Life Unexpected: Top Travel Essentials

Travelling is a really exciting time, getting overseas and experiencing new cultures and ways of life. It's certainly not something that we should take for granted. Especially when we have it handed to us as easily as we do, while we were away in Tunisia I was shocked to discover just how difficult it is for Tunisian citizens to leave the country. Many of them have never left for one reason or another, and so many of them have dreams that involve visiting distant parts of the world, or even just to see what life is like in the United Kingdom.

For my family of 3 to travel we need to plan. Planning forms the basis of absolutely everything we do, and going on holiday requires planning, additional planning and then just another smidgen of planning for good measure.

How do you you decide what you need to take with you? I personally think it's wise to pack for every eventuality, you really don't know what you might need, what situations may arise, what excursions you may find yourself venturing off on.

Sun Care & Essentials

I have traveled to a few places where I haven't felt to great, whether it's because of the food or because I have mistakenly drank some of the water in the past, I don't know. I didn't want to take any chances with Tunisia, it was to be the first time I have been abroad in a few years, and I was determined to enjoy every moment! I started taking Bio-Culture a few days before we flew out, it's a probiotic supplement that aims to protect you against tummy upsets that are particularly common when you travel. It basically works by helping to balance out the bacteria in your stomach, and it was really easy to take while I was away. It comes in the form of tablets that you just have to swallow with water, they didn't need refrigerating which made them really handy.

Tip: Great items to keep in your handbag:

- Migrastick is a natural solution to quickly relieve pain and headache in a chic and practical pocket format. 

Zap-It Mosquito Bite Relief - I usually get eaten alive if there are Mosquitoes about. Egypt was especially bad, they just loved me. Luke had nothing to show for it, but I had bites all over my legs. Of course being young, I had not packed for the occasion. This time I was ready for everything...And they left me alone!

- Gin Gin's are candies, candies made out of Ginger. Now I love Ginger and add it to absolutely everything. These were interesting and were great to keep in my bag,

While were on the subject of tummy upsets, I would say it's always best to over prepared just in case. Luke always seems to go down with one, always. I had brought along Enterosgel Tummy Bug Gel which was a product I had never heard of before.

It was said to help with a number of different aspects:

- Helps to stop diarrhoea or shortens the duration of diarrhoea;
- Reduces or prevents toxic and allergic reactions;
- Relieves symptoms of indigestion;
- Helps to restore beneficial intestinal microflora;
- Protects gastrointestinal mucous membrane and promotes healing of its lesions;
- Reduces the toxic load on the liver and kidneys.

Luke can confirm that he was indeed poorly, and that this really did help. In fact he couldn't stop raving about it while we were away!

In terms of suncare we took so much with us, different varieties for Leo, myself and for Luke. We swore by Aldi's Kids cream for Leo, it was factor 50 and was absolutely amazing. I slathered Leo in it throughout the day and he didn't burn once. It really did the job, even on the day where we spent hours out off roading on quad bikes! I was so impressed with it, and for the small amount of money that it costs, it really is worth it.

Luke was all about the P20 Suncream, he has always been an avid user since I met him. I remember him insisting on us having to have this brand in our case before we jetted off to Egypt many years ago. We had two different factors with us and he monopolized them both.

For me my heart lay with Palmers, I have adored them ever since I was pregnant with Leo and my morning, and evening ritual for that matter was to smother myself in the cocoa butter. I had made it my personal mission to evade stretch marks, and this was how I was going to do it! I never did get any stretch marks, but whether it was down to my military routine, or because of genetics I will never how. Anyway I digress... I took away some Palmer's Cocoa Butter Formula SPF 15 Body Lotion with Vitamin E, and it has the great smell that you associate with Palmers. It always reminds me of being on holiday. A great product that nourishes, moisturises and tones my skin, but also actively protects against UV rays

Travel bags

For Luke and I we always tend to borrow suitcases from relatives, but we were aware that now Leo was that little bit older and had substantially more things that he was going to have to take with him, it was going to be important to have a special suitcase to hold his worldly possessions. I fell in love with the Little Life Dinosaur Wheelie Duffle. It was just adorable, it has been designed at the right size and height for a preschooler to pull along with ease. Leo was so excited about the idea of taking it with him, it arrived after we had already left to go to the airport, but since we have got home Loe has been so excited about wheeling it around the house. I know that he is going to be looking forward to using it when we return to Tunisia in the next few months (I am determined to go back!),

The Dinosaur Duffle retails at £39.99.

I have always loved how fun and practical the Little Life brand is, when Leo was younger we had the Dinosaur Day Sack for him, and it proved a very trusty and handy addition as he grew and wanted to do more walking.

Security

Keeping and feeling safe when you are out of your comfort zone is so important. Having just traveled to Tunisia, arriving back in the wake of the awful goings on that have been all over the news, the Easylock may provide additioal reassurance where it's needed.

The Easylock is a simple but incredibly strong temporary door lock. The core of the lock is manufactured from chromium plated steel, encased in strong ABS plastic with a soft plastic edge.  The latch plate is manufactured from high strength stainless steel as is the sliding mechanism, ensuring that the lock will never fail under attack.

These are some of our essential items that we wouldn't want to travel without. When we do venture out overseas it is good to know that you have everything that you could need, just in case. Prepare a small first aid kit, take your basic paracetamol and ibuprofen. It may sound silly but you never know. I ended up dosing up on painkillers while we were away because my wisdom tooth decided to start moving around. Yes I am a 25 year old parent who is TEETHING! I really under estimated just how painful it could be, but being prepared meant that I could tackle it.

What are your top travel essentials?

Disclaimer: I was sent the above products in exchange for my honest opinions.

