Some of you may (or may not!) know that I like a holiday (or ten!) a year. I’ve always been obsessed with Travel since I was a little girl but my lust grew for it when I became a Travel Agent, ten years ago (dear God, help me, how was that ten years ago?) I’ve just returned from the Dominican Republic with Ice Lolly and it was one of those holiday spent solely on the beach, because quite frankly, it was time for us to chill out and that is exactly what we did. But a holiday like this requires a carefully prepared beach bag with all the essentials.
1. A CRAZY INFLATABLE
Duh. This is a no brainer. Are you really on holiday if you don’t have some weird & wonderful novelty inflatable? I opted for this doughnut one, courtesy of MenKind – it provided hours of fun floating around in the pool and then some trying to navigate the Caribbean waves!
2. A BEACH TOWEL
I hate being wet. It sounds stupid, I know. But when I’ve been in the sea or pool I want to dry off quickly and PrezzyBox answered all my doughnut inspired prayers when they sent this super beach towel for me to enjoy. It is huge and it was really snuggly for when the wind picked up on the last few days. Plus it matched my inflatable doughnut, so let’s face it, I’m the real winner here! And come on, could I look any happier?
3. A GOOD BOOK
I spent our week away getting lost in a couple of books by the author, Lucy Diamond. It’s nothing too hard to read but her writing is utterly mesmerising and I love how there is always a real message behind her books. There’s nothing better than enjoying a good novel and detaching yourself from reality, which lets face it, that’s what a holiday is all about!
4. A LITTLE BEACH DRESS
Sometimes you might need to get up from the clasp of your sunbed and move. Move to the toilet, move to the buffet or better still, move to the bar to get yourself a strong drink (obvs!) and you might just need a little cover up. I had a cute one from Marie Hell that was so easy to throw and if you are looking for something a little different Rokit* have some amazing vintage pieces (we’re talking vintage Calvin Klein peeps!) that will make you stand out from the (un)crowded beaches.
5. SUN TAN LOTION
If you travel long haul you will know that the Caribbean sun is like no other. I burnt to a crisp in Mexico partly due to not strong enough sun tan cream and partly because we forgot to re-apply after one too many Mojito’s (boy were they strong) so having a good sun cream can really prevent you burning and spending the rest of your holiday hiding in the shade. We tend to use P20 as it’s long lasting and doesn’t come off in water.
6. WATER
As much as I want to say cocktails here, the sensible side of me would really recommend keeping a bottle of water nearby. The hot, hot heat in the Caribbean can really dehydrate you and it’s crucial you keep your body hydrated (especially if you are knocking back the Margherita’s honey!)
7. A BEACH BAG
Of course, to carry all the above you require a trusty beach bag to keep everything in check. I love what some of the high street stores have to offer but find at this time of year you can really struggle to find one with it being out of season. You can pick up some really cool ones online all year round from The Jewellery Channel* after having a browse I fell upon this really cute, striped beach bag that would fit everything in perfectly!
8. YOUR TRAVELLING COMPANION
My husband is my travelling companion of choice. I applaud those travel solo (props to you, you wonderful human beings!) however, I love experiencing all these crazy destinations with someone I love. You get to laugh at the weird and wonderful, soak in the sunrise / sunsets together and generally spend quality time together that you just wouldn’t get normally.
