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Monica

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

I’ve got a good one for you today, guys! As you probably already know through reading this blog, Thailand is one of my favourite countries in the world. Thailand has it all, it’s got the gorgeous beaches, beautiful weather, lovely people, delicious food (hello Thai red curry!), cultural attractions, outdoor activities and amazing hotels. Seriously, …

Read More about Win a luxury holiday for 2 to Thailand!

I was unsure whether to write this post. I’ve actually written and then deleted it a couple of times now, but it’s something I’m asked about a lot so I feel like it’s time to blog about it. I get lots of lovely emails from readers who have either recently had kids, are pregnant or …

Read More about How I’m managing the work/ life/ blogging/ babies/ travelling balance

Stretching along India’s south-west corner on the tropical Malabar Coast, boasting everything from expansive coastline and picturesque backwaters to exotic nature and rich heritage, Kerala is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful states in India. Kerala has been a popular place for travellers for years thanks to its scenic beauty and loads of activities available. …

Read More about 10 unmissable things to do in Kerala

Fancy winning a holiday to the Canary Islands this summer? Yes, I thought you might 😉 We Brits can’t beat the Canary Islands for a good old fashioned beach holiday. The Spanish islands off the coast of northwest Africa are famed for their gorgeous beaches and year-round sunshine. They have long, sunny days and very …

Read More about Win a holiday for 2 to the Canary Islands with Thomas Cook Airlines! #IheartCanaries

I love using travel blogs to research destinations. Blogs have the personal opinion and authenticity most guidebooks are missing and it’s great finding a likeminded to make suggestions you know you’ll love. I used loads of travel blogs when researching my trip to Budapest. I’ve collated some of the best travel blog posts about Budapest …

Read More about The Travel Blogger’s Guide to Budapest

[mailmunch-form id=”477226″] Today’s post is a little off topic from my usual travel blogs so apologise to anyone who isn’t interesting in the whole blogging bubble! There’ll be a travel post up tomorrow so please come back for that!   I had a comment on my blog recently from a brand wanting to work with …

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It’s been a while since I’ve written a Friday Favourites blog post. From time to time I basically like to share 5 things I’m loving, products I’ve been sent to review or generally just 5 things I’ve stumbled across and want to share with you guys. These products aren’t always travel related but I usually …

Read More about Friday Favourites feat. Pins to Kill, Inkifi, Cuddledry, Primark and Institut Esthederm

Ever since I began travelling way back in 2009 I’ve been looking for a camera that is small: lightweight and easily portable with all the awesome features and image quality of a bigger DSLR. For the past 3 years I’ve been shooting on a Canon 70D and I’ve loved it. I’m not a professional photographer, …

Read More about Lumix G80 review: An awesome compact camera perfect for travel

It was Thursday evening and Sam and I had a conversation that went something like this: Sam: The weather’s going to be amazing this weekend Me: Ooo, we should go to the beach Sam: Let’s go to Aberdaron. I’ll see if we can rent somewhere and stay over…..hmmm….the only cottages available are for 4 nights …

Read More about A spontaneous weekend in Aberdaron, Wales

Dorset has always been one of Britain’s most popular holiday hotspots. The county on the south coast of the UK boasts everything from scenic countryside to sandy beaches, fairy tale castles and a famed prehistoric coastline. Durdle Door, Dorset Natural beauty is the headline act in Dorset, particularly around the coast thanks to those steep …

Read More about A weekend guide to Dorset

I’m very excited today to announce the hostel voted as the best hostel in the UK by LateRoom’s Simply the Guest Awards. Simply the Guest is the annual awards from LateRooms.com. They use the 1.5 million guest reviews and ratings published on the site to recognise the highest standards in the hotel industry. Reviews can …

Read More about Revealing the best hostel in the UK!

