value of language skills in travel, and the logistical challenges of maintaining a car while living a rootless lifestyle.
For those contemplating a similar path, Kim offers essential tips and advice on building confidence, ensuring safety, and the benefits of minimalist living. She shares how house and cat sitting can be cost-effective solutions and how embracing a nomadic lifestyle can free up time for personal interests. Join us for this inspiring and educational conversation that might just spark your own adventurous second chapter.
Connect with Kim on Instagram @secondchapternomad or through her blog at secondchapternomad.com
Facebook community: Solo Travel for Women Over 50
Send me a message or share your solo travel story with me.
https://www.speakpipe.com/SoloTravelAdventures
Leave a review:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/solo-travel-adventures-safe-travel-for-women-preparing-for-a-trip-overcoming-fear-travel-tips/id1650161410
Hello Sister Travelers. Well, I am thrilled to have this guest on my show today. I've been following her myself for a while and we've finally connected, and she's got some wonderful advice and stories to share. I have Kim from Second Chapter Nomad. She is an empty nester, recently divorced. She went from the traditional family, home and life to an uncharted territory in an unexpected second chapter. She threw everything into storage January of 2020, pre-pandemic and took flight as a nomad. Her message is never too late to get out of your comfort zone, take risk and try something new. She sounds just like my type of person, so listen in to our wonderful conversation here today. Welcome to Solo Travel Adventures for Women 50 and Older. I'm Cheryl S, your host, solo travel advocate, freedom traveler and coach. This is your Passport to Adventure. Well, hello, kim, it's so wonderful to have you here. I'm honored that you are here today.
Speaker 2:I am here today. One never knows where I am, but I am here today.
Speaker 1:Well, and I can't wait to hear about the nomadic stories you have, I'm sure, but can you maybe start at the beginning and tell us, kind of, where did your passion for travel come from? Your origin story? I like to say, you know, where'd that all come from?
Speaker 2:Well, it is funny because I grew up in California and you know just a middle-class family that never traveled internationally or anything. But my mom definitely had a love for adventure and exploring and so she planned extensive road trips and some started lots of national parks, some camping and stuff. But then in my teen years we had massive ones across America, like month long journeys to see extended family in Oklahoma and then up to Wisconsin where my grandma went for a few random years. So I definitely had that bug then. And then, even strangely, I talked my parents into letting me take my younger siblings when I was 18 and they were like 13 and 15 on a month trip on Amtrak all over America by ourselves. It's very bizarre. So I've always been the leader of designing trips and adventure ventures.
Speaker 1:Yes, Well, if you're going to pick a, an adventure where I, you know you're that age and you're going across the country, us, the Amtrak is the way to go. It was really cool. Yeah, yeah, that's a good choice. Yes, that's amazing, but I know you have found yourself in your what you call your current season, um second chapter right, which is definitely definitely second chapter, but it's a big chapter so take us there now and like how you got there and how it has opened up this door for this new season of your life.
Speaker 2:You're calling second chapter yeah, it's definitely a new season. It's kind of going back to my roots, which is funny because it's the same person of adventure and travel that I was as a teen in my 20s.
Speaker 1:We don't change, so that's amazing.
Speaker 2:I had a major, major time there of being a mother and wife and having a family home of 20 years and did all that, raised the children. We did take them traveling. Our best, best times were world travel, so we did take our kids literally all over the world. So we did that. But at the same, well before the pandemic, there was a bit of a surprise, a plot twist, shall we say, of the major separation, which wasn't my plan or I didn't see it coming, but that came. And then, right at the pandemic also, I was becoming an empty nester. Both kids were literally leaving the nest, as did hubby, and I became in a pandemic suddenly in an Airbnb because I had been abroad and I came back last days of March 2020, the last flight out of Scotland and Dublin. It was nowhere to go, in the middle of a divorce. So I went to an Airbnb in March 2020 and never looked back. So the whole divorce was through that time and literally that's. I lose track of time. Four and a half, four and a half years ago.
