Latest news with #familytrip
South China Morning Post
2 days ago
- General
- South China Morning Post
This week in PostMag: Bangkok, Japan, the Silk Road and more top travel ideas
One of the saddest things about becoming an adult is losing summer. Of course, there's still the season, which honestly I'd happily lose in Hong Kong, its oppressive humidity and all. But the deliciously lazy six to eight weeks of nothingness and boredom I remember from childhood vanish for most of us in the workforce. (Though, perhaps they've already disappeared for the modern era's chronically overscheduled children, too.) Somewhere in the midst of these lazy weeks, there might be a family trip to break the glorious banality of doing nothing. A day at the seaside, a visit to grandparents, perhaps an exotic journey abroad, if you're lucky. In that spirit of those adventures both big and small, allow me to introduce our summer travel special. Whether or not you have your travel plans booked, or even if you're staying in the city throughout, I hope this issue inspires you as it did me. I loved reading about the renewed energy sweeping Bangkok's Chinatown neighbourhood. Vincent Vichit-Vadakan talks to the next generation who are driving the change, restoring heritage buildings and transforming the area with forward-thinking restaurants, bars and art spaces. From what people have been telling me, there's been no better time to visit Bangkok than now and this has me convinced. With his gorgeous photography, Christopher Wilton-Steer documents the last leg of his 40,000km journey along the Silk Road. In his recently published book, he travels eastward from Italy all the way to Beijing, weaving together the famed trade route's history with the present day. Here, Wilton-Steer has shared the final portion of his odyssey from the Pakistan border into China. The far western reaches of the mainland are not an area I've visited yet, but the striking landscape of Dunhuang and the Gobi Desert are calling. Cameron Dueck treks through Japan's largest national park, Daisetsuzan. I'll be honest, the prospect of brown bears lessens its appeal for me but I have faith you might be braver. What does the height of indulgence look like to a newly christened Hongkonger? The solitude and vast expanses of wilderness that he encounters.
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Daily Mail
Controversial influencer Sarah's Day slams her son's school after she was scolded for pulling the six-year-old out of classes for a family trip to Fiji
Sarah's Day has slammed her six-year-old son Fox's school after she pulled him out of classes for a family trip to Fiji. The lifestyle YouTuber, 32, whose real name is Sarah Stevenson, is currently on a lavish getaway for her mother's 60th birthday. But it seems things went awry on the first day of their holiday as the mother-of-three received an email from her son's school saying he 'wasn't approved' to go on leave. Sarah shared the ordeal with her followers as she posted a posting a photo of her boys Fox and Malakai, three, watching a performance in Fiji. 'When Foxy's school emails you and says his "leave hasn't been approved" and it's important for him to be at school learning,' she wrote in the caption. From A-list scandals and red carpet mishaps to exclusive pictures and viral moments, subscribe to the DailyMail's new showbiz newsletter to stay in the loop. But Sarah's commentary on the matter didn't end there, as she later uploaded another series of videos calling out the school. 'A few weeks ago before we left for Fiji, I had to apply for leave [at the school] if you're going for more than three days, so I did that,' Sarah explained. 'I filled in this extended leave form. I talked to the receptionist and she said, "You just have to send us proof of your flights." So, I sent in proof of my flights. 'They responded via email saying "sweet we've got everything we need for this getaway." I said this is [Fox's] grandma's 60th trip. It's really important. 'He's only missing five days of school. Anyway, day one of the trip I get an email back. We're at the airport, and it says Fox's leave hasn't been approved. 'Yes, I want him to learn how to read and write and be in a classroom, but I haven't pulled him out of school for a month. 'Anyway, whatever. I responded and I was like, "Okay, well we're at the airport. Thanks I guess." Whatever. Love school.' Sarah and her husband Kurt Tilse welcomed their third child together last year. But it seems things went awry on the first day of their holiday as the mother-of-three received an email from her son's school saying he 'wasn't approved' to go on leave She shared photographs from her at-home labour on her Stories at the time, writing in the caption: 'And so it began.' In the Polaroid pictures, Sarah could be seen cradling her baby bump as she sat on an exercise ball and drank a hot beverage. Another picture showed her in labour at her home as she leaned on her couch while she was supported by a midwife. A final black-and-white picture featured her two older sons smiling as she documented her third baby boy's arrival. Sarah and Kurt named their third son Harlow Judah.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowner Returns From Trip to Find Her Yard Professionally Mowed. Now, She Claims to Have Good Reason Not to Pay the Gardener
