Woman sells home to travel full-time in truck after dad's unexpected death

Ashley Kay, 36, lost her dad, Tom Kay, 57, in Dec. 2015, according to an SWNS report.

After her loss, friends and family shared stories about her dad's travels. 

This inspired Kay to see more of the world for herself.

Kay spent the next few years traveling around the world.

"He would hitchhike, get buses, couch-surf and that sort of stuff," she said, according to SWNS.

While chatting with the traveler, Kay asked about the worst thing he'd experienced in all his journeys. 

"His answer to me was that he didn't go sooner - and that was the last straw for me."

Kay decided to sell her three-bedroom family home in March 2023 and buy a $44,000 Toyota Tacoma for her travels.

Her all-time favorite place to have visited is Baja, Mexico, a place that she said "feels like home."

Some of the most challenging aspects of her journey have been vehicle-related, she said.

"In the desert of Peru, I was two-and-a-half hours away from civilization when I had to stop and sort out a suspension issue," she said.

She also experienced flat tires at extremely high elevation. "In Costa Rica, I was camping at 12,500 feet and I had a flat tire, which I had to repair on my own," Kay recalled. 

"It is a lot of work to travel this way on your own. The day-to-day aspect of stuff is a lot of work that can easily turn into burnout."

Sadly, in Aug. 2024, Kay's dog passed away, leaving her to travel alone.

"Overall, all the issues get solved. You just have to figure it out a little bit more and be patient."