Speaker 1:Yeah, four and a half years.
Speaker 2:It's insane. So I never, ever planned this. So, anyway, he kept the family home. It's a long story, but at the end of the divorce, and I have a storage unit, and you moved on, I moved on and my son was in Ireland, my daughter is LA, now my son's in Texas, which I think. Maybe you're in Texas. Yes, I'm in Texas, he's in Texas Anyway. So I don't have roots anymore anyway. So I have just continued to travel for four and a half years.
Speaker 1:Can I touch on that? You don't have any roots anymore because I feel like I have loved the idea of the nomadic lifestyle which you are apparently living right past four and a half years. But do you miss that having a home base or having that security at any point?
Speaker 2:Of course. So what I do have is a lovely 10 by 10 storage unit right here. I'm in my hometown right now, so I still have roots, because not only is it the town I raised my family, but I'm from here as well, and I'm very blessed to have my parents still around and in this lovely home where I am right this minute.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:So I do come home and have that stability of I mean it's like I'm a university student again. It's's very strange, it's like I'm a child in my 50s. They've got the bedroom ready and it's awesome, though they let me. I spread out all my stuff, I go to my storage unit, I repack for whatever adventure is coming next for the seasons, and literally I'm doing that right now. So it's very fresh because I've been here two months off and on going around visiting people, but I'll be leaving Friday back to London, which is another one of my main places now.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yes, I like routines and stuff, but I can find it If I have a month in a place. I get settled and I enjoy it.
Speaker 1:Right, and with nomadic travel it is. It's like we call slow travel, so you spend lots of time like you said, a month or so in each kind of place, so you're not bouncing around like if you were, you know, maybe doing some more touristy type of travel or a limited amount of travel time, right, you might have like, oh, I only have 10 days, I gotta, you know, get to everything Right. Everything right, very, very different, which I love.
Speaker 2:It's literally my dream from when I was in my 20s of what I'm doing now. So like I'll go to London now. London is a major base and I like I was just there five months up yeah, in England, yes, yeah but, but then from there I went to France and Switzerland.
Speaker 2:My daughter met me, so I had wonderful times with her, and then I didn't have a place booked in London, so I'm like you know Switzerland's beautiful and I stayed longer by myself. And then I did the same again. I went and visited favorite spots of Manchester, edinburgh, dublin and Belfast, where I have a lot of friends and close people in my life.
Speaker 1:So I was going to ask that like, through your travels, have you developed communities elsewhere or people? Because I think that's a as you sure could attest to, that's an important factor, as you mentioned. Like coming home to your parents is is kind of a nice. Having that availability is nice. Not everybody has that, but as you're traveling, you know it's also would be nice to have a community it sounds like you do in in England because you've been there for so long.
Speaker 2:right, yeah, I go back and forth a lot Um the last four years, five years with Scotland and then London. I have a huge community in London, a lot of great people there, professionally and personally. And and then my son, again, again. A lot of this started because he went to school. He did semester abroad in dublin, um before the pandemic, and so I was going over there during the separation in the marriage but as a nice little escape. So I went over many, many, many times and so I have his uh fiance, her, so he has an irish fiance and her friends and family that I've got so close with. So I have a whole thing going on in Dublin too.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So you don't feel alone. Not at all, I mean because you're solo traveling, but it sounds like you have so many connections and you've made so many friends that it's you know. You have those moments where you are alone, obviously, but you know you aren't alone all the time, so that's definitely definitely not.
Speaker 2:And one of them. If you read my blog at all during the pandemic my first big time was the Quarantine Chronicles and Casa de Coco they all have names and I had Lockdown Loretta from Manchester who lived with me going through her divorce and we lived together like crazy young golden girls. It was we had like the best time.
Speaker 1:Oh, how fun.
Speaker 2:I know and she went back to Manchester. So every time I go back I make sure and go have at least a long day trip in Manchester with her. So I've just really fun things like that.
Speaker 1:How did you meet these people that you've spent some extra time with?