A woman returned home from a family trip to discover that the grass had been trimmed in her front and backyard Venting on Mumsnet, she shared that the previous owner of her house hadn't mentioned their contract with a professional gardener 'I told him no, sorry I'm not paying and he needs to take it up with them,' she saidA woman is withering up amid a dispute with a gardener! The woman explained in a post on the U.K.-based forum Mumsnet that she purchased a house in December last year that had been standing empty for at least two years after no longer being used as a rental. Having been unaware of how the former owners managed the property's large front and backyard, she 'took ownership' of the gardening once settled in. 'Anyway, I've been away for the last week with family and came home on Wednesday to freshly cut grass, weeds pulled, etc.,' the woman wrote. 'I asked my neighbors if they had seen anyone but they were at work. 'It turns out that the previous owners hired a company to do the work and hadn't notified them that they'd sold the house last year,' she continued. 'I only found this out yesterday as the gardener turned up with the invoice.' is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! The woman said she politely explained to the gardener that she wasn't aware of the arrangement and he should contact the previous owners for payment. However, he soon was at her door again, claiming they were only willing to pay him half of the sum and she should pay the rest because she's 'the one benefiting from the work.' 'I told him no, sorry I'm not paying and he needs to take it up with them,' the woman said. 'I do feel bad for the gardener, but it's their fault. I didn't ask for this. They were awkward during the conveyancing process too so this doesn't surprise me. AIBU [am I being unreasonable]?' Responses to the post were divided on whether or not the woman should pay the gardening invoice. 'I think you ABU [are being unreasonable],' a commenter wrote. 'If this happened to me, I'd be happy to pay half and ask the guy when he was free to come again! But I hate gardening, so… The gardener shouldn't have to be put in an awkward position. It's fair that the previous owners pay half although you are benefiting.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Disagreeing, another said, 'OP [original poster] is not 'benefiting' as she's a person who is happy to do her own gardening! This is totally on the previous owners. They didn't cancel the service, they owe the fee.' A third chimed in, 'The previous owners should pay him in full. If they want you to pay them back half, then they should get in touch with you directly, not expect the gardener to be their messenger.' 'For me, the issue sits with the previous owners AND the gardener,' another wrote. 'The POs [previous owners] should have informed the gardener they were moving, and the gardener should have sent them a reminder text/email to say what date he was coming, which would have prompted a 'oh we don't live there anymore!' response. Not your circus, not your monkeys.' Read the original article on People
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homeowner Returns From Trip to Find Her Yard Professionally Mowed. Now, She Claims to Have Good Reason Not to Pay the Gardener
A woman returned home from a family trip to discover that the grass had been trimmed in her front and backyard Venting on Mumsnet, she shared that the previous owner of her house hadn't mentioned their contract with a professional gardener 'I told him no, sorry I'm not paying and he needs to take it up with them,' she saidA woman is withering up amid a dispute with a gardener! The woman explained in a post on the U.K.-based forum Mumsnet that she purchased a house in December last year that had been standing empty for at least two years after no longer being used as a rental. Having been unaware of how the former owners managed the property's large front and backyard, she 'took ownership' of the gardening once settled in. 'Anyway, I've been away for the last week with family and came home on Wednesday to freshly cut grass, weeds pulled, etc.,' the woman wrote. 'I asked my neighbors if they had seen anyone but they were at work. 'It turns out that the previous owners hired a company to do the work and hadn't notified them that they'd sold the house last year,' she continued. 'I only found this out yesterday as the gardener turned up with the invoice.' is now available in the Apple App Store! Download it now for the most binge-worthy celeb content, exclusive video clips, astrology updates and more! The woman said she politely explained to the gardener that she wasn't aware of the arrangement and he should contact the previous owners for payment. However, he soon was at her door again, claiming they were only willing to pay him half of the sum and she should pay the rest because she's 'the one benefiting from the work.' 'I told him no, sorry I'm not paying and he needs to take it up with them,' the woman said. 'I do feel bad for the gardener, but it's their fault. I didn't ask for this. They were awkward during the conveyancing process too so this doesn't surprise me. AIBU [am I being unreasonable]?' Responses to the post were divided on whether or not the woman should pay the gardening invoice. 