Excess Baggage

Can a single throwaway comment change the course of a life?

“Call me if you’re unmarried at 30,” said Claude, the English gentleman Sarah-Jane met while working in PR in Drury Lane, London. She was a young Kiwi woman on her OE, armed with little more than up-to-date word processing skills, big dreams, and a longing to see what lay beyond Papamoa Beach.

Set against the backdrop of New Zealand’s COVID-19 lockdowns, Excess Baggage is a deeply personal memoir that reflects on a decade of adventure, self-discovery, and spiritual growth in the 1990s — a time when travel was the greatest teacher and destiny seemed to whisper through each border crossing. From the UK to Tibet, Israel to the Canadian Rockies, Sarah-Jane walks through relationships, cultural contrasts, and moments of profound synchronicity — ultimately questioning whether her journey was written in the stars.

Told with warmth, insight, and humour, this narrative takes readers from the familiar shores of New Zealand to the rooftop of the world — exploring intuition, freedom, love, and the surprising places we find belonging.

Whether you’re drawn to memoirs about solo female travel, spiritual awakenings, or simply a well-lived life, Excess Baggage invites you to pack light, trust the signs, and follow the path — even if it leads somewhere unexpected.

A story of strength and starlight.

📚 Book Details:

• Title: Excess Baggage

• Author: Sarah-Jane Dunwoody

• ISBN: 978-0-473-73212-7

• Format: Paperback

• Pages: 215

• Release Date: February 2025
  
  

• Main Themes: Travel, Memoir, New Zealand, 1990s, Spirituality, Romance, Tibet, Personal Growth, Pandemic Reflection, True Story, Destiny, Tai Chi, Nature, Celestial, Hiking, Synchronicity
  
  

🌿 About the Author:

Sarah-Jane Houghton has worn many hats — Air Force servicewoman, PR assistant, shop owner, librarian, and now a dedicated Tai Chi instructor. A lifelong seeker and nature lover, she has lived across the globe — from England to the Cook Islands — but calls Timaru, New Zealand, home. Excess Baggage is her debut memoir, with a second contribution due in the Unity Oracle Deck from Blue Gaia World Publishing (March 2025).