Speaker 2:Gosh. I mean because it's a small world literally. I have so many interconnections and then I am a writer and I am in the film world, so I used to go before the pandemic. I went to Berlin Film Festival, Toronto, cannes for professional reasons, and so I've actually had a huge international network and a lot of them become friends and professional.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, that's awesome. Yeah, so it's important. So how did you prepare for this nomadic lifestyle that you're living? I know you said you have a storage unit, which I have one too.
Speaker 2:Very important.
Speaker 1:I'm proud to say I got mine down to 10 by 7.
Speaker 2:Ooh, I don't think I could do that. That is impressive, though, yeah.
Speaker 1:Well, and it's like it all just kind of fits though, yeah, so how did you prepare for that?
Speaker 2:Well, I really didn't prepare.
Speaker 1:It just kind of came off hit you right.
Speaker 2:Yes, because literally the divorce was going on and I got that storage unit who knew? But December 2019 I didn't know the pandemic was coming. I was in the middle of the divorce and I knew I had to move out of the house. Yeah, I went on a trip what I thought was a trip to Berlin Film Festival was actually the last one in 2020 at that point and see my son in Ireland and stuff. And then literally when I came back, like whoa, I never went back to the family home and I didn't expect that, nor did I prepare for that. Yeah, so probably good, it was like ripping off a band-aid because I was an. I was really into nostalgia and all my stuff and my kids rooms they're still there. It's very weird.
Speaker 1:I'd never, ever really dealt with it okay, because I know some people prepare for this lifestyle. You know, whether it's like they start by downsizing and then they start selling their stuff, and yeah, yeah, I like the band-aid idea because I think that really just it forces you to do it. You know, get it done and move on instead of lingering over.
Speaker 1:Which I did do, yeah, yeah so I tend to for the first part of you know, when I first got divorced myself, I was kind of lingering on those nostalgia things, right. Yeah, I finally released most of them.
Speaker 2:So yes, I have a lot of them packed in the storage unit. They're in boxes and it's good they're just sitting over there.
Speaker 1:Yeah we all have that. So, as a nomad, what challenges do you face?
Speaker 2:Oh, there's a lot, I'm sure. Yes, well, uncertainty would definitely be at the top of the list. That's a big one, and I'm getting better about it because I'm making slightly longer plans, because I definitely was flying by the seat of my pants in the early days, which I'll get to some of those adventures okay, now it's a little more civilized, of like right now I'm going to London for two months.
Speaker 2:Um, I have an Airbnb for a month planned after that. I don't. I don't know what. I'm going to London for two months. I have an Airbnb for a month planned After that. I don't know what I'm doing. And then I am coming back for the holidays. I've come back every year between Thanksgiving and Christmas to be with my parents and see my kids.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:That's a little structure. Now. That is a known quantity, yeah, and beyond that I don't know it's okay, Okay whatever.
Speaker 1:Spontaneity is is the spice of life in my opinion, absolutely.
Speaker 2:And so the pandemic and the divorce threw that into. Just it was insane. Um, so I was in that Airbnb and I was losing my mind with the pandemic and divorce. It was really awful and it's so crazy. And so I do have a travel companion from Scotland and I came up with a plan during the pandemic to have him meet me in Mexico, because at that time we couldn't cross the borders, you know if you recall those crazy times. But we were allowed to go to Mexico and if, like, he went to Mexico for 14 days, then you could come into the states. I mean, so weird, looking back, that that like how that oh, that is bizarre anything, yeah, so we did that and we're in a hurricane massive category five hurricane during the pandemic.
Speaker 2:So that was that was my birthday, uh, back then. So my birthday tends to be interesting. Um, anyway, oh, but before that I went. Oh yeah, this is a big one. I ran to africa. I forgot about that, that's during the pandemic.
Speaker 1:Yes, I did, you got to africa, I went to africa.
Speaker 2:How did you?
Speaker 1:manage that because like, like. I mean tell me, I couldn't go anywhere in 2020. I was so mad because I was supposed to be in Dublin. Oh yeah, when it hit the beginning of April.
