This is our entry into the #MarkWarnerMum travel ambassador program. Six very lucky blogging mums or dads will soon be chosen to represent Mark Warner and experience one summer AND one ski holiday with their family. This is a very exciting competition and having checked out many of the entries from other fellow bloggers I know the competition is fierce but if you are not in it you cannot win it!
We are entering the Adventure Junkies category and we hope this article explains why…
When my husband and I first met we were working for P&O Cruises onboard the fabulous ship Oceana and we were living a very adventurous lifestyle!
I worked in the Shore Excursions department which involved escorting passengers on excursions…. I was paid to take part in adventurous activities in some of the most beautiful places on earth including….. snorkelling with stingrays and scuba diving with sharks in the Caribbean; helicopter flights over Monaco, safari trips in South Africa; kayaking, hiking and glacier trekking in Norway, and even riding elephants in Thailand! (I know it was a tough job!!)
Richards job as an Electro Technical Officer mainly involved maintaining the ships engines, lifts and communications systems although he also had some pretty adventurous parts to his job too including being part of the fire fighting team and being trained to deal with helicopter evacuations.
Our first dates were pretty exciting – although we enjoyed many romantic meals onboard the ship our most memorable first dates were para sailing, snorkelling, horse riding and exploring ship wrecks whilst scuba diving!
After leaving P&O Cruises to begin a new life together we were not quite ready for a life on land and we certainly not ready to invest in bricks and mortar. During a sunday stroll around our local marina we ended up buying our first home, a 50 foot narrow boat (like you do!) Friends and family thought we were slightly bonkers but we loved our two years spent living onboard our snug floating home and had some incredible adventures chugging up and down the canals and rivers in Maverick!
Our next big adventure was a move to Savannah in the USA. Richard was given a fabulous opportunity at work and we jumped at the chance to live in the states again. Our extensive travels around America involved many adventures including skiing, frequent trips to the theme parks in Orlando, cycling down volcanoes in Hawaii, gambling in Vegas, sailing and kayaking.
After six fun-filled years together we were ready for the biggest adventure of our lives… to become a mummy and daddy:) Nothing could have prepared us for the love we would feel when we held our gorgeous baby boy in our arms for the first time and equally nothing could have prepared us for how different our lives were about to be! Over the last five years and particularly since having our second beautiful boy Harry, our adventures have been a little…. shall we say milder?! We have continued to travel however our holidays have been at a slower pace and adventures have taken a little more planning!
We often find that we have to enjoy activities individually so that we can play tag in looking after our boys. Our boys have shown that they too have an adventurous spirit and from a young age we have had some fun family adventures including paddle boating, family bike rides and camping holidays.
Our perfect family holiday with Mark Warner Holidays
Now that our boys are a little older we look forward to introducing them to some of the sports and activities we used to enjoy as a couple. Not that we are quite ready to strap Harry onto a windsurf just yet! He is after all not quite 2 but there are many activities we would love to try during our dream summer family holiday with Mark Warner including – sailing, mountain biking and kayaking and Charlie who is a big Octonauts fan is very keen to try snorkelling so that he can come face to face with some marine life!
Richard and I both learnt to ski (me) snowboard (Richard) when we were nearly 20 years old and so we have both experienced youngsters half our height flying past us on the slopes. (Particularly embarrassing when you have just face planted the snow again!) We would love to teach Charlie how to ski on the bunny slopes during a Mark Warner ski holiday and as a family we would all love to go sledging, build a snowman and have snow ball fights.
As parents our number one priority is knowing that our boys are safe. It is therefore vitally important to us that should we wish to enjoy some child-free time on the slopes or in the water that our boys would be well cared for. All Mark Warner ski and summer holidays offer FREE childcare 2 to 17 year olds (for families with infants aged 4 months to 23 months there is a modest charge) and most importantly the creches and evening childcare services are run by fully qualified British nannies. It is no wonder that they have recently been voted winner of the Family Tour Operator in the Sunday Times Travel Magazine. Our boys are confident and love making new friends we therefore have no doubt that they would make some memorable adventures themselves with new friends if they were to attend a Mark Warner creche.
So thats it in a nutshell, our perfect family holiday and the reasons why we would love to be considered as the Adventure Junkie #MarkWarnerMum family ambassadors . All we can do now is keep our fingers firmly crossed!
For more information about the award winning Mark Warner family holidays check out –www.markwarner.co.uk/family-holidays
Edited 2017 – Since writing this post we have reviewed a holiday for Mark Warner in Greece. You can check out our reviews here –
Mark Warner family holiday at Lakitira Resort, Greece
Top tips for a Mark Warner Holiday
Childcare at Mark Warner.
ooh when are they announcing their picks? The competition is really high this year. You and your family would make brilliant ambassadors for Mark Warner. Good luck
Author
They are announcing the winners on the 26th February Emma. The competition is very high, I have seen several entries. Many thanks for your support and best wishes;)
Oh Lisa Gloucestershire must be very boring for you all lol. No seriously I think you and your family would be just perfect for this role and you have such an amazing social reach too. Best of luck.
