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Monica

Hi, I'm Monica! This is my family lifestyle blog where I share posts about motherhood and microadventures.

I don’t know about you but I’m always searching for bucket list inspiration. I love it when I scroll through my social media feeds and stumble across something that makes me stop and think, ‘Wow, that looks incredible, I really want to do that!’ Chances are I’ll pause for a few seconds, maybe mention it …

Read More about What’s next on your bucket list?

Do you fancy staying in one the towers of a medieval town wall, facing the Menai Strait in Wales? Read on to find out about Monica’s weekender with The Landmark Trust at Bath Tower in Caernarfon’s fortified walls. One feeling I’m sure will never get old is the amazing feeling you get when you step …

Read More about Staying in a Bath Tower on the town walls of Caernarfon, Wales

This week’s Travel Hack of the Week comes from Wanderluce and she’s sharing her top beauty hacks when you’re travelling with hand luggage only… Travelling with carry on only is THE best way to travel in my book. You whizz through the airport feeling smug, never get the dreaded ‘backpack backache’, and channel those minimalist …

Read More about The Ultimate Carry On Hacks for Beauty Junkies

The Landmark Trust is probably something you’ve vaguely heard of but don’t know a lot about. It wasn’t until I was invited to stay at a Landmark Trust property that I started looking into it and realised I’ve been seriously missing out. Why haven’t I stayed in a Landmark Trust property before!? Before I go …

Read More about Landmark Trust: An unusual and affordable choice for your next weekend break

Hold up a minute. A weekend? In Menorca? Hmm, that’s probably something you hadn’t thought about before. But with short and affordable flights from the UK combined with a small and easily accessible island, there really is no reason why you can’t visit Menorca for a long weekend. Actually, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t …

Read More about A weekend itinerary for Menorca

Applications to join The Travel Hack team are now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who applied. I will be contacting everyone before July 8th. If you applied via the Google form below then I will have definitely received your application. After last week’s announcement that I’m expecting my second baby I’m sure it’ll …

Read More about Join The Travel Hack Team and come to Canada!

A couple of weeks ago I was invited to London to test out a new app called PicCities, an app that works as a walking tour around London and also shows you the best places to get photos and selfies. Before I begin I’ve got to tell you (and many bloggers will agree) I’m invited …

Read More about PicCities App Review: How to find the best selfie spots in London (and much more!)

When I ordered the Maclaren Mark II I was so excited for it to arrive. I’d done all my research, read a few reviews and couldn’t wait to take it on holiday and test it out. The pushchair ticks all the boxes and does everything I wanted it to do, so why am I left …

Read More about Maclaren Mark II review: Is this the best pushchair for travelling?

I’m writing this post sat in Montana Airport. I have a short layover before I fly to Minnesota for a 7 day trip exploring some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. I had the usual grilling with US security as they questioned me about why I’m visiting the US. I usually lie and …

Read More about Making a living with the best job in the world

Are you going away for a week and planning to just take hand luggage? It’s going to be a squeeze but it’s more than possible if you follow a few simple tips! Packing light for a weekend away is relatively easy. If you’re away for 3 days you’ll only need to pack 2 outfits and …

Read More about How to pack for a week away with just hand luggage

Welcome to a new weekly series here on The Travel Hack as we share our top travel hacks and tips to make travelling as simple and affordable as possible. Between The Travel Hack Team we have some great tips to save you big bucks on your travels. This week we’re starting with booking hotels and …

Read More about Weekly Travel Hack: How to pay the lowest rate for hotel rooms #WhyOverpay?

While I was pregnant with George I read a lot about travelling with babies. I read tips and advice and a million and one explanations of how travelling helps babies develop into well-rounded children who are open to other cultures and comfortable in new environments. To be totally honest, I don’t know how true this …

Read More about Why it’s so important to travel with babies

If I were to ask you to describe your perfect holiday, I bet for many of you it would go a little bit like this… A small island paradise that feels a million miles from home but is actually just a short (and inexpensive!) flight away. A place with beaches so beautiful you’re going to …

Read More about Menorca: Could this be your perfect holiday destination?

