MY TRAVEL BUCKET LIST, FOUR PLACES IN FOUR YEARS.

I love travelling, it's always been a huge part of my childhood with my parents insisting that we left the country every year to explore the world. In my youth, there wasn't much I hated more than being dragged on those coach trips in countries a bit nearer to the equator, with less than desirable air conditioning to visit a monument or wonder of the world that I couldn't have cared less about at the time. But in hindsight, it was invaluable, I'm a firm believer that travel broadens the mind and whether you're heading to your local seaside resort, the lake district or half way across the world on a plane, each place you visit always learns you something new.

I hope to be able to pass on the luxuries I had as a child, to my own boys.and though that might be a far cry away from what the reality will be, I can still hope so that is exactly what I intend to do. I've thought about each place I'd love to take them and every location has a whole different reason behind it.

Egypt - It's a country I've visited a few times already, though it's always been on Johns bucket list and he's yet to tick it off. I know it's fallen into slightly forbidden territory at the moment and that does hold me back slightly especially given what happened in Tunisia, was only a year after we'd visited ourselves with little baby Noah. I love everything about it, from beautiful white sands to the deep sea corals. Egypt holds the key to a lot and I really hope that one day we'll be able to cross it off our list as a 'been there, done that' with our sons.

Skegness - It's quite shameful that our nearest seaside town is just over an hour away, yet we've not graced the tacky promenade. I know it's not for everyone, but I think with children it's almost a right of passage isn't it? As a northerner, my life was spent visiting Blackpool and nothing was more exciting than spending my parents hard earned cash in those shiny slot machines, taking uncomfortable donkey rides along the murky shorelines and hearing the roars of the pleasure beach in the background. I'm eyeing up those cheap and cheerful sun holidays, so I can relive a slightly altered version of my teenage days and watch that priceless excitement through Noahs eyes. I know he would love nothing more than a bag of 2ps in an arcade, I can envision his delight when he realises how many tickets he's won and can spend in those overprice gift shops. It's definitely on our list for 2018.

Javea - I'm hoping our break earlier in the year, without the boys, will become a tradition. Though I'm sure it will take a year for my parents to recover from their ordeal of having the boys. I know it will be just perfect for me and John if we have those little long weekends when we can reconnect and enjoy some quality time together. I love Javea, with my parents having a villa there now, it means we can holiday whenever we like but we don't really get to explore the same with the little ones in tow. Wandering around cobbled streets and rocky beaches with a pram isn't exactly ideal, so I think we'll get much more out of our time in Spain if we manage to grab those breaks to ourselves. Even if once a year is a bit of a stretch, I'm really hoping we get one during the next three.

Edinburgh - I've only actually visited Edinburgh once in my life, that I fully remember. I'm sure my parents will disagree as my uncle lived in Scotland for many years and I recall making trips up and down quite a few times. My visit in Edinburgh wasn't for any tourism purposes however, I simply lent a hand to my sister and brother in law who at the time lived in Rosyth and needed somebody to watch their puppy for a week whilst they worked. I got a taste for the city and after spying a few Zoella christmas vlogs, it's somewhere I know I have to visit during the festive period. I am a Christmas fanatic and what better place to be than a city that allows for that?