If you’re the kind of person who loves their annual ski holiday and can’t imagine skipping it, but also can’t imagine how you’d cope on a ski holiday with a baby or a toddler then this is for you! We’ve just returned from a family ski holiday to Les Gets in France with our two …

Read More about How to plan a family ski holiday with a baby and a toddler

Going on a safari is a bucket list experience for most people. Witnessing Africa’s wild animals in real life (and not just through a lens with David Attenborough’s voiceover), falling asleep to the vibrant sounds of nature and filling your senses with the raw beauty of some of the world’s most striking and exciting wilderness …

Read More about 5 awesome safari experiences to get on your bucket list

Whenever I’m planning a weekend away I always look to travel bloggers for ideas and inspiration. I love to read blogger’s itineraries and highlights and recommendations for places to eat and drink. A few weeks ago I took Sam to Barcelona for a surprise birthday weekend away. I managed to keep the trip a secret until …

Read More about The Travel Blogger’s Guide to Barcelona

“You’ve been converted!” Sam said excitedly over the speakerphone in the car. I was driving home from the Caravan, Camping and Motorhome Show at the NEC in Birmingham and was telling Sam all about my day. “The motorhomes were really nice! They were like hotel rooms on wheels!” I was telling him. “They were enormous …

Read More about Could caravanning be cool?

**This competition is now closed. Congratulations to Rebecca Sharp who is the winner!** Did you see my post earlier today about our new feature here on The Travel Hack? I’m introducing a monthly feature called ‘The £200 Weekender’ and, as the name suggests, it’s all about having a weekend away within the budget of £200. …

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“What would you like to see more of on The Travel Hack?” This is a question I pose to readers all the time and the overwhelming response is always, ‘cheap weekend breaks!’ Yes, everyone wants more cheap weekenders. And why wouldn’t we? Weekend breaks give us something fabulous to look forward to and they mean …

Read More about The £200 Weekender: Is it possible?

Why is it that travelling far away always seems so much more exotic than travelling close to home? What is it that makes us want to spend hours in the car, hours queueing at airports, hours crammed onto tiny planes and hours waiting to get through immigration when we could travel to very similar places, …

Read More about Weekend Reads #4: Exploring what’s on my doorstep

I’ve just returned from an amazing weekend in Barcelona. I went with my partner, Sam, and our baby boy, Joseph, who was 12 weeks old when we travelled. Since getting home I’ve had a few readers ask me what it was like to travel to Barcelona with a baby and if I thought it was …

Read More about Travelling to Barcelona with a baby: Is it worth it?

If you’re planning a weekend break that ‘has it all’ then I can’t recommend a trip to Chester and North Wales enough. Spend your first day exploring the Roman city of Chester with its cobbled streets, Tudor-style buildings and pretty views. Then spend your second day exploring Snowdonia National Park, home to the highest mountain …

Read More about A weekend guide to Chester and North Wales: A perfect city break and outdoor escape

Happy Sunday everyone! It’s a long Weekend Reads this week. I missed it last week as I was in beautiful Barcelona. It was my first trip to Barcelona and I booked it as a surprise holiday for Sam’s birthday. I somehow managed to keep it a surprise right up until we got to the security …

Read More about Weekend Reads #3: Back from Barcelona and there’s a new Scandinavian buzzword in town

Cheap family travel. Now there are three words you don’t find together very often. I remember the days when I could have a weekend away for under £100. I’d book a last minute flight and stay in a grimy hostel, get all my meals from a street food vendor and drink nothing but cheap beer …

Read More about The best destinations for cheap family travel in 2017

Following on from part 1 of my Les Castels travel journal from my trip to France…   Day #5: Exploring Dinan To say Dinan is ‘charming’ is the biggest understatement of the century. Dinan is another ‘Harry Potter-esque’ kind of place and it felt a lot like Hogsmeade (I say that like I regularly go …

Read More about Travel Journal: My French road trip with Les Castels – Part 2

Would you like to find a way to make exploring cities easier and more manageable? Do you like the ease and convenience of having a tour guide but prefer the excitement and flexibility of exploring alone? Yep, me too! If you answered yes then keep reading to find out about GPSmyCity, a travel app that …

Read More about GPSmyCity app review: Simplifying city breaks with downloadable, self-guided walking tours

Today is Blue Monday, officially the most depressing day of the year. Just typing those words is making me feel depressed. We’re currently stuck in this miserable winter limbo where Christmas feels like so long ago and spring seems so far away. Looking out the window at those dreary grey skies and bare trees shivering …

Read More about Where to travel for the best Instagram photos