2018 – Looking back at our year of travel

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I love starting the year by looking back at our travels from the previous year, and hopefully this will give you some holiday ideas 2019. I always knew that 2018 would be the year we travelled less, mainly down to GCSEs which happened in May and June. This meant that we swopped our usual holiday in April, as the teen was revising over the Easter holidays, to going away over the Summer.

2018 - Looking back at our year of travel

Considering we were not meant to travel much during 2018, we still managed a total of 13 trips between us. We usually spend between £3500 and £4000 on our annual holidays and trips away, but last year we spent just over £5300 in total, which is down to booking our main holiday during the peak time of Summer.… Continue reading

Booking a Cabana at Center Parcs

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Center Parcs Cabana 

Having just returned from our 13th trip to Center Parcs, I wanted to share parts of our holiday that work really well for us. One thing that we always do on our holiday is hire a Center Parcs Cabana, which are located in the Subtropical Swimming Paradise. We have hired a cabana at Whinfell for the past 3 years, and it has really enhanced the time we have spent in the swimming complex. So if you are asking yourself whether is it worth booking a cabana at Center Parcs, read on.

Center Parcs Cabana

Center Parcs booking – How do you book ?… Continue reading

Why I would love to visit Marbella one day

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Marbella… The resort that oozes luxury, million pound yachts, and no doubt has its fair share of beautiful people holidaying there. But Marbella isn’t just a playground for the rich and famous. I know a few people who have holidayed there this year, and it is definitely on my list of places to visit ‘once the kids leave home’. So why is Marbella on my ever growing list of places to visit.

Why I would love to visit Marbella one day

The beaches

Marbella has a very impressive 27km of beaches, with the sea completely safe for swimming in. Many of the beaches have pretty and welcoming beach bars, perfect for that early afternoon cocktail.… Continue reading

7 days in Mexico at The Grand Moon Palace

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Do you ever have certain hotels or holiday destinations you just have to visit ? Well the Moon Palace in Cancun is one of those resorts, and I have waited 17 years to get there. We went on our honeymoon to Mexico back in 2001, and I still have a slight regret we didn’t book the Moon Palace. Don’t get me wrong, we had an amazing honeymoon, but in the back of my mind I knew I had to visit The Grand Moon Palace one day.

The Grand Moon Palace

Booking The Grand Moon Palace

With the kids getting older, I know our family holidays are very much on borrowed time, so last September I finally booked our flights, and our stay at The Grand Moon Palace.… Continue reading

36 Hours in Glasgow

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After our successful 36 hours in Edinburgh last summer, we decided that Glasgow would be our new city to visit for 2018. The easiest and most stress-free way to get to Glasgow from the North West would be by train, and once again I was quick off the mark when Virgin trains announced their sale.

36 Hours in Glasgow

After travelling back first class from Edinburgh last year, I decided we would travel in style again. I managed to book first class seats for the four of us, and it really does make a difference to our journey. Complementary food, more room in first class, a guaranteed seat with a table and plug, and that all important complimentary gin and tonic on the way home.… Continue reading

How to decide on the perfect travel destination

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When you go travelling you need to think about the best places to go to get the most out of your experience. There are a lot of things you could choose to see and do on your trip, and there are many things that play a role in getting to your perfect destination. This is something you have to make sure you get right, and it can have an impact on the way you experience the trip.

How to decide on the perfect travel destination

Think about what is involved in the process of booking and choosing a trip, and the first thing you will no doubt consider is the destination you want to visit.… Continue reading

36 Hours in Edinburgh

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Things to do in Edinburgh 

A few weeks ago I was browsing through Facebook and something caught my eye….. The Virgin Train Sale. In less than 20 minutes I had booked and paid for our next adventure, all whilst my husband had been at the gym. He often jokes that he should never leave me alone with the laptop and the credit card, and that evening was no exception. But how could he complain when we had a trip to Edinburgh to look forward to.

things to do in Edinburgh

Edinburgh had been on my travel list for ages, and last Friday we had a very early train to catch at 7.30am.… Continue reading

Getting holiday ready with Debenhams

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I knew this would happen, booking a holiday 11 months before you travel does NOT make you more organised. With just over 3 weeks until our holiday to Mexico, the realisation has dawned on me that I need to buy things, book things, and pack things.

Getting holiday ready with Debenhams

Now I love shopping on the internet, but hate waiting in for deliveries, so I tend to use a store’s click and collect service if they have one. One of my favourite shops at the moment is Debenhams, as they have a wide choice of plus size clothes, as well as offering click and collect to my local store at Cheshire Oaks.… Continue reading

Visiting Cancun with teenagers – Things to do

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I can finally say that one month today we will be on our way to Cancun, our Mexican holiday that was booked  back in September last year. The thing with booking so far in advance is that you get the initial excitement, and then the holiday is put to the back of your mind. But with a month to go, I really need to start getting organised.

Visiting Cancun with Teenagers

We are going All Inclusive to the Moon Palace hotel, which is situated on the outskirts of Cancun. We booked our holiday direct with the hotel, however if you prefer to book with a UK Operator, Holiday Gems has a wide range of hotels in Mexico.… Continue reading

5 Attractions to visit in Sydney with Teenagers

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Australia is one of the many places we would love to visit as a family, if we ever won the lottery. But seeing as thought we don’t do the lottery, I will just have to dream of what we would do on an Australian adventure, starting with the 5 attractions we would visit in Sydney with the kids.

5 Attractions to visit in Sydney with Teenagers

Wet ‘n’ Wild

No holiday is complete without a trip to a water park, and Wet ‘n’ Wild in Sydney offers over 40 slides and attractions. Teenagers will have fun racing against their friends, parents or even strangers in the 360 Rush, then onto the Riptide where 20,000 litres of water pump through the ride per minute, ensuring that you experience high speed thrills on this water ride.… Continue reading