Journeys Are My Diary

Life, Adventures, Entertainment and more - A little bit of everything blog!

Driving Me Crazy

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This morning on the way to school, some idiot overtook me and two other cars, just before a bend and narrowly missed an oncoming car. Sadly this is not the first time that something like this has happened and I hate that heart stopping moment when you worry not only for your own life, but that of your kids in the back too. The worst part is, our Lincolnshire roads aren’t even that bad – they’re not always narrow or bendy – so why do so many accidents seem to happen?

I thought I would share this infograph by Chill (specialists in cheap car insurance) about Ireland’s most dangerous drives. When we were kids, my Uncle John used to live in Ireland and so holidays there were quite common. Dad always used to drive as mum refused, due to the roads being so awful. While I wasn’t a driver myself back then, I do remember how often the roads would be narrow or bumpy, plus several times when passing seemed quite dangerous. I have to admit that since becoming a driver myself (almost 20 years now), I’ve never once had the desire to holiday in Ireland – largely because of the driving. All of that was on regular roads, however some of these places mentioned in the infograph look absolutely terrifying.

dangerous drives infographic

Mind you, its not always Ireland that has the dangerous roads as I’ve come across many on holiday too. The main one which stands out was definitely Sa Calobra, a road in Majorca. Again, luckily I wasn’t the one driving but this is the most scared I’ve ever been on a road. Passing was almost impossible anyway but coming across a coach and choosing between going off the edge or scraping along the coach itself, were not great options!

sa-calobra

When driving has the potential to be so dangerous anyway, it amazes me that roads like this exist at all. I’m glad that for the most part, you have to be quite a bit older and have several years experience, before you can drive abroad. That said, you can never be sure of all the idiots on the road and really all you can do is take extra care yourself and always be alert. I love being able to drive and I would never change that, but it does scare my somewhat that you take your life (and that of your kids) in your hands, every time you get behind the wheel!

Fun Holiday Activities for the Whole Family

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Spring is here. In a few months it will be time for the family vacation. Now is a good time to book, if you haven’t done so already. It’s also a good time to plan ahead and look at the kind of activities the whole family can enjoy.

Plan Ahead

When planning your family summer adventures, think about each member. What are their interests? Do they have similar hobbies or are they very different? Try to include something for everyone.

Organising pursuits ahead of time is a good idea, especially if you need to hire equipment. Some holidays may include this part of the package. If you’re going self-catering and are planning everything yourself, it’s a good idea to do a little advance research.

Walking

Walking is something that can be enjoyed at most destinations. If you’re intending on embarking on more than a gentle stroll, there are a few things to take into consideration. Make sure you pack walking boots and rucksacks. Try to wear walking shoes before you go away. This will avoid painful blisters during the holiday. Rucksacks or light bags that can be slung over the shoulder won’t get in the way when you’re walking.

Check some routes ahead of time and make sure you pack enough food and water for the day. Make sure you’re fully aware of any safety issues such as tide times and terrain etc.

Cycling

Cycling is a fun activity the whole family can enjoy. If you’re travelling abroad, then it’s likely that you will need to hire bikes and equipment. Book this in advance to avoid disappointment. Check with the provider as to exactly what is provided. Make sure it includes helmets and other safety equipment.

You will also need to become familiar with routes before setting off. Make sure they are suitable for the whole family, especially if you have young children.

When packing, remember to include clothing suitable for this activity. Click here for detailed information on cycling with your family.

Water Sports

There are lots of different water sports to enjoy with the family. For example, swimming, snorkeling, surfing, and canoeing. Choose sports that are suitable for everyone. Safety will be key and so check with providers regarding provisions. Find out about booking procedures and if necessary, book in advance.

Leisurely Pursuits

It isn’t all about being active during your holiday. Remember to factor in some relaxation. Enjoy time by the pool or at the beach. Take a pile of books or load up your e-reader and just enjoy your surroundings. This can be interspersed with gentler activities such as beach football or volleyball.

Some hotels provide childcare provisions and activities for kids. There may be some days when you enjoy a spa day or time to relax. And you can rest assured that your children are also enjoying themselves.

Planning holiday activities is all about being organised and proactive. Advance preparations will save time and will help when it comes to packing and budgeting. Set up a range of different activities that everyone can enjoy. And remember to factor in some free time. Avoid being too rigid. Spontaneity is also good and those days are often the most memorable.