  Last month I spoke at Traverse blogging conference in Cardiff. I decided to talk about the blogging topic I’m most frequently questioned about – how to transition from being a hobby blogger to a full time blogger. There are so many amazing bloggers out there, working hard and ticking all the boxes and maybe …

Read More about How to make the leap and become a full time blogger

I wasn’t planning on blogging about my recent holiday to Portugal. It was really my parent’s holiday and I tagged along with George to enjoy a relaxing week in the sun. It was one of those gorgeously chilled out weeks where I enjoyed long lie-ins, breakfast in the sunshine on the patio, mornings lazing by …

Read More about My Portuguese Villa in Gale, Albufeira

“I’ve got a friend visiting London next week. We want to do something fun but not the normal touristy stuff. Any suggestions?” This was my friend’s Facebook status last week and I immediately responded with “Take her to clueuest!” A barrage of comments came next “That sounds fun, I’d love to try that!” “I’ve heard …

Read More about clueQuest Review: The live escape room in London

  Last week I took one of the best ‘challenges’ I think I’ve ever been set as a travel blogger. I was challenged to take a 2-day trip to London to make the most of the city as part of GTR’s Hello Spring activity to get more people travelling on trains. They’re offering 2FOR1 on over …

Read More about A perfect 2 days in London (and a travel hack to save big bucks on your trip)

A lot of people dislike digital photography because we have a habit of taking photos, uploading them to our laptops and then never looking at them again. They sit in their well-organised folders, gathering virtual dust, never to be seen again. Sound familiar? This happens with some of my photos – but there are a …

Read More about 18 photos that will make you want to visit the Maldives immediately

 Ahh, summer holidays – a highlight of each year for as long as you can remember, right? There’s the excitement of planning and booking your summer holiday, the anticipation as the date draws closer, maybe a bit of excited frustration as the weeks drag by. Then you have the thrill of buying new summer clothes …

Read More about 5 alternative summer holidays to take this year

Making the transition from a ‘young, carefree and boozy ski holiday’ to a ‘family ski holiday’ can seem a little bit daunting. You don’t want to miss out on your annual ski holiday but bringing young children along seems like more hassle than it’s worth, right? You have a couple of options here. Don’t go …

Read More about What to look for when booking a family ski holiday

If you’re not the most hard-core of camping folk, but still love to immerse yourself in the UK’s most beautiful nature spots, then why not try a luxury camping holiday? There are hundreds of gorgeous glamping parks that are waiting to be discovered. One of our favourite places to spend a weekend outdoors is Wales, …

Read More about Top 10 Luxury camping weekends in Wales

    If you’re a regular reader of The Travel Hack you’ll know that I’m a big fan of airport meet and greet. It’s one of the little luxuries I’ll always pay extra for as it gets your holiday off to a hassle free start. I always drive to the airport but I don’t like …

Read More about Purple Parking Review: Airport meet and greet made easy

I’d like to take a minute to introduce you to one of the most magnificent and surprising places I’ve ever visited, the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall, England. This is a place of powdery white sand, bright blue seas and crystal clear water. It’s a place with tiny islands that all have …

Read More about My travel blog from the Isles of Scilly: Palm trees and white sandy beaches…in England!

Last week I travelled to Tignes with Mark Warner for a family-friendly week in the snow with my guy and our one year old son. Here’s what it’s really like to take a baby skiing… (I’m obviously not talking about actually strapping a baby to you and skiing! This is the logistics of taking your …

Read More about Swapping après ski for afternoon tea: What it’s really like to go skiing with a baby with Mark Warner

Bali really lives up to its nickname ‘The Island of the Gods’. With its year-round sunshine, volcanic landscape, sweeping beaches and extraordinarily rich culture, it’s easy to see why when given free reign of the whole world, the Gods would make Bali their home. Predominantly a Hindu island, you’ll see traces of this proud religion …

Read More about A mini travel guide to Bali

If you read my itinerary to spending 3 days in the Florida Keys you will have seen that my favourite day was the day we took a seaplane to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Key West is said to mark the very tip of Florida…but if you keep travelling west for some 70 miles, over …

Read More about Video: Seaplane to the Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida

Mor Lodge, Newquay, has been rated at the UK’s top hostel in the LateRooms.com’s annual awards   If you’ve been reading The Travel Hack for a while, you’ll know I’d always recommend staying in a hostel if you’re travelling on a budget. Hostels are great if you’re travelling in a group, you’re budget is tight …

Read More about The best hostel in the UK has been revealed!

The Florida Keys are a chain of islands at the southern tip of Florida and they’re often referred to as the American Caribbean. Life revolves around the white sandy beaches, the warm blue sea and the gorgeous scenery. The average temperature is 25.5 degrees C so it’s not surprising you’ll find most people outdoors. I …

Read More about The perfect itinerary for 3-days in the Florida Keys