GIFTS FOR TRAVELLERS

You would think it would be easy selecting a gift for someone who travels a lot, for business or for pleasure, but choosing wisely is the catch. Choosing wisely means that it should not weigh too much, it should be multi-purpose, and pretty doesn’t hurt either.
Gone are the days of portable irons and steamers. Did we really carry those with us? And we used them, too. These days it’s much easier to simply ask hotel housekeeping to bring an iron and ironing board to your room.
A soft, pashmina-type scarf is an excellent gift for a female traveler. It can be used as a quick nap blanket on a cool temperature aircraft, as a fashion accessory for evening, and to keep you warm and toasty, too.

Adapter plugs for electronic gear and voltage converters can be really handy when you want to access that free Wi-Fi connection in Australia, but your computer battery is running low.

Another handy gadget is a battery pack that can instantly boost a dying battery for a cell phone.

One of my travel favorite is my aging Swiss Army Knife by Victorinx. But in these post 9/11 days of travel you have to remember to always pack it in your checked baggage or you will find it donated to the TSA barrels of banned airplane items.

And you can never use too many airplane socks; those supportive hose that help prevent deep vein thrombosis from occurring on long flights. These socks also have the benefit of keeping your legs from being less tired on even short haul flights and long days of sightseeing.

Foldable, packable ballet flats are a good gift for women who still find business means high heels. What a relief to slip your tired tootsies into a comfy shoe for the flight home or relaxing in your hotel.

Another favorite travel accessory of mine is a small frame/alarm clock/flashlight combination. It’s lightweight and it keeps me on time, enlightened and able to give my spouse a good night kiss for just a few ounces.
Good stocking stuffers could include the following:
Nail polish remover pads
Make up remover pads
Spot/stain removing sticks
Packets of laundry detergent
Packets of bubble bath and body lotions
Gift cards for coffee outlets, fast food emporiums and telephone cards are also helpful and much appreciated.
Snack size packets of nuts, trail mix or granola bars to keep hunger at bay.
Or how about one of those little scales for weighing baggage? In these days of heavy duty baggage charges it’s always a good idea to know how close you are to the limit.

The list is almost endless: smart phones, tablets, mini-tablets, music players, eBook readers can all help eliminate the boredom of airline delays and lonely nights away from home.
A good neck supporting travel pillow is a good gift, too.
And, not very glamorous, but very useful, is a hot water bottle with a soft cover. Great for soothing aching muscles from toting all those bags or warming up chilly sheets in a hotel, or simply providing some comfort when fighting off the sniffles or a bit of insomnia.

The best gift, of course, is less time spent travelling and more time with loved ones but that may be the most difficult to arrange.