It was my pleasure recently to read Have Bags, Will Travel – a delightfully funny travel memoir by D.G. Kaye that is filled with tips and advice. It’s the perfect travel book for those who enjoy shopping, always have too much luggage and look back on the way travel used to be with a sense of nostalgia.

What Amazon Says

D.G. Kaye is back, and as she reflects on some of her more memorable vacations and travel snags, she finds herself constantly struggling to keep one step ahead of the ever-changing guidelines of the airlines—with her overweight luggage in tow. Her stories alert us to some of the pitfalls of being an obsessive shopper, especially when it comes time for D.G. to bring her treasures home, and remind us of the simpler days when traveling was a breeze.

In her quest to keep from tipping the scales, D.G. strives to devise new tricks to fit everything in her suitcases on each trip. Why is she consistently a target for Canada customs on her return journeys?

D.G.’s witty tales take us from airports, to travel escapades with best friends, to reflections on how time can change the places we hold dear in our hearts. Her memories will entertain and have you reminiscing about some of your own most treasured journeys—and perhaps make you contemplate revamping your packing strategies.

My Review

5 stars – a delightfully nostalgic travel memoir

D.G. Kaye’s delightful travel memoir is an enjoyable page-turner, and essential reading for anyone wanting to travel overseas. It would be a perfect beach read, or a great book to take with you on vacation – something, perhaps, to keep you entertained while lining up at airports.

The author confesses to being a shopaholic who always travels with too much luggage – a problem shared by so many other travellers, including myself. She had me in stitches with her stories of trying to comply with the ever-varying luggage limits, and her constant struggles to deal with Canadian customs authorities on her trips home.  

Kaye has many useful tips and tricks for the unsuspecting traveller. I couldn’t stop laughing at her description of how to maintain perfect sterilisation and not touch anything inside those tiny airplane toilets.

She has fond memories to share about trips to places like London, Paris and Las Vegas – and some fun times in Venezuela. I could relate to how much she loved Las Vegas in the past, when there were less crowds, much higher dress standards, and the restaurants and hotels offered much better service and value.

A few months in Greece in her youth became a constant struggle with too much luggage and then an accident. At Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, she managed to get from one terminal to another in record time with her elderly father in tow.

The author manages to include all sorts of luggage disasters – a topic very relevant at the moment. Shoes also play a big part, but you’ll have to read for yourself to find out more.

The book is written in an easy-to-read style and it moves quickly, so I kept eagerly turning the pages and was very sorry to reach the end. I hope the author writes another travel book one day – and I give this a very well-deserved 5 stars.

D.G. Kaye’s other books

D.G. Kaye talks about her books

Growing up as an emotionally neglected child, tormented with guilt, I was conflicted with the question of whether or not I was to remain obligated to being a faithful daughter, feeling in debt to my narcissistic mother for giving birth to me.

My first book, Conflicted Hearts is a memoir, written about my journey  seeking solace from living with guilt.

Meno-What? A Memoir, was written based on my passage through menopause. In that book, I share humor and wisdom about what women may expect or experience at that unpredictable time. As well as sharing my experiences of  those unpredictable times, I also offer up some of my helpful hints for relief.

 Words We Carry  focuses around my own self-esteem issues, how and why the issues evolve, and how I recognized my own shortcomings, and overcame my own insecurities.

Have Bags, Will Travel is a little travel memoir based on tales and reminiscings from some of my more memorable trips, which all factor in the same ongoing issues for me – too much luggage!

 P.S. I Forgive You is Book II to Conflicted Hearts, although a standalone read too, a journey of seeking forgiveness for my narcissistic mother. As her death was approaching, I was forced by conflicting thoughts to reconcile my feelings about my mother and find a way to make peace within myself for my decision to remain estranged, yet find forgiveness for her to send her off with compassion.

Twenty Years: After ‘I Do’ is ever more near and dear to my heart. It was the promise I asked of my beloved husband when he asked me to marry him, that he guarantee me at least twenty years or no deal. It’s the story of unconditional love and all the components required to make and keep a marriage happy and thriving no matter what life throws at us.

I write raw and honest stories about my own experiences,  hoping, through my writing, that others can relate and find that there is always a choice to move from a negative space, and look for the positive.

I currently have two works in progress for two upcoming books, yet to settle on titles. The working title for one is Fifteen First Times, a memoir of short stories about the first time of fifteen events in my life that taught me lessons. The second one is a diary of sorts, on the topic of Grief, relating to the tragic loss of my husband.

“Live Laugh Love . . . And Don’t Forget to Breathe!”

 “For every kindness, there should be kindness in return. Wouldn’t  that just make the world right?”

 Connect with D.G. Kaye:

My website:    http://www.dgkayewriter.com

Author Page:   http://www.amazon.com/author/dgkaye7

Goodreads:      http://www.goodreads.com/dgkaye

Twitter:            http://www.twitter.com/@pokercubster (yes there’s a story)

Linkedin:          http://www.linkedin.com/in/dgkaye7

Facebook:         http://www.facebook.com/dgkaye

 

---

Thank you for stopping by. My name is Toni Pike, a multi-genre author who loves writing thrillers for adults, non-fiction, and hilarious books for children.

I’m the author of LINDA’S MIDLIFE CRISIS, DESOLATION BLUFF, DEAD DRY HEART and The Jotham Fletcher Mystery Thriller Series: THE MAGUS COVENANT, THE ROCK OF MAGUS, THE MAGUS EPIPHANY and HOLY SPEAR OF MAGUS.

The Brody Cody Series is for children aged 6-9: BRODY CODY AND THE STEPMOTHER FROM OUTER SPACE and BRODY CODY AND THE HAUNTED VACATION HOUSE.

I’m also the author of two non-fiction books. THE ONE WAY DIET is a no-nonsense guide to losing weight and HAPPY TRAVELS 101 is a short book of travel tips.

All my books can be found HERE.

You can find me online here: