Crete, Greece
How To Make The Most Of Your Summer Holiday
Alex and I are off to beautiful Mykonos very soon for a little rest and relaxation together and I couldn’t be more excited to tick another of the Greek Islands off our seemingly never ending travel wish list. Last month I was lucky enough to organise a girl’s Summer Holiday to Crete and it reminded me while planning for this next adventure that I am always the self proclaimed organised one of the group, unless my friend Steph is travelling with me of course, as she is the Queen of lengthy lists!
I spend the weeks leading up to my travels forever researching the area, finding out what we should be experiencing there and making sure I have the appropriate outfits and beauty products to take with me, never wanting to be unprepared or without something. I recently wrote about how a Girl’s holiday can be the perfect antidote to a little stress and how your girls will always have your back if you have forgotten a certain something. When travelling with Alex however I can be pretty sure that he won’t have my favourite cleanser or moisturiser with him so here’s to the 10 Do’s and Don’ts to make the most of your Summer Holiday and to making sure you it’s one to remember for the right reasons.
1.
DON’T FORGET TO BE ORGANISED
This could cover a whole host of things, I realise it’s a very bold and encompassing word but I mainly mean be organised BEFORE you travel. You will totally thank yourself later in the Summer Holiday and so will others! Book that taxi to the airport nice and early, make sure your passport is in date (This has happened to a friend of mine before!) and make sure you research the area you are travelling to. You may discover some little gems that will keep you in the hotels/restaurants good books when it comes to how much you should tip or you may even find somewhere incredible to visit that you just can’t miss. There are really no downsides to making sure you know a little about your chosen destination and ensuring you don’t offend any locals.
2.
DO FIND THE PERFECT CARRY ON BAG
Before I found my perfect carry on bag I used to struggle to pack everything in a way that meant I could grab my passport when I needed it, pull my liquids out at security sharpish and find my holy grail eye masks without an avalanche of electronics following and hitting the floor immediately after. My Chanel bag is the perfect match for any flight. Big enough to fit my laptop, my camera and all my chargers to match, yet enough small compartments to tuck my passport away safely in it’s own section and those pesky liquids kept separate too.
3.
DO KEEP HYDRATED
This may seem like a super simple little tip that of course we all know but do we always do it? I know I don’t! Especially when we’re in a hotter climate than our usual we should be upping our water intake to ensure we stay feeling and looking good. Not only will it keep you headache free, help with digestion and keep your temperature regulated in the hot weather, it will keep your skin looking it’s best too. There are apps you can download to remind you to drink water or even just ask your travel companion to remind you if they haven’t seen you with some water in your hand for a while.
4.
DON’T OVERINDULDGE TOO MUCH
I have to say I think this is the hardest thing for me to stick to when I am away, it’s so easy to use the words ‘Oh but we’re on holiday’ when it comes to food and drink but all I have to do is think about the effects of said indulgence and I know 9 times out of 10 I can reign myself in. Don’t get me wrong if someone says the words pancakes or breakfast buffet I am totally the first one there but as we all try to tell ourselves, everything in moderation. Now that I travel a lot, I know that I don’t want to feel horribly bloated the next day on the beach taking outfit shots because I had one slice of bread too many or feel terribly hungover and dehydrated because I ordered that second bottle of wine when the 1st was enough. Yes it’s a Summer Holiday but we don’t want to feel like we need another just to get over this one!
5.
DO USE SUN PROTECTION
The older I get, the more I care about my skin and the effects the sun has on it. I used to haphazardly throw some sun cream on before leaving the hotel, very rarely reapply it during the day, always forget a sunhat and think I was being good because I had a large pair of sunglasses on. Now I try my very hardest to stay out of direct sunlight for long periods of time, always reapply my suncream often throughout the day and ensure I always have a sunhat and sunglasses with me without fail. Also let’s face it, there’s nothing that feels worse than getting sunburn on the first day of your Summer Holiday and feeling uncomfortable and sore for the rest of the vacation. I wrote a post very recently on why I don’t sunbathe anymore if you want to look at this in a bit more detail.
6.
DO USE YOUR USUAL SKINCARE
It’s so easy to not even think about this one, I know I have made this mistake before. Running through Boots 2 days before your holiday and throwing the first set of miniatures you see into your basket alongside a few other impulse purchases that your skin has never experienced before. This leaves you wondering why on the 3rd day of your holiday your skin is suddenly overly greasy or dry and you’ve had a break out that you can’t seem to explain. Not only is your skin adjusting to a different climate, different food and some extra Vitamin D you don’t want to throw it another curve ball by using a moisturiser or a cleanser you’ve never tried out before, this goes for sun cream too.
7.
DON’T FORGET THE RIGHT FOOTWEAR
Again something so simple but having the chance to experience Trek America for almost 3 months taught me there is nothing worse than not packing the right footwear, literally. This can make it hard not to pack every pair of shoes you own to make sure all bases are covered but no one wants blisters the day you arrive because you chose to bring a brand new pair of shoes you’ve never worn (I’m guilty of this many times over!) or a pair of heels that look gorgeous but inevitably you will break your ankle wearing because your Summer Holiday villa is in the hills of Santorini. Basically what I’m trying to say is use a little common sense when packing.
8.
DON’T OVERPACK
This definitely takes some experience and some extensive travel miles to work out how to do this and I will happily admit I don’t quite have this ‘down to a tee’ yet but this fits into the being organised category for me. If your Summer Holiday is 7 days long you definitely don’t need 14 pairs of shoes, similarly if your Summer Holiday is a long weekend break you don’t need 10 bikinis. Think capsule wardrobe in your suitcase and don’t forget the biggest bonus of not packing like a major diva? There’s room to bring home some new purchases for your next adventure, yay!
9.
DO EMBRACE THE HOLIDAY LOOK
Sometimes it can be hard to get out of the habit of doing your full face of make up (I do love my contour!) and straightening and curling your hair every evening you are away but there is something so liberating about embracing your freckles for the evening and enjoying the sea salt effect on your hair. The less time spent making yourself over the more time there is to relax and spend time with the ones you love. So throw that hair in a plait, take a little tinted moisturiser and a slick of lip balm and head out for a more leisurely dinner feeling decidedly more Summery.
10.
DON’T FORGET TO RELAX
This might sound even MORE obvious than some of the other tips I’ve mentioned and I guess this one is something I personally need to see written down on here. When travelling there are so many amazing opportunities to take outfit pictures, make sure you grab that selfie with your friend, see the amazing view through the lens of your camera and then through a filter on Instagram but sometimes we just need to be reminded to relax. We all need a little time to recharge and get back to full capacity and what better time than a Summer Holiday?
Thankyou to the beautiful Suzie B for these shots! Taken at Daios Cove, Crete.
What are your favourite tips for making the most of your Summer Holidays? I’d love to hear them!
