The One Where I Talk To Full-Time Traveller, Cindy Sheahan

Oct 21, 2025

Cindy Sheehan, a former office worker and mother of four, transformed her life after a hike in Ireland led her to embrace full-time travel. She shares her journey of leaving a 30-year marriage and discusses the support from her children. Cindy describes the thrill of solo travel, the unique dynamics of her long-distance relationship with her French partner, and the challenges of obtaining European citizenship through her Italian ancestry. With tales of adventure, favorite destinations like Sri Lanka and Turkey, and practical advice, she inspires living joyfully and independently.

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ANECDOTE

Hike Triggered A Radical Life Change

Cindy left her 30-year marriage after a transformative hike in Ireland and extended travels that became a new life.
She quit her job on return, backpacked from Lisbon onward, and began full-time travel in December 2017.

ANECDOTE

A Long‑Distance Relationship Built On Travel

Cindy met her French partner via Tinder in Pokhara after paragliding and kept a long-distance relationship while traveling.
They meet to travel together often but mostly live apart, enjoying adventures without cohabiting.

INSIGHT

Freedom Is The Core Solo Benefit

Solo travel gives you total freedom to follow your own rhythm, tastes, and curiosities.
That freedom reveals how much of life you previously spent pleasing others rather than yourself.

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My guest on this week's episode of Thrive Solo is the wonderful Cindy Sheehan.

In 2016, Cindy was a married Mum of four when she took a leave of absence from her office job in Colorado and joined two friends to go backpacking on The Kerry Way in Ireland. Little did she know at the time that that trip would be the beginning of a brand new life. By the end of 2017, she had quit both her job and her marriage to become a full-time traveller, and she has since travelled to nearly 50 countries. Cindy has settled in Palermo, Sicily for now, although who knows where life might take her next. Now while she lives a largely solo life, Cindy has a French, paraglider boyfriend — otherwise known as The Frenchman — who lives in France, and although the two of them spend more time apart than they do together, they meet when they can for travelling adventures.

I know that you will love hearing all about Cindy’s solo life and travels. In this conversation she shares her transformative experience of leaving a 30-year marriage to travel the world, settling temporarily in various countries, and eventually obtaining an EU passport through Italian ancestry. She talks about the unique relationship dynamics with her French partner, the challenges and rewards of solo travel, and the profound sense of freedom it brings.

Tune in for inspirational stories, advice on overcoming fears, and a celebration of living a joyful, independent life.

04:54 Cindy's Life Transformation

11:47 The Decision to Leave a 30-Year Marriage

14:35 Support from Family and Solo Travels

17:03 Meeting the Frenchman: A Unique Relationship

23:49 The Joys and Challenges of Solo Travel

28:39 Making Connections While Traveling

31:13 Multi-Generational Friendships

32:11 The Joys of Solo Travel

34:44 Memorable Travel Destinations

36:40 Settling in Europe: Portugal and Sicily

37:29 Navigating EU Residency and Citizenship

44:39 Living in Palermo, Sicily

48:29 Overcoming Solo Travel Fears

54:07 Thriving Solo: Tips and Reflections

57:23 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Follow Cindy on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/postsfromaflashpacker/

Check out Cindy's website: https://postsfromaflashpacker.com/

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And thank you so much for listening!