Speaker 2:And I was, and you were.
Speaker 1:I should have been there, but yeah.
Speaker 2:Well, so my son was there at that point and, sadly, both my kids my daughter was graduating USC 2020. And my son is master's in 2020 in Ireland. It was like you couldn't go see them, right? No, yeah, so he was locked down in Ireland and so by August, we were all very frustrated. Yeah, and he, like me, is quite the traveler, as is my daughter, and he looked at the globe and where could we both go that borders were open. Well, tanzania, tanzania didn't believe in COVID at that time and, no kidding, he and his girlfriend at the time, who's now his fiance, went to Tanzania and Zanzibar and I joined them and it took me three days of insane travel during the pandemic to get there, oh I bet yeah, and so I got to see him.
Speaker 2:And we oh my gosh, we were the first tourists there since the pandemic to get there. Oh, I bet, yeah, and so I got to see him. Oh my gosh, we were the first tourists there since the pandemic. So we did the full Serengeti, we did a safari, we did everything the most unbelievable experiences. It's all on my blog. And then I liked it so much I didn't come back. I stayed six weeks. They left and I stayed by myself and did Africa alone. So that was a big one on my own.
Speaker 2:Oh that's awesome. And I was still going through the divorce. I mean, I was talking about being as far away as you could possibly be.
Speaker 1:And did you so? Some people look at solo travel for different ways. You know. Like can it be? You know, some people use travel in general to escape, right. Some use it to um, be transformed or what you know, or have a cultural experience and looking back on that time, for you would you say that that travel period during the time of the divorce was sort of your way of escaping?
Speaker 2:Oh, absolutely, I was definitely running away between that and the pandemic, yeah, and fortunately I kept really great journals and took lots of photos, and so that's what my blog is based off of. It's all my real experiences at that moment and the feelings. You know, I was in the middle of Africa getting court documents and having to docu-sign stuff. It was so weird. I was in such another place.
Speaker 1:And then you know you're bombarded with this stuff, and then you have to come back to reality like okay, yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it was. It was strange, but it was transformational too. I really got my myself back and I literally would go jump in the sea and just swim and go out on these little African boats. And I mean, I did fairly risky things at the time but you know, at that point I really didn't care and I just felt so alive.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I had that feeling.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love it.
Speaker 2:And then when I came back, that's when I jumped right to the Mexico having the Scottish fellow meet me in Mexico and then carried off and finished the divorce literally Christmas Eve of 2020. So that was tortuous.
Speaker 1:Yes, well, I'm sure you're as like. I am glad it's behind you right and just that you are starting. You've started this new chapter and it sounds like it's amazing. So tell me about some other fun places you've been, because you've been a lot of places definitely.
Speaker 2:um, well, that's the other thing, because predominantly it's going back and forth from the states to the uk. Um, but then the new number of the years when I realized that again there's no deadlines. Uh, I, or we, if I had my companion with me, would stop in the Caribbean on the way to go back to the UK and go spend three weeks in Jamaica, which I've never been there Bahamas and Dominican Republic, costa Rica, panama. I speak Spanish, I used to teach in Spanish, so I have a lot of Latin America.
Speaker 1:That's very helpful.
Speaker 2:Yes, so I've squeezed in so many countries like that and again the lengthy periods to at least two, three weeks, which was so great, and then lots of Europe, Okay yeah, and again I've been lucky having my kids often not often, but here and there join. So since I don't have a home anymore, they have nowhere to come home to to see me.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I have that same issue but, um, you know, I do a lot of house sitting and dog sitting, so it seems to work out that during the holidays, um, they can come join me, you know wherever I'm at usually, so I love that. Well, what has been? You've traveled a lot. You've been to a lot of countries. It sounds like. I like to ask if you have found a place. I'm not asking for your favorite place right, because we just can't.
Speaker 1:I don't know about you, I just can't name a favorite place, right, but has there been that one place that you, once you got there, you felt like it was home, like it just resonated with you?
