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 …
Monica
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 …
Some people are 'all-inclusive people' and some people just aren't. Some people love the long, lazy days, extravagant buffets and the stress free relaxation. Other people can't think of anything worse than being confined to the same hotel for a week or more. But there are some people, like me, who sit somewhere in the …
Happy Friday everyone! It’s nearly the weekend! I’m not normally quite so excited about the weekend. Working from home means the line between weekdays and weekends is a little blurry, but this weekend I’m going to Sweden so I’m like an excited kid gathering up my winter wooly’s and packing my bags. My trip to …
I know what you’re thinking. Selfies are one of the most self-absorbed cries for attention possible. Almost every selfie I see on Facebook is accompanied by the hashtag #SelfieWanker in a hopeless attempt to seem like less of a, well, selfie wanker. But I’m a massive fan of the selfie and in 2015 my resolution …
When I was first arranging my trip to Egypt I was super excited at the prospect of scuba diving again. I haven’t been diving for so long and I miss the underwater world so much. I’ve been lucky enough to go snorkelling in gorgeous places like Barbados and Dominica this year but it doesn’t compare …
On Saturday I attended Nuffnang’s blogger’s workshop at CitizenM hotel in London. I’ve written about a few different blogging conferences and workshops such as Cybher, Traverse, Blogstock and Food Blogger Connect. I love going to blogging workshops mainly because I love being able to meet new bloggers, no matter what blogger category they fall into. …
It’s been such a long time since I’ve written any kind of personal blog post so I thought a quick catch-up was long overdue! You may have noticed that last week was a worryingly quiet week on The Travel Hack. Just one post in 7 days. What on earth is going on!? Here’s what… Home, …
The Travel Hack is all about affordable luxury so that means saving on one aspect of travel in order to splurge on another. I would love to travel in first-class luxury and dine in nothing but famous Michelin-Stared restaurants but, unfortunately, my budget doesn’t quite stretch to doing this ALL the time so I combine …
This week I’ve been testing the new UPP fuel cell, a portable power cell to give you up to one week’s worth of power to your devices. If anyone else out there is as geeky as I am, you’ll be getting pretty excited right now. This sounds like a modern and convenient device but is …
“I can’t believe I made that! Look, look, I made that!” I was beaming with pride like a child who had just painted their first picture. I looked around at my fellow bloggers who had mixed expressions. Some were smiling fondly at their California rolls like proud parents while others looked completely bewildered as their …
One thing a travel lover can never answer is the question that pops up all the time. ‘Where’s the best place you’ve ever been?’ I’m asked this all the time and usually refuse to answer because there are just too many options. It depends on your mood, who you’re with, your budget, the season and …
Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for a travel lover? Read on for unique and affordable gifts they'll love... For the first time in my life I’m actually feeling pretty organised about Christmas. Lots of my presents are bought and even wrapped already and I’ve sent my Christmas list to Santa. (I know this sounds …
It’s hard to give tips about anything to do with pregnancy because every woman is so different and everyone has a different experience. So today I’m going to share what travelling while pregnant has been like for me and some tips that made it easier. This post may not apply to every pregnant woman. I’m …
It may be a few years ago now but my favourite travel experience is from my time travelling around Australia in a campervan. Nothing beats the freedom of a campervan, especially in such a huge and beautiful country like Australia. Every time I think about that battered old, green campervan I get a little tingle of excitement …
pintrk('load','2612413566639'); pintrk('page'); pintrk('track', 'pagevisit'); How do I start a blog and get free stuff? This is a question I’m asked a lot. Actually, it’s the question I'm asked the most so it makes sense I write a blog post about it. This also means I can give a more detailed answer than I ever could …
Has it really been nearly 2 months since I posted a Weekend Reads? It's been such a busy few months I've barely had time to write, never mind read! What I've been Writing A Blood and Earth Cookery Course in Dublin with Domestic Godless A sneaky peak at Lavazza's gorgeous 2015 calendar with Steve McCurry …
‘What would you do if you had £500 to spend on a UK adventure?’ This is the question put to all of us by UNIQLO for their latest #ULDadventure competition. (More about the competition at the end of this post) I’m a big fan of a good old staycation and I really believe we have …
Last month I travelled to Turin in Italy for the launch of Lavazza's latest calendar. This isn't the kind of trip I normally take but the photos were taken by Steve McCurry and I'm a huge fan of his travel photography. I was also keen to find out more about this year's calenadar theme, Earth Defenders. Lavazza produce a …
Thank you so much for all of your lovely comments and congratulations from Tuesday’s post. In case you missed it, yes, I’m pregnant! Despite a growing bump and five long months to get my head around this, I’m still totally in shock. I actually cannot believe I’m going to be a mum. Each kick and …
There’s no denying Ryanair has a bad reputation in the airline industry. The staff are rude, the additional fees are outrageous, they’re always late and an annoying horn sounds every time you land. You know how it goes: “Dooo do dooloooo, that’s another on time flight!” Me: “Yes it might be on time but you …
Last weekend I was in Dublin for the city's annual Bram Stoker Festival. I went to this festival last year too and I loved it so much I knew I had to go back with Sam. If you’re unsure, Bram Stoker was the author of Dracula and was from Dublin. There are lots of horror …
Is there anything better than being greeted at a hotel with a beautiful bunch of fresh flowers and a box of macaroons? I was being given a tour of my Citadines Suite when I spotted them and got a delightful waft of sweet and floral scents. I already knew I’d be spending the next half …
I’ve been keeping a little secret from you guys for the past few months. Actually, it’s not a little secret, it’s probably the biggest secret I’ve ever had. I don’t even know where to begin so I’m just going to blurt it right out… I’M PREGNANT!!! Yes, I’m having a baby. A baby! It still …
I’m really, really excited about this competition because it’s only open to readers of The Travel Hack! (Yes, you won’t be competing against hundreds of thousands of people!) Do you remember earlier this month I was travelling around Paris, Lille and Berlin with Citadines? I was taking part in a blogger competition and was doing …
^She definitely isn't trying... 😉 If you’re already thinking, ‘I don’t care what I look like while I travel. I just pack my bags and go, you’re lucky if I pack a toothbrush’, then this probably isn’t the blog post for you. This isn’t about piling on the make-up or spending hours styling your hair …
The more hotels I stay in, the more I appreciate quirky, unusual and exciting places to stay. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a luxurious 5* hotel but it’s the cool and quirky places I’ll remember for years to come. Here in the UK we have a lot of unusual glamping options – here …
Travelling alone is fun Travelling with your best friend is better You can never take too many photos You’ll always wish you had a better camera until you’ve completely maxed out your budget on a fancy camera You quickly stop caring what you look like when you travel for a long time You feel like …
Ahhh Wales, a country of rolling hills and fresh streams, forests and mountains and lakes and outdoor adventures. And rain. Yes, don’t forget the rain and the general unpredictability of Welsh weather. I grew up in North Wales and now live on the English/Welsh border so I feel like I’m pretty well adapted to these …
My video and Living Room Tree House review from an incredible weekend staying in a tree house in Powys, Wales. This weekend I had the chance to make a childhood dream come true and stay in a real tree house! You may be picturing a rickety shack in the trees but Living Room tree …