As a family, we love Sicily, and it’s not just because half our ancestors come from there. The “ball” being kicked by mainland Italy’s “boot”, Sicily has so much to offer and also feels very different to the mainland. If you’ve visited Italy before, Sicily will be familiar but will also feel very different to […]
Best places for vegan food in Budapest
Traditional Hungarian food seems to always contain meat – the most famous national dish is goulash, a beef and vegetable stew. But these days I find that cosmopolitan Budapest has plenty of places which cater for vegetarians and vegans – you just need to do some research to find them. When my vegan daughter and […]
60 free things to do in London with a teenager
If you’re visiting London with a teenager, there’s a huge range of fun, interesting and quirky things to see and do in the city for free. From world-class museums to unique festivals to outdoor activities, there really is something for everyone to enjoy in London – without paying a penny. There are also some hotels […]
Thailand with teenagers: a two-week summer itinerary
If you’re planning a summer family holiday with a teenager, have you thought about Thailand? This south-east Asian country is a friendly and welcoming place to explore, the food’s amazing, it has more than 5,000 miles of coastline and it offers great value. AD – Some of our accommodation on this trip was provided for […]
Guide for parents: how to choose a secondary school
How do you choose a secondary school for your child? For my kids, I looked at the websites for schools in our area, read their Ofsted inspection reports and went along to open days. I also asked the advice of my children’s teachers and talked to other parents. I tried to think about what would […]
Things to do at The Tongsai Bay, Thailand
We were hosted at The Tongsai Bay for five nights.* We spent the second week of our summer family trip to Thailand on the island of Koh Samui, in the Gulf of Thailand. My husband, our kids (15 and 20) and I stayed at a marvellous luxury resort, The Tongsai Bay. Our stay was arranged […]
Ice skating at Somerset House, London
Ice rinks pop up across London each winter, from around mid-November time. From parks and shopping centres to iconic locations such as the Tower of London and the Natural History Museum, you don’t have to go far for a chance to get your skates on at this time of year. My sister and I used […]
Travelling with a child who has anxiety: advice for parents
I have to start by saying that, luckily for me, I don’t have anxiety issues. I’m writing this from the perspective of parenting a child who does, and of seeing what works for my family and for others. What is anxiety? We all feel anxious sometimes, for example if we’re starting a new job, or […]
Thai cooking class, The Tongsai Bay, Thailand
While staying at The Tongsai Bay (you can read my review of the hotel here) in Koh Samui, my family and I took part in an excellent Thai cooking class.* We’ve experienced cooking classes a few times on our family travels, and they’ve always been a success – even when the kids are at peak […]
Hotel review: The Tongsai Bay, Koh Samui, Thailand
We were hosted at The Tongsai Bay for five nights.* We spent the second week of our summer family trip by the beach on the island of Koh Samui in the Gulf of Thailand. We travelled there by road and ferry from Elephant Hills tented camp on the Thai mainland, having started off with a […]
