Lynn Stephenson sold her home in 2022 and said ‘I don’t really think of England as my home any more’
A British woman who sold her home for £175,000 after the Covid lockdown in the UK no longer considers England her home. Lynn Stephenson sold up in 2022 and used the proceeds to travel the world full-time, living out of a suitcase and venturing to some of the planet’s most demanding destinations.
She is among at least 4.8 million British-born people now living abroad, according to United Nations figures. The English teacher has since explored countries including Nepal, Bhutan, Thailand, Iraq, Afghanistan, South Korea, Pakistan and Taiwan – and says the one thing that has stood out above all else, wherever she has been, is basic human kindness.
Lynn said: “Travelling restores your faith in people. All we hear now is bad news but travel shows you that actually the world is full of predominantly kind, hospitable people and despite what the news and media tell you, it’s actually a very safe place to travel.
“I don’t have a single regret about my decision. I have had the most incredible adventures, met such inspiring people, seen such breathtaking scenery, swam with whales and penguins and eaten lots of delicious food.
“It’s funny but I don’t really think of England as my home anymore.” Lynn, 62, said the Covid lockdown, which ran on and off from March 2020 to May 2021, provided the impetus she needed to venture abroad. “I never believed you could lock the world down but that’s what happened and it scared me, so I decided to take the chance while I could.
“I sold my home for £175,000 and after I paid off my remaining mortgage I was left with £136,000 which lasted me three years, travelling full-time.” She disclosed that Iran has been her favourite destination, catching her off guard at every opportunity “for the sheer kindness of the people there”.
“Old ladies hugged me in the street, one even tickled me under the chin like I was three-years-old,” Lynn added. “It is a highly educated country – 60% of graduates are women and many I met were doctors, lawyers and architects.
“What surprised me most was the men who apologised to me for the fact I had to wear a headscarf. They were very indignant and said it should be mine and other women’s choice. Many I talked to openly criticised their government, even though there are secret police and they could have been arrested.”
‘I never felt unsafe in Afghanistan’
Afghanistan proved just as enlightening, she said. “I never felt unsafe walking around in Afghanistan – there were armed checkpoints and armed Taliban in the streets or riding in trucks,” Lynn said.
“For the ancient sites, we had to be accompanied by an armed Taliban guide. He was a huge man but with a constant warm smile on his face. We nicknamed him the ‘Taliban teddy bear’.” Lynn’s travels have not been without their fair share of peril. During a visit to the Cook Islands, she lost her footing on a jungle trail and tumbled down a steep embankment towards a river.
“I had been hiking for about three hours, when I managed to lose the path,” she said. “It had been raining and was slippery. I slipped and plunged down a very steep bank.
“Luckily, the river below broke my fall. The problem was I couldn’t get out, the bank was very steep. I tried following the river but it turned to rapids. There was no signal on my phone as I was in the middle of nowhere. In the end, I decided to try to climb out.
“It was so dangerous, if I’d fallen I knew that it would lead to serious injury or even death. There are risks travelling to these places. But I am only responsible for myself.”
With 16 countries still left to tick off her list, Lynn has one particular destination firmly in her sights. She added: “I’m trying to complete my list of countries. A lot will depend on North Korea opening and funds but I would like to achieve this by the end of next year.”
As for the prospect of loneliness, Lynn is quick to brush off any such notion. “There’s a difference between being alone and being lonely,” she said. “I enjoy my alone time and now have friends all around the world.”