When you go traveling, there are many things you take into consideration, one of which is the weather. Ideally, you want to go somewhere nice and hot, somewhere to relax and enjoy the great weather. I love going to hot countries, but they do require you to be a bit more prepared. Otherwise, you will end up with sun damaged skin for the rest of your life.
Throughout my travels I’ve come across a few common mistakes, we make when going to hot countries. Here are the three biggest, and why they need to be avoided:
Falling Asleep In The Sun
I’ve been on holiday in a hot country and walked along the beach where I’ve seen dozens of people falling asleep in the sun. They’re just lying there, with no shade covering them at all, having a little snooze. I don’t want to generalize, but it tends to be young people that have been out the night before and are trying to catch any rest they can find. While there’s nothing wrong with sunbathing, falling asleep is completely different. It means you can be in the sun for absolutely ages, resulting in some severe burns. It’s not uncommon for people to have second-degree burns from falling asleep in the searing hot sun all day long. Believe me, that’s a surefire way to completely ruin your trip and land you a few nights in a foreign hospital bed.
Forgetting Cream For Their Skin
Now, if you go on holiday and forget your sunscreen, then it shouldn’t matter too much as you can buy some abroad. However, it’s important that you remember other creams for your skin too. I’m talking about burn creams, aloe vera gel, aftersun – the stuff you apply when you’ve come in from sunbathing to look after your skin. If you look at Med Consumers burn ointment list, you’ll struggle to find a lot of these creams and gels in shops. The same can go for some types of aloe vera gel and after sun cream too. So, if you can’t find them in shops, you’ll have a hard time getting your hands on them while traveling. As such, you need to remember to pack them before you go, or else your skin may go unprotected during your entire trip. Also, remembering to bring the cream is only half of your task. You’ve got to remember to use them too, whenever you’ve been in the sun and come inside. Hopefully, you won’t need to use any burn cream, but bring it just in case you get some sore red patches.
Not Drinking Enough Water
Hot weather doesn’t just cause sunburn, it can also cause sunstroke and dehydration. Being in the sun for hours a day will literally dry you out like a prune. Your body needs so much water to counter this and keep you healthy. Normally, you should drink around 2 litres of water per day, but you should add to this when you’re in a hot country. Heck, double it just to be safe! The more water you drink, the better. Don’t make the mistake of not carrying a big refillable bottle with you wherever you go.
Avoid these mistakes when you’re in a hot country, and your experience of the place will be a thousand times better.
PS- As a millenial traveler myself, I’ve struggled with my fair share of struggling in hot destinations. Another accompanying problem is sweat. Click here for tips on combatting perspiration!
Jessica Lippe 