I love finding out about other parents and bloggers, so this month I decided to join in with '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 Amy from The Mighty Duxburys.

Summer is here! Are you going (or have you been) anywhere nice this year?

We’ve just come back from a wonderful fortnight in Tenerife with my family - it was so relaxing, but now merely a week later, it seems like a very, very distant memory. We do have a long weekend in the Lake District coming up, but not until October so back to the grind til then!

Where is your favourite Summer holiday destination?

I want to say Florida, but I’ve never actually been… so does that count? I’ve watched enough YouTube videos about Disney World to know I need to be there though, so I’m sticking with it. We’re hoping to be able to go in 2019 but for now, it remains my number one destination that I’ve not made it to yet! Watch those ears Mickey, I’m coming for you!

Do you prefer to spend your summer abroad or in the UK?

Abroad, I think. I like something different… whilst the UK has some really pretty, wonderful places, the excitement of hopping on a plane and heading off to a totally foreign place with different customs and traditions, a nice beach, lovely weather… I love that.

Any holiday horror stories to report?

No, not really. We’ve been lucky in that respect. I mean, I once wasted a day of a holiday being horrendously hungover (before Short Rib was born) and refusing to leave the hotel room, but that was my own fault. It’s the worst it's ever got though, really.

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?

Get out and explore! I can’t deal with staying still in the heat for too long (I’m not good with being too hot) so I need to get out and find nice places to eat, the best trips and all those awesome tacky souvenir shops. I need to go in all of them, at least twice. You find some real treasures in those shops!

Please help settle an argument. What is the earliest acceptable time to have a pre-holiday pint in the airport pub?

For me, any time after around 10:30… it’s way, way earlier than I’d normally drink but if you’re on your holidays, for a lot of people, a drink in Terminal 1’s bar is the start of it all. You’ve gone through security, your bags are heading towards the plane and the stressful bit of your outward bound journey is done. I personally don’t tend to drink in the airport… Short Rib doesn’t really allow sitting down for more than a few minutes, and this time around it was just way, way too crowded. I can take it or leave it.

How are you with flying? Love it, hate it or a bit nonplussed by it all?

I like it, for the most part. I’ve never had really strong turbulence but I imagine that might change my mind. I love everything once you get past security though - security at UK airports is such a pain! If we’re through in less than half an hour, we’re pretty chuffed.

What has been your favourite holiday that you’ve ever been on?

Before our Short Rib was born, Wes and I went to Zante in a resort called Tsilivi and we loved it. We went turtle spotting, went on a beach where there was collagen in the water, took photos near a shipwreck, had this awesome meal overlooking the Med, it was just awesome. We had a scooter for the full fortnight too, so we explored the whole island. We’d love to go back again with the little one now, but there certainly won’t be a scooter involved this time!

Where would you absolutely love to go, that you haven’t been yet?

Florida, Japan, Canada, Finland… there are a lot of places I’d like to go. They tend to be the ones that cost the most though! I’d love to go on a cruise too (that’s clearly the old woman in me!) but again, they cost a lot, so one thing at a time!

What is your favourite summer holiday memory from when you were a kid?

The first time I went abroad… I don’t remember too much about it, but I remember that I had the best time ever - there was a Virtua Tennis machine and a Crazy Taxi arcade machine in the hotel, that got way, way too many pesetas from me over the course of the fortnight. Making friends with kids that didn’t speak my language and hogging a pool table all night… really simple things, but at the time, that holiday was the best two weeks of my life!

What is the first song on your summer anthems playlist?

‘Dirty Little Secret’ by All-American Rejects. Get your minds out of the gutter - it’s just an upbeat catchy song. I’m not off to Magaluf or anything...

Camping (be it in the wilderness or in your back garden when you were a kid). Your thoughts?

Let’s go! Screw the weather - camping is awesome and next year it’s how we’re planning on spending a good portion of our Summer… we’ll need a new tent though, because we’ve not been since we’ve had kids.

Do you tan easily, or are you a brilliant shade of toothpaste white wherever you go?

When I was younger - I was white for most of the holiday, but red for a few days when I forgot to put cream on. As I’m getting older though, the tan is doing alright! I have very, very obvious lines but… that’s okay. Proves I was actually out in the sun!

What attraction or event would you recommend people go to this summer?

My go-to attraction, regardless of the weather, is Chester Zoo - it’s fantastic. Watch The Secret Life of the Zoo first and then go on a hunt for all the animals you’ve seen on it! They currently have two little baby rhinos for everyone to see… I say little, they’re clearly not, but you get the idea.

Finally, let us have you best tip for a stress-free holiday?

Start getting your packing together early - make a list early on and stick with it. It may mean you’re all in your scruffs for a week, but it’s better than trying to lump everything in the case at the last minute!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you check out Amy’s blog and social media!

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