A widow from Surrey has embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months.

Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after his eight-year battle with cancer just months after losing her mum, Mary.

Judy and her husband Richard. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy and her late husband Richard. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief.

Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".

Carrying just a 6-pound backpack, Judy retired from her job and flew to Australia in August 2023 to visit her daughter - who lives out there - and embark on her solo backpacking journey.

Judy and her late mum Mary. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy with her late mum Mary. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

She toured the west coast of Australia and New Zealand for six months, meeting people and sharing her story - which she says was "honouring Richard's life".

Judy explored places beaches on Rottnest Island as well as Adelaide, Melbourne and Surfers Paradise, soaked up the raucous atmosphere of Byron Bay and checked out art museums in Tasmania.

While on her travels, Judy documented her grief process in a journal and has now published a book about her experience.

Judy, a retired welfare manager of a nursing home, from Surrey, said: "The plan, it was a very rough idea, but I couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do with myself - I had to do something to get away and grieve.

"You have to acknowledge the grief and I've come back a better person. You can't dwell on these things, otherwise it destroys you.

"It was a very vague plan and I booked things very last minute. It was very hard at the start because I'd emptied out my life.

"It was weird and frightening in that I had this space in front of me to fill.

"It was really nice to talk to people though, I was on my own and people talk to you. I got such lovely feedback but circumstances grew and my confidence grew.

"You see these beautiful places and you want to share it.

"I was fascinated by how interested people were when I spoke to them and that gave me the confidence to keep going.

"Although it was sad, it was an adventure and a tremendous experience - there were never days when I didn't want to be there or come home."

Judy on her backpacking travels. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy on her backpacking travels. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

Judy worked with Richard at the same nursing home and knew she wouldn't be able to face going back to the same workplace after his death.

But she was dealt two other significant blows in the months before Richard's passing.

She said: "He worked full-time until three weeks before he died.

"It was impossible in my mind to go to work because we both worked together and everyone there was also dealing with the loss - it made sense for me to retire.

"Six months before he died I lost my dog and then my mum at Christmas.

"The dog was a surprise as his cancer came out of nowhere.

Judy with local parrots. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy with local parrots. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

"The idea of me going off with my dog was all I needed and wanted so losing him was sad but in a funny way if I hadn't lost him I probably wouldn't have gone to Australia as wouldn't have wanted to leave him for a long period of time.

"Mum was getting closer and I knew they were going to pass at a similar time and that just emptied me.

"Because we have a daughter who lives in Australia it made sense for me to be there.

"I went to Australia and I decided I wanted to go off on my own to find peace and solitude.

"You don't get over grief but I knew I had to reach those depths to come back stronger and with new purpose."

Judy says Tasmania was one of her favourite places but the general "heat and light" helped her to heal.

She said: "I was in the most beautiful places - if the heat and light and space of the places doesn't begin to heal you then nothing will.

"That first English winter would have been ever so hard to get through at that time so I was so glad I went away for it.

Judy's travels. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy's travels. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

"It kickstarted my new life. It ended up being a fantastic thing.

"I've always loved writing and had a dream to write a book - so I wrote it all down for my own benefit. Tasmania was beautiful.

"A lot of the places that became favourites were when I had an emotional shift.

"I'd always had this plan in my head of being alone on a beach with no around for miles and I achieved that in Tasmania and it was such a lovely feeling so it's become a definite memory.

"Byron Bay - I loved being there as an older person and watching life go by

"New Zealand was very different to Australia - green lush hills and it's beautiful, absolutely fantastic.

"Every stage brought something else and that was really nice."

Judy on her backpacking travels. Meet the widow who embarked on a £10k solo backpacking trip after losing her husband and mum in three months. Judy Condie, 63, lost her husband, Richard, of 44 years after an eight-year battle with cancer after losing her mum, Mary, just months earlier - leaving her feeling "empty". Her eight-year-old dog Jet died too and faced with her first harsh English winter alone she used her savings and booked a five-month trip to Australia and New Zealand in a bid to cope with her grief. Judy made the plan to go abroad when she found out Richard's cancer was terminal and says she "couldn't just wait for him to pass away and wonder what to do after".
Judy on her backpacking travels. (Judy Condie / SWNS)

On the way home, Judy stopped off to see the sights of Mauritius and South Africa.

Once Judy got back she began writing her book exploring her "brutally honest and light-hearted" take on grief and plans to visit Australia once a year.

You can buy Judy's book here with a portion of the sales going to cancer charities that Richard supported.