Each summer I find myself chasing the sun, either on some picturesque Mediterranean island or sailing along a breath-taking coastline idling my days away. So as to not break with tradition, I made my way down to Castellaneta in South Italy for our annual family village-2 week vacation. My next statement may shock you hearing it as much as it shocked me saying it. This year the temperature down south got too hot, even for this Caribbean girl, but I was determined not to let the raising mercury scorch my travel plans. With that in mind, I decided it was time to head north, to Norway-a destination that could not have been more contrasting: cold, wet and icy and that’s on a good day.

While it is impossible to control the weather; what you can manage are the essential items that you take along to make these transitions a little more comfortable. Whether you are travelling from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia, here are my tried and stress tested travel must-haves.

While I have never been a fan of backpacks, not even for travelling. Rain-backpack is the exception. I have finally found one that could fit in everywhere I go. They come in great colours and look as elegant and stylish as a backpack could. From the beach to the high fashion stores, they are so functional and stylish, I should have gotten two.

As much as I adore the sun and sea it ravages my hair and by the end of summer it usually looks and feels more like straw. But not this summer; I found a tinted mask by Christopher Robin that not only restores the moisture in my hair but also its colour. This tinted mask, doesn’t contain the harsh chemicals used in permanent hair colour products but instead nourishes with shea butter and almond oil. It saved me a few trips to the hairdresser as well.

This summer I fell in love with beautiful lace summer dresses, which seemed to dominate the streets of Paris this season. There was nothing that screamed summer to me and made me feel more beautiful, no matter where I went.

From the beach to the fjords, even when the conditions change my skin still needs love. The other great thing is that bio oil works on my whole family. I used it at night to keep my skin hydrated after a hectic summer day, at sea level or way above.

I love these! Thick sole sandals are so versatile, a really nice pair could take you from breakfast all the way to dinner without compromising comfort or chic style. For me, it’s the big girl upgrade from flip-flops.

I am always guilty of overpacking especially toiletries. Luckily for me this summer all I needed to keep my face fresh and clean were a pack of rosewater wipes. They are easy on the skin and no fuss to take along with you anywhere the road may lead.

This summer I changed my strategy up a bit. Tired of losing my expensive brand name sun glasses, I decided on a few low cost ones instead. There were just as trendy, I was able to switch them up and there is no heartbreak when they get lost.

Thanks for reading! 🙂

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