I’m sure you’ve read the title of this post and you’re thinking I’m crazy. How can pregnancy be anything like travelling? But stick with me and I might be able to convince you otherwise. Over the past 7 years my mind has been consumed by nothing but travel. Now over the past 7 months my …
Monica
Sign up here to receive updates about my 12-week blogger e-course It wasn’t long ago that I was calling myself a ‘freelancer’ and I’d correct anyone who referred to me as a ‘full time blogger’. When I first quit my job to work for myself the majority of my income came from freelancing copywriting and …
Today’s guest post comes from Jessica Dante and it’s all about delicious Italian food. Jess lived in Italy so she’s knows what she’s talking about and is proving there’s more to Italian cuisine than just pizza and pasta. Prepare to drool! Before I moved to Florence, I thought that “good” Italian food only came in …
Welcome to the first edition of Friday 5’s. This is a new weekly feature on The Travel Hack (or possibly bi-weekly feature once baby arrives!) with 5 things I’ve loved this week. I’m always coming across quick and simple things I want to share on the blog but they’re not quite enough for a blog …
We all know that travel hacking in the US is big business and many travel hacking experts are reaping the rewards. They’re spending money wisely, using the right credit cards or loyalty cards in all the right places and benefiting from discounted travel and free upgrades. But travel hacking in the UK doesn’t seem to …
Calling all book worms and travel lovers! #TravelBookChat, the Twitter chat all about travel and books, is back. This is the chat for anyone who loves reading but also loves the sociable side of books. Reading is a solitary activity but it’s so nice to have someone to share the experience with during and after …
It might not be the most exciting topic in the world but it’s one of my many FAQs. ‘What shoes should I take travelling?’ or ‘What shoes should I take to (insert destination)?’ I’m always harping on about travelling light and one of the easiest ways to keep your luggage down is to avoid packing …
I’m absolutely delighted to have Angie Silver from Silver Spoon London as the second guest blogger on The Travel Hack. Angie is such a romantic so I can’t think of anyone better to tell us about 5 of the most romantic hotels around the world. She’s also seriously well travelled and has stayed in some …
Last year I took part in a yoga retreat with Azul Fit on the island of Fuerteventura. It was a fantastic week and it left me feeling fitter, healthier, slimmer and more relaxed. I vowed to make yoga retreats a yearly ritual and I’m desperate to take another one this year. Ibiza looks like the …
One of the best things about travelling is trying new food. I know I’m not alone in this foodie obsession because there are so many food and travel blogs popping up all over the internet. We are a nation of food fanatics and any blog that combines food and travel is a winner in my …
January and February are two of the most depressing months of the year. Well, it is for us Brits who are stuck with cold and miserable weather, dark evenings and unpredictable snow storms. And the summer still seems so far away… I’ve been obsessively stalking my friends and family in Australia and drooling over their …
If you subscribe to my email updates you will have seen that in last week’s email I asked you guys to send me any travel questions you have. One of the first emails to come through was from Bethan Jackson (thanks Bethan!) and she said: I want to go to New York for a long …
It’s time for the first guest blog on The Travel Hack! Today’s awesome post comes from the very lovely Ellie who blogs over on The World and The Some. I’ve been following her adventures as she went on a RTW trip and now lives a seriously exciting life in London. During her big trip, Ellie …
If you’re looking for a perfectly located and budget friendly hotel in London then you can’t go wrong with Mercure London Bridge. It’s stylish, friendly, clean and comfortable and most of the rooms have been recently refurbished so they’re modern and sleek. This isn’t a ‘blow your socks off’ boutique hotel, but it’s the kind …
We all love a good travel competition, especially when there’s an awesome prize involved. And when I say awesome, I really mean it. Today I want to tell you about Mercure Hotel’s #6FriendsTheory competition. I popped down to London last Friday to find out all about the competition and for a fabulous night out with …
Since I’ve been writing these blog posts about how to travel more, I’ve noticed a common theme in the comments. Lots of people want to travel more but they have no one to travel with and they don’t want to travel alone. This is a problem and something all travel lovers face at some point. …
Whether you love it or hate it, Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and it’s that time of year to spoil your better half. Flowers, chocolates and balloons are all well and good (what girl doesn’t love a bouquet of red roses and a helium balloons!?) but a true travel lover will be blown …
First of all, I’d like to say a very happy 30th birthday to my gorgeous guy, Sam, who turned 30 last week! Happy birthday Sam, I have a feeling it’s going to be a good year 🙂 It was a lovely week of celebrations and it got me thinking about my own 30th birthday and the …
There is no way to gracefully fall from a dog sled. They make it look so easy as they stand on the back of the sled with their army of powerful dogs ploughing through the snow. But they don’t tell you is a dog sled is really difficult to stay on! Well, for someone who …
Flights are often the most expensive part of travel and most of us are after the cheapest flight deal we can find. In my previous posts about how to travel more, I recommended booking as many flights as you possibly can in January and filling up your travel calendar for the year. January is a …