Speaker 2:well, definitely, it started with Ireland all those times going with my son. So it started with Dublin and Ireland in general, but then I went over to Scotland, so then I got into Edinburgh and that as well, and then now I've migrated to London, where I just find that for me I keep saying it's a more livable city, it's like somewhere I actually live.
Speaker 1:Okay, I don't, I don't technically live, I travel, but I I love the lifestyle that seems to like almost be your home base over across the pond, right, yeah, and again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, for personal, professional reasons. Yeah, I love not driving, because here it's a total car based culture right, and I I do.
Speaker 1:I do miss that. I love when I travel to Europe and not having to worry about, you know, transportation like that, so yeah.
Speaker 2:And that's a nomad problem, by the way, because I do have in the divorce I have my lovely 12-year-old car sitting out there that I have to figure out again what I'm going to do with it.
Speaker 1:So that's that is an issue, because there's no way to know that issue.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is because, um, yeah, like, insurance wants you to have a, an address you know, at least I use for my, I do use my parents address for stuff like that but. I literally have to park it somewhere, and I can't park it here, they don't have room, and so every time it's like what do I do with the car so that that is?
Speaker 1:that is an issue, yeah, and you haven't been ready to like fully sell or release it yet. Huh.
Speaker 2:I haven't. First of all, cars are so expensive now and I'm in California you have to. I need it for independence and to be able to move around.
Speaker 1:Same with Texas you can't get anywhere without a car. So I hear you.
Speaker 2:I'm in the same boat. So I considered it. I'm like no.
Speaker 1:I need a car because I love road trips too, so like road trips too.
Speaker 2:So like same, yeah, yeah. So I need ability to just like hit the road right and that, and when I'm here, that's my little base, that's my house, I got I've got my trunk. Okay, my little sporty equipment. I started pickleball this month first time and good for you boxing with. I've got boxing gloves and pickleball paddles in the back and so it's like these said your mobile storage right, my mobile storage unit while I'm here. Yes, yes, storage on wheels.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes. Well, in all the travels that you've done, what is something you have discovered about yourself through the solo travel?
Speaker 2:Well, certainly independence and that I really do like solitary time. I like oh, my motto is live to write and write to live, because I am a writer, so in order to have something to write about, you've got to live it. Live to write and write to live.
Speaker 2:I like that, yeah, so often now. I mean there's just never time for boredom or anything, because even in my hometown or any city that I've been in, I'll still look for something unique and new to try, and it gives me something fun to write about, and on my Instagram I do lots of reels and I just have fun with it for myself. Um, so I guess that's a sense of adventure, even if it's at home, and that's what I try to encourage people to do is you may not be able to go travel the world or be a nomad or whatever, but step out of your comfort zone and just try something new, whether it's new food or just exploring different places, especially if you live in a bigger city or a bigger urban area.
Speaker 1:There's so much even I live in Dallas and there's so much here and I've been here almost 15 years and so much I still haven't seen, you know, and there's always new places popping up and restaurants and stuff like that. So yeah, absolutely, I agree, check out your hometown right and be adventurous there, exactly, and I do lots of.
Speaker 2:I do lots of food reviews, just fun ones, and I'm always especially in London. It's fun because I just don't want to go with, like Sri Lankan food and you know the more kinds of food that you don't find here. Yeah, and it's fun. I learned something, but I like to share it and just encourage people to try different things again.
Speaker 1:Yes, Destinations let's talk about. You said you're off somewhere. You're back to London.
Speaker 2:Yes Fridays in yes fridays and today's sunday.
Speaker 1:so I'm in the, I'm in the throes of the packing, preparing storage, going through everything all that again, and you're going to be there for an extended time. And then I think you said you have something planned after that, but then nothing just come coming back for the holidays yeah, and then um, I, because I am a writer and I do have film projects.
Speaker 2:I'm really waiting to see which of those are going to happen, and those are completely based on my travels. They wouldn't exist had I not been traveling, because the ideas came from me being there. So I'm actually very excited to see where those lead and hopefully it'll take me back to places I've been because I wrote about them.
