“From eBay Seller to Island Dreamer: What Haunted Secret Could Ruin His Paradise?”
Ever thought about totally ditching your responsibilities for a life of adventure? Well, grab a seat, because Ian Usher did just that – and then some! In a bold move that had jaws dropping worldwide, this British man sold his entire life on eBay, boarded a plane, and set up shop on a Caribbean island. Sounds like a dream, right? However, Ian’s whimsy didn’t come without its fair share of trials. In a recent interview, he reveals the biggest danger of living on his little slice of paradise. Spoiler: it’s not what you’d expect! So, if you’re wondering what happens when you trade it all for sunbathing and serenity, buckle up for an intriguing ride. LEARN MORE.
The British man who sold his entire life on eBay, flew to the other side of the world and set up life on an island has revealed the ‘biggest danger’ of living there.
We’ve all had fantasies about sacking in modern life in favour of enjoying a more peaceful and relaxed life.
For most of us these are just fleeting thoughts, but for Ian Usher making this dream a reality was exactly what he did.
Ian Usher fascinated the world with his decision to sell his life in 2008 (Vanessa Anderson)
In 2008, Usher, now 61, from Barnard Castle, decided he’d had enough of his life after splitting from his wife. The pair had previously relocated from the UK to Perth in Australia, but after the separation, Usher decided he wanted to do something drastic – and listed his ‘entire life’ for sale on eBay.
Usher’s story gained media attention around the world as he had included literally everything in the listing, telling BBC News at the time: “I intend to walk out of my front door with my wallet in one pocket and my passport in the other, nothing else at all.”
And start over completely, he did.
Usher said goodbye to Australia and set off travelling, before eventually buying an island in the Caribbean. Usher’s story would remain a source of fascination for years to come, with documentary maker Ben Fogle catching up with him six years later in an episode of Ben Fogle: New Lives in the Wild.
His story was even featured on Ben Fogle’s Channel 5 show (Channel 5)
However, not every part of Usher’s life on the island has been plain sailing, with the adventurer explaining in a new interview with The Daily Star the biggest risks associated with his isolated lifestyle, as well as confirming that he has spent the past nine years travelling the world after selling the island in 2015.
“There really is a mixture of ups and downs trying to do something that far off,” he said, adding that settling in on the island led to him learning Spanish, learning to use a boat and build his own home.
When it came to safety on the island, Usher wasn’t too concerned about security, but did admit that theft was an issue from time to time.
“The biggest issue was theft if you weren’t there to monitor your stuff. There’s a local Indigenous people who live there and the concept of someone going on holiday was an alien one to them, so if you disappeared for a couple of weeks they must have thought, ‘Oh that guy doesn’t need his roofing material, his furniture, he’s gone.’
However he has since sold the island and has spent the years travelling the world via house sitting (Ian Usher)
“So there was what I always called a very active recycling programme [on the island],” he joked. “As soon as your back was turned your stuff would start disappearing, so rather than feeling it was dangerous in a physical sort of way you had to maintain an awareness about property.”
