What’s in my Bag; the Dubai Edition

When I was pregnant with the toddler I coveted a Pink Lining bag. I eyed them lustfully in shop windows and sighed with envy every time I saw a flash of bright pink at baby group. But with everything we needed to buy for having a baby along with planning our wedding there was never any cash to buy myself a treat. I just made do with my freebie.

Fast forward to Baby Boy arriving and having all the essentials already my lustful eyeing up became a lot more pronounced moving to slipping the iPad with the pink lining site open under my husbands nose. Whatever I did it worked and I am now the proud owner of said bag. It’s me getting the lustful glances at the flash of bright pink as I open my changing bag to change Baby Boy for the umpteenth time that day.

In short, I am in love with it. Now Pink Lining are looking for brand ambassadors to be chosen via a blog post entry about your essentials in your bag tagging them #ItsInTheBagBaby.

If I am honest, well, I don’t 100% qualify as I only pop back to the UK every few months, but I thought that the lovely people at Pink Lining may appreciate the love bombing on their wonderful bags and feel happy for me.

Besides you never know, they might want to add me for a bit of international flavour, expat mummies love Pink Lining too #justsaying….

In keeping with the international flavour, I am bringing you “What’s in my Bag; The Dubai Edition” with a little help from the lovely expat mummies out in Dubai.

SUNGLASSES
Now these are essential. The sun shines year round and I never leave home without them. My beautiful prescription Ray Bans. Like the Pink Lining bag another coveted and lusted after item until I finally decided that it was a worthwhile purchase!

Sunglasses definitely and don’t forget normal glasses if yours are prescription. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wandered round Spinneys like a right idiot as I can’t see without them.
– Emma

That said I often had sunglasses with me in the UK as well. To hide the bags under my eyes from the sleep deprivation of having a baby waking up demanding feeding at all hours.

COINS AND CHANGE, AND A BIG WODGE OF CASH
Dubai hasn’t quite caught up with the credit card world in London I never carried cash only cards. It’s a different story in Dubai.

A big wodge of cash for when places don’t accept credit cards (which to be fair is getting better and better)
– Catherine

But even in London and the like whenever you go to buy a coffee (you know the coffee that costs more than petrol?) they are randomly priced. For that I always make sure I have dirham coins in my bag. And I’m not alone.

A dirham or two… Especially if you intend on buying a coffee “do you have a dirham ma’am”
Tracy

Change because the shops never have any!
– Tracie

HAIR PARAPHERNALIA
I’ve mentioned Dubai is hot right? Steamy, sticky, hot? Peel your hair off your neck hot? Monica frizzy hair hot? I always have something to enable me to tie my hair back off my face.

Hair clips for your lovely straightened hair which gets shoved up because by the time you’ve got the lo fastened in his car seat you’re a sweaty mess!
– Sarah

Hand sanitizer, powder or something to blot the shiny face, lip gloss, lots of hair bobbles collected from when my daughter puts them down or loses them!
– Amanda

Hair slides: to tame the windswept look / to tame the Monica-like frizz from the humidity
– Conni

Phone, money, hairslides because new fringe is ugly, books, notepad, Sharpie pen, melted chocolate and melted lipstick.
– Rachel

SHAWL
Ah yes, how controversial; Dubai feels like it is hotter than the sun, yet walk into a mall and you are freezing! And a shawl is so multi functional.

A pashmina/shawl for the freezing cold malls!!!
– Vanessa

I second a shawl. I always carry one for chilly a/c’d restaurants (and also useful for covering shoulders if you want to be a bit more modest).
– Catherine

Yes, definitely a scarf – one that goes with everything (Zara does love to have arctic A/C), body spray to stay fresh, a book (being maidless in the UK would not allow for the indulgence of recreational reading) and cash – not everywhere takes a card.
– Roisin

Sunglasses…purse so I know I have my ID & driving license on me…phone & water…wrap for warmth & modesty…
– Jane

A shawl/cardigan for the freezing malls! Bag of 1aed coins for meters and shopping trolleys. Hand sanitizer. Water and baby wipes to freshen up with!
– Michelle

MAKE UP
So being a mum hasn’t quite stopped me wearing make up, the heat and the sun on the other hand….

Make up (to try and repair what has been sweated off)
– Keren

Never leave lipstick or gloss in the car. Lost far too many that way
– Emma

A MULTITUDE OF CARDS
Despite being a bit behind on the whole credit card/cash front it appears that the rest of Dubai you need to have a card for, insurance, ID, alcohol even…

Alcohol license needed on all days ending with a Y
– Sam

Emirates ID, health insurance card and visa and heels bigger than I would ever wear at home.
– Nicola

Sunglasses, ID card, Nol card for metro, factor 50 sun cream, water, pashmina, gym access card, credit card, phone, charger, entertainer vouchers usually, Claritin and eye drops (sand allergy problem), hand sanitiser
– Jennie

Phone, cash, credit card, ID, Nol card (parking), driving licence, health insurance card, hand sanitiser, sunglasses, water, tissues. Lots of other bits and bobs but they are the ‘must have’ in mine
– Jean

WATER, WATER, WATER
You just don’t leave home without some in your bag.

A bottle of water for sure because I HATE paying 10 dirhams for something so vital and only worth 1 dirham:) oh and something to put my hair up with for when I start looking like scary spice from the humidity. And a light jacket or shall when the ac is on full blast in the mall
– Lina

Camelback water bottle(full), sunscreen, cereal bars and loose change and kids toys, travel wipes and some sort of gummy candy.
– Barbora

Water,ID Card , Entertainer Vouchers, Costa coffee loyalty card
– Donna

Water water and more water. Shawl. Sun cream wet wipes. Iphone toy breastfeeding cover so I can feed in mosques. Lip balm. Emirates ID and sunglasses.
– Saria

HEAT BUSTING ESSENTIALS
Those little things that make life in the desert that little bit more bearable and a little less sweaty.

A flannel to keep trying myself with as soon I step through the door!! #summershere!!
– Bree

Small roll on deodorant and wet wipes!!
– Catherine

Dirham coins for parking lip balm and a face mist
– Melanie

Body mist spray, bottle of small water, hair clips ( especially in the heat)
– Miriam

RANDOM BABY RELATED STUFF
And of course you need the random baby shizzle, the nappies in various sizes that no longer fit but you just haven’t removed them. The empty baby wipe packet. Squashed raisins. Empty wrappers.

You know, the stuff you really need. Obvs.

IF ALL ELSE FAILS JUST PACK EVERYTHING INCLUDING THE KITCHEN SINK
And if you really don’t know whether you’ve got it covered, you aren’t alone in overpacking.

Just looked in my bag and I have..a purse which has cash, cards, id etc, a pencil case? a medicine case – plasters, liz earles spot on for bites etc, sachets of pain killer, panadaolds and migraine meds a hair bag with hair bands, hand cream, lip gloss, small dry bag in handbag with phone, chewing gum and rcpt. etc, lists of what to do. Hummmm Mary Poppins!
– Kate

Well in my handbag I have a purse, keys, pencil case, first aid kit, hair brush, sunglasses, notebook, body spray, hubby’s sunglasses, my little pony, mine craft keychain and a Barbie! Understanding why I broke my toe last year when I hit it against the handbag
– Gemma

So there you have it #ItsInTheBagBaby the international edition from Dubai……written from Derby as that’s where I am now.