21 September 2023

Well where do I start with this picture perfect week away in one of my favourite countries! My Daughter and I are huge fans of the Greek Islands and also love Mamma Mia so it felt right that our holiday destination was Skopelos for our Mum & Daughter holiday. We flew into the neighbouring island of Skiathos and then took a small boat across to Skopelos and onto the Ionia Hotel in Skopelos Town. We arrived late at night and couldn't wait to open our blinds the next day to see the view and it didn't disappoint. We tucked into our breakfast full of fresh local produce before setting off to explore the resort, through little windy cobble roads, past typical white Greek buildings, blue shutters and doors, the odd cat and the sun beaming down - what more could we ask for. The harbour area is beautiful with the promenade lined with restaurants and tavernas with the buildings of the town rising up the hillside in true postcard style. We wandered around not following a particular route just following the sights, smells and views... there are plenty of little shops selling local gifts, jewellery, and beauty products made from olive oil and honey. A few days into our holiday we picked up our little hire car a micra we nick named "Milly" Milly was just perfect, we played ABBA songs and off we set on our road trip, there's not that many main roads on the island they are very winding with breath taking views. We visited Glysteri Beach, which is where Sophie and her fathers jump off the rocks after their sailing trip, Kastani Beach, Amarandos Cove, Agnontas, and not to mention the Chapel of Agios Ionnis where Sophie and Skys wedding took place. This little chapel is perched on the top of a rock overlooking the sea and is reached by just over 200 steps - all of these places we visited were just as we imagined and a little bit more - Oh how I wish we were back there in our happy place. Maria and I love a good sunset and enjoy sea kayaking and booked on a sunset kayaking trip which was one of our favourite evenings, we paddled down the coast, stopped at a few little beaches and then sat out at sea with the sun setting around us - special lifelong memories were made that night. Even if you are not fans of the film, Skopelos is a beautiful unspoilt and very traditional Greek Island and well worth a visit. It can be twinned up with other islands too so if you feel it could be too small for you, you could have a few nights there and the stay on Skiathos which is where you fly into - that's my plan for when I return!

03 December 2019

Travelling with children can be a daunting prospect, no matter if it’s your first or fifth child! When you book a family holiday with me I take care of all the little details, from pre-booked seating on the flights to arranging for a cot or kids bed in your room or car seats on the transfers/car hire to top family hotel and destination recommendations. Just call me to find out more. Here are my top 20 travel tips based on personal experience. 1. Bring a change of clothes for your little one – and for you! Take warm clothes for everyone as the air con on the plane can be very chilly, especially after a week in the sun. If potty training, it’s extra important to take spare clothes for the journey - the excitement and distraction of the flight can mean kids often forget they need the toilet before it’s too late. 2. Technology can be a great distraction to keep kids entertained on a flight, just make sure it’s fully charged and to take a charger with you (with appropriate plug adaptor). To avoid travel sickness don’t let kids look at iPads/gadgets for too long at a time. Encourage them to look up and around and if they start to feel queasy put the tablet away! 3. If still in nappies: create a nappy pack. Put one nappy and two or three baby wipes into a nappy bag. Loosely tie up the bag. Create as many as you think you’ll need for the journey. When you need to change a nappy on the plane, you just pull out one of your nappy packs without having to rummage around which makes you feel more organised and relaxed. 4. Gift wrap an activity pack; little ones love this! Fill a small bag with gift wrapped activity and reading books, pens and small toys so that every half hour or hour they can open one and play with it - great for preventing boredom setting in. 5. Always make sure that you take a favourite toy, if it is small enough to travel with you. Nothing can beat that sense of security of having that favourite thing with them when at the airport, on the plane and when you arrive at the hotel and their new bed. 6. Ask kids any age to help you pack. Get your children involved and let them pack a small backpack with their things. Let them pack their changes of clothes and their swimsuits in case your luggage goes missing, as that way they can still get into the pool when you get there. 7. Prepare for popped ears! If you’re travelling with kids, try to make sure you have a drink and some sweets available for take-off and landing (or a soother/dummy if they use it) to help their ears to pop. Remind them to swallow lots and ask them to open their jaw as wide as possible during ascents and descents to assist with equalising the pressure. 8. Make sure you pack any medication for you and your child in hand luggage. If you use Calpol, then take some with you in case you need it at any point in your journey. I also always pack a mini first aid kit for bumps and scrapes - just a few plasters and some antiseptic wipes, just in case. 9. Try and keep as much as possible to your normal routine, so get children to brush their teeth, go to the toilet and put their pyjamas on before you get them to try and sleep. Their regular routine is just as important on the plane or at the hotel as it is at home. 10. Bring a sheet, blanket or pillow case from home. Bringing your child’s bedlinen from home will help them to sleep and to make them feel more secure when they go to bed. Often hotels don’t provide cot bedding, so this is extra important for babies - and if they’re used to a sleeping bag it’s a good idea to take a light summer weight one as the thicker bags will be too warm for a beach holiday. 11. Carry an ‘anything’ towel for spillages/accidents! Pack one or two medium-sized hand towels. You can use them for anything! As a changing mat, a vomit towel, to dry your hands, mop up spilt drinks - an ‘anything’ towel! 12. Don’t forget to take kid’s swimming things - armbands/floats/goggles etc. You can always buy these out there, but they tend to be quite expensive. Pool toys and floats are also a great idea to keep kids entertained in the water. 13. Footwear is an important consideration for kids on holiday. Flip flops look great but can easily cause trips and falls so closed toe sandals or crocs are best. Make sure they’ve been worn in before you go away as you don’t want blisters! 14. Take adequate sun protection. This obviously includes sunscreen- I find 'Nivea' and 'p20' are the very best. Despite being pricey they can be applied once, are non-greasy and last all day even when they’ve been swimming, saving the trauma of hourly applications on unwilling kids! Also, don’t forget a UV protective top and hat (with neck cover) which they can wear into the water, so their shoulders, head and neck are covered. 15. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks! Kid’s favourite sweets are always a good distraction when they are getting tired and cannot see reason! You can never have too many snacks packed! I tend to pack fruit, nuts, cereal bars, dried fruit, crisps and raisins. Also remember that when you arrive you still have the transfer your final destination as well. 16. Be aware that you can only take liquids in your hand luggage through security in 100ml containers, and these must be in a plastic bag. You can buy water for everyone once you are through security. It’s really important for everyone to stay hydrated on the flight. 17. Many parents choose to take a buggy or pram, even if their child is now walking, which can be handy as they can double up as places to rest from the heat or if up a little later than usual to lie down and rest in a restaurant, for example. 18. Take it slow. Be at the airport in plenty of time to allow for unscheduled delays like loo breaks, snack stops and the occasional tantrum! It saves a lot of stress if you’re not worried about the time. Consider booking fast track through security to save time spent queuing at the airport. 19. If you’re worried about your child getting lost simply write your mobile number on their arm so when they are found you can be contacted easily. 20. If all else fails, don’t forget to keep smiling and stay calm! Packing you sense of humour when travelling with kids is vital. The best way to ensure a smooth journey and memorable holiday is to get me to book it for you and let me take care of all the details.