Speaker 1:Do you have a place on your bucket list that you haven't been to yet, that you're just itching to get to?
Speaker 2:There's so many. There's a lot of Asia I haven't been to. I've been to some of it, but I would love to go to Bali. Um, my son's fiance is half Filipino. They were just in the Philippines. I definitely would like to go there and I'm sure Right. Yeah, Definitely more of Africa, Africa, I just touched on it. You know once you, oh absolutely.
Speaker 1:It's massive.
Speaker 2:And then just still more of Europe, although I've done a lot of it, yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, oh, it's endless, endless, endless, it is, endless, it is. It's like I'm gonna be in portugal um this week coming well I haven't been to portugal, that's one, yeah, so and I'm like, looking at all this stuff, I'm like, well, I just have to come back again, right, because there's just so much and I'm not gonna have time to see everything. And so, yeah, there's, there's plenty to see in the world, I should say oh yeah, well, and again I like to see places.
Speaker 2:But then I do like to go back and see the places I've been. That's why I just went back to Edinburgh, dublin, belfast, because I have my favorite restaurants, my favorite little places I like to go visit.
Speaker 1:Yes, yes. Well, what advice would you give to anybody? I'll give kind of a two-part question. Yeah, first part just women, solo travel, in general advice. What would you say to them?
Speaker 2:Confident and fearless. I always, obviously. I mean I give my travel itinerary to people and stuff. I mean I'm not reckless. Take a journal, take books, go eat by yourself, practice, practice. I do a lot of little episodes called tonight's episode of dine alone. Yeah, I like to eat by myself. I have absolutely no problem with it, but some people don't, yeah, yeah, so I do. I say literally go go practice at home, go take yourself out to lunch or dinner or a movie or anything, so do think big steps like that are really important to be comfortable.
Speaker 2:Correct Again, I have absolutely no problem with it. Maybe it's from being a wife and mother for so long leading other people that now, when it is, if I am by myself, it's like, oh my gosh, I can do anything I want, you can do anything.
Speaker 1:Yeah, having that freedom. Yeah, it sounds like you're loving that freedom.
Speaker 2:I am. I mean obviously that, yeah, having that freedom, yeah, it sounds like you're loving that freedom. I am, I mean obviously it's fun to have people with you also. I kind of like a combination.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, I agree. And then what about anybody that might be wanting to embark on more of that nomadic, uh lifestyle that you're living? What advice would you give them?
Speaker 2:starting out like oh, I guess, maybe just test it out that's a good one, yeah. Yeah, and I mean if people don't own a home, for example, and if you're renting and that that's another reason why I am doing what I'm doing, because now that I don't have this, I used to be a homeowner and put the family home and I'm not. So rents, at least here in California, are horrendous and I'm not going to go pay it. Go sit somewhere and I'd rather go spend that living elsewhere, correct?
Speaker 1:Where it's probably cheaper.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly. So if someone is renting, they could do that in between places. You know, go get a little storage unit or put your stuff in someone's garage and just try it out for a little bit. Obviously, a lot of young people are making this their lifestyle as digital nomads.
Speaker 1:It's, you know, quite a thing now, yes, but it like with you know, people listen to my podcast, or they're 15 up and they're in the same, maybe the same boat you are. They're empty nesters, maybe. Or they find themselves single or divorced, you know, possibly, or they just don't. They have a spouse that doesn't travel, so they're, you know you need to go. You have one of those too, no no, no, no, no.
Speaker 2:I don't have. I don't have a spouse, so that's fine. I don't have to worry about that anymore.
Speaker 1:So you said, test it out if you want to try the nomad thing. I love that because I agree, because you don't want to end up like maybe selling everything and you know, get out there in two months.
Speaker 2:You're like you know you want to come home and then you don't have anything to, and then the other thing is to be fearless, though, because I a lot of people tell me aren't you going to sell down now? Many, many people say that I'm like no, and. But I would say it's always there. Of course I can. I can come back and take that lifestyle anytime, and I just am not choosing to. But it's not like a permanent decision either yes, yeah, I agree, I mean it's.
