What are your hot holiday essentials?

[coneyislandoldspot]

I’m headed to Nice and Milan this summer on a ten day trip. Lots of exploring with a couple of beach days planned while in France (one day at a beach club, one afternoon in Villefranche-Sur-Mer). Lots of exploring in Milan before a two day event and then an early flight home the next day.

I’m travelling alone and have never really travelled to a hot country without someone else. I’ve done solo trips in the winter but when going abroad my parents would handle everything like sun cream, toiletries, etc! All I’d have to worry about would be my skincare and makeup.

It feels a little daunting because sunburn etc would ruin it, I’ll be walking a lot each day and so want to be comfortable but also still looking nice.

Any advice would be welcomed because I feel like a fish out of water!

Don't worry if you forget / dont have something - there are shops there. (Just to stop you over packing, over thinking.)

Choose clothes that cover the bits you cant reach yourself with sun tan lotion. If wearing sandals, apply sun tan lotion to the tops of your feet so the exposed bits dont burn.

Yes I guess this is true.

I can imagine myself getting burnt with the sandals!🤣

I don't go anywhere without my hand held fan.
Also, earplugs and eye masks. A wide brimmed hat and good sunglasses. Obviously spf, and comfortable shoes.

Aloe Vera gel.
Flannel (lots of hotels have done away with providing these).
Antihistamines
A secure cross body bag.

Have a lovely trip. Sounds very exciting.🏖

I’ve bought a little battery powered fan!

The only place I can't reach to put suncream on is the bit of my back between my bra straps, so a high backed vest would probably help with this.

Don't underestimate how much water you'll need if walking away from civilisation.

Not all European airports have the new scanners yet, so don't take large bottles of liquids that you might not be able to bring back.

@DisplayPurposesOnly people often say 'they have shops abroad' but suncream overseas is often incredibly expensive unless you can find a 'normal' supermarket, often easier said than done in many places. Also, most people don't want to spend their holiday shopping for things they already have at home. that they'll then use a tiny amount of and have to throw away because of airport security or a restricted luggage allowance.

A little thing but a lip balm with spf. I've never had sunburnt lips until this year. I'd been using a tinted lip balm without spf which had just magnified the rays. I looked like id had dodgy lip fillers.
Super drug do a cooling spray(not the cheap ones that are just water). They do a travel size.
Foot cream and a file. My feet get incredibly dry and crack after wearing sandals in the heat. Decant the flexitol into a pot. Non metal file.Cotton socks at night.

Thankfully I fly from airports both sides that have the new scanners. Also have a checked in bag!

@coneyislandoldspot Check you have sufficient travel insurance and take your GHIC card. Hopefully you won't need it, but it really helps in the event you need any health care whilst travelling.

I take a flannel because if I get mosquito bites it's nice to be able to cool them down. I use incognito anti-mosquito - it's not made of DEET but does actually work, and it doesn't melt plastics like DEET does. I take a brimmed hat which I wear in the airport. Lip balm with SPF. I also do now buy a facial suncream as well as normal, because I find I get spots with normal suncream.

I reckon that's it for hot-place-specific stuff.

Yes I have ongoing cover through my bank :)

You can select your favourite toiletries/sun cream etc. and pre order to click and collect if there is a Boots in your departure airport. That purchase is allowed on board in addition to your underseat bag. Saves the hassle of packing it beforehand!

When I travel on my own to a hot place, I either wear a t shirt/top that covers my back, or use/buy a sponge washing up brush and apply the sun cream to my back with that, like a loofah!

What I found great when walking around is to have a fold up drawstring backpack in my crossbody bag, very light, and is so useful for putting stuff in when out and about rather than carrying a shopping type bag.

Other than that, especially if going to France, I absolutely love investigating all the goodies in French pharmacies and supermarkets. It's a lovely way to spend an hour if you have that to spare.

I may well end up doing that! Saves weight 😄

I love Nice in the summer months. I’ve yet to get a mosquito bite but do take cream and antihistamines just in case! I have a small Spanish hand fan in my handbag but also take a rechargeable neck fan - not very elegant! However, I’ve found so far that the sea breeze keeps me fairly cool.
For trips out (e.g. minibus tours), I take a chilly bottle which I fill with cold water kept in the fridge overnight. It’s ideal for rehydrating and cooling. I picked up a Stanley cup (a non spill one) coming out of the airport last time and found that for a day, a Stanley cup and medium chilly full of cold water kept me nicely cool and hydrated all day.
Definitely a hat. I also take a nice cotton shawl that’s useful as a coverup if the sun gets too strong. In Nice itself, there are a lot of shady streets due to the building style, so unless you’re on the beach you don’t tend to get the sun too much. Do go to the traditional ice cream seller in the old town square - I’m really looking forward to a jasmine ice cream this summer.

All the French supermarkets sell mineral water sprays, from the cheapest Lidl brand to fancier Evian etc. As we get into summer, they’re an essential for me. I always take one to the beach, kept in my cool bag. Plus a mini one in my handbag if I’m out.

Ooh! How do these affect your makeup?

The only summer make-up I wear is Nuxe l'huile prodigeuse; i have both the gold and rose pink versions. They add a lovely glow to cheeks, temples, collarbones, arms, whatever. Perfect for hot summers.

These will be much cheaper to buy in France, btw. The pink one is perfect for adding a glow during winter.

The spray mist would help set make-up, if you're wearing it.

The strongest roll on deet based anti-mosquito you can tolerate, probably coupled with longer trousers and shirt sleeves. Yes, it is greasy, yes it smells (I actually don't mind the smell personally because I hate the alternative of being bitten, and the Italian mosquito is particularly awful - they don't even "like me", so I can get a couple of bites whereas my travel companions have 30+). I say roll on because you put a bit on, and rub it around and it covers, the aerosol ones make you choke and the coverage is nowhere near as good. In respect of suncream, you have to go with what your skin needs. I am white but quite dark skinned, tan well etc. and sometime later in the holiday, I hardly bother, especially of just walking around, but I wouldn't advise that, it really knacks your skin. I put it on for sunbathing in direct sun, and sometimes at first when I am out for hours walking about. The SPF factor is relevant - i.e. if you have 30 SPF, you should be able to expect to stay in the sun 30 times longer than someone with none on. If in doubt, more on is better than less, higher SPF is better than less. Hope this helps x

Lanacane is good for preventing blisters on the feet caused by shoes/sandals rubbing.

An insulated water bottle

Definitely mosquito repellent, bite cream, headache tablets, hat and light cotton cover up shirt.
I don’t bother with a water bottle abroad as you generally can’t drink the tap water so have to buy bottles.
Lots of excellent pharmacies, so you can buy everything you need as and when.
An adapter plug and hammam towel.

Spray sun lotion. I use Coolia. So much better than rubbing stuff on and you can get to those hard to reach places.

Oh the SPF 50+ will be put on the boots click and collect order 🤣

Yes I’ll definitely be taking a spray as im travelling alone!

I really recommend the Boots 8hr SPF 50 sun cream. I'm sure you're still supposed to reapply it more often but ime if you forget/aren't able to reapply it really does last all day (as tested on super pale DD spending all day at a sports summer camp). They also do an anti-aging face cream version.

I take one adaptor and a 4 plug extension lead.

If you buy a spray sun lotion you can spray your own back.