Today I’d like to introduce you to a new hotel booking site, Yonderbound. I know, I know. There are so many hotel booking websites out there already, why would you consider using another? Trust me, this new one is worth taking a look at. Yonderbound is somewhere between a regular booking website and Pinterest (and …
You’ve made the decision you want to travel more this year. You’ve realised experiences are more important than possessions and you’ve put together a plan to start saving for your next big trip. But how are you going to decide where to actually go? Budget and time will undoubtedly play a part in the decision making process but …
If you’re lucky and you feel well enough to travel while you’re pregnant then there is nothing stopping you travelling the world. Most airlines restrict travel after 36 weeks (for an uncomplicated single pregnancy) but until then, the world is your oyster. Today we’re sharing our pregnancy travel essentials to help you travel in stress-free …
Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to improve your blog? Or maybe start a blog from scratch? If it is, you’re definitely not alone! Many of us want to revamp and re-energise our blogs in the new year so I’ve put together a list of blogging workshops and e-courses to help. Even if you’re …
This is the second post in my new series about how you can travel more in 2015. If you missed it, here’s last weeks post: How to travel more with the 12 Trips Challenge. This week’s post is all about saving money for your travels and how simple lifestyle changes can have massive results. The …
2014 was an amazing year for The Travel Hack. This was the year I really got my teeth stuck in with blogging and I’m so amazingly lucky to be able to call this my job! My readership doubled during the year and The Travel Hack was named as one of the UK’s top 10 travel …
If there are any Back to the Future geeks out there, you’ll know that 2015 is the year Marty visits the future. It’s the second film, released in 1989, when he visits a world filled with flying cars and hover boards, weird fashions and Nike high-tops with automatic fastenings. Ahhh, if only we really had …
There are 365 days in a year and 52 weekends. When you think of the year like this, it’s actually a lot of time. If you’re anything like me, you’ll be thinking it’s a lot of time to travel! That’s potentially 52 weekends away! But how often does your time slip between your fingers and you’ve …
I know, I know, it’s not exactly bikini season for us poor people in the UK but it’s never too early to start thinking about beach holidays. Today I’d like to introduce you to Kini Swimwear, an Australian brand selling custom-made swimwear. Yes, that’s right, you can design your own swimwear! When it comes to …
Vietnam was one of my favourite countries in Asia. The culture, the food, the scenery and the people are all incredible and I’d love to visit again in the future. When I visited way back in 2009 it was a real faff to get a visa so today I wanted to tell you about some …
Merry Christmas everyone! I hope you’re all enjoying a fabulous Christmas break and you’re all sporting pudgy Christmas bellies filled with mince pies and far too many turkey sandwiches. Today’s post is a little update and some very scary news… I think I might be an adult. I know I’m 27 years old so, technically, …
For such a small city, Gothenburg is packed full of things to see and do. It’s the perfect sized city for a long weekend break because there is lots to keep you entertained but you won’t feel overwhelmed or as though you’ve barely scratched the surface. One of my favourite things about Gothenburg is that …
Today I’m sharing my tips and advice about how you can use Google Analytics for your blog. Google Analytics is such a powerful tool for bloggers and it can really help you understand your audience and identify ways to grow and improve your blog. But it is also a beasty program that can seem complicated …
I usually feel sadly nostalgic at the end of the year. It’s another year gone and, even if it’s been an incredible year, there’s something sad about time passing and the years ticking by. This year I’m trying to be more positive and optimistic, which isn’t hard because I’m so flipping excited about 2015. A …
A few weeks ago I was incredibly honoured and excited to be invited to Google HQ in London. I was asked to speak on a panel focusing on the opportunities and challenges for travel brands. When on Earth did this happen? When did I become the kind of person to speak on panels? But apparently …
Last weekend I travelled to Gothenburg in Sweden for their famous Christmas markets. It was so magical and festive and my boyfriend and I had a fantastic time. I love wintery weekends away, no matter where they are. They’re often really affordable compared to summer weekends and I hate the thought of hibernating at home …
If you saw yesterday’s post about Scandi style bloggers you will have seen I’m slightly obsessed with the laidback Scandinavian fashion. I was more than a little excited about the prospect of a shopping spree in Gothenburg! The style is chic, it’s classy and it’s just so easy for travel. It’s not just the clothes …
Have you ever looked at someone and thought, ‘Wow, they look amazing, but I’m not really sure why….?’ They’re wearing old jeans and a t-shirt, slightly scruffy boots and chunky jumper. It’s almost exactly the same outfit I wear everyday. But why does theirs look so much better? If you’ve ever been to Scandinavia you …
Before we begin, you have to watch the video above so you can see for yourself just how magical and Christmassy Liseberg is! My main reason for visiting Gothenburg in December was for Liseberg Christmas Market. It’s the largest Christmas market in Scandinavia and if anything is going to get you in the festive spirit, …
This weekend I travelled to Gothenburg, Sweden’s second city and the home of Scandinavia’s largest Christmas market. Gothenburg is a small city so it’s perfect for a weekend away. There’s lots to see and do but not so much that you feel overwhelmed or like you can’t possibly see everything. I loved the quaint charm of …