Guest Blog - Travel writer, author and mum Alice Griffin

Starting out life as one proto-type bag, designed to simplify the lives of parents, PacaPod began as the twinkle in the eye of our mumpreneur inventor Jacqueline Waggett. Her aim was to inspire parents and give them the tools and confidence to carry on having adventures with their children. The rest of course is history, with 11 styles to choose from, a host of coveted awards and a growing army of celebrity fans - it’s been a heck of a journey! And along the way we’ve been fortunate to meet some inspirational people too, amongst them author and travel writer Alice Griffin, whose book will have you reaching for your walking boots, car keys and map before the kids can say “Are we there yet?”.

We caught up with Alice during her month long trip with her family around Portugal and Northern Spain where she took time out to share her travel secrets with us.

Five Holiday Must-Haves

I’m a simple traveller but I can’t manage without these!

1) Audio books (Roald Dahl is a favourite) and I-pod for my daughter, as we inevitably always end up doing long journeys.

2) Books! I have finally relented and bought a Kobo because I just couldn't justify lugging a load of books in my backpack! (Mind you I did sneak in just a couple of 'real' books!)

3) Pack of cards. My six-year-old daughter is really into cards at the moment and they have been a life-saver waiting for connecting buses during this trip.

4) Tiny figurine toys. When we flew into Malaga airport my daughter had emptied her backpack and set up a stage with all her mini-toys within minutes of leaving the airport as we waited for our bus. Always keeps her happy and her imagination exercised!

5) Phrase-books. I always have one with me for whichever country I am visiting. My Spanish and Portuguese books have certainly been well-used for getting us about on this trip!

Best Travel Tip

I really don't think you need that much - anything you forget, well you can pick it up when you're at your destination. I travel light and don't really worry.

Best Holiday Memory

That's a really difficult one! But basically, give me a ticket to a destination, a backpack and a map, and I am happy. I love any holiday which offers the thrill of the unknown.

Favourite Family Destination

It has to be Greece. My daughter loves the beach, we love the food, the Greeks LOVE children and the scenery and weather is always spectacular it’s the perfect combination to keep all the family happy.

Staying Sane with Kids in Tow

I generally find travelling with my daughter a pleasure, but when I find myself going a bit crazy it’s usually because she’s bored and therefore fidgety. I find visiting local kid's parks - wherever we are - is the perfect solution. She always makes friends and gives me a time out! That or find a beach - any beach - and just let her run wild for a bit while I read my book!

For more practical advice visit Alice’s website where you’ll find details of her book ‘Tales of a travelling mum’ and lots more travel inspiration www.alicegriffin.co.uk

Alice used a PacaPod Picos Pack (rucksack) when her daughter was a tot and still loves it now she’s older but for this trip she took our Portland messenger, with its clever expansion panel. Take a look at our packing tips for find out what you can fit inside the detachable pods http://www.pacapod.com/about/owners-manual 

Over the past few months we have been delighted to add these three lovely ladies to our growing list of celebrity fans!

We are extremely proud at PacaPod HQ as our lovely Firenze bag has been shortlisted by the prestigious Junior Design awards, we are now busy crossing our fingers and toes for the announcement of the winners in June. 

And if that isn't enough, for the 4th Year in a row, we have won the coveted MumsNet Award, as voted for by Mums and Dad around the UK, as one of the best baby changing bags, thank you for all your support!

Great May Days out!

It is official May is the best month with two Bank Holidays slapped at each end so it’s perfect for taking a few extra cheeky days off. Come rain or shine here at PacaPod we’ve uncovered some fantastic ideas for days out all around the UK to help you make the most of your family time.

English Heritage has a nationwide programme of events and lots going on during the May Bank holidays. You can take your pick from dragon fun trails, jousting tournaments, falconry displays and breath-taking battle enactments. Travel back in time and discover just how the previous occupants lived, be they medieval knights, wartime soldiers or Tudor monarchs! Full event listings here: http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events/

Don’t miss the Museums at Night Festival from 16-18 May, when hundreds of museums, art galleries and heritage venues all over the country will be opening up late and putting on a fantastic mix of night-time events including bands playing in museums, star-gazing and city culture crawls! And when the lights go down older kids will love the sleepover events including the opportunity to become a Prince or Princess at Kensington Palace or Dover Castle; a Dr Who themed sleepover at John Rylands Museum in Manchester and a Dozy Dinosaur Sleepover at the Wrexham County Borough Museum. For nationwide listings visit: www.museumsatnight.org.uk

