After her daughter fled the nest to go to university, mum Rachel Stump, 49, sold everything she owned to backpack around the world and now 'lives her best life' travelling solo

It can be difficult adapting to life with an empty home after your kids fly the coop, but there are many perks to having free time again. An empty nesterwho felt "lost" when her daughter went to university decided to pack up and venture on a midlife gap year all by herself - now she's "living her best life".