Squeeze The Lemon

Travelling can be stressful. Some of the trials and tribulations of travel are neccesary evils. Long queues at the airport, filling out visa documents, sitting on your suitcase hoping it will fasten. There are some aspects of travel that are unavoidable. Additional stresses may arise if you’re curvy or plus size. But don’t let them dampen your trip! I’m here to share with you my curvy girl and plus size travel tips.

I love exploring the world. Whether I’m exploring a coastal town closer to home, or on a walking tour through the Blue Mountains in Sydney, I just love adventure. Travel ignites a fire in my belly that just won’t die. Similaryl, it does something to my soul that is almost impossible to put into words, but I know that because you’re reading my blog, you will understand exactly what I mean.

I always learn something new from each trip. But in order to learn something… you have to make a mistake first. Like the time I forgot to pack a towel and has to use a scarf to get dry. Or how about the time I wore brand new Converse for a city break to London; one word, blisters.

I am here to give you 5 curvy girl travel tips, so at least you don’t have to make the mistakes I did by forgetting to pack the essentials.

What are the curvy girl and plus size travel essentials?

• Cycling shorts.
• Anti-chafe cream.
• Comfortable, worn in shoes.
• Tried and tested outfits.
• The right mindset.

Cycling shorts

Firstly, we have cycling shorts. If you don’t yet own a pair of cycling shorts, then just let me tell you that I’m not on about Lycra. Don’t worry, you won’t look like you’re ready for the Tour de France.

I mean cycling shorts like these:

Comfy, stylish, and in my opinion, pull together an outfit. If you’re prone to chafing, or chubrub as some like to call it, cycling shorts protect your inner thighs from rubbing. Besides preventing chafing, they’re also great if you’re wearing a short dress and it’s windy! In other words, say goodbye to Marilyn Monroe moments.

Anti-chafe cream

This is something I’m relatively new to, but know I’m in the know, I’ll never go back. Anti-chafe cream will protect your inner thighs (and other chafe-prone areas) and make them glide against one another like glorious swans.

There are lots of different brands of anti-chafing cream, but my favourite is the Lanacane Anti-Chafing gel. The tube is small enough to keep handy in your bag and reapply as and when you need to. It makes your skin feel luxuriously soft and stops sores from rubbing skin.

Comfortable shoes

Please do not ignore me when I tell you: DO NOT WEAR NEW SHOES ON HOLIDAY! If you buy some new shoes for your vacation, wear them for a few hours (at least) before your trip. Do not make the same mistake I did by wearing new shoes which absolutely cut my feet to smithereens whilst walking round London.

My go-to choice for comfy shoes whilst travelling will also be Sketchers. I’ll admit, I am new to the Sketchers obsession. I spent too long thinking Sketchers were old people shoes (sorry, Sketchers). However, when I saw a leopard print pair of Sketchers, I couldn’t resist, and my feet have thanked me every day I’ve worn them.

Wear shoes which won’t give you blisters, will give you good grip, and are kind to your feet. Do not spend your holiday with your feet in a bucket of water because they are throbbing and sore.

Tried and tested outfits

You’ve been shopping for holiday clothes, spent hours wandering down aisle upon aisle. Granted, you have bought some absolute beautiful outfits. However, please, try them on before your trip. It’s so easy to assume you will feel great in the outfit and it will fit perfectly, but we all know this isn’t always the case.

Hopefully each piece will look fantastic on you and make you feel like a million dollars. But if it doesn’t, you haven’t wasted precious suitcase space. Plus, if it doesn’t fit you can return it and have extra cash in your bank account for whilst you’re away.

There’s nothing worse on holiday than picturing yourself all glammed up in an outfit, to be disappointed when you put it on. Try your clothes on at home when you’re in a good mood and remember, they are just clothes. Clothes are meant to fit you, you are not meant to fit the clothes.

The right mindset

You can pack all the right toiletries and clothes that fit like a glove, but it means nothing if you travel with the wrong mindset. In truth, your mindset is most important item on this list. You can wear all the showstopping outfits you like, but if you don’t have the right mindset, you’ll feel drab instead of fab.

‘How do I get the right mindset?’ I hear you ask.

The first thing to remember is it is not an overnight fix. It’s a constant work in progress from now until forever. Once you’ve accepted that, it’s so much easier to start.

Secondly, I found that having a clear out of your social media feeds did me the world of good. As well as unfollowing and unfriending any accounts that made me feel lesser, I also diversified my feed by following a variety of people. Different body types in every different way.

It helped me to realise that everyone looks different, and this is a strength of society, not a weakness. I started to view my body as a vessel which carried me through life. How strong my legs were for allowing me to swim in the ocean. How bright my brain is for helping me to pursue my career ambitions. The appreciation I have for my tummy for helping me to digest food. All of these were parts of me I once hated, but now came to appreciate beyond words.

Having the right mindset before you travel means affirming to yourself that you are wonderful/kind/beautiful/strong… whatever positive adjective fits.

It takes practice every single day, but my gosh is it worth it.

Ready, set, go!

Now you’ve got your 5 plus size travel essentials all packed, you’re ready to go! Of course, make sure to remember the other essential things (like your passport..), and you’re all set.

If there’s a while to go before your next trip, in the meantime you can read my tips for staying in a hostel and find out the gadgets you can buy to beat the heat.