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Monica

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

Do you want to know what goes on behind the scenes in the life of a travel blogger? I’d love to tell you that it’s all sunset selfies, exotic holidays and brunches in beautiful places. Some of the time it is, but most of the time it isn’t! This is why I’ve decided to finally …

Read More about Behind the scenes with a travel blogger – Join me on Snapchat

Have you ever been to a festival where the star of the show isn’t the headline act but the location? How about a festival where the food is so good you wish you could grow a second (or third) stomach so you could try everything? What about a festival where you constantly stumble upon surprise …

Read More about The epicness of Festival Number 6, Portmeirion

Earlier this summer, LateRooms.com launched a memorable moments competition whereby they asked us to share our memorable photographs. Entrants were asked to send them in via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook using the #LateRoomsMoment hashtag. There were so many amazing moments entered with gorgeous photos that captured your summer perfectly. These are the photos you want …

Read More about Announcing the #LateRoomsMoment photography competition winner

Sign up here to receive updates about my 12-week blogger e-course Last weekend I had the honour of speaking at Blogstock, the world’s only blogging festival. It’s a mixture between a blogging conference, with talks and workshops to help improve your blogging skills, and an actual festival with tents and live music and great food …

Read More about How to be a 6-figure blogger – Part 1

We’ve all heard of Booking.com, the booking fabulous website for hotels. They’re now known for their cheeky adverts that make you do a double take and say, ‘Did he just say what I think he said!? Before the watershed…?’ But do you know about Villas.com, the equally fabulous website for (would you believe it) booking …

Read More about Review: Using Villas.com for a villa or apartment getaway

This competition has been extended until October 8th! Who hasn’t dreamt about a luxury holiday in the Maldives? A real tropical paradise style holiday with white sand and turquoise sea. The kind of place with luxurious villas on stilts over the lagoon, cocktails sipped under palm trees and dinner eaten under the stars. I don’t know about …

Read More about Name a Sea Turtle and Win a Luxury Getaway to Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu in the Maldives #Shellmemyname

It’s been forever since I’ve written any kind of personal update and I’ve had a few lovely emails asking how I’m getting on with the epic renovation project. It was the end of last year when I told you about my house. Yes, we bought a house! But it’s not just a house, it’s the …

Read More about The house renovation project: Eight months on…

Check out my 12-week blogger e-course if you’re interested in becoming a full time blogger. ‘Niche’. Urgh, it’s a horrible word. But it’s a word I’ve been saying A LOT recently. I’ve been speaking at a few blogger events and conferences and the word ‘niche’ keeps coming up. Why? Because having a niche when blogging …

Read More about How to find your travel blogging niche

  It’s been all over the news recently about how expensive it is to use your phone when you’re abroad. Well duh, we all know this but it’s still easy to get sucked in to using your phone and wracking up a massive bill. A selfie a day on Instagram could add up to an …

Read More about What’s the best UK mobile network when you’re abroad?

When you tell someone you’re a travel blogger the first thing you’re asked is, ‘Where’s your favourite place?’ The second thing you’re ask is, ‘What’s your top travel tip?’ Its impossible to name your favourite place in the world but we can share our top travel tips! So here you have it, The Travel Hack’s …

Read More about The Travel Hack’s Ultimate Travel Tips

If you’ve been following along on Instagram you will have seen that I’ve just returned from an incredible 3-day trip to Iceland. Actually, ‘incredible’ doesn’t do it justice. It was an unforgettable, once in a lifetime, ‘tell-it-to-the-grandchildren-in-50-years-time’ kind of incredible. I was away for a long weekend and it was actually only 36 hours spent …

Read More about The most incredible 3 days in Iceland – EVER

Today’s blog is a Forest Holidays Review from my gorgeous stay with Forest Holidays at their Sherwood Forest location. We have had two family holidays with Forest holidays, the first being to Sherwood Forest in the summer and the second was to Forest Holidays Ardgartan Argyll in Scotland in the winter. They were both very …

Read More about Forest Holidays Sherwood Forest Review

Sign up here to receive updates about my 12-week blogger e-course   One of the hardest things about travel blogging is that you’re so busy travelling you don’t have time to blog. You may notice a lot of the full time travel bloggers travel very slowly and will schedule in a couple of days each …

Read More about How to keep up with your travel blog while you’re travelling

  In theory, Iceland shouldn’t be this beautiful. Iceland is a harsh, lonely country. It’s volcanic and rugged with vast spaces of desolate land. There are very few trees and it can be hard to differentiate between the grey of the cloud and the grey of the earth. The land is flat for miles and …

Read More about My Geothermal Helicopter Tour in Iceland

  We all love travelling in the summer, especially in Europe when the weather is at its best and there’s an exciting vibe in the cities. Everyone is outdoors, soaking up the sun and making the most of the balmy evenings. American Express® has created Hello Europe, a hub dedicated to providing Card members with …

Read More about 5 Alternative City Breaks in Europe

Last month I had an incredible 5-night stay at Tregarthens Hotel on St Mary’s island, the largest of the Isles of Scilly. I was travelling with Sam and our four-month old son, George. We’ve stayed in a few hotels with George already but Tregarthens was the best by a million, trillion miles. (Yes, it was …