15 August 2019

I recently visited the beautiful Mauritius, which is in the Indian ocean, with my family. This was my second time going but last time we didn’t have our children with us, so this was very much a family holiday. We stayed in Beachcomber Victoria with the lovely sea view and white sand beach. It had its own restaurant which was buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner. They also had an Italian restaurant which we went to for one night and it was amazing with homemade pizzas. The Victoria has some of the largest interconnecting rooms on the island which we stayed in. As it was so close to the beach there was water activities for the whole family. We went the kayaks, pedal boats. My oldest son went on the stand-up paddle board. There are also land activities such as tennis, football, volleyball and table tennis which we all got involved with. We didn’t always stay at the beach we visited Casela World of Adventures which was perfect for all of us. My older three went ziplining. While they were doing that my little girl went to feed Giraffes and she was so happy. I highly recommend it for all families. Another amazing trip, which was probably one of our family favourites, was a boat trip where we saw dolphins in their natural habitat. We were also able to go swimming with them which was a great experience.

26 June 2019

After my Son finished his exams, I decided to take him on a Mum and Son break to Singapore for 5 days. Neither of us had been before and I was desperate to see what the country had to offer. We stayed at the Park Hotel Clarke Quay which was in a great location for all the sights. I decided to book us into a club room which allowed us access into the club lounge where complimentary breakfast was served and on an evening, drinks, cocktails and a great selection of snacks, ranging from local delicacies to cheese and crackers, this lounge was a lovely way to relax after a hard day sightseeing and chat to other like-minded guests if you wish to. Before we went Ryan and I planned where we wanted to visit, on our to do list was Singapore Zoo to have breakfast with the orangutans, Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Hotel Observation Deck, China Town, Sentosa Island via the cable car, Botanical Gardens, an electric scooter tour, Fort Caning Park and the Battlebox – can you guess which my choices were?! We managed to fit all of these attractions in…the zoo was amazing. The gardens by the bay should be visited on a night time for the stunning light display they have along with the Marina Bay Hotel which has a light show and at weekends a stunning firework display. Sentosa Island has more of the theme park attractions on it along with Madam Tussauds – we didn’t do these but had a good look around the island and had a bit of time out on the beach. If you are interested in history and the war I recommend a visit to the Battle Box at Fort Canning Park - The Battle Box is the popular name of the Fort Canning Bunker, formerly known as Headquarters Malaya Command Operations Bunker, constructed under Fort Canning Hill, Singapore, as an emergency, bomb-proof command centre during the Malayan Campaign and the Battle of Singapore. The electric scooters were hilarious and great fun once I had mastered the throttle and break! We dined in a wide selection of restaurants from fine dining to street food – if I’m honest, being waited on was lovely but the street food in down town Singapore and China Town was delicious, nothing quite like seeing your food being freshly cooked in front of you and eating where the locals do. All in Singapore exceeded my expectations, the streets are immaculate, people are friendly and we felt very safe while walking around. I would return again in the future to explore more of this beautiful country.

