A savvy mum has shared how she jets off on 48-hour adventures by finding flights for as little as £16 and makes it back to the UK in time for work.
Annie-Marie Moss, 45, has taken eight short trips over the past two years and it's only cost a total of £994 for all her return flights and accommodation.
It started when the mum-of-three found a cheap deal to take her daughter Trinity, 20, and her friends, Imogen, 24 and Tianna, 23 to Kraków, Poland, for the Christmas markets in December 2022 on £16 return flights.
Once she realised how easy it was to find quick getaways she went back to Kraków to reunite with an old school friend of 30 years.
Since then she's travelled back and brought new friends with her and enjoyed activities such as kayaking, quad biking and cycling around the national park.
She also recently spent 48 hours in Palma, Spain, having foot massages and watching a boat race in March 2023 - which cost £110 each - and already has her next trip planned for May.
The mum makes sure to rigorously plan the jam-packed holidays – and always ensures she is back in time for her night shift as a receptionist at a mental health hospital.
Anne-Marie, from Greater Manchester, told CambridgshireLive: “I’m often hopping off the flight and heading straight to my shift. I sleep on the plane home.
“It started off when I found £16 return flights to go to Kraków, Poland. I fell in love with it.
“After we came back home, I wanted to travel again. We just came back from 24 hours in Palma, Spain. It was about £110 each in total. It’s cheaper than going round Manchester.”
Anne-Marie fell in love with short holidays after taking her daughter, Trinity, and her friends to Kraków in December 2021 – visiting the Christmas markets, Auschwitz and the salt mines.
She said: “We got an apartment for £100 for two nights and it was right in the city centre. The snow was picturesque.”
Desperate to go back, Anne-Marie invited her pal, Rachel, along with her in March 2022 after seeing a Facebook post about her wanting to travel.
She said: “I hadn’t seen her in 30 years but I said, ‘shall we go for it?’ It was last minute and we got £35 return flight.”
The pair went to the Tantra Mountains, Poland, and visited the thermal spa. They loved it so much that they returned less than a month later and went kayaking, quad biking and cycling – packed all into 48 hours and spending just £120.
Anne-Marie has been three times since – taking school mum, Jill, 50, and her family in May and June 2022 and her twin sister, Donna, 45, and their daughters, Trinity, and Jasmine, 21, in December last year.
She said: “Jill couldn’t come the first time we had planned to as her passport had expired, so I still took her family. I booked a surprise visit in June so she could go. We belly laughed the whole time.”
Anne-Marie also spent two nights in Bucharest, Romania, in February 2023 with Jill, and Elisabeth, 50.
She said: “We went to the castles and thermae spa. It was fabulous. It cost us £116 each in total.”
The shift worker has just got back from 24 hours in Palma after jetting off with Jill and her work pal – Heather, 40.
Anne-Marie said: “It was about £110 each with flights and taxis. I’ve made new friendship groups along the way.”
Anne-Marie already has her next trips planned - with Jill, Elisabeth and Rachel - to escape to Marseille, France, for 48 hours in May. They have planned to kayak around the coast and take a cruise – spending £29 each on return flights. The mum usually takes her trips midweek and books the first flight possible and the latest one back to make sure they make the most of the time they have.
She said: “I work shift work, so I usually go midweek. I try and get an early flight out and then try and get the last flight home. We just have backpacks.”
Anne-Marie is always happy for more women to join in on their travels.
She said: “As long as you're nice and up for an adventure, come along. You’ve got to be up for things. We don’t relax by the pool.”
