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 …
Travel Tips
Finding the best foreign exchange rate might not be the sexiest blog topic, but it’s something we all have to do when we travel. I’m pretty sure I’ve been ripped off many times when I’ve been exchanging currency – but I never know what to do about it. I could visit every single foreign currency …
This is a guest post from James Greener who tells us all about Roomer, the hotel booking site that allows you to save money on hotel bookings thanks to other people’s cancellations. For years, I made good use of a sort of time sharing. My uncle owns some holiday homes around America, and he …
“But how can you afford to travel the world?” That’s the question I get asked most often when I tell people I’m going travelling. I think it’s also what holds most people back from doing the same thing; they’re so worried about the money, that they almost don’t even let themselves think about the incredible …
I’d love to fly first class every time I travel but, the sad reality is, I turn right almost every time I get on a plane. I tell myself I’d rather save my precious pennies and spend them a gorgeous hotel and amazing experiences once I reach my destination. This is true, but I …
I’ve just return from India, one of my favourite countries; home to yoga, meditation and my hippie alter-ego! I’ve been dipping my toes in the Indian Ocean, unrolling my grumbling back onto my yoga mat, and been massaged into blissful oblivion. It takes roughly 24 hours of travelling from the winding, moody Pennines to Manchester, via …
Before I hit the slopes I didn’t think there was much of a different between skiing and snowboarding. Obviously, I know the physical differences but they both seemed to be ways to get you down a snowy mountain, right? Oh no, so wrong. Skiing and snowboarding are both exhilarating winter sports but the attitudes …
Now that the leaves have started to turn those gorgeous shades of gold and deep red, it’s time to get planning! Soon those leaves will be frosty, which means winter is coming, which means….it’s time for your winter city break. Obviously. Need some inspiration? These are my top five stylish weekend breaks for the upcoming season… #1 …
One of the most common emails to ping into my inbox is from girls who really want to travel but have no one to go with. Their friends either aren’t interested or can’t afford it and the thought of travelling solo is really scary. But it doesn’t need to be! Read on to find out …
If you’re anything like me, you left school, graduated uni, got a job, and started to settle down into what the rest of your life might look like. Only, you’re not quite sure if you’re ready for that yet. You’re getting itchy feet. You dream of far-flung beaches and nameless mountains. Of long-haul flights and …
I have a confession to make: when I was invited to explore the islands of Fuerteventura and Lanzarote, I had to go straight to Google Maps to find out where these destinations were. In case you’re also wondering, they’re in the Canary Islands which, although owned by Spain, are situated off the coast of Morocco. …
I recently managed to bag two business class flights to Stockholm for just £85. How you might scream? AVIOS Upgrade Voucher Well on this occasion, I was using the Lloyds Bank AVIOS Rewards Credit Card, which rewards you with a AVIOS upgrade voucher when you spend £7,000. The voucher allows two people to upgrade one class …
So many love the idea of an adventure but not half of us really know how to have one. For me, going on an adventure means starting with an idea of where you want to go or what you want to achieve, but being completely open to things going wrong in the knowledge that really, it’s the …
Ever wondered which airline credit card is the best card to use if your sole aim is to fly business class using AVIOS? Ever started looking into this, only to scratch your head with frustration, trying to do a like for like comparison? Do you opt for an AVIOS upgrade voucher or an AVIOS companion …
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 …
When I boarded the Celebrity Cruise ship I had no idea what to expect. It was my first time cruising as an adult and I was travelling in a completely new way. I had no idea what to pack or what I’d be doing in my spare time so this post is for anyone going …
I found this post hidden amongst the chaos of my documents folder. I wrote it months ago after a particularly long flight delay. I was tired and naggy and was pissed off about everything and everyone around me. Paul Theroux once said: ‘Travelling is only glamorous in retrospect,” and I couldn’t agree more. I usually …
I’d like to take this opportunity to make sure you all know that I don’t usually stay in swanky hotels. Of course, from time to time I’m lucky enough to stay in a gorgeous boutique hotel or somewhere exotic or on the beach. But the majority of the time, particularly on city breaks, I’m in …
Massive thanks to Jessica from The Belle Voyage for today’s post about immersing yourself into a new culture while you travel. It’s so easy to make the mistake of visiting a foreign country without ever leaving your own world. While there’s something to be said for crossing tourist attractions off your proverbial list, I think …
Here at The Travel Hack we’re all about luxury hotels without the luxury price tag so I’m excited to share with you a new hotel-booking platform. This new platform is called Dayuse.com and allows you to book hotels during the daytime for between 3 to 8 hours. OK, OK, the alarm bells are ringing already, …
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 …
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 …
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 …
Here at the Travel Hack we’re big supporters of packing light. So I don’t want you thinking these tricks are a free pass to stuff more things into your suitcase. These packing hacks are about making sure your bag is organized and flat enough to fit into the overhead bins. Is it just me, or …
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 …
It wasn’t that long ago that airport lounges were reserved for business travellers or the rich and famous. It was only the people flying at the front of the plane who had access to these bars of tranquillity within the airport while the rest of us were herded into a pen like cattle. Thankfully, times …
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 …
For every traveller out there, there comes a point when it’s time to go home. For me, that time has come. Looking all fresh and squeaky clean! This is me 18 months ago, ready to leave home. After 18 months of travelling, on March 26th 2011, I am going home. In case you didn’t know, …
New York is one of the most exciting cities on the planet. Fact. Not only is it crammed full of cultural and historical attractions, has a delectable culinary scene and is home to some of the United States’ most eclectic neighbourhoods, The Big Apple is also one of the best places in the world for …
I know what you’re thinking. You can’t possibly charter a private jet without breaking the bank. Private jets cost tens of thousands of pounds making them strictly out of bounds for anyone but the uber rich and famous. But what if I were to tell you that there is a way for normal people to …