Author
Thanks Joy. I am very envious of your yoga trip with Mark Warner, it sounds incredible
Good luck! Fab article. Wishing u lots of fun on your next adventure x
Author
Thanks Geraldine. We are keeping our fingers firmly crossed!
Hey Lisa, this is great – love all of the pictures of your hols too! Xx
Author
Thanks Guy:) Writing this post brought back a lot of fab memories.
Loved reading about your adventures Lisa, you’ve definitely had quite a few! Love the diving pictures! Wishing you the best of luck. Think MW are going to have a tough time choosing from so many great posts
Author
Thanks Ting! I have lots of surfing pics from Hawaii too but I didn’t want to show close up bikini shots lol;) MW are definitely going to have a tough time choosing, I would love to know how many bloggers have applied! Wishing you lots of luck too
Good luck Lisa and family in your quest to be Mark Warner Holidays ambassadors. You make all your family adventures look so much fun
Author
Many thanks Janet. LOL we do not take photos of the toddler tantrums and tears!
Love reading all your blogs, as a fellow travel junkie I’m always up for trying new ideas and places. Good luck!
Author
Thanks Ruth. You should set up a travel blog with all the fab holidays you and your boys go on!
Fab entry Lisa! All those adventures look amazing and fingers crossed you’ll be able to experience them with your boys soon too! X
Author
Thanks Claire, your support is much appreciated:)
Lovely post. Good luck. I’ve entered too.
p.s. under a different category though, I am not as adventurous as you! :-)
Author
I will go and check your entry out! Good luck to you too, it is a fabulous competition:)
Gorgeous photos. I’m rather envious of all the adventures you’ve experienced. What a fabulous life! And a brilliant post! Very best of luck to you. You certainly fit the bill for being adventure junkies. xx
Author
Thanks Emma. Yes it brought back many great memories writing this post! Good luck to you too:)
Fantastic Lisa! You guys would be great x
Author
Thanks for stopping by Catherine:)
Great reading your family adventures Lisa.Your family would be fantastic Mark Warner Ambassadors.Look forward to reading even more of your adventures as a family xxx
Author
Thanks Janet, that means a lot to me and the family:)
Best of luck with the competition Lisa. I thoroughly enjoy reading your Travel Loving Family blog, and was interested (and more than a little envious!) to learn of your previous travel experiences. Can’t think of a better ambassador!! x x
Author
Aw thank you Elizabeth for your lovely comment
Great News that you are hoping to be considered as an ambassador for Mark Warner, I enjoy reading your blog it is really interesting how you describe everything you are doing as a family on your holiday in such detail, You always make me and I am sure other readers of your blog, feel that we are being taken on the holiday journeys with you and the family. This would be a new and wonderful adventure for you all. I wish you every success in this venture.
Author
Many thanks Sylvia, I very much appreciate your feedback and hope your good luck message will help us win the family ambassador competition:)
I am in absolute awe of everything you’ve accomplished and continue to achieve as a family. You’d be an amazing ambassador.
Author
Aw thank you Sandra for your really sweet comment:)
This sounds like a fun competition, good luck Lisa! :)
Author
Two holidays and the fabulous opportunity to be on the parent panel for Mark Warner Holidays… it doesn’t get any better than that Cassie;)
You’d be perfect for the role Lisa! What an adventure packed past you have! Good luck xx
Good luck in the competition Travel Loving Family. I love reading your articles. They always give me itchy feet and make me want to get our next trip booked!
Author
Lindsay I promise if we win we will book some language lessons with you to learn some basic phrases to use on the ski slopes and at the beach! Thanks for sharing my article on facebook too:) You are a star!
Good luck in the competition Travel Loving Family. I love reading your articles. They immediately make me want to get online and book our next trip!
I really hope you win Lisa and then you can send all your useful holiday tips our way . Good luck
Author
Thanks Haley! Keeping our fingers and toes crossed:)
You would be amazing ambassadors for Mark Warner. My family have been to some great places thanks to your blog. Good luck with the competition Lisa x
Author
Thanks Michelle! Yes I feel very fortunate for the opportunities blogging has provided my family and I:) I wish I had set up our family travel blog years ago when living in the USA
some great advice given and enjoy reading about your adventures xx
Author
Thanks Patsy, it is great to know that my advice is useful for other families who love to travel:)
I genuinely can’t think of better ambassadors….it’s clear you should win ;-)
A fantastic opportunity for a family that would clearly love it. Good luck! I’ll look forward to reading more of your adventures :-)
Author
I love the fact that our boys are now getting old enough to join in with some family adventures:) Thanks for stopping by Georgina
Good luck Richard and Lisa!! With all of your travel experience you would be fantastic ambassadors for Mark Warner! Reading your reviews and hearing about your adventures makes me feel like planning my next holiday! xx
Wow they sounds like an amazing holiday company. You guys will be great ambassadors for them – just one request, can we come too?!
