Oliviyah Stevens, a 36-year-old mother of five, has turned to spontaneous, affordable extreme day trips and solo travel as a means to reclaim her identity and alleviate the depression she felt at the end of her maternity leave. By seizing last-minute flight deals, she has explored over 20 countries, often for less than the cost of a dinner out, proving that even busy parents can carve out vital personal time.
A mother of five from Walthamstow has found an unconventional way to reclaim her personal identity and combat post- maternity leave depression by embarking on extreme day trips and solo adventures.
Oliviyah Stevens, 36, a teacher and mother to five children including a one-year-old, realized she needed her own time away as her maternity leave with her youngest son Kaius concluded. Rather than waiting for a lengthy vacation, she discovered the power of short, impulsive getaways. Her first extreme day trip was a solo journey to Alicante in November 2025, leaving her children in the care of her partner Kyle, a behaviour mentor.
She has since taken many more such trips, often booking flights only hours in advance based on affordability and convenient flight times. These quick escapes, sometimes with Kyle for 'date days' and sometimes alone, have become a vital outlet. She describes the experience as liberating, allowing her to rediscover herself beyond the role of mother. The cost efficiency is a major factor; she notes that a flight to Mallorca can cost the same as an evening meal in London.
She scrolls through Sky Scanner and books whatever is available as long as it is affordable and the flight times are suitable. The idea originated after a planned three-day trip to Crete was cancelled; rather than waste arranged childcare, they impulsively flew to Morocco and back within 30 hours the same weekend. She realized that short trips were feasible even with children, as her daughter's birthday wish for a Morocco trip was limited by school schedules.
The family also embraces adventurous holidays together, having visited 20 countries including Italy, Morocco, and Bucharest. For her children's birthdays, she has taken them on day trips like flying from London to Bergamo at 7am for a theme park, returning at 11pm, which was cheaper than a UK theme park. She admits Kyle was not an avid traveller before their relationship but has embraced these adventures.
She emphasizes the importance of parents taking time for themselves to avoid losing their identity. The couple have explored destinations like Luxembourg, browsing Christmas markets, hiring bikes, and even getting matching tattoos. Oliviyah often travels solo while Kyle stays with the kids, but they also cherish their 'date days' every few months. She finds the travel tiring but prefers to be tired on a plane or beach rather than at home.
Her story highlights how budget travel and spontaneous planning can provide essential mental resets for busy parents
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