Judith Bellmunt Gras speaks to Lynda Brighton, a women who spends her life travelling the world.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like for your life to be travelling the world? I’m sure the thought of it has crossed your mind once or twice. But would you drop everything and go for it? The University Observer spoke to someone who did and does not regret it in the very least.
Eight years ago, in her mid-50s, Lynda Brighton sold her house to travel the world. ‘I have always hankered to travel,’ she said. Growing up in South Africa, she went on her first overseas trip when she was 27- describing how it ‘hooked’ her. Afterwards she emigrated to the UK, where she lived for 12 years, before ‘the need for sunshine and blue skies drew [her] back south, this time to Australia’. She says, ‘It was definitely spontaneous! The end of a long-term relationship offered me the opportunity I'd been craving for years–to travel more’.
For the first two years, she travelled along the east coast of Australia between Sydney and Cairns. She really expected it to only last for ‘a year or so’, until she found a “new forever” home’. However, it just so happened that she was ‘having way too much fun to stop’. She describes being lucky enough to have friends who like to travel long-term as she became the perfect house sitter for them. After Australia, she describes how Spain ‘called her’, in particular the Camino of Santiago. She took a 5-month trip overseas where she walked the Camino, visited family in Barcelona, and friends in Alicante, before going to the UK, to see more friends and family.
She really expected it to only last for ‘a year or so’, until she found a “new forever” home’. However, it just so happened that she was ‘having way too much fun to stop’.
All together she has travelled to twenty countries, ‘some more than once, others for only a few days.’ These include South Africa, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), Thailand, Singapore, Bali (Indonesia), Fiji, Vanuatu, Australia, New Zealand, United States, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Germany, Italy, Greece, and Malta.
At first, she described her travelling as very organized, with ‘nearly every day mapped out in advance’, however, she soon realised that she was missing out on ‘the spontaneous moments that so often pop up.’ Now she is much less schedule-driven; in her latest trip, her only definites were her departure and return dates.
While her favourite part of travelling has been the places she’s seen, she also describes the unexpected interactions with locals as ‘always a delight’. She explains how once in Andalucía a chat over coffee with a local cafe owner resulted in her staying an extra night and attending a cheese-and-wine evening with an amazing group of expats and locals. ‘What an absolutely marvellous night I had … another reminder to just say “yes” more often.’
‘What an absolutely marvellous night I had … another reminder to just say “yes” more often.’
This genuine interest to meet locals and to experience the local culture perfectly exemplifies the difference between travelling and going on vacation as a tourist. ‘One of the best ways to make connections with locals is to learn a few basic phrases in their language; it is always appreciated,’ she advises.
On top of visiting most ‘main attractions’ around the world, she also tries to find ‘out-of-the-way’ or ‘unusual experiences’, for example, zooming in green spaces, rivers and lakes on Google Maps. ‘This is something I learned from my sister, who adamantly hates itineraries when travelling, and much rather prefers walking without direction. You really do sometimes discover places you would never have discovered otherwise.’
When asked about a ‘must-visit’ destination, she replied unironically ‘[your] own hometown.’, describing how it is often the case that you only appreciate what it has to offer when an ‘out-of-town visitor arrives’. She herself confesses that although South Africa is her homeland, she’s never been on a proper safari.
Reflecting how travelling has changed her as a person, she said, ‘It has certainly broadened my mind, as you get to see how other people live, whether good or bad.’ With reference to if the lifestyle is for everyone she said, ‘Everyone could, but not everyone wants to.’ She says travelling solo as opposed to with companions can be a challenge at times, ‘but then so can those companions!’. She prefers travelling by herself ‘most definitely!’ due to the freedom.
Travelling solo as opposed to with companions can be a challenge at times, ‘but then so can those companions!'
Next on the list she mentioned going to Japan, to ‘walk some of the pilgrim routes and to see traditional crafts’, as well as Peru to walk Machu Picchu and visit Lima, where she spent two years as a child. Galápagos Islands are also ‘a long-time dream!’ and ‘somewhere icy like Iceland, Greenland, Svalbard, Antarctic, Arctic, Patagonia’, to experience the unique wildlife- although totally out of her comfort zone because of the cold. To top it off, she would also love to try a short cruise to the New Zealand Fjords as a taster, having never been on a cruise before.
Whilst South Africa is her home of birth, she says Australia is her home as a place to live out the rest of her life. Nevertheless, for her, ‘Home is wherever I am at the time,’ as she has ‘never been particularly tied to a location or place’. As a way of living, she says it is only suited to a few. ‘Nevertheless, I believe everyone should travel to another country, just to see 'how the other half lives'.’ She adds it hopefully enlightens people’s minds and helps foster acceptance of other ways of living and beliefs.
Humans are so divided and really, we are much more similar than we realize. A lot is said about how education can change the world and I am a firm believer of that, however I think travel has tremendous power as well. If we travelled more, we would become much more united and develop a deeper sense of what it means to be human. We forget we live in this tiny, microscopic, little rock spinning around in the vast ever-expanding universe. Travel can make us realize we are part of something bigger whilst simultaneously showing us how small the world is and how interconnected we all are.
"If we travelled more, we would become much more united and develop a deeper sense of what it means to be human."