Take 12 trips: 9 months down
I can’t quite believe how fast the time has gone since my last Take 12 Trips update – so fast, in fact, that I’m a couple of weeks late with my round-up of the last quarter.
With 15 trips taken by the middle of the year, including one overseas, we’ve been venturing further and further over the past few months.
Since July, we’ve visited Amsterdam, the Isles of Scilly and Florida as well as a weekend in Yorkshire and four days out. Which makes another eight trips to match the start of the year!
July
Kicking off the month was a city break in Amsterdam – an unexpectedly child-friendly city, where we visited the zoo and Nemo Science Center as well as a couple of museums, with some art at the Van Gogh museum and a treat for myself at the Tassenmuseum plus a canal tour.
This month is also a good one to take stock after three years of travelling with my mini companion and a small celebration at Mottisfont in Hampshire where they were unveiling a new Charlie & Lola exhibition.
And we headed back to the London Wetland Centre to explore in high summer and discover how much family travel changes as my daughter grows, even when the destination remains the same.
August
The next month, we never left the UK… but still managed to take a memorable plane journey with our short break on the Isles of Scilly. Staying at Tregarthen’s Hotel, I discovered there’s plenty to do with kids including a boat tour, seal spotting and some long cliff-top walks.
Then up to Yorkshire for the bank holiday weekend – including the Room on the Broom trail at Anglers Country Park in Wakefield, as well as a visit to Nostell Priory.
September
The big trip this month was Florida – but not what you might expect. Neither Miami, which I love, nor the big hotspot of Orlando, but over to the Gulf Coast and Bradenton.
Staying on Anna Maria Island – get a sneak peek of our accommodation in my video – it was a fantastic beachy trip, hugely laid-back.
There’s still posts to come on that trip, including a boat tour, but we also saw manatees and soaked up the relaxed atmosphere on the island.
And another boat for me… although a rather grander one, with a day aboard Royal Princess as the cruise ship was docked in Southampton.
Last but not least, a rather different type of transport – the open day at the London Transport Museum’s Acton Depot, home to all the vintage signs and retro buses you could want. A great family day out and unexpectedly fun for me too.
We’re already well on the way to completing the last three months as well – Antigua so far in October and I have a child-free trip (!) planned to Ljubljana with one of my oldest friends before the end of the month.
It’ll be my first since going to Granada almost 18 months ago.
For now, there’s nothing in November or December… which will at least let me catch up on some long overdue blogging.
But with Minnie asking to go to another aquarium, that’s starting to sound like a great idea for one of the cold winter months – and would potentially let me carry on keeping one of my New Year travel resolutions.
Having completed my first #take12trips challenge, I am determined not to let the months whoosh past even faster and slip up right at the end.
Main image courtesy Depositphotos, all others copyright MummyTravels
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Wow! What lovely places you have visited! We dont travel much but i really think its good to see the rest of the world! Stunning photos!! Enjoyed reading about your advenntures ???? xxx
Thank you! And definitely, there’s nothing like seeing other places and cultures, I think (although I would say that 🙂 )
Wowzer, you’ve had some great trips this year! By the end of the year I would have had 9, with two biguns (Australia and SVG), and some little overseas weekend and UK-based trips. I think that’s pretty good going though as I have a full time job as well as my blog so have to stick to weekends and annual leave. Definitely gonna try the 12 trips challenge next year 😛 what a great excuse to book more trips!
C x
It has been quite a packed year! But Australia and SVG would both be amazing too – and that’s one thing I love about the 12 trips challenge is it inspires you to try something every month, whether it’s 10 minutes away or 10 hours on a plane, so definitely doable over weekends etc as well. The first year I tried it, we discovered a few places right on the doorstep as a result. Not that I ever need much excuse!
wow so many wonderful trips. I love travelling and we are hoping to travel a lot more in 2016
We do seem to have packed a lot in – I hope you get to travel more next year as well.
Wow, you have so many exciting travels! I’m surprised to hear that Amsterdam is so child-friendly, that’s really great. I’ve heard the Gulf Coast & Bradenton is a lovely place to visit. I’m enjoying following your adventures x
Thanks! Amsterdam is great for kids, seems really child-friendly and for different ages (just watch the bikes) – Bradenton and the Gulf Coast are gorgeous spots as well.
