8 things to do before a Family trip to a hot destination

* Contains Affiliate links As we head towards summer many people are planning family trips abroad to warm and sunny destinations, travelling overseas is something we all look forward too, visiting beautiful countries such as Spain or Italy and enjoying fascinating cultures and people. However while this comes with a lot of excitement there are also some essential preparations we need to take to ensure everyone stays safe, healthy and has a good time. I thought I would share eight critical things that you and your family can do to prepare for a holiday in the sun.    1. Pack loose-fitting clothes Yes I know many pack outfits and styles for a breakaway (Instagram pictures come to mind) but do make sure you also take some practical and loose fitting clothes that help keep you cool and help you from overheating and feeling the effect of the heat, this is especially important for young children who just want to be comfortable and run around.  2. Pack ext......

Read more »

5 Short-Haul Exotic European Destinations

When it comes to exotic destinations we often thinks of places like Thailand, Costa Rica or far-flung Caribbean islands but you really don't have to hop onto a long haul flight to find those white sands and crystal blue seas as there are plenty of short haul exotic destinations right here in Europe, making them a great for a mini-escape when you have had frankly enough of the unpredictable British weather. This list could easily be doubled what I am going to share but I thought I would put together a mix of places I have either been to or want to visit and certainly capture that exotic far-flung feeling. 1. Isles of Scilly Less than a 10-minute flight from Lands End and you are instantly transported to somewhere so unique and special you will wonder why you have never visited before. We spent a week exploring the Isles of Scilly in 2016 and have been dreaming of going back ever since. Every morning we woke up to the most beautiful views and would take barefoot strolls on ......

Read more »

6 Incredible Reasons to visit Sri Lanka in 2018

Sri Lanka is one of those far flung places I have always dreamed of visiting, so different to life in the UK and a place I would love to share with my kids as it's such  a beautiful country  a holiday here will be filled with visiting cultural attractions, stunning beaches, and exploring the beautiful nature of the surrounding areas. Here are 6 incredible things to do in Sri Lanka and why you should visit in 2018 Explore World Heritage Sites There are 7 UNESCO Heritage sites in Sri Lanka. Visit the Ancient City of Polonnaruwa that has monuments built by the Chola dynasty, Hanna from Hanna Travels has written a really good review of it. The Ancient City of Sigiriya is 180 metres high and has a series of staircases and a step well. The Golden Temple of Dambulla is a cave temple complex with Buddhist mural paintings. Old Town of Galle and its fortifications were built by early European settlers in Sri Lanka. The Sacred City of Anuradhapura was built around a ‘tree of ......

Read more »

Slow down at Karma, St Martins

With these short days and dark nights my mind certainly wanders to memories of the fantastic adventures we had over 2016, especially that of our trip to the Isles of Scilly. It was on my bucket list of 40 things to do before I'm 40 and it was a wonderful as I thought it would be, in fact if your looking for a place to really slow down, relax and disconnect from the rest of the world this is the place! During our trip we spent the first few days on St Martins and then two nights on St Mary's, both equally wonderful but both with a completely different feel. St Martins certainly captures that slow lived feeling where everything is laid back, wifi is slow at best (which is perfect if you want to get away from it all) the island is practically traffic free apart from one or two vehicles and much time is spent relaxing and looking out across the sea and crystal waters. During our time on St Martins, we stayed at the fantastic and luxurious Karma Hotel which is p......

Read more »

Wanderlust wish - Koh Samui

Stunning Koh Samui It's Monday and that means my mind is usually wandering off to far flung places and this week I am dreaming of crystal water and white beaches f Thailand and Koh Samui. This island is located off the east coast of the Kra Isthmus, Thailand. It has two basic seasons including rainy and sunny, but there can be rain during the sunny season and plenty of sun during the rainy season. Most people consider February, March and April the best months because they are the driest, but others have visited during the rainy season and had good weather and enjoyed greatly reduced hotel rates. Kids playing in Koh Samui The rainy season is when even the luxury hotels offer budget rates. The rates are as low as 50 percent less. Even though many people know this and plan their travel during September to November, there are still fewer people on the beach, in the nightclubs, restaurants and shopping centers. If you can avoid visiting Koh Samui during the Christmas a......

Read more »

Our exotic and sporting travel wish list

Me chilling in Rimini, Italy a few years ago Between the both of us we have done a fair bit of travelling, I think it's 26 countries in total - Me mainly Europe, Africa and America and John has explored places such as Iceland, Maldives and the Dominican Republic but neither of us have gone to the Middle East or Asia yet which is very much on our travel wishlist. There is of course something very alluring about the Middle East and Asia not only because of the visual draw but also the cultural one, it really is different to the western world and  it's a part of the world we want to share with our children. We also like to visit places that offer us some outdoor activities, something a little different, like surfing in Cape Town, fishing in the Maldives or snowboarding in France or Austria, it's things like this that we have really fond memories of and can be a great way to do something new together as a family. On the slopes in France We really hope to take ......

Read more »