How to beat the heat

Scorching sunshine is not what you need on holiday!  Sounds a bit extreme especially if you are looking for a bit of sun. This post is another in the Aspects of Retirement series providing travel tips to hot climes. Don’t forget to check out that useful book from the Rough Guides folk supported by Legal and General to help with the budgeting of your trips.

Holidays are times for relaxation and discovery but if you are in a climate of heat, extreme heat, you need to take care in order to fully enjoy your time away. On our trip to Cyprus we had temperatures in the high 30 degrees.

Plan your day

Sounds simple but when the weather is very warm, you will find that you can be quite debilitated after a little of being out in it. Your plan should include times when you will rest from your touring. It should also look at what you want to do during the day. Heat can slow you up and sap your energy so do be sensible and remember you may not be able to go to all of those sights in one go.

Keep hydrated

Sounds like simple advice but it is so important to make sure you keep yourself hydrated. Now this can be tricky in a hot climate. No sooner have you gone outside than the water in the bottle you are carrying is warm if not beginning to boil.

Tip: Pop your bottle filled with water  into the freezer or freezing compartment the night before and take the frozen water with you. You will be surprised how slowly the ice melts but you have cold water for most of the day. Make sure you don;’t fill it to the top but leave some room for expansion. Thanks to Angela Burridge for this idea. It really works!

Aya Trias Basilica Sipahi, Yenierinkoy, North Cyprus

Cover up

Now we all know about wearing a hat in the sunshine. It not only stops your head getting burnt (especially important for those chaps like hubby who have little hair left!) but it can also cool you by absorbing the sweat that is your body’s natural protection from heat.

Make sure you use the appropriate factor suncream. We love a tan but remember those rays can be deadly and remind you of a holiday by causing skin cancer.

Sunglasses have become a fashion statement. I still don’t understand the need for youngsters to wear them when it is nearly dark (!) but apart from that, the glare of the sun does mean your eyes work overtime to keep them moist and healthy.

St Barnabas Icon & Archaeological Museum

Take regular breaks

As part of your plan make sure you have regular breaks. This is better than waiting until your feet ache so much you fall into a chair. Try to get into the shade if possible and combining these stops with a drink in an air conditioned room would be ideal

 Our trip

Our visit to Cyprus was wonderful. Staying with friends meant we didn’t have to worry about an itinerary but we did find that it had to be slightly tempered to accommodate the heat. That didn’t mean we didn’t pack each day but being older and it being hotter, we had to be sensible!

Salamis, North Cyprus

Do share your trips for travelling in heat!

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