Read More about Tregarthens Hotel Review: A St Mary’s Hotel, Isles of Scilly – The best hotel when travelling with a baby

Yesterday I had the pleasure of popping up to Leeds for a day of blogging and networking. Icelolly, the holiday price comparison site, invited a fabulous group of bloggers to their offices for a beach themed day. There were cocktails, palm trees, more cocktails, sun loungers and…yep…more cocktails. It was a lot of fun and …

Read More about Blogging at the Beach with Icelolly #BlogAtTheBeach

  Now there’s a blog post title I never thought I’d type. You’re probably thinking I’m crazy. There are a million and one summer beauty products designed for fully-grown adults, why would you use baby beauty products? Since George was born I’ve actually found some baby products are not only cheaper but also much better …

Read More about Summer beauty products I’m stealing from my baby

  Did anyone else have grand plans to start a fitness regime in preparation for their summer holiday? I’d planned to start mine in May…then I pushed it back to June…then July…and now my summer holiday is just six weeks away and I’m in desperate need of a kick up the bum. (I have a …

Read More about Easy heath and fitness tips to get holiday fit

  I have a confession I need to share with you today. I am a magazine junkie. I’ve been this way for as long as I can remember. I thought I might grow out of the addiction as I grew older but, if anything, it’s getting worse. The addiction started with Girl Talk when I …

Read More about Introducing Readly Magazine App: Heaven for Magazine Junkies

  A summer holiday is the perfect time to get stuck into a good book. Reading is the perfect way to pass the time during a long flight and the best thing to do while lazing in the sunshine. We’ve put together a list of our all-time favourite books to give you some reading inspiration for your …

Read More about Essential Summer Reads by The Travel Hacks

This post is sponsored by British Red Cross I’ll never forget the first time I realised the importance of knowing first aid. I was in Byron Bay on the east coast of Australia and was lazily dozing on the beach. Nearby there was a dad and his three kids who were playing around in the …

Read More about Rapping babies encourage parents to learn first aid with British Red Cross

I’m suffering from the post- Isles of Scilly holiday blues today. It’s a real thing; I checked and other people are suffering too. I’m missing that fresh, salty smell of the sea and icy blue waters where bright boats bob about. I’m missing the flamboyant flowers that line the wonky roads and decorate the windows …

Read More about 53 photogenic reasons to fall in love with the Isles of Scilly

  I love glamping. You get to enjoy the great outdoors and feel closer to nature but without the nasty side of camping. You know, the bit with cold, leaky tents and deflated airbeds. I love bell tents and teepees, pods and treehouses and now I have a new type of glamping to add to …

Read More about Gorgeous glamping in Swansea Bay in a Shepherd Hut

  The problem with luxury hotels is that old-fashioned, stuffy air they often have. They can be formal and uncomfortable with outdated routines and overly complicated menus. The décor might be fancy but it looks a hundred years old and I feel like I can’t relax. Why can’t luxury hotels be young and stylish? Why …

Read More about The Hospital Club: Modern luxury in the heart of London

Today’s competition is for all the backpackers and budget travellers out there. If you’ve ever backpacked or stayed in a hostel you will have undoubtedly come across someone who has had something stolen. It’s a sad fact but when you’re in communal areas with lots of people coming and going, there’s a really high risk …

Read More about Win a Numinous Anti-Theft Backpack

One of my favourite things about travelling is actually the part before the travels; it’s the travel planning. I love deciding where to go, what to do, where to stay and where to eat. I like to plan a rough itinerary and then I love that excitement just before you leave as you pack your …

Read More about My trivago app family travel challenge: How I got on + a video!

  Welcome to the second day of our 7-Day Summer Giveaway! If you missed yesterday’s prize you can check it out here. Today’s prize comes from the Japanese lifestyle brand, MUJI – the experts in stylish but practical products for every day life. The range MUJI to Go is a selection of practical, lightweight and …

Read More about Win a MUJI to Go travel kit worth over £150!

  Welcome to the first day of our 7 Day Summer Giveaway! This week we’ve got 7 amazing prizes to giveaway and we’ll have a new competition every single day. The 7 day giveaway is to celebrate our amazing new team here at The Travel Hack. And, of course, to giveaway some fantastic prizes to …

Read More about Win a pair of tickets to Festival No.6 – Portmeirion’s award winning music, arts and culture festival

  For those wishing to inject a little vivacity into their holidays or weekend breaks, then we’ve got you covered with this list of the UK’s best adventure getaways! Jolly Days Glamping A luxury tents and huts camp site with beds, fires, hot showers, BBQs kitchens – and all in the middle of a wood …

Read More about Extraordinary Stays in the UK for Adventure Seekers

  I’m really excited to announce that I’ll be speaking at a travel blogger event in Leeds next month. The event will be hosted by icelolly.com, the UK’s leading holiday price comparison site. They’re holding #BlogAtTheBeach so they can get to know bloggers who they think could potentially be ambassadors for the brand. It will be taking place …

Read More about I’m speaking at icelolly.com’s #BlogAtTheBeach Blogger Event