I've been blogging for a few years now and one thing I've noticed is the amount of gadgets I need to use to keep it up. I need a laptop, phone and a very good camera. New gadgets are released on the market all the time so I seem to have a never-ending wish-list. I have also had my fair share of gadget blunders. I've lost a camera to a concierge who dropped it on the floor whilst taking our picture and I have very recently lost my laptop to my daughters dropping a glass of water on it! It's made me realise that any future gadgets I tick off from my list, I need to make sure they are covered by Switched On Insurance.
1) An Apple Macbook
Top of my list is a new MacBook to replace my broken one. I found it so easy to use and navigate that I don't think I'd want to change to another make.
2) A Drone
I'm always envious of the incredible footage that bloggers and vloggers can capture on their videos through using a drone. We travel a lot and I think a Drone would be the perfect addition for us to capture those special moments.
3) A Fitbit Versa
This isn't really a necessity for my blogging life, more of a necessity for my own personal wellbeing. Being a working mother, who also blogs, most of my days are chaotic and I often forget to look after myself. This watch has many features that would help me to look after my own wellbeing through exercise, breathing, relaxation etc.
4) iPhone 8
There really isn't anything wrong with the current iPhone I have, I would just like to upgrade it so I get the more enhanced camera. I use my phone daily to take pictures so a good camera is essential for my blog.
5) Olympus Pen
I'm always on the hunt for a new camera and lots of bloggers use the Olympus Pen. I've read great reviews about it so its on my list.
What gadgets have you got your eye on? Do you have any insurance for your devices?
*This is a collaborative post*
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The Middle East isn't your typical choice for a honeymoon destination. It's usually used as a few day stopover, on route to another country such as Mauritius or the Maldives. However, there are an array of romantic things to do in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi which make them an ideal destination. There are lots of choices for a honeymoon in The Middle East, available with Destination2, which you can view on their Homepage.
Below are a list of must do's to make your romantic honeymoon extra special:
Dubai
1) Hot Air Balloon Ride
Watching the sunrise over the beautiful never ending sand-dunes will provide an experience you'll never forget.
2) An Evening Cruise on Dubai Creek
Nothing screams romance more than an evening cruise surrounded by the night sky and beautiful lights.
3) An Overnight Desert Safari
From riding camels and watching the sunset to stargazing after an evening show. An overnight safari is a unique experience for lovebirds.
4) Enjoy an Evening Meal at The Burj Al Arab
Dubai provides an excellent base for culinary fans with every cuisine on offer that you can think of. For a special treat, book a meal at this iconic hotel.
5) Enjoy a Spa Day
The Palm boasts many luxury hotels which can provide relaxation and serenity. Enjoy being pampered together for a day of tranquility.
Abu Dhabi
1) Enjoy a Romantic BBQ on the Beach at Emirates Palace
This incredible hotel makes for a perfect backdrop for a date night. With delicious food on the menu you'll be sure to want to return.
2) Visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque
This is an iconic place to visit whilst in Abu Dhabi where you'll get to experience the culture and beauty of The Middle East.
3) Have a Picnic in Al Safa Park
A picnic is such a romantic experience and this place is not one to miss.
4) Get an Adrenaline Rush at Ferrari World
For an experience like no other, take a ride on the fastest rollercoaster in the world. Ferrari World is a playground for thrill seekers.
5) Go Pearl Diving
Pearl diving is part of the Emirati heritage. Any pearls that are found can be kept which would make a lovely souvenir from your honeymoon.
Have you been to Abu Dhabi or Dubai? What would you suggest to do on a honeymoon there?
*This is a collaborative post*
Below are a list of must do's to make your romantic honeymoon extra special:
Dubai
1) Hot Air Balloon Ride
Watching the sunrise over the beautiful never ending sand-dunes will provide an experience you'll never forget.
2) An Evening Cruise on Dubai Creek
Nothing screams romance more than an evening cruise surrounded by the night sky and beautiful lights.
3) An Overnight Desert Safari
From riding camels and watching the sunset to stargazing after an evening show. An overnight safari is a unique experience for lovebirds.
Dubai provides an excellent base for culinary fans with every cuisine on offer that you can think of. For a special treat, book a meal at this iconic hotel.
5) Enjoy a Spa Day
The Palm boasts many luxury hotels which can provide relaxation and serenity. Enjoy being pampered together for a day of tranquility.
Abu Dhabi
1) Enjoy a Romantic BBQ on the Beach at Emirates Palace
This incredible hotel makes for a perfect backdrop for a date night. With delicious food on the menu you'll be sure to want to return.
2) Visit the Sheikh Zayed Mosque
This is an iconic place to visit whilst in Abu Dhabi where you'll get to experience the culture and beauty of The Middle East.
