Top Summer Travel Tips
My tours to Italy, Spain, and Greece are always in the European summer, so in preparation for my upcoming tours to Italy, here are my top summer travel tips for you.
I love flying and I fly all the time for my food and wine tours. Living in Australia means that the flights to Europe are long, at least 24 hours, and as a tour host, I need to arrive at my destination refreshed and ready to greet my very important guests with warmth and enthusiasm.
Summer travel tips – the essentials
Packing is a nightmare when you are the host of a tour. While the aim is to have a fresh stylish look each day, at the same time it needs to be practical for energetic days filled with cooking demonstrations, visits to farms and orchards, long lunches and late dinners. Natural fibers, like fresh linens that evoke that fashionable Italian look, are my favorites for hot days and a simple, little black dress, strappy sandals and Missoni necklace for evening wear. I like to think that the way I dress complements my love of pure Italian food, stylish and elegant.
This is my absolute “cannot do without” summer travel tip list.
Luggage Essentials
Skin Care
Top of the list is taking care of my skin with a light, enriching moisturizer, a facial spritz to cool me down and to set my make-up and then a sunscreen for every-day use whether with or without make-up;
Hair Care
Styling and nourishing my hair is the next priority both on the flight and while on tour and what works best and easiest for me is my favorite Biosthetique shampoo, conditioner and mask. Swimming, walking and cooking can really take its toll on the condition of my hair, but I can keep it looking shiny and healthy with these products.
Essential accessories for summer travel
Summer essentials are a natural fine straw sun hat, at least two pairs of sunglasses, a filmy scarf to match my sandals and some gorgeous long, but lightweight earrings. My go-to handbag in summer in Italy is my espadrille tote bag, just the right size for all my daily bits and pieces with room to add in some irresistible good buys.
My Hand Bag
Some would say that this is the top priority – passport, boarding pass, smartphone, wallet, sunglasses and my Ipad for reading my book inflight.
In my hand luggage
I pack my hand luggage to cover any disappointments should my luggage not arrive at the same time that I do, which means a complete change of clothes, travel packs (<100 ml) of moisturizer, deodorant, perfume and make-up, sandals, sunglasses. Add in your phone and Ipad chargers and you are packed.
Flight Tips
What to wear
Comfortable and stylish is the word; in a Uniqlo legging, white t-shirt, long soft scarf, flat espadrilles shoes; upon landing, add a summer blazer and soft leather summer ankle boots to look sharp upon arrival.
Pushing back jetlag
First of all, change your watch to the time at your destination.
During the flight, it is tempting to chill out with a Singapore Sling on take-off and then relax with a glass of wine or two with dinner, but my mantra in flight is hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Water is the best, drink lots it of then splash out with a Virgin Bloody Mary with your meal.
What to eat
Keep the food light but filling, skip the bread, heavy sauces, pasta and noodles, and the sugary desserts; choose the vegetable dishes, salads, and soups. You know how much I love salads and how I love to share my favourite salad recipes like the Asparagus and quinoa salad with toasted maple seeds and strawberries.
Stay healthy and rested
Keep your hand sanitizer close by and use it before eating anything and before re-applying your moisturizer for happy, healthy traveling.
When the lights are turned down, slip on your noise-canceling headphones, a sleeping eye mask over your lavender eye pillow and the next thing you know the flight attendant will be gently waking you up for breakfast.
Travel safely!