Self Catering Holiday Ideas

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Every year I love to get away somewhere, even if it’s just in the UK. Last year we were lucky enough to visit Florida for two weeks but we definitely won’t be doing that again this year. When we go away for just a few days, we often stay in a Travelodge or Premier Inn. However when we’re going for any length of time, I prefer to go self-catering. As a family of four, with two (occasionally) fussy girls, I believe it works out better and cheaper for us too.

So I though I would put together three picks for places I would like to visit, in self-catering accommodation.

United Kingdom

Broads

As kids, we had several holidays on the Norfolk Broads and it was some of my favourite trips. While it might not be the most obvious choice for a self-catering holiday, I love the idea of taking the kids and Chris on a boating holiday, catering for ourselves or occasionally mooring up at a pub and eating out. The girls’ grandparents own a boat and they often travel on it but never actually sleep aboard. I think a week away on the broads would be a fantastic way to travel and holiday – plus the girls are old enough to be sensible around the water these days.

Europe

There are loads of places I would love to visit in Europe, including the Portugal, Spain, France, Turkey, Italy etc. The reason for this would partly be to enjoy sun and nice weather, but also for the kids to learn about different cultures and food. As I mentioned before, the girls can be a bit fussy at times and while there are many choices for accommodation in these places, a villa would definitely be my top choice. Finding a perfect place to settle down for the week doesn’t have to involve months of research, sites like Villa Plus have loads of options to choose from, and all of them have photos which helps a lot if you’re wanting a particular vibe. For me, I love the idea of self-catering, so I look for nice kitchens, and perks like a pool to swim in each day. The pool was a great hit when we stayed in the villa in Florida, so I know it would be high on the list for the girls.

USA

rv

Although I love a city break, villas and self catering is often hard to come by, unless you want an apartment. However my perfect USA holiday would be a road trip, ideally in a RV. When I was in my teens, I always dreamt of owning a VW camper and traveling around. Then, a bit older, I wanted a caravan or a motor home. While none of these are realistic expectations for us right now, a holiday in one would be possible. RV’s are notoriously huge in the USA and I would love to hire one for a few weeks, jump on board and see as much of America as we could manage!

What would your perfect idea of a family holiday be?

Trips of a Lifetime

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This week my best friend has headed off to Florida for almost 4 weeks. A part of me is super jealous but it also makes me think back to this time last year, when we too were planning for the trip of a lifetime to Florida. In April 2015, we headed off to Orlando for two weeks and really did have an amazing trip. We stayed in a pretty nice villa, visited all the Disney Parks and of course took a trip to Universal’s Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Since I’m not the type of person to re-visit places over and over, it got me thinking where I’d like to take the next big adventure. Here is my top 3 picks.

1 – California

Truth is, my main reason for wanting to visit California is Los Angeles. And my main reason for wanting to visit LA is Disneyland (and Universal). However that’s honestly not the only reason!

la
For a start, LA is somewhere I have always wanted to go. I think originally it was because Buffy and Angel were filmed there! However it’s also on the opposite coast to the only two places I have visited in the USA (New York and Florida) so it would be nice to see a bit further afield. I’d love to see the Hollywood sign, stroll down the Walk of Fame and maybe even explore a bit further, like San Francisco and the Golden Gate bridge.

2 – Italy

Though not technically the holiday of a lifetime, I can definitely say that Italy is somewhere I have always wanted to go – as have the girls. While a beach holiday would be lovely, especially somewhere all inclusive like loveholiday offers, I would also enjoy a sort of touring holiday.

italy

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is by far my top place to visit in Italy, but I would also love to ride a gondola, see the Colosseum in Rome, go to the Lake Como area and travel to Florence too. I have been to France, Germany, Spain and Denmark so it would be really lovely to add Italy to the list as well.

3 – The Northern Lights

Now technically visiting the Northern Lights, isn’t a place, but its definitely the purpose of the holiday for me. It probably wouldn’t really be ideal as a family holiday (though I think the kids would find it beautiful), I’ve always dreamed of seeing the Northern Lights in person.

Northern-Lights

There are several different places you can go to, in order to see Aurora Borealis. I always assumed I would go to Iceland, but Norway, Sweden, Finland and Canada are all valid options too. I read somewhere that in February, the Northern Lights can even be seen from Scotland, but I don’t think that would be as exciting. I would love to tie in this amazing sightseeing experience, with staying somewhere amazing too – like the Ice Hotel in Sweden.

