Following on from my recent blog post of creative ways to use your travel photos, I thought I’d explore how to create a stunning travel scrapbook in a little more depth. Aside from simply sticking… More
Quirky date ideas + things to do as a couple in Gloucestershire
Born and bred in Gloucestershire, I have lots of ideas for quirky date nights and days out as a couple in and around Gloucestershire if you’re looking for something a little more than a standard evening meal in a restaurant!
Read on for lots of fun date activities and romantic spots to take your beau in the home of the Cotswolds.
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Why a 4 berth caravan is the ultimate family staycation dream
Almost all of our travel plans were scuppered this year. Luckily we did manage to visit Ben’s brother in Castelo Branco in Portugal in February, just in the nick of time before the first lockdown ensued and a short family staycation to Fishcombe Cove in Devon before the second lockdown kicked in.
We really did miss out on a summer holiday this year and having thought about it, I believe it’s the first year since me and my husband have been together that we haven’t been on a summer holiday!
Next year we really hope we can make up for what feels like lost time and lost travel experiences in 2020. This year has certainly been very different and it almost feels like many of our lives, dreams and ambitions have been put on hold.
I really hope 2021 will begin to get back to normal and travel plans can resume!
We’d been hoping to visit the Lake District for our 2020 summer holiday. A place my husband Ben is very familiar with as he was born in Penrith! He lived his childhood until age seven in the Lake District and has many fond memories.
He’s returned as an adult and is always talking about the beautiful landscape. I have never been and can’t wait to see the amazing beaches and mountains – my two most favourite natural scenes. Let’s hope this is possible in the new year.
Why a 4 berth caravan provides the perfect staycation experience
One thing we have been discussing, when we can travel again and eventually make it to the lakes, is how to create extra room for our family.
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3 ways Canada is different from the United States
Canada and America have always had a fun little game of ‘who’s better,’ ever since the countries were founded. Although there will never be a complete answer on this, despite both sides being wholly convinced they’ve won, there are many differences to account for! Here are three ways Canada stands apart and why it’s so hard to compare the two nations!
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Top places to visit in San Diego as a couple
Whilst we’re not travelling at all right now due to the pandemic, it doesn’t mean we can’t plan for our future travel plans.
We are always discussing places we’d like to visit, both as a family and as a couple.
One of my favourite places I’ve visited so far has to be San Diego. I found it incredibly exciting when I visited the USA for the first time, even if it was with an ex-boyfriend in 2010!
We spent five weeks in San Diego visiting some of his skater friends, seeing the sites and for him to take part in an inline skating competition he had qualified for.
Even though I have now been with my husband for a decade, I still do have fond memories of being in the US and I’d love to return one day.
There is so much more of California I’d like to explore too, but San Diego is a great starting point if you’re looking for a base whilst there with so much to explore as a family and a couple.
If you’re looking for things to do as a couple in San Diego, whether you’re tourists like I was or perhaps you’re nearby and looking for dating ideas to impress a date you’ve met on San Diego Personals, then read on!
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European city inspiration for a Christmas break
Christmas this year is going to be very different for us in England. There are talks of Christmas bubbles and travel permitted on certain dates, but with stricter tiers being enforced across pretty much the entire country, who knows what will actually happen over the festive period.
For the past two years we went away near to Christmas on short breaks. It was the first two years we ever went away over Christmas and we really enjoyed it. Last year we went to London on a budget and also Bluestone for a few days. The year before we went to Bluestone Holiday Resort too.
It gave us something extra to look forward to at Christmas and meant we could spend some real quality time together as a family. Not that we don’t enjoy seeing family and friends, but the years before this, Ben was always working full time and only had a few days off work – a week max some years. We’d spend his time off going here and there, travelling to different friends and family houses every day he was off and never feeling like he got to relax or we spent much time just to ourselves enjoying family time.
That’s why I really wanted to go away at Christmas, and although we haven’t been away for the day itself yet, it’s something I am tempted to do! I’d love a beach holiday and real break away at Christmas! Bah-humbug perhaps, but I’m not one for the cold and get SAD each year, so a week or two in the sun would really be amazing!
We’re not religious so we could celebrate Christmas a weekend before, or after!
Anyway, not going away at Christmas at all this year is such a shame. Whilst we weren’t planning on going abroad for a beach holiday, I was planning on a UK staycation to Cornwall or Devon. A little cottage or holiday home for a few days and some coastal walks.
I haven’t bothered to book anything as everything is so up in the air. The only weekend away we did have to Wales has already been rebooked three times and now delayed until next year, so I couldn’t be bothered with the hassle of booking something just to keep cancelling it or rearranging it again, especially for a Christmas break.
Nonetheless, it hasn’t stopped me thinking about travel plans for next year and the amazing Christmas destinations we could visit.
Surely things will be back to normal next Christmas, yes? Lockdowns done and dusted and a sense of normality once again? Travel back to normal?
I really hope so!
Whilst a sunny break is a dream for me at Christmas, I’m not sure if the kids and Ben would agree! Instead they may want something a little more festive full of Christmas cheer!
With that in mind, here are some of the cities in Europe that look great to visit for a Christmas adventure:
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3 great waterparks to visit in Australia
Australia is one of the top places I want to visit on my bucket list. I hope when the kids are a little older we can go for a fun packed adventure for a few weeks to Australia, New Zealand and Great Barrier Island.
Whilst I’m keen to explore the sights and sounds the cities and natural landscapes have to offer, I know the kids will be excited to visit the local theme parks in Australia and waterparks.
Waterparks definitely bring out the kid in all of us and are the perfect family day out for all ages.
Whether we make it to Australia anytime soon (we are in lockdown and the global pandemic of COVID-19 as I write this) or even if we go elsewhere on our next family adventure, we will definitely have waterparks top of our list so the kids can have an absolute blast!
Even though we can’t travel yet, we can still dream and plan our future adventures!
With that in mind, and the joys of being able to research all these wonderful places on the internet, here are some of the best recommended water parks to visit in Australia:
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Tips for keeping warm and cosy in a campervan
In autumn and winter, and perhaps even the early weeks of spring, it can be really cold for camping. This is why many campsites are seasonal as the demand simply isn’t there for the colder month.
However, some campsites do remain open all year round and many campers also like to ‘wild’ camp or park up in carparks and other spots that allow campervans for a night without charge.
So, whilst you may still find the perfect spot to camp, you must remember it’s going to be a lot colder than camping in the summer!
Even if the daytimes are warm, the evenings can quickly change and you’ll feel freezing in no time at all.
Not all is lost though, as there are plenty of ways to keep cosy and warm in your campervan in winter.
Here are some of the best ideas to stay warm when camping.
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Airplane ear: how to avoid ear pain during flight
Taking a flight is usually an exciting time as most people flying are going on holiday!
However, for some people the flight can cause some discomfort in the ears, sometimes referred to as ‘airplane ear’.
This discomfort can include the ears feeling blocked with sound muffled and even pain.
Let’s take a look at what exactly airplane ear is and how it can be prevented.
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