To dread this holiday

[Numberedout]

Posting here for traffic.

I'm having a meltdown and posting on here as have noone in real life that would understand.

Have ME/CFS, am perimenapausal,.

We have a train journey from the UK to Italy booked this week with a stop to Paris on the way. I have checked the weather and it's going to be the hottest it's been this year.

I'm travelling with teens and honestly am driving everyone crazy by stressing about the heat!

I have done the following:

Bought cooling towels, hats, loose clothes

Taking a hand held fan

Will get a hot water bottle to fill with cold water and put in the fridge.

Has anyone done this sort of holiday and enjoyed it despite the heat?

I understand. Yes the inner city trains in Italy have a/c.
You could book an adventure to Scandinavia countries next time so you don’t get so anxious about heat. I hope you’re going to the coast because the cities in a heatwave are a nightmare!

Perhaps pack some sweets/snacks to keep energy and salts topped up.

I have CF/ME and understand your dread.

Can you get some Loop earplugs? One of the things that helps me (slightly) is to wear these if I have to travel because at least it cuts down on noise, which is overwhelming and exhausting. Also an eyemask.

Be very clear to the kids that if you are on the train you need to rest - not 'entertain' them. They can chat, listen to music via headphones, scroll through their phones or whatever. But you are sitting back with earplugs in and eyemask on and trying to pace. It's essential with CF.

With ME/CFS I would say be careful not to overpack. Lugging big bags around drains a lot of energy. I am not sure a hot water bottle would be worth its weight, I'd rather take more drinkable water in normal bottles (to refill) and wipe yourself down with water to cool.

Your kids are so, so lucky. You're giving them a real gift. Don't be afraid to give them a bit more of the weight. I know it goes against our instincts when we've always been the one carrying their gubbins, but we did that when they had little legs and ours were bigger. The group always goes at the rate of the slowest, so e eryone gets there quicker if the quickest and fittest take some of the load off the slowest.

Pace yourself. Pace yourself. Pace yourself. You'll end up doing a lot less if you push yourself too hard at the beginning and collapse.

If you're travelling by Eurostar, the aircon is shit, so definitely take a neck or handheld, battery-operated fan for each person. We travelled to Paris in the horrendous heatwave of 2022 via Eurostar and all I had with me was an old-fashioned, handheld fan. I had to use it to cool down one of my DC, who I thought was going to throw up, because it was so stuffy and hot. Hopefully, other trains like TGV and Pendolino will hopefully be better, because they're more modern, but just be prepared for the Eurostar!

Trains much nicer than planes in the heat ime. I’ve travelled by train London-Rome and it was very comfortable. Recently was delayed on a flight from Italy, it was v v hot in the cabin by the time we took off.

It sounds like a brilliant holiday. Relaxing into the heat, letting sweaty discomfort go, as far as you can, really helps I think.

If your kids love race across the world throw then some cash take away the phones and let them go.. meanwhile you can stay home and pop your feet up! Say byyyyeee kids see you in 2 weeks. Maybe give the first one back a prize, just to be fair.

Tbh even without the heatwave it was always going to be hot in Italy in July.

I cope with the heat but I fly, have a private taxi firms transfers and ensure we have a pool/close to the sea for breeze.

Just wear cool breathable fabrics and maybe next time book another time of year if you struggle with the heat.

This. The Eurostar has aircon and so will the train from Paris.

I recently bought a chilly bottle to take away with me when it was hot so when I bought cold bottled water when out. I would then decant it into the chilly bottle which kept it cold for ages!

Agree with uv umbrella (amazon)- take your shade with you!
Hat & Sunglasses
Sun cream
Long sleeved linen shirt is an excellent cover up to prevent burning
Wear loose cotton dresses
Freeze individual water bottles for the next day.
A manual fan
Minimise what you are carrying in handbags, they seem to weigh more in the heat.

You do get used to the heat. Plan your day.

We took refuge in Galleries/museums which all have great air con. Big stores. find a cool place to settle in the hottest part of the day and do more in the early morning/evening.

Book online for things like the Colosseum to avoid queues. You used to be able to get a two day pass for that and the Forum... which meant you could go back later and its cheaper.

Keep hydrated.

I use this spray - it's amazing.

Vichy Eau Thermal Source de Vichy Spa Water : Amazon.co.uk: Beauty

put the cold things you buy on your inner wrist - quickest way to cool your whole body.

Get a cooling neck fan

We're travelling by train from London to the South of France tomorrow. We've done this plenty of times in July, including the infamous heatwave of 2019. It was a little uncomfortable but fine

As people have said Eurostar and TGVs have aircon. Take water with you.
I assume you are going from Gare du Nord to Gare de Lyon in Paris. That is the most challenging bit. The quickest and easiest way is to get the RER. It will be hot though (think the tube).

You may find it easier to throw money at the issue and get a cab. There is a cab rank outside Gare du Nord.

I am not sure about Italy but France has good heatwave protocols. Each local area will have a map of air conditioned public buildings you can go and sit in and some streets may have misting stations.

As others have said, learn to slow down, take plenty of water, rise early and stay up later - take nap in your room during the early afternoon when it is at its hottest.

Do not skimp on water, hats and suncream.

We were in southern italy last year in july. Planned to do pompei with a 7 and 11 year ild but decided against it due to the heat. Still had a great time. You can always nap in the middle of the day and then go out later and into the evening which is morr eurpoean anyway. Just take it easy, change your itnerary as you go. Mix it up with some inside places that will have aircon

You have made a good decision not to pre-book too many things. Try to embrace the conditions, find somewhere to sit in the shade with a cool drink and enjoy some people watching, both Paris and Rome are brilliant for this. Enjoy mornings and evenings when it's a bit cooler, and head inside air conditioned places when you can. Remember you can sit inside a hotel and enjoy their cool air for the price of a drink. Make sure your teens look after you, they need to carry things, stand in queues, fetch you what you need. They are young, and will manage better than you.

Hope you have a greatbtime despite your fears.

Cooling spray is very effective, can keep in a cool bag with a bottle of frozen water, most effective if used on back of neck and inside of wrists where veins are. A damp flannel in a bag stored in the cool bag is also effective in this way when used with a fan.
Cooling spray
Phone or email hotel explain you have difficulty regulating your temperature and want a shaded room if possible, it's worth an ask in advance!

We were in Paris during a heatwave and the Louvre was lovely and cool. I wore maxi dresses which were cooler than anything else I wore and stayed at our hotel during the lunch / early afternoon period. Oh and the Seine boat trip is a nice relaxing way to see some of the sites without having to walk. You’ll have a great time, just don’t over schedule and slow your pace 🙂

@Hatty65 you totally get it. I'm hoping to pace as much as possible. I was at breaking point yesterday. It's the pain that gets to me.

Thanks @Garbera let's hope they appreciate it! Your right about instincts. The need to please, entertain and care for children is always there even though they are no longer babies

@cheezncrackers wow that sounds awful. We have journeys from London to Paris and Paris to London via Eurostar.

@Numberedout hopefully to reasure you, I am currently on a London to Paris Eurostar and the air con is working fine, we are perfectly comfortable.

I am not sure what day you are travelling, but it looks like things will start to cool down a little from Wednesday.

My daughter is in Italy at the moment where it's 37/38c and is spending the afternoons in galleries, museums and cathedrals where it's a lot cooler than outside.
Drink lots and eat, it'll be fine and it sounds like you're planning well.

I got a really small compact one for a fiver from Amazon.