Monica

Going on holiday with the kids has the potential to be simply spectacular or an unmitigated nightmare. Expecting the unexpected is rule number-one, but selecting the right place is always the most important thing. When I first had George I imagined I’d take him anywhere and everywhere, regardless of whether it was ‘child-friendly’ or not. …

Is anyone else completely and utterly fed up of winter and ready for spring to hurry up and start warming us up? I always feel like this towards the end of February. It’s  been winter for years (10 years, surely!?) and I barely even remember what it’s like to have the sun on my skin …

I’m a suitcase kind of girl when it comes to travelling. Wheels were invented for a very good reason so we might as well use them. It’s the 21st century, why would you carry a heavy bag when you can wheel it along with minimal effort? But when it comes to my daybag, daypack, hand bag, …

My LittleLife All Terrain Carrier review, a baby carrier for babies from 6 months until 3 years. I’ve been a big fan of ‘baby wearing’ ever since George was born. While I love strolling around with our trendy Bugaboo, I prefer the freedom of carrying him while we travel. A pushchair can be restrictive and bulky …

After testing out Flytographer in Budapest, here’s my Flytographer review and why I think this is such an amazing service… If you’re looking for a Flytographer discount code, you can use my link here for $25 off using the code #FLYFAN.   Hands up if you’re always the person behind the camera when you’re on …

Yes, you read that correctly, Holiday Inn Expresses are getting cool. Last week I was in London and had the pleasure of staying at the Holiday Inn Express on Ealing Broadway, London. I’ve stayed in more than my fair share of budget London hotels and they very rarely make it onto the pages of this …

Please note: This competition has now ended It’s competition time here on The Travel Hack and this week I’m giving away a Lumix CM1 communication camera from the Lumix 4K photo range. The Lumix CM1 is one of the best smartphones on the market right now for mobile photographers. Lumix actually don’t call it a …

Hands up if you’ve ever tried to write a journal but given up 3 days in? You begin with a beautiful new notebook and possibly even a fancy new pen. You wait for the beginning of the month to start writing (because who starts a diary in the middle of the month!?) and for a …

If you’re looking for Corinthia Hotel Budapest reviews then here is my honest hotel review from my stay there. If you’d like to read more about my trip to Budapest then you can see my Budapest travel blogs here. Budapest is one of my favourites places for an affordable city break so I hope you …

Solo female travel is one of the hottest trends in the travel blogging community right now. I feel so proud to be part of a movement that encourages women to live out their travel dreams and not sit at home waiting for their perfect travel buddy to magically appear. Most of the time I don’t …

Today I’d like to introduce you to EarnAway, a hotel booking website that allows you to earn cashback on the hotels you book. I used the website for my recent trip to Budapest and here’s my EarnAway review… You may already be familiar with cashback websites. Basically, when you buy something online, the website you …

If you like the outdoor life, there are few things that’ll get you as excited as a camping trip – getting up close to nature, living simply, and snoozing under the stars. If a night in the wilderness isn’t quite your thing, though, the thought of sharing your bed with a bagful of bugs will …

  If you’ve ever heard Budapest being described as a ‘fairytale city’ it’s because of this place; Fisherman’s Bastion. Fisherman’s Bastion is in Budapest’s Castle District located next to Matthias Church on the Buda side of the city. This gorgeous, neo-Gothic viewing platform is dramatically medieval looking and provides one of the best viewing spots …

Did you see my last posts about why I think Valencia is the perfect destination for a weekend escape? If you didn’t, check that out first! I fell head over heels in love with Valencia, Spain’s third city. I had a little longer than a weekend in Valencia but it’s the perfect city for a …

You might already know that I’m currently a Lumix 4k photo ambassador. I’ve been trying out Lumix’s range of 4k cameras and I’ve been sharing some of the photos across my social media channels and blog. I’ve been having so much fun with these cameras and I’ve been surprised to find that taking photos with …

  This week’s weekender of the week is a little different as we take to the waves for a more active and adventurous trip. We usually talk about city breaks for a weekend away but what about heading to the beach and brushing up on your surfing skills? A weekend of sun, sea, sand, surf, …

Like all things in life, there isn’t a quick and easy way to grow your social media following. I know, I know; it’s the 21st century and we want quick and instant results. We’re used to seeing blog posts with flashy, jazzy titles like, ‘How to instantly grow your blog by millions of followers without …

  Before I begin, I’ve got to tell you that I’m not a perfect traveller in any way. I often overpack. Sometimes I cave and order a room service burger instead of going out. I’ve turned up in new cities and known nothing about the local culture or the things to see and do. I’ve …

It took me almost 22 hours to reach Florida Keys. It began at 6.30am on Sunday morning with a drive to Manchester Airport, a quick flight to Heathrow, an 10-hour flight to Miami and finally another quick flight to Key West. Whoever said travelling is glamorous had clearly never spent 12 hours in economy and a …

I’ve just returned from a weekend in Valencia and I’m still buzzing from the trip. It had everything I could possibly want from a weekend away; culture, history, art, shopping, great food and drink, affordable prices and easy flights. Everything about it was absolutely perfect and Valencia makes such a great city for a weekend …

