‘I ditched UK’s rubbish weather to live lavishly in Asia for half the price’

A woman fed up with the UK’s “gloomy weather” ditched it to travel the world full time and now lives her “dream” lifestyle in Asia – for ‘half the price’ of a “monotonous British life”.

Casey Pickup, 26, quit her job as a sales manager after feeling “unfulfilled” by life in Britain and booked a one-way flight to Thailand.

She has no plans to return and says she was inspired to move after getting “fed up” of the rain, cold and lifestyle in the UK.

In March 2023, she posted a video on TikTok about her plans to travel to Thailand and Bali, and asked if any other solo travellers would like to join her.

She created a group chat of seven like-minded young people looking to explore the world and together they spent six weeks travelling around Thailand.

During that time, Casey met her boyfriend, Taylor Barker, 26, who works in marketing, and the couple has travelled the world together ever since – visiting 15 different countries.

Professional traveller Casey now makes over £5k a month and says living abroad is “better” because the cost-of-living in Asia is significantly less than in Britain.

She claims she’s able to live a “dream lifestyle” – including staying in luxury apartments and villas, eating out for every meal and having massages and beauty treatments three to four times per week – for just £2,000 a month, which would be at least double the price in the UK.

Casey has no plans to ever return to the UK and she funds her travel and lifestyle by creating content for brands – who pay her to visit stunning locations around the world.

Casey, a content creator, from Chorley, Lancashire, said: “I’ve always loved to travel and whenever I’d come home to rainy England after a holiday, I always felt a bit depressed.

“The main reasons I left the UK is because every day feels the same, it’s dark and it’s gloomy.

“I used to hate going to work in the dark, and coming home in the dark.

“The lifestyle in the UK just wasn’t very fulfilling.

“Life in England felt a lot more routine and rushed – like I was always in a cycle of work, grey weather, and waiting for the weekend.

” My lifestyle in Asia is so much more fulfilling. I’ve built a life that allows me to wake up by the beach, work on creative projects I care about, and explore beautiful places.

“I feel a sense of freedom that I never felt in the UK.

“Travelling Asia is a no brainer considering the difference in cost of living – and it’s beautiful!

“I finally made move to Asia in March 2023 and I’ve never looked back.

“There is no down side, it’s all just been amazing.

“I love the lifestyle and the sun, I’d never move back.”

Casey was living at home with her mum, Helen, an artist, in Chorley, Lancashire, and working multiple “random, boring jobs” – including waitressing, bar tending, and sales – when she decided to make the move to Asia.

Having previously worked as a holiday rep for Thomas Cook, she knew she wanted to “see the world” but didn’t know how she’d fund her travels.

She started making promotional videos for brands such as Santander and My Protein, and soon released her earning potential had jumped to over £5k a month.

Casey flew to Thailand in March 2023 with a group of people she’d met online, and began living out her dream of travelling round Asia.

While living in Thailand, Casey paid £560 a month for a stunning two-story fully furnished apartment, and split the cost with her partner, Taylor.

The apartment building included an infinity pool and gym.

“It’s so much more affordable to live in Asia,” Casey said.

“You could stay in a really beautiful villa or hotel for £10 to £30 a night.

“Local food is roughly £1 or £2 per meal, and Western food like pasta or pizza is £4 or £5.

“The sort of lifestyle that would cost £4k or £5k a month in Europe is only £2k in Asia.

“And if you’re on more of a budget, you could definitely get by on £1,200 a month.”

Casey has visited roughly 15 countries in the last two years – including Vietnam, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Morocco and Central America.

She hopes her experience will inspire others to “follow their dreams” of traveling and working abroad, and now posts tips and recommendations on social media to help other aspiring digital nomads.

Casey said: “If you’re not happy in your job, go after your dreams.

“Moving back to the UK is never going to happen.

“If I have children in the future, I’d move to Australia to raise a family.

“I never thought it would be possible to travel the world full time, but here I am now.

“I am so grateful every day for staying consistent and going after what I really wanted in life.

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

You can follow Casey’s travels on Instagram @howtotravelfulltime

Casey’s favourite places to visit:- Philippines for beautiful beaches- Indonesia for the best waves to surf- Thailand for friendly and polite locals

Breakdown of costs -Rent – £500 – £1000 a month, split between two peopleBills – £0 – included in rent Food – £10 a day Experiences – free to Casey as she works with GetYourGuide, but ranges from £10 – £60Travel insurance – £60