28 August 2019

It was a very very HOT bank holiday weekend in London! We have children aged 15,11 &9 who like lots of different things so we wanted to do something that they would all like. We stayed in Bloomsbury as its very central and easy to get around from here. On our first day we went to the Portobello Market and up the Shard- I know, a glass building in that heat! At the top of the Shard the children had ice-creams and the adults champagne! We took our time and walked around levels 68 and 72 seeing who could be first to spot the different land marks, It was £115 which included the photo book at the end so fairly expensive for about 1.5hrs but we preferred it to the London Eye that we went on last time. Matilda chose the park so we stopped off for picnic supplies and spend a few hours in Kensington Gardens and Hyde Park, both great for families, huge play areas and fountains that they were happy to splash in to cool down. Ronan's choice was to watch a show, Matilda begged him to choose Mama Mia but he wanted to watch A Play that goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre it was hilarious and all 5 of us really had fun! Caitlyn wanted to look at the ballet and designer shops. After working hard all summer she had money burning a hole in her pocket! Whist in Harrods we visited their Christmas World - yes in August! We had some great meals out and sampled some street food at Notting Hill festival. We packed so much into 3 days but it was a great break. The children took turns choosing things to do and it made it easier to negotiate when they didn't want to do things!

07 May 2019

After spending a week learning about Hurtigruten Cruises, I wanted to share some surprising facts. THE FLEET Hurtigruten have two new hybrid ships. In 2019, Hurtigruten will add a brand new ship to its fleet: the MS Roald Amundsen. This state-of-the-art vessel features new and environmentally sustainable hybrid technology that will reduce fuel consumption and show the world that hybrid propulsion on large ships is possible. Next year, the MS Fridtjof Nansen will be the latest addition to Hurtigruten’s fleet of custom built ships – and the next generation expedition ship. She will explore some of the most spectacular corners of the globe. YOUNGER CRUISERS With a dedicated children's host, Hurtigruten make expedition cruising easy for families with the Young Explorers’ Programme. Young Explorer is a complimentary, year-round programme on selected Hurtigruten ships for curious and active youth aged 7-13 years of age. The children will learn about other cultures, the importance of nature in our daily lives, and the impact humans have on our delicate and beautiful planet. The Young Explorers’ Programme makes it easier to meet other children on board, bond over common activities! SEE THE NORTHERN LIGHTS - GUARANTEED Hurtigruten offer a Northern Lights Promise! That’s how sure they are that the spectacular Northern Lights will make an appearance on your 12-day Hurtigruten voyage. If not, they give you another voyage for free. The beautiful Aurora Borealis is Mother Nature’s ultimate light show. No trip to the Arctic Circle is quite complete without experiencing this highlight at least once on your journey. EXPEDITION SAILINGS With Hurtigruten, you can choose among a variety of expedition sailings on the MS Fram or MS Nordstjernen, or add a Spitsbergen adventure as an extension to your coastal Norway voyage with flights from Tromsø. The expedition-style landings will take you close to the Arctic wildlife, ghost towns of the early whaling stations, remote mining towns, research communities, and spectacular fjords and icebergs. Svalbard is the crown of Arctic Norway. Located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, Spitsbergen and the other islands in the Svalbard archipelago boast a surprisingly mild climate with distinctive seasons, so not as chilly as you might think! The large variety of plants and wildlife includes seals, thousands of seabirds coming in every summer, the Arctic fox and reindeer and the top predator: the polar bear. WHAT NEXT? Hurtigruten have some fantastic expeditions - real bucket-list tick boxes - so get in touch with me to book your next adventure with Hurtigruten.