Wow that is a lot, but go you! Off to read some more of your posts now 🙂
Thanks! Hope you find a few to entertain/inspire 🙂
Wow you must be exhausted. Travelling is so tiring. You have been to some wonderful places, gorgeous pictures x
I do feel like slowing down a little – but that always wears off after a few days and I get itchy feet again! And thank you 🙂
You are living the dream I am envious as I have always wanted to travel. What has been your most memorable trip so far? x
There really is nothing like it – I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of seeing new places. So many memorable ones but perhaps Madagascar was the most amazing so far (but also Laos, Lebanon, Lisbon… and lots more not beginning with L!)
Fantastic round-up Cathy! You have certainly been busy but what great places you have been. I must try and work out what we’ve over the summer months…I’m like you – still so much catching up to be done on the blogging front! x
Thanks! It is fun looking back – and I always feel the memories and experiences are worth the temporary hecticness (especially as school will soon be on the horizon). It would be good to have a few more hours in the day though…
wow – that is some serious travelling! Oh I missed you onboard The Royal Princess, I was there too! Kaz x
Oh sorry to miss you too – being whisked around in those little groups meant I didn’t get chance to see a few people. It was lovely wasn’t it…
Really???? Seriously, I am hugely jealous. As someone who has let their passport expire down here in Oz, I feel I may never leave the island. Half your luck. At least I can ogle your photos and pretend I’m there..!! #bestandworst
Ogle away 🙂 I get itchy feet within about two weeks (or less…) if I haven’t got a trip lined up – although if I had all of Oz to explore, I’d probably be less worried about running out of places to visit without a passport!
I’m lovin’ your life – can we swap?! #bestandworst
Thanks! – and you can have all the 2am jetlagged starts 😉
I’m super jealous, although we have done a bit of travel this year but just local. In Australia it is a bit more isolating from overseas adventures. Looks like some amazing memories made, well done! #whatevertheweather #bestandworst
Sorry 🙂 And I admit, I’d love to have all of Australia on my doorstep too (and bits of Far East to discover) – but every trip makes a great memory, I think.
Wow! You really have managed to fit in a lot this year! I don’t blame you for not managing to blog about everything, there’s so much to do and see, never mind write down! Beautiful photos and some fantastic places to visit, I would love to go to the Isles of Scilly, but we’re off to Orkney next year for our friends wedding and then we’ll try and fit in a little camping too. I can’t wait!
Thanks so much for linking up to #Whatevertheweather 🙂 x
I think I need another month to catch up 🙂 And thank you! Orkney sounds fascinating as well, I’ve only visited Skye.
Wow, your travels are amazing!One thing I wish did was travel more, I am quite well travelled really but I wish I could do more!So much world to explore. Thanks for linking up to the #bestandworst see you again! x
Thanks – and there is always more world to explore. Even places I’ve visited, I’d like to go back to again so the list only gets longer…
Wow Cathy, you have been incredibly busy! I plan on joining you for the 12 trips challenge in 2016… a perfect excuse to get lots of trips booked!
Your trip to the Gulf Coast looks and sounds fabulous and I am so jealous of your holiday in Antigua, its been two years since we last visited but it is one of my favourite islands in the Caribbean.
Our next trip is a return to Copenhagen for the Christmas markets, I will need to wrap my boys in lots of layers as it is going to be freezing! #whatevertheweather
Do! It’s such a fun challenge – and Copenhagen is great, isn’t it, though I’ve not visited the Christmas markets. Will look forward to reading about your travels there.
Oh wow what an enviable year. You’ve been to some stunning places and I’m sure made some beautiful memories. I’d love to go to all of these and especially Antigua. I bet it’s so, so beautiful. It’s so lovely that you get the opportunity to do all of this. I wouldn’t want to take any time off to slow down, it sounds so fabulous jetting off here and there a lot. Thank you so, so much for sharing this on #whatevertheweather x
Thank you! And you’re right, it is a bit of a dream to get to go to all these places – Antigua was stunning. I usually get itchy feet again after a few weeks so those resolutions to slow down a bit never last 🙂
I love the idea of travel resolutions and think I would like to try this next year. You’ve certainly been a busy bee. You say you are quiet in November and December – I bet it doesn’t stay like this for long!
Thanks for linking to #TravelTales xx
It’s a really fun one to try – was great when my daughter was little too and booking trips or days out seemed a much bigger deal. And I’m already plotting for this month 🙂
That’s some great travel! What a fun challenge. It’s got me thinking about h ow many trips we took last year – I’m sure it’s not 12 but it may be close.
Thanks! Once you start counting in day trips or visits to museums etc, which are very definitely included, I bet it’s more than you think. It’s a very fun challenge to try though.