'I think you ABU [are being unreasonable],' a commenter wrote. 'If this happened to me, I'd be happy to pay half and ask the guy when he was free to come again! But I hate gardening, so… The gardener shouldn't have to be put in an awkward position. It's fair that the previous owners pay half although you are benefiting.' Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Disagreeing, another said, 'OP [original poster] is not 'benefiting' as she's a person who is happy to do her own gardening! This is totally on the previous owners. They didn't cancel the service, they owe the fee.' A third chimed in, 'The previous owners should pay him in full. If they want you to pay them back half, then they should get in touch with you directly, not expect the gardener to be their messenger.' 'For me, the issue sits with the previous owners AND the gardener,' another wrote. 'The POs [previous owners] should have informed the gardener they were moving, and the gardener should have sent them a reminder text/email to say what date he was coming, which would have prompted a 'oh we don't live there anymore!' response. Not your circus, not your monkeys.' Read the original article on People
Times
23-05-2025
- Times
My weekend at a cosy National Trust cottage — in an underrated county
'Are we there yet?' I've stopped counting the number of times I've heard the question in the two hours since we got in the car. 'I'm bored,' my son says with a sigh. 'And I'm hungry,' my daughter adds. We're on an early spring weekend away in rural Warwickshire. I am entertaining two generations: my mum, who is visiting from Sweden, and my kids, who are eight and six. Worms, mud and sticks for the children and flowers, long walks and birdsong for my mum: a countryside escape seems like the perfect way to please them all. 'Oh look,' my mum says. 'There it is!' We're staying in a cottage on the grounds of Upton House and Gardens, which is run by the National Trust and is seven miles north of Banbury, in neighbouring Oxfordshire (adult £17, child £8.50, free for members; The National Trust has more than 500 lovely holiday rentals on its books these days, and throws in entry to all of its historic properties for the duration of your stay. Warwickshire isn't quite your usual weekend destination but, unlike the nearby Cotswolds, which gets jammed with out-of-towners every Saturday and Sunday, its quiet and unassuming beauty makes it the perfect two-night break if you want to discover somewhere new. First: lunch. As with most National Trust venues, there is a tearoom in the grounds. The Pavilion café is well stocked with soup, sandwiches and an array of cakes, scones and teas. My kids wolf down baked potatoes with beans while my mum and I enjoy the pea soup and a slice of ginger and parsnip cake, which is surprisingly delicious. Bellies full, we decide to explore the grounds. Upton House is a long, low house built in the local yellow sandstone. It is mainly an art gallery, showcasing the fine collections of old masters including Bosch, El Greco and Canaletto. The property was acquired in 1927 by Lord and Lady Bearsted, a couple who frequently used their wealth for philanthropic purposes. The acquisition coincided with the Great Depression, when unemployment was high. Lord Bearsted wrote to the local village announcing that 'any man who presents himself at my house at 9am on Monday morning shall find work there'. But while the house is impressive, it is the garden that is the real gem. Designed in the 1930s by Kitty Lloyd-Jones, one of the UK's first female professional horticulturalists, it includes a large lawn area with huge cedar trees, a terraced garden, a series of herbaceous borders and a lake — known as the mirror pool — with water lilies. There is also a woodland walk, with plenty of logs to climb, balance on or trip over, and tunnels that lead you round and under the holly trees — the children's favourite part. 'Let's play tag,' they shout. The gardens drop away steeply down a valley. A camera phone is essential and good walking boots would be an advantage; my trainers feel dangerously slippery at times. With tired legs from all the walking, we head to our home for the next two nights: Bog Cottage. The grade II listed cottage, which was a banqueting house in the 18th century, is built into the wall of the Bog Garden, which used to be overgrown marshland. As you approach the brick building looks modest, as most of the windows are facing the opposite side, but once inside the light flooding in and the high ceilings make it feel as if you're in a stately home. It is certainly much nicer than the name Bog would suggest. It's airy and cosy, with rustic floorboards, cream walls and chandeliers. The top floor has two bedrooms, the children's twin room with wrought-iron beds and a ceiling so high that you need a pole to open the windows, and a master bedroom next door. • 26 of the UK's best beachfront cottages Downstairs, there's a lounge and kitchen area with a fireplace. The real knockout is the four huge windows overlooking the Bog Garden. It's like a Turner painting: rolling hills, lush green plants, a gentle stream and magnolia trees that have just started to blossom. On the other side of the cottage is a small private garden. The next morning it is warm enough for us to have breakfast there, listening to the sheep and lambs bleating in the field nearby. My son throws sticks, my daughter does cartwheels and my mum drinks coffee. Bliss. Bog Cottage's location makes it ideal for day trips into this area's main attractions, so we hop in the car and head to Stratford-upon-Avon, a 25-minute drive to the northwest. William Shakespeare, of course, hailed from this medieval market town with cobbled streets and Tudor houses, and it has plenty to see. You can get tickets that include access to Shakespeare's Birthplace, Anne Hathaway's Cottage and Shakespeare's New Place (adults from £15, children from £7.50; My mum, a history buff, is in heaven, while the gift shop proves a big hit with the kids. I'm forced to shell out for pens and child-friendly Shakespeare adaptations. 