Since uploading the post on Wednesday about the ‘What vacationer are you?’ I’ve been thinking a lot about my travel style. It took me a long time to figure out what my travel style is because I so often followed guides and ‘top 10 lists’ and recommendations from other people. When I was taking blog trips …

I’ve stayed in more than my fair share of airport hotels. They’re usually pretty depressing with views out to brick walls, overpriced mini bars and the same bland décor across the world. The staff are usually rude, the breakfasts are inedible and I usually have a terrible nights sleep before catching an early morning flight. …

Is anyone planning a holiday and feeling a bit overwhelmed? There are so many places to go, so many things to see, so many things to do. If you’re anything like me, your bucket list is just getting longer and longer and holiday planning can be tough when you just want to go everywhere! To …

If you’re looking to plan a 5 day trip to Spain’s third-largest city then read on for my guide to Valencia. In today’s Valencia guide, you’ll find my full five-day itinerary and suggestions on places to eat, see and stay while you’re in the city. If you saw Sunday’s post then you will already know …

Driving into the village of Downham is like driving through a portal and emerging into a world that existed 100 years ago. If I were to describe it as ‘quaint’ it wouldn’t quite do it justice, as it’s so much more than quaint. Downham is beautiful and charming and cosy. It has an old fashioned …

  “Why have I not been here before!?” This was a genuine question I kept asking myself just a few hours after I’d landed in Valencia. This city is gorgeous. It’s warm and it’s beautiful and it’s interesting. It’s historical and filled with culture but also modern and filled with young creativity. It feels a …

Packing for a skiing trip can be difficult because you pretty much want to take every single warm item of clothing you own. You’ll want to be rugged up during the day but stylish in the evening and still warm enough to walk around in the snow. I’ve been skiing a few times now and …

I find that searching for accommodation and finding ways to save money when booking hotels to be the hardest part of holiday planning. There are so many gorgeous hotels, so many websites to book them on and lots of confusing reviews. The hotel is often the most expensive part of the trip so it’s really …

Welcome to the first Weekend Reads of 2016! It’s been a big and busy week in the blogosphere. The first week of the year sees bloggers sticking to their New Year’s resolutions and posting more so there’s a lot for us to read! And please tell me I’m not the only one who has spent …

Welcome to the new feature on The Travel Hack called Weekender of the Week! Each week I’ll be bringing you a quick weekender idea to inspire your next weekend escape. This week it’s all about a weekend in the Algarve, Portugal. Most of us think of the Algarve as being a week-long destination. Of course, it’s a …

I feel like New Years resolutions aren’t the cool thing to do this year. Everyone is talking about celebrating your achievements rather than setting yourself unrealistic challenges. Other people are talking about small ‘goals’ and other people have ditched them all together but they never stick to them anyway so what’s the point? But I …

  Are you travelling to London in 2016? Here are the London apps you need to download to make your trip to the Big Smoke a breeze. Do you remember a time when we used to travel with heavy guidebooks and paper maps? When you had to go into internet cafes to check your emails …

One of my favourite rooms in our whole house to decorate has been George’s room. It made me weirdly sad that I wasn’t able to decorate a nursery while I was pregnant as we were living with my parents while we renovated our own house. I guess it was that nesting instinct kicking in but …

  Do you know what ‘Shiok’ means? No, I didn’t either until I watched this video by the Singapore Tourism Board. It’s a word mostly used in Singapore and is used to express pleasure or the highest quality. It means ‘amazing’ or ‘awesome’ but it’s shorter, snappier and all together cooler. Shiok is a good …

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you’re well and enjoyed the Christmas festivities. It feels strange for it all to be over so suddenly. One minute we’re knee deep in mince pies, fairy lights and panic buying presents. The next minute we’re all detoxing and dieting, saving money and digging out our running shoes. I’m …

  I was absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of people who responded to my reader survey. Thank you all so much! At first I was nervous about getting people’s honest and brutal opinions. The Travel Hack is my baby, I’ve worked so hard on this blog for the past 6 years so the thought of …

I love weekend escapes. Come on, who doesn’t!? There’s nothing better than leaving the office early, pulling a little suitcase behind you and strutting out with that happy, ‘I’m taking a weekender’, swagger. This swagger is a real thing. Embrace it and get your Weekender Swagger on. It’s a swagger that lets everyone know you …

  I’ve been very lucky to spend Christmas in some amazing and exotic destinations. I’ve spent Christmas Day on the beach in Sydney, one Christmas scuba diving with manta rays in Bali and even one year I was cruising around the Canaries. But, do you know what? My favourite place in the world to spend …

If you’ve been following along with The Travel Hack you’ll know that I’ve partnered with Lumix and I’m a Lumix 4K photo ambassador. Many of you have been asking exactly what 4K photography is, how it works and if it’s something everyday photographers might be interested in? My big, fat answers to this is YES! …

There is only one thing that really cures the itch to travel, and unsurprisingly, it’s to travel. It’s easy to make excuses and put blocks in the way, but if you put it off for too long, it’s never going to happen. We all want to go right now, who wouldn’t? But usually it isn’t …