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Celebrating your best friend’s last few nights as an unmarried woman will be one of the most momentous occasions you’ll have the pleasure of experiencing. There will be laughter, tears, cocktails; more tears, dancing, more laughing – before winding down by the pool to reminisce about old times.

You’ll be required to pack for every little eventuality to ensure your girls’ weekend goes off without a hitch –  especially if you’ve got a bridezilla on your hands who insists on organising to the nth degree! Here are a few little bits and pieces you’ll want to include in your luggage to secure the smooth-running of your weekend away.

Safety Cash

It always helps to have a bit of emergency currency on you for:

• Paying the taxi man when you’ve danced your feet into oblivion.
• Covering basic costs if (heaven forbid) your purse gets lost or stolen.
• Payphone change if you happen to lose a member of your party whilst you’re out and about. Whilst she may not have her mobile, it’s always worth giving the hotel a bell to ask if reception have seen her return to her room.

Insoles

Your dancing shoes might feel fine when you slip them on before heading out into the bright lights and loud noises of the city; but give it a few hours of doing the Macarena and they’ll feel like you’ve been on a three day hike. Insoles are fantastic damage control for busy, tired feet. Team them with cushioned foot pads if you know your shoes are going to rub- otherwise stepping into the salty sea the next day will be a very unpleasant experience!

First Aid Kit

Containing the following items:

• Plasters (for scuffed toes, grazed knees, shaving nicks etc.)
• Anti-diarrhoea tablets (to counteract the effects of that less-than-kosher kebab)
• Alka-Seltzer (emergency measures for the morning after)
• Painkillers (for heat/alcohol induced headaches)
• Anti-allergy tablets (You’ll be surprised how many weekends are ruined by a nasty allergic reaction)
• Eye drops (to keep parched eyes sparkling)
• After sun (for those particularly sore sunburns)
• Anti-septic cream (All-rounder product for insect bites, any cuts or grazes and surprise piercings you might get by accident.)
• The contact telephone numbers of local health clinics or surgeries in case of an emergency. If you forget to do this before you leave, just ask reception to provide you with a list.

Beauty Bits

Remember to pack for fashion and function. If you can get away with stowing all of your essentials in your carry-on luggage this will save you both time and money; and you won’t have to spend valuable beach-lounging minutes waiting for your luggage to return to you on the carousel once you arrive.

Remember if you forget any essentials such as sunscreen or your favourite pair of sunnies; you can always buy glasses and other bits and pieces whilst you’re there.  Organise who will bring what along with them by dividing up the responsibility- you don’t need three girls bringing three pairs of curling tongs!

Do you have any last minute packing tips for hen holidays? Share your tips and tricks below for staying safe and travelling light!

Susannah Perez is a sun worshipper and party animal. She writes for Valley Optics and loves any excuse to pack herself off to the seaside!