What do I need to buy?

[janeite]

Just booked our summer holiday to Greece. Hurray!

Am now having fun googling bikinis etc.

Would anybody like to help me with a 'do not forget' list?
Eg:
suncream
mozzie spray
plasters
mozzie bite cream
insect repellant

Also: any recs for lovely holiday clothes for me and for 14 and 12 year old girls? Cheap if poss but not Primark-cheap.

Many thanks!

Excited face!!

Bump?

Gah!

Okay - next question:
Has anybody tried the Boots Soltan sensitive sunblock? DD2 got prickly heat rash last year and I'm wondering if this stuff would help? Tia.

Where are you going?

Get a plug in mozzie thingy, they work really well. We have inherited my parents which they bought in Spain in 1981 so they last! Ours uses tablets but the newer ones use liquid capsules. You can buy the tablets cheap in the resort.

Matalan, Asda and Tesco do nice cheap holiday clothes. Vests for £2 etc.

I don't have children but my holiday packing list includes:

• beach towels (check the accommodation does not provide these first!)
• hats
• a torch because Greek hotels can be down quiet unlit roads
• photocopy of passports, driving license and the holiday booking form and the page of the brochure the hotel is on
• paracetamol
• a small towel because sometimes the bathrooms don't have a mat for the floor and it can get wet and slippery

I usually buy after sun when I am there because its cheaper, I find the Banana Boat Aloe Vera stuff is best.

Enjoy your holiday.

I've used Soltan on DS who has sensitive skin, it was fine, now using Banana Boat spray though. Also fine.

I'd go to George/Tesco for Children's holiday clothes, H&M have some nice stuff in for all of you, New Look for your girls.

It's just me and DH going on ours but we are taking...

Snorkles.
Lilos
Beach Towels.
Travel adaptor.
Hats
Sunglasses
Credit card (for car hire/emergencies)
Debit card.
Driving License.
Euros.
Books.
iPods.
Camera/charger.
Clothes, beachwear, day wear, evening wear.
1 mobile phone and charger.
Toiletries.

I'll think of some more and come back.

piz buin allergy stopped me getting prickly heat. I start with a SPF 30, then go down to 15/8.

A cotton kaftan from Tesco is also good - cool & light.

2nd the plug in mosquito repellents & there is a pen you can buy (mine came from Asda) which neutralises the sting.

Brilliant. Thank you.

Ooh yes - the mozzie pen thing: we had one of those last year and it was good but I'd forgotten about it. Also I think we still have the plug in zapper but will need to remember to buy more tablets for it.

Looked quickly in H&M today on your rec and I think we should be able to sort most of the girls' clothes out in one fell swoop. DD2 not so much of a problem but dd1 has grown out of everything she had last year. Do you happen to know if New Look do teenage swimwear?

Phantom - was the Soltan stuff you used the sensitive range or just bog standard? Last year I bought Ambre Solaire for the girls and whilst they didn't burn at all (phew) dd2 (prone to excema, which I have forgotten how to spell) suffered terribly with prickly heat. Do you think I should take some Piriton too?

I try not to 'do' Tesco either and we don't have a George/Asda nearby (I know, same thing!) but I think one of the local Sainsbos might do clothes - are they any good, does anybody know?

Ooh - one more question: does anybody know where I can get a none ridiculous looking sunhat for somebody with a tiny head (ie me)?!

Sainsburys do do ok clothes but I find them to be more old fashioned.

Def try Matalan!

Where are you off to in Greece (I know I am nosy!).

New Look do do teens swimwear yes.

Matalan for sunhat too or buy one out there (lots of choice).

Janeite- I have 2 sensitive skin sunscreens you can spot test if you like... they are childrens factor 50...

That's sweet of you EachPeach. Although in England she has been absolutely fine with any sunscreen we've ever bought (just bog standard Soltan at the mo), so I don't think it's actually the sunscreen causing the rash but rather the intense heat. So I guess testing them here might not work anyway.

Smurfgirl - we are going to Kefalos in Kos. I am just hoping that it has remained fairly low-key and won't be full of 18-30s. When we booked it I told the travel agent that we wanted somewhere with as few football shirts as possible! The woman who came in after me was even les subtle and said, 'I don't want to be with any riff-raff!!'

Teen swimwear in New Look eh? Cool. Will have a browse.

Hat - suspect I may need a teen or older child's one!

I know what you mean about prickly heat- I had it in Biarritz, and it was vile. I think its linked to sunscreen blocking the pores though... perhaps try a natural one? I have been reading the sunscreen threads (for my 2) and this is highly recommended.

Gap are usually good for hats- I have a couple from there.

Ah - now I think your head is quite petite too, so if Gap hats fit you, they might fit me!!

Thanks for the link - lovely site. Thought I might have a look and see which ranges Waitrose have as well.

What did you use for prickly heat when you were suffering from it?

Ummm... nothing just loads of aftersun and stayed out of the sun... I was young and foolish
Actually= waitrose may stock it.. they have lots of organic baby stuff at the one in H- have had to get stuff for ds- his skin is really really dry and v sensitive (I thought dd was bad, but this is something else!)

Ahhh. DD2 was like that when she was small -it has got better and better though. I must admit we mostly just used E45 or the other one they sell in Boots with blue and white packaging (which was better than the E45).

Sounds like a trip to H is in order. We were there yesterday and had a child-free lunch at the Italian at the bottom of the highstreet - v nice!

Janeite we are looking at going there next year PLEASE come back and tell me what its like (and if you can recommend your hotel)!! Its there or Kos Town I think? I have not met anyone who has been to Kos aside from Kardamena (which is 18-30s). Have a lovely time!

I think Kos Town is much, much busier than Kefalos. I have been to Kefalos before but a v long time ago. At that time, I was pregnant and still being v sick (having lost nearly two stone in the first three months) so we didn't explore much as I was too tired and weak; but the bit we were in was fine: tavernas and a few bars rather than any nightclubs.

travel insurance, travel insurance, travel insurance and a copy of the policy
copies of your passports in a different place from where you keep the real thing
contact details of the nearest British consulate in the [highly] unlikely event that you need their help
ukingreece.fco.gov.uk/en/our-office-in-greece/other-locations-in-greece/

have a lovely time

Ahh - copies of passports. Thank you! Again, something I did last year and had forgotten about. Probably I was acting on advice from MN last year too!

Thanks.

Hi janeite, am v jealous!! Pretty sure new look does loads fab swimwear, they also do beautiful sandals. Don't forget to take simple painkillers, immodium, dioralyte(sp?), plasters etc. Never used mine yet but always handy!!I also tend to buy aftersun, deodrant, showergel and shampoo from the airport before boarding as they take so much weight in your case. They charge a small fortune for going over x

Buying at the airport is an interesting idea. Do you then take it on as hand luggage? What about the liquids thing?

Re travel insurance/passport copies, we scan tehm and email them ourselves so tehy can be retrieved easily from an internet cafe if they get lost.
HAve you got your European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) yet? If not, you can apply on lie and tehy arrive a few datys later and are valid for several years (if you do have them check expiry date - we were nearly cuaght out last year!)

Got the health cards - but thanks for the reminder!

not just copies of passports etc. Remember your actual passports! I have dreams about getting to the airport and not having my passport with me all the time. Luckily it has never actually happened so far!
Earplugs for plane journey/in case of noisy neighbours.

OMG Pavlov - don't scare me! Earplugs - mmm have never tried these - might be a v good idea.