24 April 2019

Three weeks before Easter, before we knew what the weather would be like, we decided to book Cornwall for 4 nights! Yes, it’s a long way to drive for four nights but we travelled late afternoon to avoid traffic and managed it in seven hours including two stops! Places we visited.... Carbis Bay - stunning and very family friendly, a gorgeous hotel overlooks the bay but there are plenty of smaller hotels or cottages close by or in St Ives which is a walk or short drive away. Lizard Point - the most southerly point of the UK with breath taking views. Although Lizard the little village before it was busy, the point was quiet and a perfect place for a Cornish Cream tea overlooking the rocks and sea. Porthminster Beach in St Ives - this was a beautiful sweeping beach with clear water and great for body boarding. Walking one end to the other took about 15 minutes. The children built a huge sandcastle and we waited until the sea crashed it flat until we left! Lands’ End- the most westerly place in the UK, we flew a drone and got some great pictures. With a few attractions and great children's play area, we were here much longer than we expected. Cornish pasties for lunch while we sat outside by the cliffs watching braver people than I abseil and climb! Newquay - Surfers paradise on Fistral Beach with people of all ages and abilities embracing the waves. Fab fish and chips at the seaside and a walk through the centre for some souvenirs. Portleven Harbour- With a G&T in hand we watched the local children jumping off the harbour walls in their wetsuits, not feeling the icy cold water, time and time again. Rick Steins restaurant was full so be sure to book if you want a table, a gorgeous friendly real Cornish harbour. So yes, Cornwall in four days was well worth it. We all had fun and relaxed and we were very lucky with the glorious weather, it showed off this beautiful area of England perfectly!

04 March 2019

Wonderful New Ship! Lucky me got to go and be one of the first to sample the wonderful new MSC Bellissima ship. We pulled up into the car park and the size of the ship astonished me! Its huge! Embarkation was very easy - printed ticket, passport and that’s all I needed. They took my photo and gave me my room card and tracker bracelet. I had downloaded the app (MSC for me) so just needed to go into it on the ships Wi-Fi and log some details and I was set to go. I could immediately see where I was and as I got in the lift to Deck 9 started to look for my cabin which was marked on the screen of my phone. Very easy to follow and understand even for someone as useless with direction as me! The reception area is stunning. A glittering staircase is the centrepiece and the mirrored and tastefully decorated areas make you feel like you have stepped into a dream! My cabin was gorgeously presented, the bed was so comfortable, lots of smaller storage solutions and a decent size wardrobe. I also had a sofa/seating area and balcony, so it felt extra luxurious! Other cabins available are suites, family cabins and the interior and outside view cabins. The family cabins felt very spacious and with the extra bedroom and bathroom it would make it very easy for a family to start relaxing straight away with all the extra space to enjoy. Zoe is the MSC in-cabin help. You wake up the speaker by saying Hi Zoe and she wakes and asks how she can help ‘Ok Zoe where is the nearest bar?’ Deck 7 Carousel bar -and off I went! Bars I can highly recommend the Aperol Spritz the waiter took my order within 2 minutes and I had my drink in less than two minutes more! There are so many bars each one giving a different experience but same high-level service. The Sky bar would be marvellous at sunset! A great start but now to explore! Children The pools, slides and splash area at the Arizona Waterpark looked amazing. So much fun to be had by children of all ages. There is also a high ropes course going around the pool zone which would be great for anyone with a head for heights! This was just the start of the fun for children. With children’s clubs and rooms for all ages it really was impressive how safe it all felt. The rooms are split up into age categories - Baby Club Chicco under 3/Mini Club Lego 3-6/Junior Club Lego 7-11/ Young club 12-14/teen club 14-17 There is also a Doremi Lab and Doremi studio. Other family fun apart from the pools and clubs is the Sportsplex with full size sports court, a 2-lane bowling alley and 2 F1 sports car simulators. So much to take in, I know my children would love all these features and experiences. Spa and Gym The wonderful spa is worth booking in and they run discounts at different points of the cruises so look out or those if you want to treat yourself, it is expensive, but you are on holiday who doesn’t deserve a treat! The gym is big and has plenty of modern equipment for those wanting a gentle work out or for those who want to burn every calorie the consume! Shopping and Shows This ship has it all, from duty free to high end gifts and treats and a rock show to the famous Cirque de Soleil at Sea on the 360-degree rotating stage. They are bound to amaze you with all the talent and skill! Gelato, crepes and chocolate can be found near the shops and set to spoil your waistline with all the delicious choices! Restaurants With so many different ones to try I didn’t get around them all, Italian, Steakhouse, Spanish Tapas and Sushi to name but a few plus the HUGE buffet restaurant mean no one will ever go hungry on board the MSC Bellissima. For evening fun, we tried the Space disco and danced until our feet could take no more than managed a short while in the casino too which again surprised me at how huge it was. Summary The MSC Bellissima is Big and Beautiful, wonderful helpful staff and plenty of public areas means there is something for everyone. Families will love it and equally so will multigenerational groups. It’s so safe and easy to get from A-B. Much easier than I imagined. Couples who want fun and to be wowed with technology won’t be disappointed. It’s fun and elegant! What’s not to love! #beautyatsea

