An empty nester who felt “lost” when her daughter left home - sold everything she owned to backpack around the world alone on a midlife gap year. Rachel Stump, 49, always knew she wanted to do “something big” when her daughter, Wynter, 20, fled the nest to go to the University of Hawaii in August 2021. The recovered alcoholic had been putting money she previously used for booze aside into an envelope since getting sober nearly 14 years ago in May 2009 – saving $10,000 for her trip. After roughly planning her travels, and selling everything she owned, Rachel set off to Spain in April 2022. She’s since hopped around Europe visiting Italy, Sweden, Albania, Lithuania and Bosnia – before heading to India and Vietnam.

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