Hi. I am Carly, a mom of two little girls who are about to be 6 and 8, and a bonus daughter who is 15. My husband and I are from South Africa, but after returning to the UK a year ago we are now raising our family in Yorkshire in the UK.
I blog at www.momoftwolittlegirls.com – you can also find me on:
- Facebook: @momoftwolittlegirls
- Instagram: @momoftwolittlegirls
- Twitter: @momof2lgs
Where was your favourite ever trip?
Goodness, I have been lucky to go to so many different places. I think the first real holiday I went on though will always hold a special place for me – it was to Sharm-el-Sheikh in Egypt.
What made you choose to go there and who did you go with?
We went there for my future-husband’s 30th birthday and we dived the red sea! We booked it because it was a hot destination, and we wanted to experience diving in one of the best places in the world. It was also one of the few holidays I can remember going on before I became a mum.
What made it so special?
We went for my partner’s 30th birthday. It was our first holiday away together and I think that’s what made is so special. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton, a 5 Star hotel. The hotel itself was stunning. Very luxurious.
Egypt in August was extremely hot. It was almost too hot. The temperature in the days was +40C and even the temperature of the sea was 20 meters down was about 20C.
The best part of the holiday was hands down, the diving. I almost feel like we were spoilt by picking that destination for our first diving holiday because it’s hard to beat. The water was so clear and the sheer variety of marine life that we saw was something I will never forget. Coming from Africa I am used to seeing a huge variety of wildlife on land, but under the sea is a whole different world.
In addition to the diving, we also enjoyed a day trip into the desert. The first part of the trip was on quad bikes, and the second part was on camels. We went to a Bedouin camp and the whole experience was unforgettable.
The tourist part of Sharm-el-Sheikh was very commercialised with the typical western bars and restaurants. But after meeting a local doctor on one of our diving trips he invited us to visit the old town with him as our guide. I think it was that experience that taught us that visiting somewhere on holiday is good, but if you want to see the real side of where you’re visiting, go where the locals go. It’s a philosophy we have taken to heart and we tend to follow this ethos whenever we travel. Even if we stay in the tourist part of town, we make a point of visiting the real-life version of our destination at least once.
Where was your least favourite trip and why?
My least favourite trip was probably a camping trip to the Zambezi Valley as a child. It was back in around 1991 and I was about 10 years old. The memories of camping in tents that ended up damp, as it rained for 10 days straight – that is a holiday none of us will ever forget. I think that’s the memory I always jump to when someone suggest we go camping. My gut reaction is – no!
What destination is on your Bukit list?
Namibia. Despite having lived in Southern Africa I never made it to Namibia. My husband did and he had the most amazing time so I know he would like us to visit as a family and spend more time there.
Thank you so much Carly
