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Anne Slater-Brooks

Anne is on a quest to explore the world having visited more than 70 countries on six continents. She has backpacked, flash-packed, sailed, dived and skied the globe. She's had a few scary experiences involving sharks, snakes and snowmobiles, but thankfully lived to tell the tale, and is now our resident expert on travel hacking, showing you how to earn free hotel stays and bag business class flights for less than economy.

Cynics amongst you may believe that it simply isn’t possible to travel for free in the UK using travel hacking methods (airline and hotel rewards). Usually this would be a fair assumption. After all, the British government absolutely stuffs us on our airline taxes (whilst our American brethren usually get away with a poxy $5.60 …

Read More about How to travel hack a free trip to Paris

In today’s travel hacking post, Anne compares two of our biggest british airlines, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. We all know that travel hacking is most effective when you’re loyal to a particular airline so which should you choose, BA or Virgin? Let’s begin the battle of the British airlines… A comparison of British Airways …

Read More about Is British Airways or Virgin Atlantic best for travel hacking?

Anne’s latest travel hacking advice is all about how you can  earn more airline rewards with airline alliances. As always, she’s broken it down to make it super simple for beginner travel hackers! If you who have been following my travel hacking tips, you will be aware that I talk about British airways rewards (AVIOS) …

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This month I’ve challenged Anne to write a travel hacking guide for people who don’t use credit cards. There’s often the feeling that travel hacking without a credit card is impossible and you have to be spending huge amounts on a credit card to collect any points. Admittedly, this does make travel hacking a hell …

Read More about Travel Hacking Without a Credit Card – It is possible!

Our recent trip to Mexico City resulted in a rather unexpected experience. We were only there when an earthquake occurred! After the euphoria of surviving wore off, it became glaringly evident that we had absolutely no idea what we were supposed to do in the event of an earthquake. So here’s my handy little earthquake survival …

Read More about Earthquake Survival Guide – What You Need to Know to Stay Safe

If I could combine a few things to make the perfect weekend, it would be travel, treatments, food and wine! So if this sounds like your idea of a great weekend, book yourself a few half days, and prepare to melt into blissful abandon on this spa and food combo in 48 hours in County …

Read More about Indulge Your Bodily Senses With 48 Hours in County Cork

I’m wandering along a sandy, white beach backed with heather covered cliffsides, with rolling green countryside in the distance. There’s barely a soul to be seen, and the crash of waves on the beach is hypnotising. Sounds amazing doesn’t it? Well it is, but there’s just one problem. It is bucketing it down, and I …

Read More about Wet and Wild Activities to try on Inchydoney Island in West Cork

Our travel hacking expert, Anne, has embarked on a different type of journey as she heads to India to restore her mind, body and soul with Ayurveda. The Ultimate Stress Head It’s been a stressful year. Hassles at work, step-mom anxieties, and a long suffering back injury which limits running (my usual stress antidote!) My …

Read More about An introduction to Ayurveda and how it can restore body and mind

I’ve just return from India, one of my favourite countries; home to yoga, meditation and my hippie alter-ego! I’ve been dipping my toes in the Indian Ocean, unrolling my grumbling back onto my yoga mat, and been massaged into blissful oblivion. It takes roughly 24 hours of travelling from the winding, moody Pennines to Manchester, via …

Read More about The ABC of Business Class Flights to India

Today Anne shares her review from Yab Yum Resort in Goa, India.   So secret is Yab Yum Resort, there are no roadside signs indicating its existence. Even the main gate has no sign, nor does the beach pathway indicate that you have arrived at your destination. Like the Illuminati, it seems this place wants …

Read More about Yab Yum Resort Review: The Enchanted Forest of Yab Yum, India

I recently managed to bag two business class flights to Stockholm for just £85. How you might scream? AVIOS Upgrade Voucher Well on this occasion, I was using the Lloyds Bank AVIOS Rewards Credit Card, which rewards you with a AVIOS upgrade voucher when you spend £7,000. The voucher allows two people to upgrade one class …

Read More about Is the Lloyds Bank AVIOS Upgrade Voucher good value? £85 for business class flights to Stockholm would suggest so…

  Ever wondered which airline credit card is the best card to use if your sole aim is to fly business class using AVIOS? Ever started looking into this, only to scratch your head with frustration, trying to do a like for like comparison? Do you opt for an AVIOS upgrade voucher or an AVIOS companion …

Read More about AVIOS Upgrade Voucher v AVIOS Companion Voucher: The Battle of the AMEX

  What’s so special about Hadrian’s Wall? After all, it’s just a lump of stones cobbled together, to create a physical barrier. You call that a tourist destination? I mean, I know the Great Wall of China is a tourist attraction, but crikey that’s visible from space, and it’s 13,170 miles long. Hadrian’s Wall on …

Read More about What’s All the Fuss About Hadrian’s Wall?

As with many British cities, Newcastle has its fair share of galleries, museums, historical attractions and sporting attractions to pick from. But what if you are looking for something a little different? A little less mainstream perhaps? Maybe you prefer the unusual, or downright bizarre. If that is the case, then this post is for …

Read More about Enjoy the Tyne of Your Life with these Quirky Newcastle Attractions

  How would you like free nights at a fabulous and luxurious hotel like the Marriott, Phuket in Thailand? Or how about free hotel nights in Costa Rica, perfect for nature lovers, scuba divers and beach lovers alike? Wouldn’t it be great if you didn’t have to enter a competition or spend months (possibly years!) saving …

Read More about How to get free hotel stays with Marriott Rewards

Travel hacking is the art of collecting points through your everyday spending. These points can then be converted and spent on flights. It sounds too good to be true but it really is that simple! Many of us are missing out on really easy ways to collect extra points. Other travel hacking guides make it …

Read More about Become a Travel Hacking Expert: A Beginner’s Guide to Collecting AVIOS