There are many other places I would love to visit like; New York again (this time with the kids and Chris), Niagara Falls, the new Shanghai Disney and Paris (though I will be doing that later this year – twice!)

Things to Look Forward to…

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I don’t know about you, but I need things to look forward to in life. Little milestone, events, days out, birthdays, holidays – whatever it is, just something in the not too distant future to look forward to. This time last year, I had a countdown running to LFCC (London Film and Comic Con) which was the first convention I’d ever attended AND the first time I’d cosplayed. I was also counting down to a holiday in Paris during October half term, though sadly that didn’t happen – and finally a wonderful trip of a lifetime to Florida the following Easter. Well all of that has been and gone now and I struggle at times to find things to look forward to. In fact, until a few weeks ago I really didn’t have any set dates and events penciled into my calendar. However, all that has changed!

picture from June 30th

Sheffield Film and Comic Con – A few weeks back, Amy and I decided we were dying to go to a convention again. I attended MCM in London during May but because I took the kids, I didn’t get the same level of enjoyment as last time and I also didn’t dress up. However Amy and I are going with the sole purpose being to cosplay and I’m excited! Amy is going as Disney’s Briar Rose (Aurora when she lives in the forest) and I’m going as Disney’s Belle in her blue peasant dress. I’ve already started on Amy’s costume and as soon as I can get the right grey for the skirt, it will be finished! I need to start on my own but I have a good idea what I’m doing.

Paris Weekend – As I mentioned before, last year we were supposed to have a family trip to Paris but we had to cancel it for a couple of reasons. I have been dying to go to Paris for pretty much all my life and I was devastated when all our plans crumbled. Over the last few months I’ve been looking into various ways to get to Paris cheaply, as ever since Florida my finances have been in a fairly poor state. There is a coach company that offers really good options, but also sites like Into the Blue experiences who offer not only day experiences, but also holidays too. They actually have a couple to Paris in fact. However in the end it looked like there might be another opportunity to go to Paris (see below) and so I jumped at that. Finances were figured out, options were looked into and even baby sitters were considered. But then I started to feel guilty that I hadn’t been with my family and maybe Chris and the girls would be sad if I went without them. In stepped my mum (a total hero) and offered to take us all away for the weekend in May and then there was a second thing added to my look forward to list!

Fairytales IV – As you can probably tell, I’m a huge fan of conventions. I’ve only been to a few but they are now becoming something I look into ALL the time. Well every year in Paris (for the last 3 years) there has been a Once Upon a Time convention and every year I’ve wanted to go. Last year we’d arranged a blog meet far too close to the date of the convention and this year we knew things would be tight after Florida. However next year there is really nothing stopping us… so let’s just say we’ve penciled it in and perhaps even booked a hotel ;)

There are lots of other things on the cards, MCM Comic Con in October, Storybrooke in April (though I have to admit to being jealous of SDCC that’s on this weekend), plus I hope to have the odd day here and there with the kids during Summer holidays. Amy and Liv are coming over in a few weekends time and we’re going to see Inside Out and even though that’s something small, again it’s just nice to have something to look forward to.

Where has summer got to?

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In previous years, Summer has usually been and gone by now. Well not really, but you know we’ve usually had that week in May where there’s a really hot week and after that, nothing really comes close, bar a day here and there. We were promised a heat wave this June and so far… well it’s a little disappointing to be honest. Sure, the sun is out and the rain has disappeared for a little while, but it’s still not HOT, is it?

When we were on holiday in Florida, in April, the weather was too hot. Us Brits just aren’t really built for that type of hot. That said, I really enjoyed how warm it was and other than worrying about hats and suntan lotions, myself and the girls really soaked up the sun. If the air conditioning had been working properly and we’d actually been cool in the villa, I think perhaps I could have lived with the Florida heat. Chris on the other hand grumbled the whole time, desperate to get back to the weather of our own country. Now we’re back I think I’ve been suffering from a bit of SAD. I need some nice warm days to get me back in a positive mood. I’ve sold all my Florida dresses on Ebay and it’s a little depressing. Would you believe I’m still wearing a leather jacket and a scarf most days?

So to get myself feeling a little warmer, I decided I would share with you some of the things I love most about summer!

Family Holidays – Two years ago we had a very impromptu holiday to Legoland. The weather was absolutely beautiful for majority of the day and even when it rained, we just got wet but not cold. I love having the kids off for six weeks, despite the fact they can get on my nerves a little at times. I always encourage Chris to book a week off in July/August so we can do something, even if it’s just for a couple of days.