Sticking to a budget? No problem as Visit Britain has devised a list of the top attractions under £15 and some of them are a little unusual, off the beat and track and won’t break the bank! Take a look: http://www.visitbritain.com/en/Travel-tips/Britain-for-kids-and-families/Top-10-family-days-out-for-under-15.htm

Still stuck for ideas then The Independent’s travel writer Sarah Barrell has got it covered with a comprehensive listing of 50 Great Family Days Out, from trekking with Llamas in Yorkshire, and a Hogwarts style steam train ride in Fort William, to Geocashing in the Brecon Beacons. There really are no excuses for not having some fun. Check it out here: http://www.independent.co.uk/extras/indybest/outdoor-activity/the-50-best-family-days-out-8483915.html?origin=internalSearch

We hope we’ve inspired you to have a great day out!

April’s almost out - though we suspect we’ll be dodging showers for a few more weeks yet but we’re not about to let rain stop play! Come rain or shine we’ll be packing our wellington boots and waterproofs and heading outdoors for an adventure – fancy joining us?

We’re not suggesting you take on the four peaks challenge with tots in tow, it could be as simple a nature walk in the park, with notebooks and stickers in hand and some treats for lunch on the nearest bench. It really is the simple things that little children love after all.

We’ll be taking along the new PacaPod Jura which is the perfect partner to a faithful wax jacket and it has a neat heritage style and a handy flap over which protects against the elements, plus the feeder pod that’s tucked inside will ensure there are no soggy sandwiches - not on our watch!

We have had some fabulous press in recent weeks, including a mention for our Firenze baby changing bag on Gurgle Magazine’s Celebrity Baby Lust List 2013, the Napier in Pregnancy and Birth’s 25 Super Smart Newborn Buys and our Jura changing bag features on Mother and Baby’s Shopping Shortlist. 

Baby Boom Nautical Style Edit!

We are in a patriotic mood at PacaPod HQ because this spring sees the start of the Olympic baby boom caused by all the excitement and euphoria of the games! We just love the classic combination of red white and blue and it’s a great excuse to celebrate Team GB all over again!

So why not go nautical with our stunning spring style edit? Just invest in a few key pieces and you’ll soon be working an effortless style – “oh this outfit? I just threw it together”.

All you need is this chic silhouette like this stripe dress from Mint Velvet (£79), statement red wedges from Boden (£99), or casual pumps and we love Vans from Asos (£37.50). Then throw on a cute coat rain coat we picked this Boden classic (£95.20) and our Mirano bag in chalk for a big nautical splash of Riviera chic (£99). Not just a pretty face, the Mirano has an oversized weekend style with an intelligent interior making it perfect for a day on the road with a small family in tow!

Who says you can’t put all your eggs in one basket?  We’ve jam-packed one of our new Napier Driftwood bags with M&S chocolate eggs, bunnies and yes even a penguin, as the prize in our Easter competition!

Perfect for Easter day trips or holidays our award winning Napier baby changing bag has had a stunning seasonal make-over. So for your chance to win this gorgeous prize, simply enter our facebook competition and give the penguin in the photograph a new name.

The prize is a Napier bag in Driftwood, worth £85 and assortment of M&S Easter chocolates.

Food Mad!

You may have noticed that in the last couple of months we have been somewhat obsessed by food – mostly chocolate we must confess! 

We are an office full of foodies and home bakers and we just love to watch MasterChef, the Great British Menu and most of all the Great British Bake Off.

So imagine how thrilled we were to find our Sequoia Tote featured in a magazine that is full of some divine recipes and stunning kitchenalia. It also has interviews with some amazing chefs including the Queen of Baking herself – Mary Berry!  What more could we ask for?

We are definitely feeling like Scrummy Mummies today!

Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it? This Mother’s Day we have all the ingredients for the perfect treat for one lucky mummy!

First we’ve added a generous splash of elegance and are giving away a luxury 1/ - Sequoia tote bag (worth £140) which has classic silhouette to bring a touch of old school glamour to every day, not to mention the perfect partner for any special occasion such as a wedding or weekend away.

Then there’s a great big dollop of indulgence with a selection of goodies 2/ - Vanilla, Mocha and Chocolate Macroons, 3/ - Mini cup cake choclates on a stand 4/ - The Cocoabean Shot glass of Chocolates 5/ - More chocolate cupcakes on stand 6/ - Cocoabean chocolate ice cream cones and 7/ Chocolate Sundae in a glass.  All you have to do is keep your new best friend the Sequoia close to hand, flick on the kettle on, dust down your tablecloth and enjoy a tea-time treat with the family, girlfriends or maybe on your own? Sssshhh…. our lips are sealed ladies!