01/08/2017

CHASING THE SUN BLOG TOUR - KATY COLINS: TRAVEL PACKING HACKS

Who’s Katy Colins?


A successful travel blogger and published writer, of course. But she is especially a very brave woman who has  succeeded in turning a devastating experience into a wake-up call. We all have much to learn from her. This is why I’m very happy to have the chance to introduce her to you all on occasion of the publishing of her fourth book, Chasing the Sun.

What’s her story?


After Katy’s wedding was called off in 2010, she made the life-changing decision to travel solo around South East Asia, leaving behind her successful career and selling everything that wouldn’t fit into a backpack. As she travelled, Katy finally put her adventures and thoughts into words and secured a six book deal with Harper Collins.

Chasing the Sun is Katy’s fourth novel featuring the inimitable Georgia Green and the perfect beach read for this summer! 

                                         Read Katy’s personal story on her website 


Here's Katy's guest post for FLY HIGH!

Travel Packing Hacks

Packing. Eurgh, no matter where we go or for how long packing is always a chore and an effort. Even with the most detailed check lists I’d still manage to forget things and either under pack or go crazy and over pack. I used to feel envious of people who had their packing skills down to a fine art. They would be the ones who would turn up for a weekend away with an adorable weekend case, usually matching. as I clambered past with a plastic bag fit to bursting, my big ol’ ripped travel case and my charity shop staple handbag.

But, no more! With these travel hacks, packing can be a breeze for you too. When you’re packing for a longer trip then it’s vital that you use every tiny bit of space to its advantage. Your backpack may look big enough for you to climb in (ok, yes I may have tried this and I can just about squeeze in), but trust me once you start getting a few bulky items in there all that space will soon be eaten up. So the key is to make sure that all that roomy space is being used in the best way possible.

Roll with it. Get rolling all your clothes up and stuff ’em into every nook and cranny. Make use of your shoes and squeeze whatever you can inside. It’s also a good idea to use pack any breakable items into your socks to give them a bit of extra padding.

Leave space. I know you want to fill every inch as you need everything but you’ll also want to save some room to pack the things you’ll inevitably pick up along the way. If this is too hard then try to only pack things that wouldn’t matter if you chucked them away en route. If you know that you can say a sad farewell to a trusty pair of trainers or loyal jumpers then by all means pack them so you can dispose of them to make room for new bits and bobs later.

Ditch the valuables. Obviously you know not to pack your diamonds but make sure that any valuables are either left at home or properly insured.

Practice Run. You have to carry this bad boy. If it’s too heavy then you’re gonna struggle to lift it, will suffer from back pain as you can’t walk for more than a few metres, before slumping into a sobbing heap cursing why you brought so much stuff. Do a test run. Fill it up, despair at how much you still need to get in. unpack and try again until each time you are leaving more things out than trying to squeeze in.

Be realistic. Even if this means getting someone else’s opinion. I know how tempting it is looking at 3 bikinis and thinking that you need them all. No you can have one. Be brutal and be honest with yourself.


Shops exist outside of home too. Depending on where you’re going you’re probably sure to be able to get anything you may have forgotten to pack, or sacrificed and left in your bedroom, whilst you are away. Don’t weigh yourself down with things that you can easily (and sometimes for a cheaper price) buy on the road.

Katy



About the Book


Georgia Green is on the conveyor belt to happiness. Live-in boyfriend, perfect career and great friends, it seems like Georgia is only a Tiffany box away from her happily ever after. But when she arrives in Australia for her best friend’s wedding and is faced with the bridezilla from hell, she starts to realise that she might not want the cookie-cutter ending she thought.

What was meant to be a trip full of sunny days at the beach and wedding planning over cocktails, has turned into another problem for her to fix – just like the ones she’d left behind. With hardly any time for her boyfriend, let alone herself, it feels like there is just too much to juggle. It might be time for Georgia to step off the conveyor belt to find the balance in life and see if she really can have it all…





1 comment:

dstoutholcomb said...

book sounds fantastic!

denise