What not to pack for travelling I moved house recently and I came across the battered and bruised backpack I used for my two year trip around Asia and Australia. Prior to the trip I spent more than a year planning and plotting and excitedly scouring the internet for tips and advice. A lot of …
Packing Tips
So you’ve booked a holiday to the Canary Islands! How exciting. But now you’re wondering what to pack and everything you’ll need while you’re there? The Canary Islands are a gorgeous place to visit at any time of the year. I visit Tenerife most winters for a sunny break from the gloomy British weather! But …
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 …
On Thursday I’m going on a snowboarding trip to Catalonia. As I began packing I had flashbacks to my last skiing trip in Canada when I packed virtually every item of clothing I owned. Better to be safe than sorry, right? Well no, not always. My suitcase was so heavy I could barely even wheel …
I love sharing my packing guides for different destinations but there are 10 things I never travel without, no matter where I’m going. Whether I’m travelling to Timbuktu or Timisoara, these things will always be in my suitcase. I’d love to know what you’d never travel without. I’ve been researching what other bloggers have said …
We’ve all seen kids scooting gleefully around the airport on their Trunkis. While we’re standing in queues feeling stressed or bored they’re having the time of their lives as they race each other along those smooth corridors shouting ‘giddy-up’ to their tigers and ladybirds and zebras. I’m not going to lie; on more than one …
Packing for a skiing trip can be difficult because you pretty much want to take every single warm item of clothing you own. You’ll want to be rugged up during the day but stylish in the evening and still warm enough to walk around in the snow. I’ve been skiing a few times now and …
Packing for winter travel is a little more difficult than summer travel. You need so much more stuff to stay warm and cozy and packing light is no easy feat. You could be faced with wind, rain, snow and hail. Or you could get lucky and have gorgeous sunshine and crisp, blue skies. You just …
Packing your carry on for long haul flights doesn’t need to be difficult. Here are my top tips to pack the perfect carry on for your long haul flight. This post has been created with SOCKSHOP – because you can’t fly long haul without a pair of cosy socks! I like to keep my carry …
I’ve been incredibly lucky this year and I’ve ticket a major item off my bucket list; I went on safari. But I didn’t just go once, I went twice! My first was in South Africa where I spotted the Big Five within the first hour of hopping in the jeep. David Attenborough eat your heart …
Packing for Trek America can be tough because you feel like you need so much stuff – but you also need to keep your luggage light because you travel around so much. Predictably, I overpacked but learned a few Trek America packing lessons during my Westerner 2 trip. Hopefully this will make your Trek America …
After a few years of travelling I’ve finally realised that you can pack light AND pack stylishly. The first thing I have to remind myself is that no one looks stylish when they’re hot, sweaty and stressed from heaving heavy luggage. It’s all about breezing through the airport, not being weighed down and having a …
You guys all know how much I love glamping. I love being in the great outdoors whilst still having a few little luxuries that make it cosy and comfy. It’s great to stay in quirky and unique glamping pods, treehouses, yurts or safari tents but sometimes a good old fashioned tent has to do. If …
I would say the key to a successful adventure or trip away is usually in the planning beforehand. Researching and planning ensures you make the best use of your time and money, so that you aren’t faffing around when you get there and you aren’t being ripped off either. But it’s not just hotels, road …
In just a few weeks I’ll be driving to Portmeirion to attend my very first festival: Festival No. 6. I’m a bundle of excitement and nerves, so to calm the latter I’ve spent quite a bit of time researching what I should pack to make this experience not just survivable, but enjoyable. Although I’m not a …
In two weeks time I’ll be jetting off to Portugal. It’s been ages since I’ve had a good old fashioned beach holiday. The type of holiday where you do nothing but soak up the sun, read books next to the pool and spend each evening eating and drinking your own body weight in food and …
If you’re travelling to a cold destination this winter then you’re definitely going to need a pair of stylish but practical winter boots. I get a lot of emails from ladies travelling to Iceland who want to stay warm, cosy and dry but don’t want to spend their holiday in walking boots. I feel you, …
In my never ending quest to pack light I’m always looking for great quality travel clothing that looks good but is also practical. Not only that but it needs to last and not look crumples or dishevelled after a couple of washes. I want to be able to pack a capsule wardrobe and continue to …
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, …
There are few things in life I’m genuinely scared of. Snakes, sharks and spiders top the list. Bungee jumping is up there. And so is camping. I know there are people who truly love camping. They find joy in being so close to nature, in having to rely on their skills rather than technology, in …
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 …
Monica’s Mini Guide to Packing for a Weekend Away (and what I’d never leave home without) I’ve made more than my fair share of mistakes while I’ve been travelling but I’m pleased to say that there is one thing that I do pretty well and that thing is packing (except that time I forgot my …
Packing light in autumn becomes inherently more difficult than packing in the summer because warmer clothing tends to be heavier and bulkier. Below are my best tips for packing chilly weather clothing without overpacking. Wear your boots, coat, and hat on the plane. These are often the heaviest items you will bring with you, so …
Everyone has a couple of dirty little secrets so it’s time to air them out and let you in on a few of my travel secrets. My travel secrets might not be as juicy as you’re expecting. Actually, some of them are kind of gross. But being a little bit gross makes travelling so much …
If there is one thing that a pickpocket loves it’s tourists! When you’re unfamiliar with a place or distracted by sightseeing it’s easy to become vulnerable. I’ve heard countless stories of stolen purses and wallets over the years and in most cases the thief was long gone by the time they realized their stuff was …
One of the best things about preparing for a summer holiday or upcoming travels is shopping for a new bikini. It doesn’t matter how many you already have – somehow, there’s always room for more. If you’re anything like me, you grab the first thing that catches your eye rather than something you know will …