03 October 2013

From the air, Croatia's coastline is breathtakingly beautiful as deep, emerald pine woods descend to the shore, then white stone beaches and islands sparkle before the bright sapphire blue of the Adriatic Sea hits your eyes. This is Croatia's wow factor. Temperatures in July and August, the hottest months, are 28-32 degrees. May, June and September are usually sunny and between 22 and 25. April and October are often around a pleasant 16-21 and nights can be a little chillier. The sea usually remains warm until mid-October. Croatia is closer than you think too, with flights just over 2 hours 30 minutes from the UK. Where ever you choose on the coast or islands, less than a two hour drive inland will take you into a different world of national parks, forests, waterfalls, mountains and rural traditions. We stayed for five nights in Orebic which is a charming fishing village with beautiful views across to the island of Korkula, which is well worth a visit to and then onto Cavtat for two nights with a trip to Dubrovnik - this was the highlight of the trip for me. Known as the "Pearl of the Adriatic" it is a perfect medieval walled city with narrow cobbled streets filled with wonderful architecture, churches, palaces, squares, museums, shops, restaurants and cafe bars. I can’t wait to return to explore much more of this stunning country.

02 April 2012

I was lucky enough to win a stay at this luxury beach resort just outside of Aghios Nikaos. We arrived in style by private taxi and were greeted with a welcome drink and a view which was priceless. The hotel is built into a hillside and overlooks its own private bay with a small sandy beach. The room I stayed in was a deluxe sea view room with its own private pool. The bedroom and living area are open plan and decorated to a very high standard in a contemporary style. The bathroom was amazing with a separate bath and show and stocked with quality toiletries. There is an infinity pool outside and 2 indoor pools in the spa area, the spa is amazing a truly relaxing retreat. I decided to have a red grape wrap, the choice of treatments is vast and I could quite happily have moved in there! As special guests we ate in the different restaurants, each has its own style of cuisine. My favourite was the Taverna serving local specialities. The hotel caters for children but I personally think it suits couples more due to the location facilities on offer. A very relaxing, stay and I can’t wait to return.

10 November 2011

I have been lucky enough to experience four days of magic with my family in Lapland, stopping in the resort of Saariselka and staying at Santa’s Hotel Holiday Club. As a family of five this was the perfect accommodation; we had an apartment with a lounge/kitchenette, two bedrooms, bathroom and our own private sauna. The hotel also has its own pool. We stayed on a half board basis and the choice of food for breakfast and evening meal was excellent, something for all tastes. On the final night we had a gala dinner, which was a great family evening with entertainment and the children singing Christmas carols. When we arrived at Ivalo airport there were lots of cheeky elves running around making faces at the children and generally causing mischief! We were taken to get kitted out in our thermal clothes and our holiday began! The resort has free toboggans and we soon found the longest toboggan run in Finland at 1.2km long. It’s a fair walk to the top but it’s well worth the thrill coming down! Our trip included a lot of activities but we paid extra to go on a longer husky sledding trip. This was an experience not to be missed. We had our own team of huskies which we “mushed” through the sparkling snow in the forests; the children were warmly wrapped in reindeer skin blankets and were amazed at the speed they went. The highlight of the trip was looking for the main man himself! This was an action packed day from start to finish. We were collected early morning and taken deep into the forest where we did some more husky sledding, ice fishing, mini skidoo trips, ice sculpturing, skiing and much more. Lunch was also included on this day. Around the woodland there were tents with fires in them for warming up hands on and warm fruit drinks were on offer in these as well. We waited for a local Sami guide and then went on our own reindeer sleigh ride through the forest. This was one of my favourite activities especially when my Daughter looked at me and whispered “Mummy are we really going to fly?” It brought tears to my eyes. Each family had their own private meeting with Santa. We were taken on a snowmobile sled through the forest until we came across a log cabin, inside the fire was blazing away and there he was....FATHER CHRISTMAS. He had the letters which the children had written before we left home and he sat and talked to them, had photos taken and gave them a gift each. The looks on my children’s faces will stay with me forever and I would recommend everyone with a family to do this trip, whether you go on a day trip or for a longer stay like we did, the magic will last forever.