Jilted bride records round-world trip in stunning images

A jilted bride went from weddings to wanderings, turning her experience into an inspiring travel blog and Instagram account.

Katy Colins at the Taj Mahal, India Image by @notwedordead/Instagram

After her £20,000 wedding was called off, Katy Colins sold her house, her car, and quit her job in a state of heartbroken confusion. She booked herself a ticket to South East Asia ready for some change and adventure and has never looked back. Documenting her experience in a blog and Instagram account with the tongue-in-cheek name Not Wed or Dead, Katy began tracing her travels through Thailand, India, Bolivia, Argentina, and Peru (to name but a few).

Katy in Ko Tao, Thailand Image by @notwedordead/Instagram

She’s garnered a following and even a book deal since making the fateful decision to drop everything after her disappointment. “Ironically, an editor called me on what would have been our third wedding anniversary. It is poignant to think how far I’d come through hard work, being brave and wanting to live the biggest life I could,” she told The Daily Mail. Katy’s book is called The Lonely Hearts Travel Club, and details her adventures, as well as her own emotional trajectory during her travels.

Katy at the salt flats in Bolivia Image by @notwedordead/Instagram

From being a PR for Manchester Airport, Katy turned her life around and realised one of her dreams of becoming a published writer. She says her heartbreak and the sad end of her relationship offered her the opportunity of a lifetime. “I have climbed an active volcano in Chile, slept in a Thai jungle, got covered in Holi powder in India, skydived in France and even taken a flight past Mount Everest,” she told The Daily Mail.

In a pool in Buenos Aires, Argentina Image by @notwedordead/Instagram

Katy is due to embark on a series of new adventures and travels soon, as she has two more books to write. One can only wish the Bridget Jones of travel writing good luck!

Katy in Machu Picchu Image by @notwedordead/Instagram