3) Have a Picnic in Al Safa Park
A picnic is such a romantic experience and this place is not one to miss.
4) Get an Adrenaline Rush at Ferrari World
For an experience like no other, take a ride on the fastest rollercoaster in the world. Ferrari World is a playground for thrill seekers.
5) Go Pearl Diving
Pearl diving is part of the Emirati heritage. Any pearls that are found can be kept which would make a lovely souvenir from your honeymoon.
Have you been to Abu Dhabi or Dubai? What would you suggest to do on a honeymoon there?
*This is a collaborative post*
One of our favourite hotels in South Wales is The Celtic Manor Resort. We often go there for afternoon tea and we've spent wedding anniversaries there too. The hotel itself is renowned for its world class golf offerings after hosting The Ryder Cup in 2010 so when I was asked if I'd like to attend The Celebrity Cup, I had to say yes.
I'll be the first to admit that I've never actually watched golf. I've dabbled in playing a few times but that's as far as my knowledge stretches. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the event but knowing that both my husband and I enjoy outings to the hotel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to watch a game.
The Celebrity Cup is played over 2 days by an array of celebrities in 4 teams from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England. Teams go head to head to raise vital funds for Velindre Cancer Centre.
This year's teams are listed below.
Team Wales:
We arrived at the event and my first impression was how beautiful the course was. I've never really thought of a golf course as being in a pretty setting but this one was stunning. It had sweeping views of South Wales and beyond and of course the hotel as a backdrop. We really lucked out with the weather. It was clear skies and sunny, making for ideal conditions to soak up the atmosphere.
The first thing we did was head to the food tent after being enticed by the wonderful aroma. There were a few different things to choose from but we opted for the Cen pop up (which is an Asian restaurant based in the hotel). The food was delicious and the portion size was just right.
There were plenty of drink offerings but we opted for a jug of Pimms, which was perfectly refreshing in the hot weather.
We then watched the golf. We followed the players around the course and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it (although I was worried about being hit In the head with a ball).
The amazing Red Arrows also did a 'fly past' which was spectacular
I'll be the first to admit that I've never actually watched golf. I've dabbled in playing a few times but that's as far as my knowledge stretches. I wasn't sure what I'd think of the event but knowing that both my husband and I enjoy outings to the hotel, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to watch a game.
The Celebrity Cup is played over 2 days by an array of celebrities in 4 teams from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England. Teams go head to head to raise vital funds for Velindre Cancer Centre.
This year's teams are listed below.
Team Wales:
Gethin Jones
Team captain and presenter
Jonathan Davies
Presenter and former Welsh rugby player
Gareth Edwards
Welsh former rugby union player
Ieuan Evans Former rugby union player and Sky pundit
Scott Quinnell
Former rugby union player and Sky pundit
Phil Glenister
Actor (Life on Mars)
Team England
Bradley Walsh
Team captain, actor, singer and presenter
Mike Tindall,
Former England rugby player
Peter Jones
Dragon’s Den entrepreneur
Kelvin Fletcher
Actor (Emmerdale)
James Anderson
International Cricketer
Graeme Swann
Former England cricketer
Team Scotland
Rory Lawson
Team captain and international rugby player
Max Evans
Rugby union player
Thom Evans
Model and former Scottish international rugby player
Grieg Laidlaw
Scottish rugby union player
Jenni Falconer
Presenter
Stuart Hogg
Scottish rugby union player
Team Ireland
Brian McFadden
Team captain and Westlife band member
Ronan Keating
Boyzone band member
James Nesbitt
Actor (Cold Feet)
Keith Duffy
Boyzone band member and actor(Coronation St)
Brendan O’Carroll
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
Danny O’Carroll
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
Jennifer Gibney
Actor, Mrs Brown’s Boys
The first thing we did was head to the food tent after being enticed by the wonderful aroma. There were a few different things to choose from but we opted for the Cen pop up (which is an Asian restaurant based in the hotel). The food was delicious and the portion size was just right.
There were plenty of drink offerings but we opted for a jug of Pimms, which was perfectly refreshing in the hot weather.
We then watched the golf. We followed the players around the course and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it (although I was worried about being hit In the head with a ball).
The amazing Red Arrows also did a 'fly past' which was spectacular
Team Wales were crowned this year's Celebrity Cup winner's after beating England 14-12.
Image credit - Celebrity cup at The Celtic Manor Resort
Overall, we enjoyed our new experience. It made for a lovely day date. We would return again.
*Thank you to The Celtic Manor Resort for inviting me to attend the event. I wasn't asked to write a post but I have written one. All view and opinions are my own*
One thing I love about when we go to Disney is planning my outfits. I recently started Disneybounding and you can read about my very first Disneybound which was a Mickey Mouse inspired outfit here, Mickey Mouse Disneybound.
