The Coldest Night of My Life and One I’ll Never Forget. Glamping With My Girl

For the final week of winter school holidays, I took my daughter on a road trip. It was just the two of us, no expectations, just a bit of fun, some one-on-one time, and a little break from routine. We booked a glamping tent, it looked absolutely stunning online. Firewood ready, soft lighting, the whole ‘cosy, magical winter’ experience I imagined sharing with her.

What I didn’t expect was the temperature to drop to minus six degrees overnight. And I really didn’t expect that the air conditioning unit wouldn’t work.

It turned out to be one of the hardest, most emotionally exhausting nights I’ve ever had, not just as a single parent, but as a human.

Despite what people may think, I usually stay calm in stressful situations. But this time, I broke. I cried, more than once. I had pins and needles in my hands, my daughter was freezing in the tent while I ran around trying to get help, and my hairspray and makeup wouldn’t even work because it was that cold. My fingers were too numb to even put on earrings. I felt absolutely broken.

And what made it worse? The hotel staff were completely dismissive.

I wasn’t asking for anything unreasonable, just a resolution. The room I booked clearly stated “climate control,” but that was not what we got. When I calmly raised the issue, I was literally told, “If you’re not happy, you should leave.”

No apology. No fix. Just confusion, back and forth, and hours of stress with no solution. I kept being sent back to that freezing tent while nothing was done. I was exhausted. I’d driven for hours to get there, and all I wanted was a memorable, bonding experience with my daughter, not trauma and tears.

Eventually, yes, I got moved to another room. It was bigger, warmer, and on the balcony side. But it was not what I originally paid for, and by that point, so much had already been taken from the experience.

Here’s the part that matters most: I didn’t give up.

I stood my ground. I knew my worth. I asked for a refund, not to be petty, but because this was not okay. I didn’t let it ruin our whole holiday. I kept going, I found moments of joy, and my daughter got to see me model what it looks like to advocate for yourself, even when it’s uncomfortable.

And while it wasn’t the trip I planned, and certainly not the experience I hoped for… we still made memories. We still laughed. We still got through it, together.

Travelling as a single parent isn’t always sunshine and cute photos. Sometimes, it’s borderline traumatic. Sometimes, it breaks you a little. But there’s always a way through, and there’s always something to take from it, even if it’s just the reminder that you’re stronger than you realise.