Team Bookends Five Holiday Must Haves

To kick off the start of our fabulous summer reading campaign we’re giving you a little insight into Team Bookends with our Five Holiday Must Haves. Look out for more Five Holiday Must Haves from Emylia Hall, Sarah Maine, Katie Marsh and more next Monday!

Aimee

1. Factor 50 sun cream. I burn with the slightest of sun peering out from the sky.
2. Somewhere to swim. I don’t go swimming very often but there’s nothing like a swim on a hot day.
3. A location with amazing food.
4. A special place to explore – a cave, a national park, a forgotten location. Anywhere out in nature is preferred.
5. A good book!

Helena

1. Sun Cream (At least factor 30) This is an absolute MUST. With my fair skin I just don’t tan – I look so pale that when I was in Italy an Italian nonna went out of her way to come up to me and tell me that my legs were ‘blanco’ (bit rude, it was only my first day in the sun)
2. Kindle – Unfortunately airlines don’t give you a separate book allowance in your luggage so you have to squeeze everything into 15 kg. This just isn’t enough for the amount of reading I like to do on holiday.
3. Flip Flops – A fairly obvious one but I spent a month in Vietnam and lived in my flip flops. I accidentally climbed to one of the highest peaks on Cat Ba island in flip flops (we took a wrong turn) and they got me up rocks without so much as a stubbed toe.
4. Scarf – not a big woollen wrap around (obvs) get yourself a huge wrap around that you can use to pop around your shoulders if you’re heading anywhere where you might need to cover up, use it as a blanket on the plane (the air con gets a bit much sometimes) or pop it round your shoulders when it gets a little chilly in the evenings #practical
5. Inflatable unicorn – Bear with me. Last year my sister and law and I decided it was absolutely essential that we invested in an inflatable unicorn for optimum Instagram opportunities. If it’s good enough for Philip Schofield then it’s good enough for us!

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Sushmi

1. Books! As many as I can lay my hands on and carry around without causing serious injury.
2. A list of restaurant recommendations. I always want to try the local cuisine and, determined not to end up in McDonalds, I never go anywhere without collecting recommendations for a few great places to eat.
3. Comfy shoes. Traipsing around in beautiful new sandals that cut into your feet and  leave you weeping on the Spanish Steps is not a good idea (been there)
4. Some kind of lovely cooling water spray to battle hot weather. Caudalie Beauty Elixir smells amazing and is available at most airport duty frees.
5. Spritz on tap.

Alice

1. Suncream. I go from white to bright red in the blink of an eye. And I have young children, so am contractually required to apply suncream to a reluctant child every half an hour, which usually takes about half an hour.
2. Data roaming. Must be able to post smug pictures to my Instagram. #blessed.
3. A decent picnic rug After too many years of awkwardly sitting on a plastic bag on slightly damp grass I refused to have a damp bottom any longer. I now have a tasteful woven blanket in the car at all times.
4. The sound of the sea. Is there anything more instantly therapeutic and relaxing?
5. And finally of course – Good books to read. No explanation needed.