Are you travelling to London in 2016? Here are the London apps you need to download to make your trip to the Big Smoke a breeze. Do you remember a time when we used to travel with heavy guidebooks and paper maps? When you had to go into internet cafes to check your emails …
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Welcome to the first Weekend Reads of 2016! It’s been a big and busy week in the blogosphere. The first week of the year sees bloggers sticking to their New Year’s resolutions and posting more so there’s a lot for us to read! And please tell me I’m not the only one who has spent …
Anne recently spent 24 hours in Mexico City when she was visiting for Corona Capital 2015. Here's what she got up to in such a quick trip... If you only have 24 hours in Mexico City, and really want to get a taste of the city, then this combo is for you. It will give you …
Have you ever felt like New Year’s Eve was...well...a little bit of a let-down? There’s something about the anticipation - the expectation that I absolutely must have an epic time - that leaves me with a nagging sensation. A feeling that my New Year’s Eve experience isn’t going to be quite good enough. But that’s …
There is only one thing that really cures the itch to travel, and unsurprisingly, it’s to travel. It’s easy to make excuses and put blocks in the way, but if you put it off for too long, it's never going to happen. We all want to go right now, who wouldn’t? But usually it isn’t …
I’ve been very lucky to spend Christmas in some amazing and exotic destinations. I’ve spent Christmas Day on the beach in Sydney, one Christmas scuba diving with manta rays in Bali and even one year I was cruising around the Canaries. But, do you know what? My favourite place in the world to spend …
Have you ever been to a festival where the star of the show isn’t the headline act but the location? How about a festival where the food is so good you wish you could grow a second (or third) stomach so you could try everything? What about a festival where you constantly stumble upon surprise …
EWEN, Cirencester – Even from the car park it’s not hard to see why The Wild Duck near Cirencester attracts the sort of names you’d expect at a Royal Wedding. For a start, the 16th century pub is barely visible underneath its ever-creeping overcoat of ivy and its surrounding cloak of trees and shrubs. If …
Is it possible to escape to Ibiza for the weekend and not end up on a packed beach at sunset dancing to David Guetta? Indeed it is. In fact, the Balearic island has many sides to its nature and can, if you know where to go, even be a little shy at times. As Travel …
It seem's I spend all my time seeking beaches on the other side of the world and find myself neglecting the beauty we have here in England. Admittedly, it's really the weather I'm seeking on the other side of the world but when the sun shines in England... it's a very beautiful (and rare) thing. Just …
It’s hard to believe that one of the biggest cities in the world doesn’t have an extensive 24-hour transport service. You can feel a little like Cinderella if you’re out past midnight in London, except instead of your carriage turning into a pumpkin you’ll just have to pay an arm and a leg for …
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 …
“Oooh a country house. That sounds fancy.” My mum and I were searching through the trivago App looking for somewhere to stay for the following night. We were half way through our trivago App Family Challenge whereby trivago had challenged us to use their new app to find family-friendly hotels. We were in North …
I’ve been taking the concept of a ‘staycation’ to a whole new level recently as I’ve been taking holidays close to home. REALLY close to home. A few weeks ago I even went on holiday just half an hour from home when I visited Llangollen. Yes, I packed a suitcase, filled up the car and …
In today's post, Claire takes us on a trip around Oxford to visit the locations that inspired Lewis Carol's Alice in Wonderland. I lift my hand to my eyes, shielding them from the thick June glare, whilst the sun slowly and evenly toasts my neck. Before me, rise the honeyed buildings of Oxford’s most famous …
The problem with luxury hotels is that old-fashioned, stuffy air they often have. They can be formal and uncomfortable with outdated routines and overly complicated menus. The décor might be fancy but it looks a hundred years old and I feel like I can’t relax. Why can’t luxury hotels be young and stylish? Why …
I'm suffering from the post- Isles of Scilly holiday blues today. It's a real thing; I checked and other people are suffering too. I'm missing that fresh, salty smell of the sea and icy blue waters where bright boats bob about. I'm missing the flamboyant flowers that line the wonky roads and decorate the windows …
