Australia. The other side of the world. A land of sunshine, kangaroos and Neighbours. A huge country that British Backpackers go in their droves to have an adventure. Yet a place that Australian backpackers leave in their droves to come to London and work in a bar instead. Australia has always fascinated me, but until the wonderful Ruth from DorkyMum came into my life I thought it was a place that I was happy to miss out on. I'd been to New Zealand, which seemed much more my kind of place. How the last few years have changed that. When Ruth and her family moved to Tasmania it opened ... read more
How to enjoy a break away on a budget
Photo by Porapak Apichodilok, CC BY With spring officially here, it’s “Hello, longer days!” and “Hello, sunshine!” (we hope). And with bank holidays looming, many of us will be planning to use our time off work to get away from it all and plan a break away. Whether you are travelling with friends, as a couple or on your own, there are many different options available to you. So, a holiday can still be possible, even if you are having to adhere to a strict budget. If you are planning to travel by train to your staycation, try to book your train fare in advance to attain the best possible ... read more
Ladybird Tuesday: Flight Four: India
This post has now moved over to Penny Reads, the new home for all my book related blog posts. Click here to read the post in full. If you, like me, have a fascination for old Ladybird books then please take a look at all the books I have featured here on Ladybird Tuesday over the years. There’s a list of the titles I have and links to when I covered them on Ladybird Tuesday here, but I will warn you that it’s rather in need of an update. If you have any old Ladybird books that you no longer want, photos of books in your collection that you want to share, or are trying to track ... read more
Can Wi-Fi influence our travel choices?
The digital age is upon us, and young people are using it to their advantage. When it comes to travelling, more people seem to be jetting off, and what once was seen as a luxury has now become a necessity for the younger generation. Business Wi-Fi providers, KBR look to see whether having an internet connection can determine how we travel: Changes to booking travel Companies around the world are having to readjust their strategies to attract new and potential consumers, especially within the travel industry. When it comes to the millennial demographic, 46% book travel through a ... read more
Top places to visit in Paris
Paris. The city of love. It's a place that everyone around the world knows, but when I came to visit for the first time I wasn't actually sure where to go or what to see. Since then Eurostar has given us a quick route right into the city centre and whilst I'm far from being a total expert I do at least have a good idea of my top places to visit. So, why not set yourself up finding vacation rentals in Paris and then head off, map in hand, to see what this European capital has to offer. Eiffel Tower No trip to Paris is complete without a visit to the Eiffel Tower. The country's most ... read more
How To Save Money With The London Explorer Pass
London can be an amazing city to visit. It will give you some unique experiences you won't have on any other trip. It is one of the best places in the world for art, culture, and history, and also for nightlife, attractions, shopping, and general fun. However, London can also be very expensive. Whether you are visiting from another part of the UK or from abroad, the cost of going out in London can be high, and even for people who live in London, visiting the biggest attractions can seem extremely expensive. Luckily, there are packages designed to make a day out or a weekend in London as ... read more
Satisfying my little train addict with a Family and Friends Railcard #maketracks
Anyone who knows me will know that Master C is a massive train fan. He's just obsessed with them. One of his most common questions at the moment is "Mummy.... When are we going to do something trainy?" Combine his train addition with my love of all things thrifty, and it will be no surprise to hear how big a fan I am of the Family and Friends Railcard. We've had one since Little Miss C was old enough to need train tickets buying for her (children under the age of five don't need a ticket on most trains) and it must have saved us hundreds and hundreds of pounds in that time. Living in St ... read more
Bringing Holiday Home at the James Villas Crafternoon
Anyone who knows me will know how much I love crafting. Crochet is my proper addiction, but to be honest I'm not fussy as to what craft I turn my hand to, especially if there's someone there to teach me how to do it right. What might come as a bit of a shock though is the fact that since moving house on 1 July I have only picked up a crochet hook once. Once! That's pretty much unheard of in my life, but it's been the reality of a crazily busy couple of months. I'm hoping that life is about to calm down a bit so that I can pick my crochet hook up again soon. Especially as I had a weak ... read more
Travelling in the Middle East – Traditions You Should Know
The Middle East is a part of the Earth that most of us dream about exploring, but travelling there is nothing like spending a couple of weeks in Europe or the United States. Dubai, in particular, is famous for its strict laws, while other countries and states are steeped in tradition that tourists would do well to respect. Islamic countries have come out of celebrating Ramadan, which is when Muslim followers fast during the daylight hours. This means no food, water, swearing or inappropriate thoughts as the sun shines. While Ramadan is one of the more well-known traditions of ... read more
Camping for real
With our trial run over Spring Bank half term saw us head off on our first proper camping trip as a family. This time we didn't have the luxury of our warm dry beds being just 20 minutes away. No, this time it was a proper family holiday. We decided to head up to Derbyshire and after reading about it on a couple of websites selected Callow Top as our base for three nights. I lived not too far from Derbyshire for most of my childhood and there were loads of local places that I wanted to revisit with the family and the convenience of it only being a couple of hours up the M1 made it an ... read more