Author
LOL yes Julie! I will make space for you in our suitcases;)
Good luck Lisa and family. Xxx
Author
Thank you Charlotte:) xx
I love all those photos!! You definitely fit the “adventure junkies” category!! Lots of luck x x x
Author
I am glad you think so too Karen;) Many thanks for stopping by honey xx
I can’t wait to show our 2 more of the world, and eventually all go on a ski holiday and learn to ski together- dry slope doesn’t quite cut it!!
Good luck x
Author
No I quite agree Laura, dry ski slopes are not the same as the real thing!
Oh how lovely to have met and worked at a Cruise ship! Have never experienced a cruise before, mainly because I’m not a massive fan of ships, but I do love to travel and wouldn’t mind experiencing it ;) Good luck and hope you win!
Author
Cruise holidays are a great choice for family holidays. Most ships are so huge you need to think of them as floating villages with lots of amenities. It certainly does not feel like you are on ship when onboard. Many thanks for your best wishes
Lisa, you and your family would be perfect Mark Warner ambassador’s as your number 1 priority is for your family to be having fun and adventures in a safe environment! You make the rest of us feel lazy and envious when we read all about your latest posts on your blog!!
Author
LOL! Thanks Paula. Don’t worry we also have lazy days chilling out too, we are not constantly on the go;) Many thanks for stopping by
Wow! You have had an amazing life, your first dates sounded incredible! I wish you lots of luck with the competition xx
Author
Many thanks Leah, I really appreciate your good luck wishes:)
Good Luck Lisa your experience and expertise speak for themselves x
Author
Aw thanks! Lets hope Mark Warner Holidays feel the same way:)
I think you would be a fabulous ambassador Lisa . All your blogs are very informative and fascinating reads . I find then essential reading ! you could certainly tempt me to do a mark Warner !
Author
Thanks Abigail, I am very pleased that our family travel blog is useful to you and delighted we have inspired you to check out Mark Warner and the family holidays they offer :)
Oooh, sounds fun!! Where do they go? Any chance of you having a holiday in Vietnam with the boys?? :)
Author
They offer ski chalets in the France, Italian and Austrian mountains Donna and summer water sport beach resorts in Corsica, Sardinia and two resorts in Greece:) All resorts look incredible to be honest and all cater exceptionally well for families with child meal times and evening entertainment etc. We would absolutely love to visit you all in Vietnam, it is definitely on our travel wish list!
Good luck Lisa!! Your family would make great ambassadors for Mark Warner! I love reading your holiday stories and all your adventures and look forward to hearing more.xx
Author
Thank you Helene! Your support is much appreciated:)
Good Luck guys! It looks amazing! You would be great ambassadors :-)
Author
Thanks for your support Sole! We are keeping all of our fingers firmly crossed as to win the chance to go on a summer and ski holiday with Mark Warner would be incredible;)
Good Luck guys! Mark Warner holidays sound amazing!
Author
Thanks Darren! Yes we think Mark Warner Holidays sound amazing too:)
I love reading the Travel Loving Family website and blogs so useful and a great inspiration for holidays with little one’s you would be an amazing ambassador for Mark Warner!
Author
Aw thank you Kerrie for your blush worthy comments!
Lisa you always make having adventures with little people sound perfectly plausible and enjoyable. A true inspiration xx
Author
Thank you Sarie! Our boys do have their moments whilst on holidays but 99% of the time it is very enjoyable;)
Good luck Lisa, Richard, and the boys! I’m sure you would make fantastic ambassadors for Mark Warner ski and summer holidays, I always love reading about your family adventures and you have great stories to tell! Sounds like the boys will catch the travel bug pretty early on (if they don’t have it already!) x
Author
Delighted that you like our family travel blog Vanessa! Yes I think our boys have well and truly caught the travel bug, Charlie is constantly asking me how to speak different languages and he seems obsessed with China at the moment from his latest project at school;)
Loved reading about all of your adventures, you would be fabulous ambassadors for Mark Warner!
Author
Thank you Nicky! Let’s hope our article is enough to impress the judges;)
This sounds a fabulous opportunity for you Lisa, I hope you win! It would be fabulous to hear all about your new adventures!
Author
Thank you Linda, we all very much hope we win too!
I must say i was quite Jealous reading about your adventures you have already had! lol Having kids is a whole new adventure i guess though! I can’t wait for my boys to start getting a little older so they can start doing some of the bigger adventures with us haha! xxxx
Author
I love the fact that our boys are now getting old enough to join in with some family adventures:) Thanks for stopping by Georgina