'Romeo and Juliet kissed the first time they met,' my daughter says, blushing. We have lunch at Lambs, on Sheep Street, one of the oldest buildings in the town (mains from £18.75; The seared scallop special looks tempting but we settle on garlicky moules marinière and the locally sourced rack of Cotswold lamb with dauphinoise potatoes. A 30-minute boat trip down the river finishes off our day nicely (£11 adult, £7 child; • 20 of the UK's most luxurious lodges On our final morning there isn't a cloud in the sky so, to make the most of it, we stop at Blenheim Palace, a 40-minute drive south in Woodstock. There is a children's adventure garden, maze, miniature train and, of course, the palace itself. (£41 adult, £24 child; The children get soaked running through the water jets at the adventure playground, persuade my mum to buy them souvenirs and take turns getting lost in the maze. In the car back to London, they keep on asking the same question over and over. But this time it's a different question and my mum chimes in too: 'When are we going back?' Soon, I promise. Johanna Noble was a guest of the National Trust, which has four nights' self-catering from £524 ( By Siobhan Grogan Set in Wicken Fen, the National Trust's oldest nature reserve, this picture-book semi-detached cottage is paradise for wildlife watchers, cyclists and tranquillity seekers. It has two bedrooms in soothing shades of grey-green and sunny yellow, a new kitchen and bathroom, and a private garden. The adjoining cottage, which sleeps two, can be booked with it to cater for a bigger group. There are 2,000 acres of rambling reserve on the doorstep, populated by more than 9,000 species, including Konik ponies and owls, plus 25 miles of the National Cycle Network Route 11 run nearby. Wicken Village is about a five-minute walk and Cambridge is less than an hour's drive Three nights' self-catering for four from £455 ( Cosy up in this cute-as-a-button stone cabin from the 1800s, once home to the reputed smuggler Tom Parsons and his family. It has one snug bedroom in coastal white and blue, an open-plan living space with a wood burner and sea views, and a garden. Beachfront locations don't come much better than this, smack bang on the South West Coast Path and overlooking one of Cornwall's most beautiful beaches, the sandy Constantine Bay. The shops, acclaimed restaurants and bustling harbour of Padstow are a 20-minute drive away. Act fast if you fancy it because it's already booked for most of Three nights' self-catering for two from £715 ( Only 130 metres from the western shore of Windermere, this one-bedroom ground-floor apartment is a homely retreat after days spent exploring nearby National Trust properties such as Wray Castle and Tarn Hows. Although contemporary inside, it's set within a traditional cottage that was once the laundry for the Belle Isle Estate, the private island in the middle of the lake. There's great accessibility throughout, with wide doorways, an adapted shower room and height-adjustable kitchen facilities, plus a patio area with open countryside beyond. The ferry to Bowness-on-Windermere is half a mile away for restaurants and Three nights' self-catering for two from £454 ( There's space for the whole family in this smart five-bedroom home, which combines a cottage and former dairy with an enclosed garden and all-hours access to the National Trust's 18th-century walled Weir Garden. Downstairs there's a pastel-coloured living room with a vaulted ceiling and a wood burner, plus one accessible bedroom. The large kitchen has worktops made of salvaged Welsh slate, and a dining table for ten. Two upstairs bedrooms have ensuites and there are two family bathrooms to minimise morning squabbles. You can reach Weir's ten acres of gardens and parkland through a private gate, to enjoy easy walks, Roman ruins and a riverside picnic area. Details Three nights' self-catering for ten from £650 ( You'll feel (almost) like lord or lady of the manor when you stay at this lodge at the entrance to the grand 18th-century mansion Attingham Park, near Shrewsbury. The gatehouse is a touch smaller, with a contemporary, cream kitchen and an open-plan sitting and dining room. A steep staircase leads to one double and one twin bedroom. There's an enclosed garden, but you'll also have any-time access to Attingham's 200 acres of parkland, where there are walking trails, woodlands, a deer park and the River Tern (canoes can be hired during the summer) — plus free entry to the elegant regency-era Two nights' self-catering for two from £385 (
