1 month ago
A yoga coach who was warned by doctors ne'er to alert again refused to springiness up connected her dreams of travelling - truthful spent £5,000 and 2 months utilizing boats to get each nan measurement to New Zealand.
Bethany Hearn, from Colchester, Essex, was wished to fulfill her dream of emigrating crossed nan world contempt warnings from doctors complete nan risks of flights aft skull surgery.
The 23-year-old underwent room to region an abnormal postulation of tegument cells heavy wrong her receptor - known arsenic a cholesteatoma - successful 2021.
The cognition meant a portion of Bethany's skull was removed and her receptor drum was reconstructed pinch a graft of cartilage.
However, a twelvemonth aft surgery, Bethany was near successful excruciating symptom during a formation to Greece aft nan unit connected nan level caused nan graft successful her eardrum to sink.
Bethany Hearn spent £5,000 connected ships and trains to New Zealand aft being told by doctors she couldn't fly
Medics past advised nan yoga and pilates coach to debar each formation recreation from past connected to debar immoderate further complications.
But Bethany was still wished to fulfil her wish of emigrating to New Zealand, and began researching ways to scope her destination via ferries.
She said: 'I was told not to alert again because it was excessively risky. The expert said nan unit wasn't bully for my head. He said nary much flying.
'He said my graft would fundamentally descend successful moreover much and location was a consequence my eardrum would burst.
'But I really wanted to spell backmost to New Zealand. I sat down and thought: "I really don't want this to extremity maine travelling".
'When I sewage told I couldn't fly, I conscionable really didn't want my test to specify me. I conscionable thought: "Why should I not beryllium capable to still travel?".
'I made a joke to 1 of my friends to opportunity I mightiness conscionable get a vessel and it went from there. I thought why not? Surely location must beryllium a way. In nan olden days earlier planes, group still went.'
Bethany's first ferry travel connected Cunard's Queen Mary 2 group sail from Southampton to New York, connected September 15, 2022.
The travel from Southampton, to Auckland took almost 2 months. Pictured: Bethany's vessel journey
She said being a solo female traveller connected a cruise (pictured) came pinch its ain complications - including a strict dress code
The 23-year-old underwent room to region an abnormal postulation of tegument cells heavy wrong her receptor - known arsenic a cholesteatoma
The cognition meant a portion of Bethany's skull was removed and her receptor drum was reconstructed pinch a graft of cartilage
She boarded a three-day train from New York to LA, past embarked connected a Princess Cruise from LA, which stopped disconnected successful Hawaii, Fiji and French Polynesia connected route, earlier yet arriving successful New Zealand connected October 27.
The travel took astir 2 months and costs Bethany astir £5,000 - but she plans to do it each complete again successful June this twelvemonth for an epic travel backmost to nan UK aft surviving successful Auckland, New Zealand, for nan past 16 months.
Bethany said she was nan youngest personification connected committee her first cruise by '50 years' - pinch passengers confused arsenic to what nan backpacker was doing connected committee nan ship.
She besides faced a bid of problems arsenic a solo female traveller, including men calling up her room connected nan cruise and others uncovering her societal media profiles.
She continued: 'The first limb of nan travel was really rather lonely. I was nan youngest rider by astir 50 years. The cruise was really cool though - I went to a batch of gym classes and nan intermezo was fun.
'I sewage rather a batch of hostility. I deliberation group were confused astir what I was doing connected nan ship. I had nary bully clothes, I conscionable had my backpack. But I did meet 2 different really bully solo travellers.'
After a three-day cross-country train travel and different cruise crossed nan Pacific Ocean, Bethany arrived successful New Zealand pinch $40 to her name.
There, she worked successful babysitting and hospitality jobs earlier becoming a yoga and pilates teacher.
Bethany's full travel via America was much than 12,000 miles done a operation of trains and ferries
Bethany is presently moving arsenic a yoga and pilates coach successful Auckland
She was forced to forge a much different and costly way to New Zealand arsenic she was wished not to springiness up connected her dream
Bethany's first ferry travel connected Cunard's Queen Mary 2 group sail from Southampton to New York connected September 15, 2022
Bethany said: 'I had saved £6,500 to get to New Zealand and really turned up pinch $40 to my name. I sewage present and instantly started working.'
Bethany said her unconventional method of travelling crossed nan world helped her 'define who she is' - and plans connected making nan aforesaid mammoth travel location adjacent month.
Bethany said: 'I really underestimated myself. You realise life is short, nan world is massive. I look backmost and think, "Thank deity I sewage connected that ship".
'It was difficult doing it by myself, but it really defined who I am.
'It's specified a cool measurement to research nan world and truthful overmuch fun. Cost is nan only point to consider, but was overmuch much reasonable than initially anticipated.'
A one-way formation from London to Auckland, New Zealand scope from betwixt £400 to £800, and takes a minimum of 24 hours, including astatine slightest 1 stop.
