Visiting the sun
Ah, that big bright ball of fire in the sky, the one that makes our skin brown, our hair lighter, our mood lift, and all our cares melt away. You’d think that all those positive statements would mean there can’t possibly be a downside, wouldn’t you?
Wrong!
Whilst the sun is a wonderful thing, obviously we need it to live, it also has many a downside, and when we’re on holiday, we tend to forget these negatives and end up at best, a bit red, and at worst, very ill.
Being stressed out and over-tired before you travel is a fast-track way to make bad decisions and be low on the immune system. Stock up on sleep, relax, and stay organised pre-holiday and your mind will be in a better place whilst you’re there. How can you do this? Well I always find list writing helps me out, and being as up to date on anything to do with my travel plans as possible. I always check my flight times regularly before I travel, and this gives me real time information, such as terminal etc. If you know what you’re dealing with, then stressful situations become less of a trauma.
Once you’re on holiday, obviously you’re going to have a few late nights, but building on a rested foundation prior to going away will help. When it comes to that ball of fire we were talking about earlier however, there are a few things you need to pay attention to.
Think SPF. Don’t be tempted to go for the lowest possible strength because you think that will give you the best tan. This is a very common misconception, because you’ll basically just burn. Start high, apply regularly, especially after being in the water, and gradually lower your SPF if you feel the need. Personally I’d stay high, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Wear a hat. Whether you’re a hat person or not, find one to suit you and leave it on your head! Sunstroke is very unpleasant, and the side effects of it will ruin your holiday if you let them.
Drink water, avoid alcohol. During the day, glug that water and avoid cocktails or beer, simply save those for night time. The sun and heat dehydrates you, and alcohol will do the same, so drinking water makes much more sense
Avoid peak sun hours. The Spanish have a siesta for a very good reason; it’s nothing to do with laziness, and everything to do with common sense where the sun and heat is concerned! Avoiding peak sun hours, from around 1pm to 4pm, will mean you have much less chance of ending up ill through burning, sun stroke and the aforementioned dehydration problems. You will also be much more rested for your evening if you have a cat nap in the afternoon. Having said that, if you don’t want to sleep your day away, then sitting in the shade with a book, preferably in air conditioning, does exactly the same thing.
Double everything up for boat trips. When you’re out on the open water you will burn much quicker than you would on land. Basically slap the sun cream on more often, use a higher SPF, always wear a hat, seek shade often, and drink more water.
The sun is a wonderful thing, and if you bear in mind these safety tips, you should have an uneventful time visiting it.
#This article is written by our partners who is helping me travel further and better.