Being dumped is never any fun. Being dumped a month before your wedding? That’s a whole different level of pain. For Katy Colins though, the situation turned out to be life-changing.
“Feeling heartbroken and lost spurred me on to make some big life changes,” she writes on her website, NotWedOrDead. Her fiancé’s decision to break things off made her realize that her perfect, successful, comfortable life was lacking in adventure. And so she sold nearly everything she owned, stuffed whatever was left into a backpack, and then booked herself a one-way ticket to Southeast Asia.
As it turns out, the trip was the greatest thing she could have done for her future. Because now, life is very different for Colins. For starters, she hasn’t stopped traveling — she already has 30 countries under her belt, and isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
NotWedOrDead, the site she originally started to keep her family and friends updated throughout her travels, now has thousands of followers and was shortlisted as a Best Travel Blog for the Cosmo Blog Awards last year. And for good reason: it’s full of incredible travel tips, from how to handle money to must-eat food in Thailand.
Perhaps the best thing to happen to Colins post-breakup was that she was able to fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming an author. She recently signed a three-book deal with Carina, an imprint of Harper Collins, to write The Lonely Hearts Travel Club, a series of romantic comedies following newbie backpacker Georgia Green “trying to go from lost to wanderlust when it feels like everything is against her.” The first book of the series, Destination Thailand, is already out in paperback and ebook; the second and third will follow this spring.
We recently got a chance to ask Katy a few questions about her life, her writing, and making travel a priority.
Why did you decide that traveling would be the best thing to do post-breakup?
I wanted to use this as a catalyst to make changes in my life and hoped that travel would give me the adventure and excitement I was craving.
What would you tell others who are longing to travel but feel that they can’t break free from their real-life obligations?
I realize that my decision to quit everything and travel on my own was extreme, but if you really want to make changes to your life then you do have to make sacrifices. It doesn’t have to be on the same scale as what I did, but maybe try and plan more mini breaks, explore the sights of your home country, or get a little adventurous with your next holiday.
What’s next for your writing career?
I’m currently writing “Destination Chile,” out in May, and then will probably take a break to travel once more. My feet just get too itchy to say put — plus I need to get out there to research other novels (and) ideas I have!
Do you see yourself settling down, or are you content to keep satiating the wanderlust?
Never say never! For the moment I am concentrating on writing the best books I can and enjoying this adventure I’ve found myself on.
Have you had any trouble traveling as a single female? How would you encourage other females to get over their fear of traveling alone?
It can be daunting for anyone to travel by themselves for the first time but once you get over the nerves you will experience so much in terms of growing in confidence and discovering things about you, that the pre-trip butterflies are all worth it.
What’s the greatest/most humorous travel anecdote you have?
Getting to fly past Mount Everest in a tin can of an aircraft surrounded by eager tourists with fancy hi-tech cameras and then there was me with my old and damaged iPhone. I still got some good shots though!
Any huge travel fails that you look back on and laugh at?
Packing a full bag of makeup which I didn’t open once and (which) ended up leaking in my backpack. I soon learnt to embrace the bare-faced chic look and leave the fancy products at home.
What country have you been most surprised/wowed by, or would recommend others go?
I chose to set my debut novel in Thailand because I just fell in love with the place. Chile also really surprised me and was one of the countries I was most wowed by. The people were so friendly, the food was great and the scenery from the arid north to the raw and wild south was just breathtaking.
What’s your greatest packing tip for other travelers?
Pack your bag then take everything out and dump half. You may need a trusted friend or family member to help with this as it feels brutal, but trust me you will never wear everything you take and your back will thank you later.
What’s on your list for this year/any other places that you’d love to get to?
I would love to head over to Australia and New Zealand, they are two places I have only ever heard amazing things about so I’d love to experience them for myself.