The Mirage Beach Hotel Review - Hammamet Tunisia

At the end of April we booked a family holiday, it had been a long time coming and it was something that we all needed. We had a budget that we needed to stick to but we wanted somewhere further a field than Spain, not wanting to end up in England under the sun as you seem to do in so many resorts these days. 

We wanted somewhere hot, cultured and somewhere we could really un-wind, and as I scoured the last minute deals on Thomas Cook, Tunisia was a resort that popped up on multiple occasions and really caught my eye. I clicked through to the hotels, I studied the images, imagined myself there sat around the pool, but just like Goldilocks none of them were for us. 

It was then I came to the Mirage Beach Hotel located in Hammamet, Tunisia. 

It was the price that leaped out at me first thing, drawing me in like a moth to a flame. I studied the photographs just as I had done for each of the other hotels and it looked absolutely perfect. My first instinct was to have a look on Trip Adviser at all of the reviews and see how they stood up in reality, and it was then I discovered that there was no trace of them at all. Upon further investigation I found their Facebook page, and realised that at that moment in time the hotel wasn't open. It had been closed prior to changing hands and was formally known as Club Med. This gave me a little more information to go on, and the reviews on the former hotel were super. I was adamant that this is where I was going on holiday.

We booked and the holiday count down began. Before I knew it the day had arrived and we were crossing the patchwork sky to Tunisia. We arrived around 1am and were promptly checked in, the staff from the very get go were superb and couldn't do enough for you. We were issued with our all inclusive bands, and shown to our room where they set out a big basket of fruit for us to enjoy. This was such a lovely touch for us as we were ravenous from all the travelling, So before going to bed we all indulged in the nectarines and peaches. 

The housekeeping team had turned all of our towels into marvelous creations and that really brightened Leo's very first night. 

The Room

We opted for a family bungalow within the hotel grounds, it was situated a short walk from the main complex which was fantastic for us.  The bungalow consisted of a living room with two sofa beds in, they were all ready to be used which was great at gone 1am when we just wanted to get Leo straight into bed. Going through from the lounge there was a toilet and additional shower room with sink on the left hand side, going to the end of the corridor was the main bedroom. 

The rooms all come with air conditioning as standard, ours didn't seem to work for the most part but with the temperature in June being average it wasn't something that we missed. I am sure if we had mentioned it at reception there would have been a resolution, but like I say this wasn't something that effected our stay.

The room was comfortable and suited us perfectly for our needs, we all slept beautifully and recharged ready for another day of adventure. The only things that I would have liked to see in the room were tea and coffee making facilities and perhaps a mini fridge to keep a few bits and pieces in, being all inclusive however they weren't essential items as there was always somewhere to get a beverage or something to eat.

Although the hotel has been refurbished it's apparent that the money has been spent within the hotel rather than on the rooms. The rooms are a little tired, ours came equipped with a hand held shower head, but that for us was no issue at all, the rooms are clean and adequate. In fact I loved our room, and cannot wait to re-book for the next few months time. 

The Mirage Beach Hotel

This hotel was heaven for us, we had the most amazing time. From the 3 available pool choices that all feature different depths, to the beautiful beach that was right on the doorstep, to the absolutely FANTASTIC entertainment team. Everyone was friendly, welcoming and would go out of their way to make sure you enjoyed your time there.

With the hotel only being open a month before we visited, there weren't many other guests. This for us was just incredible. We could float around the pool, lounge on the sunbeds and let Leo enjoy himself as loudly as he wanted without having to worry about to many other people. In fact because of this it meant that the guests all formed a community and by the end of the holiday I felt like we had made so many new friends.

The entertainment team really did help make our holiday, they engaged with everyone, and even if you are like me and don't usually get involved, you will by the end of your time there have danced with the amazing dancers (They can all move!) taken part in water gym, practiced your archery or even played volley ball on the beach.

The evening shows cannot be missed, they will make you laugh like you have never laughed before, and you will be amazed by just how talented the team are. They even persuaded Luke to dress up as a lady and rollie pollie across the stage, Leo couldn't believe his eyes, and for that matter neither could I...

Make sure you check out the entertainment soundtrack and learn the moves, they will insist you join in!

All Inclusive

I think sometimes booking an all inclusive deal can be a little worrying, but Leo, Luke and I were really impressed with the food presented to us each day. There was absolutely something for everybody, even Leo who is the fussiest eater imaginable. From Omelettes and cooked breakfasts to pastries and fruit for breakfast, to pasta, salads, pizza and fresh fruits for lunch, to traditional cuisine, lasagnas, meats and fish to the tastiest puddings...

The chef in the restaurant was so kind, and by the end of the holiday he was putting up plates of the food he rated the best for us. He was right and really did look after us all. You should have seen the fresh chips portion he plated up for Leo on a nightly basis...

Do not miss the Crepe chef in the bar when it comes to your afternoon snack. They are delicious, and just reminiscing has my mouth watering..

Within the all inclusive package you are provided with breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks (excluding the well known brands) and snacks. If you want ice cream from the bar this comes at an additional cost.

Over all

We had the most fantastic time and the week went by far to quickly. I needed another week, but then that may not have been long enough. We were completely spoiled by everyone who worked there, to the destination it's self. It's not everyday you have such a beautiful hotel all to yourself and the friendliest community right around you. I was sad to go home after such an amazing week, so many people to say goodbye to, so many things I still wanted to do. 

So with those feelings still at the very pit of my stomach, I am determined to go back. I intend to visit again in September this year to catch some more sunshine and make many more memories to go hand in hand with the ones we have already made.

If you are in any doubt about booking the Mirage Beach, push them aside. You will absolutely love this place.

Disclaimer: I have not been compensated for this post. We booked our own personal holiday there in June and these are my own honest views and opinions.