Our last trip to Disney was at the beginning of June. We only had 3 days there this time but that included the Fandaze event. I managed to wear 4 different outfits whilst we were there.
On our first day we had lunch at Auberge de Cendrillon which the girls thought was amazing. We had matching Alice in Wonderland dresses on, from the Disney X Cath Kidston range. They are perfect for summer months in Disney as they are quite thin. Lots of the cast members commented on them so my girls were extremely happy.
On our second day hubby and I wore our twinning Monster's Inc t-shirt's from Popcorn clothing. I am obsessed with them. They are great quality and wash well. I paired mine with customised ears from Hannah Marie Magic. If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know how much I adore Hannah's creations. The majority of my ear collection are from her shop.
In the evening it was the after hours Fandaze event. We decided to honour Moana so both of the girls wore their costumes and I did a Moana bound. My ears were again by Hannah Marie Magic and my top and shorts were from Primark. It was quite hot that day/eve so a Moana bound was ideal.
On our last day I wore an outfit which I bought in Disneyland Paris. It was from the Minnie Mouse fashion range. I'd bought the top and skirt earlier in the year and then managed to get the cardigan in June with 50% off plus my annual pass discount on top of that, so it ended up being an absolute bargain.
What was your favourite outfit out of the 4 I wore?
Our last trip to Disney was at the beginning of June. We only had 3 days there this time but that included the Fandaze event. I managed to wear 4 different outfits whilst we were there.
On our first day we had lunch at Auberge de Cendrillon which the girls thought was amazing. We had matching Alice in Wonderland dresses on, from the Disney X Cath Kidston range. They are perfect for summer months in Disney as they are quite thin. Lots of the cast members commented on them so my girls were extremely happy.
On our second day hubby and I wore our twinning Monster's Inc t-shirt's from Popcorn clothing. I am obsessed with them. They are great quality and wash well. I paired mine with customised ears from Hannah Marie Magic. If you follow me on Instagram then you'll know how much I adore Hannah's creations. The majority of my ear collection are from her shop.
In the evening it was the after hours Fandaze event. We decided to honour Moana so both of the girls wore their costumes and I did a Moana bound. My ears were again by Hannah Marie Magic and my top and shorts were from Primark. It was quite hot that day/eve so a Moana bound was ideal.
On our last day I wore an outfit which I bought in Disneyland Paris. It was from the Minnie Mouse fashion range. I'd bought the top and skirt earlier in the year and then managed to get the cardigan in June with 50% off plus my annual pass discount on top of that, so it ended up being an absolute bargain.
What was your favourite outfit out of the 4 I wore?
If you’re someone that always looks at other people’s travel adventures and wishes that you could do that yourself, it might be time to do something about it. Do you think about travel more and more lately? Do you wish that you could see more of this beautiful world? Well, the most exciting news for you right now, is that you can. You really can! If you want to travel more, you always have the option to do it - you just have to bring it into your life. Now, when you have a family, this can seem harder. But again, it’s not impossible. Traveling more could just be to go on a trip for that year (when you never get to), or to go on a few extra breaks. Or it could be something like taking your family around the world. If that’s what you want to do, then here are five options to help you.
1. Prioritize It
So the first thing you have to do, is to actually want to travel more. If you’re saying that you wish you could go on more holidays, but you’re spending money on clothes and going out, then you’re just not that serious about it. Instead, you need to make sure that you’re making the idea of travel a priority. If you don’t, it will always stay a dream instead of a reality.
2. Allow Time For It
Next, you just have to make sure that you’re allowing time for it too. If you’re always packing your schedule with playdates and work functions, then you’re not really making room for travel, are you? So instead, you’re going to want to start getting a bit smarter with your schedule and really making sure that you have some time to plan in trips or breaks when you can.
3. Cut Back On What You Spend
Next, it’s all about money. You just have to get smarter for it. If you are spending everything you have on everything else but travel, then you’re not going to make it happen. So work travel into your budget, but money aside for it, and then you’ll be in a much better position to actually start traveling more.
4. Take Advantage Of Offers
It’s also important for you to be thinking about the offers that you can utilize in order to get better deals on travel. If it is the price that holds you back, then look for branded offers like First Choice voucher codes or collect points to get the deals you need. This will then make it easier for you to travel.
5. Incentivize Yourself
Finally, a great way to make sure that you start to travel more, is to really incentivize yourself. If you feel as if you want to go on more holidays or get more opportunities to travel, you need to really motivate yourself to make it happen. So why not write yourself a travel bucket list? It can help you to know where you want to go. Then, you could also create a vision board so that it motivates you to make it happen too.
*This is a collaborative post*
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