I'm delighted to welcome Rachel Kershaw to the blog today. Rachel is the blogger behind Life in Geordieland, an awesome blog about Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead in the UK. She's bringing us an Insider's Guide to Newcastle, which is the UK's favourite city. Keep reading to find out why.... Photo credit: Mick_Gallagher_1959 1. Can you …
It’s no secret that I’m a massive fan of all kinds of planes, trains and automobiles. I love the speed, the excitement of going somewhere new and the chance to sit back, relax and stare idly out the window and watch the world pass me by. I was more than a little excited to catch …
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 …
Christmas in London is a magical affair. As soon as the lights twinkle to life above Oxford Street, the mulled wine begins flowing and the carols start chiming. That's when the festive season has officially begun. But it can be easy to miss it all by getting carried away with Christmas shopping, office parties and huddling inside …
As a blogger I’m always looking to improve and grow because I want The Travel Hack to be best it possibly can be. I have a million and one ideas about how I’d like to improve the blog in 2016. I’m one of those people who wants to do everything. I want to learn to …
I asked The Travel Hack team to share the #1 thing on their Christmas wish list to Santa. You can tell we're a bunch of travelling geeks by looking at this list of travel experiences and blogging tech! Amy says: An Arctic Expedition When I dream, I dream big! Top of my Christmas wish-list this …
A gourmet start The ocean was holding its breath. The water as thick and shiny as caramelised sugar, and as flat as glass; without a fold, a crease or a curl, only the soft churn of blue by the white edge of the ship. On the horizon, the sun softly kissed the edge of the sea, …
“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 …
You probably already know that I’m an ambassador for Lumix and their range of 4k cameras. Over on my announcement post I gave you a brief introduction to 4k photography but today I’d like to tell you a little more about it – and explain why it’s so flipping fantastic. The main advantage of …
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 …
No matter how old I get, I will always be a big fan of celebrating birthdays. Your birthday is the one day of the year when it’s all about you and celebrating your very existence. And if that’s not something to celebrate, I don’t know what is. I’ve been very lucky and I’ve celebrated …
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 …
When we arrived at Coco Palm Dhuni Kolhu we were told there was a turtle nest on the island and asked if we’d like a phone call if the baby turtles hatched. ‘Yes!!’ we nodded enthusiastically at the thought of seeing baby turtles hatching but were told it was unlikely to happen during our …
It’s time for another #TravelBookChat! This month we’re going to be chatting about Marching Powder, by Rusty Young. This is the true story of Thomas McFadden, an English drug smuggler who was arrested in Bolivia and thrown inside the notorious San Pedro prison. He found himself in a bizarre world, the prison reflecting all that is …
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 …
I’ve just returned from an incredible holiday to Coco Palm Dhuni Kholu in the Maldives. It was one of those dream holidays with beaches that looked like they’d been ripped out of a holiday brochure. White sands, turquoise seas, swaying palms, fresh coconuts, idyllic beach villas and endless sunshine. It had every cliché you could …
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 …
Have you noticed all the recent hype around 4k photos? I hope so because I’m about to add to it with a very exciting announcement. I’m working with Panasonic Lumix and their 4k cameras as a 4k ambassador! You guys probably know that I love photography and travel and photography go hand in hand. …
Contrary to every one else's thoughts, this breakfast at the Crimson Hotel was my favourite on the trip so far. Freshly scrambled eggs, some diced potatoes, and a light fluffy pancake with a couple of strips of well cooked bacon drizzled maple syrup! YUM... At 7.45am we were fed and ready to leave Jasper town …
Our Wednesday began at 8.30am where we met our fellow adventurers in the lobby and together, we headed on a 15 minute drive to Downtown Edmonton. To all of our delights, we were welcomed with a cup of coffee from Nomad Espresso and a selection of breakfast dishes from Northlands Truck 1879… Breakfast poutine (UNREAL), …
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 …