22 June 2018

FFor Bank Holiday weekend we decided to choose to go to London on the train and spend a few days seeing the sights! We stayed at the Radisson Blu Bloomsbury which was a great location, only 10 minutes’ walk from Euston Station and only 10 minutes’ walk to Oxford Street, the hotel was clean, and the children loved the free sweet stand in reception. We had both of our rooms upgraded too - the rooms were a little small, but we weren't in them too long so managed fine. We had breakfast once in the hotel, it was pricey but freshly prepared to order and delicious. We split the days up a little, so the children didn't get tired to early or bored doing similar things all day. Princess Diana Memorial Park and Science and Industry Museum. A lovely park with plenty for the children to play on, just next to the park is a great little café selling sandwiches, pizzas and ice creams. The Science and Industry is the best museum for children as there are so many interactive parts, it really keeps their attention and its free to go in too! Later this evening we picked up some bargain last minute tickets for Wicked and it didn't disappoint the dancing and singing was perfect and all of us had different favourite parts. The Shard and Madame Tussauds. Wow what a view. I don't even like heights and I was amazed at how breath taking it was. We had booked our tickets and I was pleased, it was much cheaper, and the queue was probably 40 minutes long, so we avoided that. There’s a great little Champagne bar at the top too. Madame Tussauds was great fun, the children enjoyed posing next to the celebrities and the Marvel superhero show was very well thought out with 4D effects! Hop on hop off bus Tour and Tower of London. The commentary on the bus tour is the best way of going around London and listening to facts, the bus even had a children's channel to tune into, so they could remain focused and pick up facts too. Again, the Tower of London was fun and informative. My son really didn't want to go to the Tower of London but seeing the prisons and listening again to the children's commentary he was soon leading our family, listening to the instructions of where to go next and pointing out what we should have been looking for. Shopping and St Pauls Cathedral My youngest was studying the Great fire of London at school to we stopped by Pudding Lane and St Pauls for some leaflets and photos to help with her homework. Finally, some shopping! My teenage daughter and I had been waiting to go shopping and see Harrods and Liberty's etc. They didn't disappoint - they are beautiful buildings. We didn't go mad buying lots as we hadn't won the lottery but picked a couple of souvenirs up. The younger ones wanted to go in Hamley's - with 6 floors it’s any child's dream shop! Shattered and after so much fun we came home having ticked lots off our to do in London list yet still eager to plan the next trip down to tick many more things off again.

