Last month I spoke at Traverse blogging conference in Cardiff. I decided to talk about the blogging topic I’m most frequently questioned about – how to transition from being a hobby blogger to a full time blogger. There are so many amazing bloggers out there, working hard and ticking all the boxes and maybe …
Monica
This is a new feature we’re testing out to bring together all of our favourite things each month. We’re talking new hotel openings, gorgeous new travel accessories, new travel beauty products to try, travel competitions, special deals and offers and everything in between. Enjoy! €100 off Azul Fit Retreats A few years ago I …
I wasn’t planning on blogging about my recent holiday to Portugal. It was really my parent’s holiday and I tagged along with George to enjoy a relaxing week in the sun. It was one of those gorgeously chilled out weeks where I enjoyed long lie-ins, breakfast in the sunshine on the patio, mornings lazing by …
“I’ve got a friend visiting London next week. We want to do something fun but not the normal touristy stuff. Any suggestions?” This was my friend’s Facebook status last week and I immediately responded with “Take her to clueuest!” A barrage of comments came next “That sounds fun, I’d love to try that!” “I’ve heard …
Last week I took one of the best ‘challenges’ I think I’ve ever been set as a travel blogger. I was challenged to take a 2-day trip to London to make the most of the city as part of GTR’s Hello Spring activity to get more people travelling on trains. They’re offering 2FOR1 on over …
A lot of people dislike digital photography because we have a habit of taking photos, uploading them to our laptops and then never looking at them again. They sit in their well-organised folders, gathering virtual dust, never to be seen again. Sound familiar? This happens with some of my photos – but there are a …
Ahh, summer holidays – a highlight of each year for as long as you can remember, right? There’s the excitement of planning and booking your summer holiday, the anticipation as the date draws closer, maybe a bit of excited frustration as the weeks drag by. Then you have the thrill of buying new summer clothes …
You asked for this one – my top travel tips and travel hacks – ever! When I tell people I’m a travel blogger the inevitable questions that follow (in this exact order) are: Where’s your favourite place What’s your top travel tip How do you make money? So it’s time to answer the questions on …
Making the transition from a ‘young, carefree and boozy ski holiday’ to a ‘family ski holiday’ can seem a little bit daunting. You don’t want to miss out on your annual ski holiday but bringing young children along seems like more hassle than it’s worth, right? You have a couple of options here. Don’t go …
If you’re not the most hard-core of camping folk, but still love to immerse yourself in the UK’s most beautiful nature spots, then why not try a luxury camping holiday? There are hundreds of gorgeous glamping parks that are waiting to be discovered. One of our favourite places to spend a weekend outdoors is Wales, …
If you’re a regular reader of The Travel Hack you’ll know that I’m a big fan of airport meet and greet. It’s one of the little luxuries I’ll always pay extra for as it gets your holiday off to a hassle free start. I always drive to the airport but I don’t like …
I’d like to take a minute to introduce you to one of the most magnificent and surprising places I’ve ever visited, the Isles of Scilly off the coast of Cornwall, England. This is a place of powdery white sand, bright blue seas and crystal clear water. It’s a place with tiny islands that all have …
I’ve just returned from a one week trip skiing in Tignes. I’m not the most experienced skier but this was by far the best place I’ve ever skied in Europe. I already know I want to go back next year, and recommendations don’t get much better than that! Here’s my mini guide to skiing in …
For the past 5 years I’d been doing my best to convince myself I enjoyed snowboarding. Everyone likes snowboarding and I felt almost guilty about not joining in with the snowboarding excitement. I tried so hard to like it but having a board strapped to me feet just wasn’t for me. Most of my friends …
For the past 6 months I’ve been working with Lumix as a 4k photo ambassador. I’ve been using Lumix’s 4k camera range but the camera I’ve had for the longest is the G7. Lots of you have been asking how I’ve been getting on so I thought it was about time I wrote a Lumix …
Why not skip the flights and the stress and stay in the UK for your weekends away in 2016? We’ve put together a list of great weekend getaways you might not have on your 2016 mini-break short list – yet! North Wales It’s not the most chic destination, but hear us out. With some …
Last week I travelled to Tignes with Mark Warner for a family-friendly week in the snow with my guy and our one year old son. Here’s what it’s really like to take a baby skiing… (I’m obviously not talking about actually strapping a baby to you and skiing! This is the logistics of taking your …
Bali really lives up to its nickname ‘The Island of the Gods’. With its year-round sunshine, volcanic landscape, sweeping beaches and extraordinarily rich culture, it’s easy to see why when given free reign of the whole world, the Gods would make Bali their home. Predominantly a Hindu island, you’ll see traces of this proud religion …
If you read my itinerary to spending 3 days in the Florida Keys you will have seen that my favourite day was the day we took a seaplane to the Dry Tortugas National Park. Key West is said to mark the very tip of Florida…but if you keep travelling west for some 70 miles, over …
Mor Lodge, Newquay, has been rated at the UK’s top hostel in the LateRooms.com’s annual awards If you’ve been reading The Travel Hack for a while, you’ll know I’d always recommend staying in a hostel if you’re travelling on a budget. Hostels are great if you’re travelling in a group, you’re budget is tight …
The travel blogging community is obsessed with the term ‘digital nomad’. It pops up on every travel blog with top tips on how to be a digital nomad, why it’s so awesome being a digital nomad, a typical day in the life of a digital nomad and why everyone should quit their jobs to be …
The Florida Keys are a chain of islands at the southern tip of Florida and they’re often referred to as the American Caribbean. Life revolves around the white sandy beaches, the warm blue sea and the gorgeous scenery. The average temperature is 25.5 degrees C so it’s not surprising you’ll find most people outdoors. I …
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 …