From Bowerhill to Australia – local woman seeks adventure after flat fire

A Bowerhill resident who lost her home and worldly possessions in a fire decided to turn it into an opportunity to work remotely while travelling the world.

Nicky Maidment’s flat was destroyed by an electrical fire in February 2020. She managed to escape, alongside her son and grandson, as the fire tore through the building within minutes. 

After losing her home and possessions, Nicky turned this into an opportunity to travel the world and has lived in half a dozen countries across three continents while making a living as a Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) practitioner – helping people deal with issues including insomnia, weight loss, depression and much more.

“The fire was a horrific experience which nobody wants to go through. But the most important thing is we all got out safely and unhurt,” explained Nicky, 65 and a mum-of-four, who had lived in her Bowerhill flat for 10 years.

After the fire, which happened a month before a Covid lockdown, Nicky moved in with her daughter where she hatched a plan to travel initially to Malta when it was safe to leave the country. She has since gone on to live in Australia, Bali, Thailand, Italy and Austria. 

“I didn’t have anything to lose and was confident it would work out,” says Nicky. “I decided on Malta first, as it was familiar to me with fond memories. I then signed up for a co-living arrangement, in a house with up to 20 other people, mostly aged in their 20s, 30s and 40s.

“I am a very sociable person and I am used to having a lot of people around me, including family and friends. I liked that there was a ready-made ‘tribe’ when I arrived, but I also had my own space. The other lodgers were all a lot younger than I was but it didn’t make a difference except I didn’t go to nightclubs with them because I have never been fond of clubs anyway.”

Reflecting on the fire, Nicky said they are ‘lucky to be alive.’ “By chance, my eldest son Ross, who was visiting me from Italy, came home early because he had a toothache. He had heard a click in the boiler cupboard and found it to be ablaze when he opened the door.

“I was in my bedroom when Ross came flying round saying ‘get out now, there’s a fire’. He had grabbed the fire extinguisher but couldn’t put it out as it was electrical.

“I grabbed a coat and ran out, alerting neighbours on the way down – while Ross called the fire service. Chino, my grandson, had been in the shower and had ran out with a towel wrapped around him. We watched in horror as the windows turned black and the ceiling came down. Three fire engines arrived shortly after and the road was closed off.

“It was scary. If we had been asleep or if Ross hadn’t come home when he did, we wouldn’t have known about it or made it out in time. We’re lucky to be alive.

“You would have thought I would have been devastated after the fire but I took it as a kick up the backside to get out and live life. I realised I didn’t need ‘stuff’ and it freed me to go on an adventure.”

Nicky returned to the UK last summer and has been living in Barry, Wales, and this year, she is heading back to Australia.

She has been practising NLP for 25 years, helping people deal with issues including insomnia, weight loss, depression and much more. She set up her company Purpleminds NLP in 2010 – for more information, visit www.purplemindsnlp.com

Pictured: Nicole at Sunrise Beach, Australia