20 June 2018

My family of 5 with children (14,10 and 8) visited Disneyland Paris in February 2018 for the 12th time! We stayed for 4 nights on the 2 nights free offer and flew from Liverpool with private transfers to get us to our hotel. This was our first time staying at the Newport Bay and had upgraded to the Compass Club. The hotel has been refurbished fairly recently and it was immaculate. Very nautical, New England in style, spacious areas and never an overcrowded feeling even though it is a large hotel. When you upgrade to Compass Club you get one free hotel fast pass each per day, a separate check in and Compass Club lounge for breakfast and afternoon cakes. This is also where you can get soft drinks for free all day until about 10pm so great for a hot chocolate before bed after a long day in the cold. The concierge staff were very patient, especially when I changed a meal booking four times in one day. Nothing was too much trouble, in fact they went above and beyond. My daughter received 'Pixie Dust' which is the Disney term for 'random act of kindness'. She had lost her Tinkerbell doll and we asked it if had been handed in, unfortunately it hadn't. When we went back to our room to have another search there was a knock at the door and a member of staff (cast member) had brought her one from the shop downstairs! Breakfast was fresh and plentiful with something for everyone to enjoy. It’s served from 7am so perfect if you want to eat and hurry out to the parks for early magic hours at 8.30am. Magic hours are worth it to see the princesses and go on some of the rides that are open early. Rides like Buzz Lightyear and Peter Pan get busy very quickly also in the Studios Park, Tower of Terror and Ratatouille can be the slower queues so better to get up early and try to get on these first. We had a half board meal plan which was great although we haven't always had one as you don't always need full three course meals every evening and you can share at some places as portions can be huge. Where we ate Cape Cod - one of the hotel restaurants, buffet style with lots of fresh food to choose from Buffalo Bills - fantastic show and entertainment food was ok, very filling and they top up your drinks 3-4 times included in the price (soft drinks or larger). Rainforest Café - one of our favourites, you can’t use your vouchers or book, but you get seated fairly quickly great to hear the Rainforest sounds and see the animals come to life in a thunderstorm! Captain Jacks - this used to be Blue Lagoon - great for seafood lovers Annette's Diner- The biggest portions I have ever seen. If we had known, we wouldn't have used 5 vouchers as we could have easily shared meals. Service was a little slower here, but we were happy to take our time with such a big meal. Casey's hotdogs and Hakuna Matata we ate at for lunch too. We tended to be out for 8.15 and back for 6pm. We stayed out a couple of nights to watch the night show which is mesmerising! We stood quite far back, in the pavilion near city hall, which has a central raised up view, so you can look over the crowds and get some beautiful recordings to keep and re-watch when home! It was freezing but dry and you wouldn't want to stay out much later than 7pm as temperatures really did drop. February half term is usually one of the quieter school holidays. We didn't queue longer than 40 minutes for any rides and most we were on in 20. We managed to get fast passes for rides we wanted them for and had the hotel fast pass which we used on either Ratatouille or Thunder Mountain - these were our favourite rides along with Space Mountain and Rock and Rollercoaster. The parades and the tamer rides along with character meet and greets make Disneyland Paris so accessible for all ages and whether you seek this thrill and adrenaline of the rides or the beauty and magic of being in Disney everyone will love it and have their own favourite magical memory by the end of your stay. We loved our time again in Disneyland Paris and can’t wait to go again!

07 October 2017

Menorca is my happy place. It is a perfect, scenic relaxing island, ideal for families of all ages and sizes. You will find lots of two bed accommodation here, some three bedroomed and lots of villas. I have been going here for over 25 years and as a child I experienced so many happy holidays. I made friends who I met year after year again and again and played all day in the sun, on the beautiful beaches and in the fantastic pools that all children cannot wait to get into as soon as they arrive. As an adult and now a family of five, I love taking my children back and showing them where I spent a lot of my childhood and explaining what has changed and thankfully what hasn't. It is a naturally beautiful Balearic and full of unspoilt beauty. As mentioned it caters for all size families and although I have always stayed in S'algar, a very quiet resort, I have visited almost all the resorts and seen what each one has to offer I don't think any family would be disappointed where ever they chose as a base. Car hire is well worth trying as it’s a pleasure to drive around, even for me as I don't usually offer to drive abroad! The island has three waterparks which cater for all ages. We went to the Punta Prima one this year and my 7-year-old loved the black hole! S'algar is east of the island. Going all the way to the opposite side to picturesque Cuitadella to see the old capital and the stunning harbour takes just under an hour and there are many amazing beaches along the way worth a stop off. Mahon is only 15 minutes away and the capital doesn't disappoint. The gorgeous walk along the harbour or exploring the many shops and cobbled streets is a great way to experience what life would be like to live in Menorca. With the fresh bakeries and the smell of paella being cooked fresh make sure you go near a meal time as you will certainly want to sample the local food! With a flight time of approx. 2hr15mins taking babies needn't be a worry the flights are always full of generations of families who fully understand what it’s like to travel with children!