Speaker 1:You can change your mind exactly, oh, like you I've also done.
Speaker 2:I did a lot of cat sitting. So you know, for the cost of everything to, and you know I'm here staying at my parents' house for a little bit, which is rent free. Thank you very much. Yeah, that's so nice. But then I've done some wonderful cat sits outside of London in particular, for, you know, a month at a time, six weeks at a time, and usually free for the cost of taking care of a cat, correct. And so I I tell people that all that averages out, within my hotels and airbnbs and stuff, to be pretty much what I would pay for some crappy little apartment in california somewhere.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah, I, I, I could totally agree, I'm and I understand that it's true. It it's true across most of the US and there's other places that are expensive, but, like you said, london and I know some professional I'll call them professional house sitters because that's how they travel.
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, there's a lot that do that.
Speaker 1:There's a lot of them, but they do a lot of the house sits in the more expensive areas and then maybe do airbnbs or or even hostels, like if you're in it, you know where it's less expensive, maybe, or to stay well, even now I've got an airbnb as I as coming up, but it's in a less desirable area, shall we say in london, so it's probably managed. You know, financially it's doable. Like you said, it's equivalent or less than what you would pay for a mortgage or rent.
Speaker 2:You know here in the U S, yeah, no no responsibilities, and I say that a lot to people like I. I'm an avid reader and I do little book reviews and stuff and I just hit 35 books already this year, which is crazy. And again it's because I don't have. I don't have a house to clean, don't have, yeah same stuff to keep organized, you don't have house projects.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's amazing the time that it's true actually, yeah, well, they say that the more stuff you have, um, it's almost like it's a burden to to keep managing it right.
Speaker 2:So it does it like you said it takes up time, you know whether it, like you said, it takes up time.
Speaker 1:You know, whether it's like oh, we got to clean the garage this weekend or whatever Always.
Speaker 2:And I was that person. I did that forever. Yeah, exactly, and now I'm looking at two suitcases and yes, I have two, I don't have one. I have two to go for two months, and especially as it'll be, you know, winter's approaching, yeah.
Speaker 1:No, I get that. I'm okay with. Yeah, I mean, I there's times when I will pack light, but I think if you're spending that amount of time, um, in some place, then yeah, pack what you need. Right, exactly.
Speaker 2:And then another nomad tip is that I do have so many people over there. I will leave one of those when I come back for the holidays winter stuff that I don't need here when I come back for the holidays, oh, okay, yeah, winter stuff that I don't need here, yeah. Then when I go back, most likely in winter or spring or whatever yeah, I've done that a lot, so I have a lot of great people that don't mind holding one suitcase.
Speaker 2:That's amazing, I even have a hotel that does it for me, an airport hotel, actually, that's a big tip. Make friends with everybody at like hotels that you go back to and stuff.
Speaker 1:okay, it's amazing what they'll do. Yeah, amazing what they'll do for you. Or just like you said, you know you make friends and you know in those places and if you plan to return, see if they'd be willing to. I have a.
Speaker 2:Heathrow hotel I use every single time for when I leave and return. It's got a little spa. It's my secret hotel because it's so nice knowing that you're going there. You can go sit in the spa with your jet lag and then they'll hold your luggage for like two months. Oh my gosh yes, because I've redeveloped this relationship.
Speaker 1:That is a golden piece of advice.
Speaker 2:I love that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, I hadn't even thought about that. Okay, very nice.
Speaker 2:And again, I love having places I go back to over and over and over. I know exactly even this trip. I know when I land I'm going to go there, I know who I'm going to see. I know this great breakfast they have. It's just, it's comforting.
Speaker 1:Yes, like you mentioned earlier, it's like you have, even though you're traveling, you have some routine or you have some, you know, like this feeling of home because it's something you've done before. I like that and I think keeping something familiar, especially if you're traveling nomadically or long, just long stretches, I think makes us feel, you know, a little more centered.
