What I've Read (So Far) in 2019

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If you remember from my New Year's Resolutions from the start of the year, I set myself a pretty big task. I wanted to read 15 books this year, and I thought I'd comfortably reach that (maybe even going a few books over). 

When I found myself at the start of June already smashing that goal, I had to rethink my reading goal for this year, and so upped it to 30! If you told me a few years ago that I would be reading that many books in the space of a year, I would have laughed so much my TBR pile would have fallen on me and crushed me. 

I've always been a bookworm, but I think we all end up convincing ourselves that due to work and social commitments that we just don't have time to read anymore. However, I think we can all find the time to pick up a book and get lost in it, even it's a little every day. I set my alarm earlier in the mornings to read before starting work, and go to bed earlier to do the same before sleeping. I also have started making sure I have my Kindle in my bag whenever I know I'll be sitting on a train for a long time. 

Seeing as I'm about two thirds through my reading challenge this year, I thought I'd give you a quick run-through of what I loved and what I wasn't so keen on in case you're looking for some new books to indulge in this year!

What Clothing To Pack For Southeast Asia

Railay Beach, Thailand

Packing is always one of the biggest tasks when preparing to go on a trip, and a huge factor that you have to consider is what clothes to take. 

It can be one thing looking at the weather of the country you're going to and then throwing in all your summer clothing into your case or backpack, but you'll soon come to realise that there are some items that are unsuitable or unpractical. 

This is especially true to for Southeast Asia, where as well as the different climates you also have to think about respecting local customs of how to dress. 

If you are going to be backpacking to a few different countries in the continent, you'll want to make sure every piece of clothing you bring with you can earn its keep - can you wear it with the other items you take with you? Is it durable enough to last however long you're backpacking for? Does it look okay without being ironed? 

When I sort out my clothes for travelling, I always treat it like a mini capsule wardrobe, making sure I pack items that can be worn in multiple combinations. This normally means I pack a fair amount of clothing in block colours with a couple of patterned pieces thrown in (I only pack one or two black items as black really absorbs heat, and you want to be staying as cool as possible in Southeast Asia). 

Regardless of how long you're heading to this beautiful part of the world for, I'm going to split up your travel wardrobe into different sections to help you to figure out what to pack and what to leave at home.