Family Days Out – If we can’t manage a full holiday, we at least manage a few days here and there. Last year we went to Warwick Castle, Cadbury’s World, Eureka and National Forest Adventure Farm. Sometimes I take the kids by myself, other times Chris comes too and if all else fails, my mum is always on hand to tag along.

LFCC – Alright so I’ve only been once last year, but I’d love to go again this year too. In May we went to MCM Comic Con and it was great to see the difference between the too, but I’d still really like to head down to London in July and go again.

Learning new things – Last summer Megan finally learnt to ride her bike and I imagine this year Lily will too. Summer is always such a perfect time to learn to bike ride, swim, fly a kite etc. When the sun is out you always feel more inclined to do things. We always walk into town instead of drive too.

Adult Days Out – Normally the girls go away with their dad for a few days in Summer and he has them overnight at least once a week. This allows for adult days out and since these are so few and far between, I like to make the most of them. Last year we obviously had LFCC for a whole weekend but also I went to both Thorpe Park and Alton Towers. As much as I love the kids, it’s great to have time without them too.

There are loads of other things I like about summer – BBQs, trips to the beach, being able to wear dresses and so on. However these are just some of my top picks. However instead of a sun hat and sandals, I’m far more likely to be wrapping myself up in cashmere and wooly jumpers. Luckily Summer is great time to grab some bargains on Winter clothes!

So this is happening….

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Just a quick post today as I’m knee-deep in more murder mystery planning and making a cake – all for tomorrow! I don’t even know where I’m going to find time to post tomorrow – in fact I might not! Anyway, in all the hassle and craziness that has gone off this evening, one good part was that we finally booked our tickets for our Florida holiday!

It’s all still a bit hush hush at the moment, no plastering it over Facebook or anything, but at least it feels real now! The girls have already got £50 each saved up and its a little under a year still left to go. I’m hopefully well on my way to saving too, especially with my £1, £2, £3, saving scheme I’ve been doing since the beginning of the year!

Even better, Amy is going to be in Florida at the same time as our family! We’re hoping to get a big US meet up going with all our friends too! I can’t wait to start planning but at the same time I don’t want the excitement to pique too soon. I look forward to updating you all though as soon as the planning begins!

Travel Tales

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I’ve been pretty lazy with my blog recently and in some ways that’s because I’ve been busy but for the most part I’ve just had other things on my mind that have taken precedence. However I now find myself on a train with nothing much to do – resorting to a blog post in order to fill time.

This week is half term in Lincolnshire and so the kids are off school. Also since I work in a school, I’m off work too. As such we’ve booked a family holiday to London (only 3 nights) but so far it’s off to a bit of a disappointing start.
I like to plan things, as you probably know from my blog. Holidays are no different. From the best train times, to the activities we’ll do while away, to the clothes everyone takes. I’m the organiser. Today we left our house in Gainsborough and walked down to the train station with all our bags and even a packed lunch. We were a good ten minutes early for the train but that’s needed when you have kids! We caught the train from Gainsborough to Retford and then had the obligatory long walk at Retford station, in order to get from Platform 4 to Platform 1. Even then we had 30 minutes to kill. We ate our lunch on the platform, got coffee from Costa and looked forward to all sitting together once we got on the train. Seats that I planned for, that we’ve picked specifically so we could all be together as a family.
However right now I find myself sat next to Megan. Across the aisle from Chris and Lily, who are actually three rows back from us. Thanks very much East Coast Trains. You never fail to suck.
Anyway… regardless of the sucky train journey, we still plan to enjoy our trip. We have tickets to see the musical Wicked this evening – this will be my 4th time and even the girls 2nd! On our other days here we have river tour boat tickets to use, plus plans to visit Covent Garden (for the Disney store, Cyber Candy and maybe Build a Bear), plus Hamleys and Forbidden Planet are definitely somewhere on our list of places. I’m hoping Camden Market is also a possibility, though I know one day we’re spending visiting the Science Museum and the Natural History Museum. Our train back is on Friday midday, that will get us home for about 3pm. Though I don’t want to wish our week away, the weekend is going to be awesome too.
I’m gonna end this post here, since I always kill my battery during London trips and it’s gone down 5% already. I need it alive for our Travelodge check in and probably various other things too.
Hope everyone has a fun week planned. Post again when I get back… maybe ;)