A mum who regularly flies abroad for child-free day trips says it costs her less than a meal out in the UK.
Monica Stott, from Wrexham, has been on whirlwind adventures to places like Reykjavik, Amsterdam and Alicante – and often pays under £100 for return flights.
The 37-year-old says he started doing “extreme day trips” after travelling to Dublin for work and discovering how easy it was to turn a quick meeting into a mini holiday.
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Now she’s turned her love of quick escapes into a mission to show others how affordable and doable spontaneous travel can be.
“It was like clocking off work and stepping straight into holiday mode,” the travel blogger told What’s The Jam.
“One hour in the boardroom, then suddenly I’m wandering the streets of Dublin, pint in hand. It felt like a brilliant hack.
“Flying to Alicante with my partner and friends costs less than all of us getting the train into London.
“It’s about £150 for our flights, but the train tickets alone add up to £150 each – and that’s before we’ve even had a drink.
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“Sometimes we think nothing beats a night out in London, but when you add up the train fares, meals, drinks and taxis, a day trip abroad suddenly looks like the smarter option.
“It’s crazy, but for the cost of one night out in the capital, I can be sunning myself in Spain or wandering through a castle in Italy and still be home in time for bed.”
Since dipping her toes into the world of ‘extreme day trips’, Monica has packed sightseeing, local food and even castle visits into whirlwind getaways – all squeezed into a single day.
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She usually jets off at the crack of dawn and is back home by bedtime, making the most of every hour abroad.
The mum, who lives near the border of Wrexham and Chester, typically flies from Manchester or Liverpool and snaps up bargain deals by booking well in advance.
Monica usually aims to spend under £100 on flights and books deals well in advance – jetting off to Dublin for just £35.
She plans her trips around when her three children, George, 10, Joseph, eight and Alba, five, are with their dad.
She also chooses dates depending on when her partner, who works four days on, four off, is available.
Monica said: “My partner works shifts – four days on, four off – so if we plan something during his time off, it works really well.
“I also have three children. When they spend time with their dad, it’s a nice opportunity for me to get away.
“I can’t be going away for a week at a time, but I can do child-free day trips.
“As a mum, it’s so easy to lose your sense of identity. These little solo escapes remind me I’m still me, not just ‘mum’ 24/7.”
“It’s not about escaping my kids – it’s about recharging so I can be a better parent when I get back.”
Despite the perks, Monica says travelling like this isn’t for everyone, especially those who don’t like early mornings.
However, the mum, who runs the travel blog The Travel Hack, insists it’s manageable with a little bit of planning.
She said, “I recommend these trips to others, but they’re not for everyone. I know that being very tired, doing a lot, and waking up early can spoil the day for some people.
“I always try and get the earliest flight out. That usually means leaving the house at 3:30 am, getting up at 3 am.
“And when you’re excited for a flight, you don’t sleep well anyway.
“It’s worth noting that the next day, you’re absolutely flat out. You have to schedule recovery time.”
Monica is careful about when she travels and tries to avoid peak tourist months.
Conscious of the environmental impact, she also makes an effort to be mindful about her flight usage.
She added, “I think it’s just important to be mindful. I take more flights than the average person because it’s part of my job.
“I’m mindful of it, and I tend to go away more during times I don’t want to be at home.
“For example, in the summer I live in Wales – I don’t want to go anywhere else. I spent the whole summer at home in Wales.
“But to go to Alicante in March, when the sun is shining and it’s raining in the UK – that makes sense to me.
“It’s about picking and choosing. I’m not saying I go away every single month. Just because it’s cheap doesn’t mean you should.
“But travel doesn’t have to be a luxury only for the rich. If you plan well, a quick day trip abroad can be an affordable treat anyone can enjoy.”