Speaker 2:Definitely, and with that another, another tip I have a little, just this little pouch that I have. It kind of varies but I have little stones, for example, that have sayings like dream and passions and creativity and stuff and a few things. Maybe my kids have given me just small little trinkets and I bring that and I put it out wherever I go.
Speaker 1:Yeah, something to remind you of home. I like that and it's small enough that it's very small, yeah, and it's my just familiarity and yeah many, many photos of those things in different places.
Speaker 2:That's really beautiful and it brings me some peace.
Speaker 1:Well, if I embark on a true nomadic lifestyle, I will remember that tip, you know know, bringing something. I think. For me it might just be some like a framed picture or something.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it could be that too. For me it's a whole little collection, Even upstairs in my room I have right now I think you've offered so many great pieces of advice.
Speaker 1:I love it Any last minute, like other nuggets that come to your mind that you might want to share before I have you tell everybody where they can find you oh yeah, gosh, I think I covered most of it.
Speaker 2:Most of it just literally be fearless and confident and explore the world and get out there, and it's never too late. I can say all of those things you know, because I know your thing is about being over 50. And yeah, that's just the beginning. I read a book right now about second acts, not chapters about women. You know much older doing great things and I find it really inspiring because you know it's not too late inspiring because you know it's not too late.
Speaker 1:No, and that's a, it's a huge. I mean I don't know what the stat exact stat is, but apparently I think last I heard like 85 percent of the travelers out there or making travel decisions are women over 50 oh wow, that's interesting so, um, yeah, I think that's why I heard somewhere. So I I mean, I agree, cause when I see other solo travelers, they're, they're women.
Speaker 1:Don't see many men in general, I guess yeah, that's true, you know they're probably middle age. I knew I see younger people too, but yeah, yeah, so we're part of that, that movement right, yeah, and again, it's the dream I had.
Speaker 2:I've always had that passion and so I think, if I'd, known that back in my 20s I would be doing this now I think I'd be pretty shocked and surprised and, I guess, happy.
Speaker 1:But you're doing it now. I am so amazing, so tell us where people can find you. You mentioned a blog, you know you mentioned. You post a lot of stuff on Reels, so yeah, I do so.
Speaker 2:Yes, so it's Second Chapter, nomad, and on Instagram that's where I do my live Reels and just in the moment. And then my blog is on secondchapternomadcom and I think blog as well, but com has actually you can find Instagram and the blog on there and then the blog I'm going kind of retroactive, like I'll post. I've already gone through the whole divorce. There's the whole divorce section on there. There's about emptiness divorce, a lot of that stuff, and then there's a whole travel adventure section with all the different countries.
Speaker 1:That's great. You've kind of categorized it. I like it.
Speaker 2:And then a nomad nomad life. So there's three categories. Okay, and you can go in there and snoop around.
Speaker 1:Awesome, great, I'll make sure to include that all in the show notes as well. Okay, great To connect with you and follow you on your next adventure. Just coming up here.
Speaker 2:Well, I love meeting people like you, that you find these people that share the same passion and I've been, you know, trying, you know people that I've had on my podcast.
Speaker 1:We keep trying to like physically connect. You know, that's like my hope is like at some point, you know, our paths will cross and we'll get to meet each other and if you're in the US, so that might be more likely for us to meet. Yeah, who knows? Yeah, so who knows? But I would love to and I appreciate all your amazing advice and you really do elude confidence and I love that, that freedom that you also, just you know, present to anybody that's interested. So I appreciate that.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for your time Well, thanks for having me. Yes absolutely.
Speaker 1:Hey, sister Travelers, did this podcast inspire and encourage you or move you to get out there and travel? Wonderful, there are three ways you can thank me. First, one is leave a written review for the show on Apple Podcast. Two, share the show with your sister travelers, your friends, your family. And three, subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode. And thank you again for listening to the show. Sisters, be fearless, take the leap and get out there and have an adventure.
