Welcome to Oh My Blog: A monthly blogging series that allows you to meet a fellow blogger and get their opinions on a whole host of topics. Since its July, there’s no better time to start talking about holidays, sunshine and getaways and this month, it’s the turn of Naomi from Trips with a Tot!
Oh My Blog! Let’s talk holidays with Trips with a Tot
Summer is here! Are you going (or have you been) anywhere nice this year?
We have already been on a nice few trips, we went to Haven in April to the Yorkshire seaside… the weather was not good though. 🙁 It was still a lovely time! We have been a few little trips to nearby cities, Leeds, Manchester, etc., And in May we went to London for 2 weeks, which was really fun. A little stressful with a toddler though, haha! We have a few little trips planned for the rest of the year, and in September we are going to Butlins for a just for tots break!
Where is your favourite Summer holiday destination?
Abroad, in a nice hot European summer holiday destination! Such as Spain, Portugal, France, etc., we haven’t managed to go abroad since having our son (he’s 1 and a half) but we used to go away for summer every year. My favourite place so far has been the Algarve.
Do you prefer to spend your summer abroad or in the UK?
Hmm, well before we had my son, it was abroad. I absolutely love summer holidays, sunbathing, all-inclusive holidays, etc… just the whole experience. But since having a baby it’s completely different haha. We haven’t been abroad yet, and it would be a completely different experience, definitely not just lounging by the pool all day!
Any holiday horror stories to report?
I have to say we have been really lucky because we haven’t traveled far and always been organised & arrived super early, haha. Our trips in the past, abroad, have been quick and straightforward… apart from one time… we went on holiday to Rhodes in Greece and when we arrived at the hotel they said there had been an “administrate” problem and we had to be moved to another hotel in a different place! Which, btw, was absolutely awful; the hotel wasn’t even open to the public, it was being rebuilt and the hotel we had booked was just taking people over to that one temporarily so they could double-book people. It was so stressful!
If you do go on holiday, are you a “sit by the pool all day” kind or person, or a “we need to get out and explore” kind of tourist?
Before I had my son, I loved going abroad and sitting by the pool all day, it was definitely a nice break from a busy life and work. But we have always loved city breaks too, we used to live in London as students and then stayed after graduation, and because of how close the airports were and how cheap you can get flights we used to go on city breaks a few times a year! I love sight-seeing & learning about other countries, so I would have to say it’s city breaks! We still love exploring now which is why I started my blog 🙂
Please help settle an argument. What is the earliest acceptable time to have a pre-holiday pint in the airport pub?
Coffee before 12, alcohol after 12 has always been the rule I live by… haha!
How are you with flying? Love it, hate it or a bit nonplussed by it all?
Blah. I like to say I don’t mind it, but it does make me feel uneasy. I didn’t fly until I was 17 and then it was only an hour to France, I cried when the plane set off and hated it, haha. But I think it was just apprehension more than anything. I’ve gotten better since then and the last flights have been fine.
What has been your favourite holiday that you’ve ever been on?
We went to the Algarve in Portugal when I was 25 weeks pregnant with my son, it was the most amazing place I’ve ever been. It was so unspoiled by tourism and really felt like a special, hidden gem. The beaches were amazing and so beautiful… we went on excursions to historic villages and towns, learned all about the life of the locals and went sight-seeing. We did a boat tour to cove beaches which can only be reached by boat and then swimming to shore… it was the sort of thing you see in magazines!
Where would you absolutely love to go, that you haven’t been yet?
Absolutely loads of places! I really want to go back to Italy, I’ve only been to Venice, but would love to see more of Italy. I also want to go back to Berlin, Barcelona, Algarve, and would love to go to more beach places in Spain.
What is your favourite summer holiday memory from when you were a kid?
I grew up in a family with not much money and we didn’t go abroad. All my friends did and I remember feeling left out all the time, and sometimes embarrassed. Looking back I wish I hadn’t felt like that! But now I look back and I have really fond memories of the summer. My birthday is in summer so I always used to have great birthday parties, go to the seaside, and my mum used to take me to Butlins which I loved.
What is the first song on your summer anthems playlist?
Anything by Madonna!
Camping (be it in the wilderness or in your back garden when you were a kid). Your thoughts?
Yes! We haven’t done it yet but it’s an absolute must-do for us, this year we definitely want to get into it. We have only done glamping so far. We love the outdoors so that’s right up our street!
Do you tan easily, or are you a brilliant shade of toothpaste white wherever you go?
Nah, I’m pale but I don’t really tan. I burn but it doesn’t usually hurt, I’m just red!
What attraction or event would you recommend people go to this summer?
A family festival! Either one locally to you or one where you camp at. I love festivals and fairs, I think they have a unique atmosphere and bring everyone together, many of them are cheap or free if locally, and the ones which are longer and more of an attraction are a good alternative to a holiday. 🙂
Finally, let us have your best tip for a stress-free holiday?
What a question! Honestly, I think it is teamwork. Communication with your family/partner, making sure you don’t yell at each other, work through problems together. Things can get stressful quick and it’s easy to take things out on each other.
If you enjoyed this post, you’ll love Naomi’s blog. Head on over and make sure to follow her on social media!
Blog: http://www.tripswithatot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tripswithatot
Twitter: www.twitter.com/tripswithatot
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