15KG What to pack for scorchio holiday with buffet restaurant Tunisia ?

[kafkesque]

Years ago I was given a list for camping which I stick to and it always works amazingly well. 15KG does not seem a lot when you need swimming gear, daywear and respectable restaurant evening wear. I usually do two outfits per day as I have two boys who usually get me and their father grubby as well. I may have to half that and use the hotel laundry service. What to pack checklist for scorchio holiday to Tunisia. I need to know exactly the whole list including for beach, swimming pool ect including number of particular items. Family of four, two weeks. Anybody have a list to help me?

I can give you the adult list for a female:

two long skirts, alternate for evenings
a few vest tops, one or two dressier
a few t-shirts
two pairs long cotton shorts
a week of underwear or two weeks if it will fit. Clean knickers each evening after shower.
two sets of swimwear; one on, one drying on the balcony. Maybe three, doesn't take much space. (NB rash vests are good). What you wore that day goes in the shower with you that night.
pair of trainers for walking and travel. Pair of flip flops. ONE pair of smarter shoes.
one fleece top for aircon
one sunhat
one sarong (cover up, sunshield etc)
sunglasses, toiletries, suncream etc etc

for the kids, don't think it matters if they are a bit mucky on the beach, does it?

why is the buffet relavant?

Buy your toiletries when you get there. Make sure you have the lightest possible bags to take with you. About 5 years ago I decided to weigh my cases. They were 6 kilos each with nothing in them. I bought lightweight trolly bags on eBay.

3 pairs of knickers max. You wash as you go in the sink

2 bras. One white and one black. As above.

Two swimmers. As above.

Sarong for during the day. Again can be washed through.

Buffet restaurants won't be dressy so don't worry about taking a lot for that. May be a couple of pairs of trousers and vest tops. A cardi as a cover up?

Shorts and a couple of t shirts for days out.

Kids stuff doesn't take much space if they are little. 14 t shirts and 7 shorts each should be enough. Crocs on the plane. They'd probably get all of theirs into one 15 kilos giving you a bit more. Kids can wear clean every night and wear that outfit the next day.

Kids need 2 swimmers. One on and one washed and drying.

DH would need shorts and t shirts, pants and may be long trousers for dinner? Couple of shirts.

You could even buy your toiletries in boots airside at the airport as you won't all need hand luggage. How much hand luggage are they giving? Only you can pack extras into hand luggage but mainly I do electricals, toys etc in cabin bags.

How old are the DC?

The buffet is relevant because it means op needs to think about Immodium, paracetamol, clean and sterile set of syringes and needles, her travel insurance, European Health card (?), Dioralyte, etc.

15 kilos is loads, especially if you have light suitcases/bags. We rarely go over that, even with all the stuff teens take! Plus you can all take a decent sized cabin bag as well as the 15kg bags.

Agree with Crutchlow and having been to Tunisia a few times, I'd say you need a bikini/swimsuit or two, a sarong or two and maybe 4 mix and match outfits for the evening/if you go out. Buffet restaurants do not require you to "dress up" too much!
The DC will need rash tops/sunsuits, and say 6 tshirts and shorts. If you want to buy anything else, the fake footy stuff in the souks is very cheap!

Make sure you take adaptor plugs and LOADS of suncream, though sunsuits are fantastic and cut right down on the creaming up, which the kids usually hate anyway.

We have never been ill from buffet restaurant food. And there are decent pharmacies all over, but yes, take a bag with a few bits in. No point in taking European Health card - it's not in Europe!

Needle kit is a must where ever you go.

When I got a nasty amoebic something in Morocco, the private doctor supplied by the 5 star hotel he brought a set of dripping wet needles that he "had just rinsed under the sink from last patient, so were clean" - he got most put off when I magicked in my own needle kit. But I insisted. I was pregnant with ds1 at the time, so perhaps extra cautious.

What rubbish quint. Needles? What on earth for?

Rubbish? Really? Just because you not had the experience does not mean another posters advice is rubbish.

A kit does not take up much space in your luggage, and I dont regret bringing them whether it is Jordan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Morocco or India as a precaution. I would not bring them travelling in Europe, but outside, yes. But I might be old fashioned.

Not just the needles but the blanket, sweeping statement about the buffet.

Where do you get a needle kit? Do they sell them in Boots?

I dont know if they sell them in Boots, I think we bought ours in a travel shop in High Street Kensington. They are made by Lifesystems

Probably a daft question - we're going AI which I've never done before..... I've been told towels are included, even for the pool / beach, and that food and drink are.... what about things like shower gel ? Do you still take or is that loitering in the bathrooms ?

Also, are the electric socket adaptors for Tunisia the same as ones for Europe ?

Thanks - sorry OP for hijacking...

I have never understood why people need "daywear" on holidays. Don't most people just slob about by the pool/ at the beach so wear swimwear, with cover up type things over the top to walk to the beach/pool. If you go out in the day wear something that you've already worn at night.

I just take bikins, cover up dress things, dresses for evening and undies, one pair of flip flops, one pair of ballet pumps that I wear on the plane and a pair of sandals.

Take some baby wipes, they are fab at getting stains off, or some travel wash incase the DC get something on their clothes then they can be worn again. EVen DS1 who was in Malia last week rinsed some T-shirts through.

I bought some really, really light suitcases from Matalan last year.

Sme hotels do provide little toiletries but in my experience they are like white spirit. Best to take your own.

Our hotel earlier in the year did a small bar of soap and a combined hair wash come shower gel and that was it.

If you have a read about your hotel on trip advisor you will find out more.

We don't slob about at the pool/beach much at all, so we need comfy clothes for sightseeing (sensible shoes etc, shorts, teeshirts), more dressy clothes/shoes for the evening plus pool stuff as well.

Thanks crutchlow

Cotton dresses are cooler than shorts for days out sight-seeing. Shorts get all sweaty around the waistband (well, they do on me anyway).

I'd take:
2 daytime cotton mini dresses/vest or t-shirt style dresses
1 or 2 pairs of shorts and 1 or 2 sarongs
2 bikinis
3 or 4 cotton camisoles
1 or 2 cotton tops with little sleeves for days out when I don't want my shoulders exposed all day
2 cotton skirts for evenings
2 or 3 cotton or silk dresses for evenings
flip flops
comfy sandals
prettier sandals - still flat
I'd also take a little bottle of handwash liquid for washing the camisoles and bikinis, plus underwear

Wish I was going somewhere lovely but it looks like we're staying in the UK this year. :(

Agree with Crutchlow, toiletries all right for the men

And take some of the reviews on Trip Advisor with a pinch of salt!

Remus

But at least you can sunbathe here ATM!

True - but I want the sea, and Greek salad, and margaritas. :)

Re toiletries, Red magazine has a little REN set of mini products with it this month, which would be nice to take away.

Thanks bigTilly, and Remus