Christmas is almost upon us and if you’re like me, you are wondering what to buy the traveller in your life. If I may, I’d like to offer these suggestions. They won’t help me and my shopping dilemma as these are items we already own, but hopefully they will help you with some last minute holiday shopping ideas.
Christmas is almost upon us and if you’re like me, you are wondering what to buy the traveller in your life. If I may, I’d like to offer these suggestions. They won’t help me and my shopping dilemma as these are items we already own, but hopefully they will help you with some last minute holiday shopping ideas.
Wifi SD Card
I came across the ez Share SD card while researching options for transferring pictures from our camera to our tablet. We travelled through Thailand and Cambodia with a tablet computer that didn’t have a SD card slot. The card has 8 GB of storage and acts as a wifi hotspot. It is available in 4/8/16/32 GB sizes. Set the card to “share” with the switch on the bottom, open your wifi and connect to the ezshare hotspot. Point your browser to ez.com, enter your name and password, and voila, there are your pictures and videos on the webpage. It’s a simple matter to click a link to download them. It’s the most expensive item on my list. $80
Collapsible Cup
Frequently I find myself in situations where I wish I had a drinking cup. Staying at a hostel, low end hotel, or even at friend’s place, I find I’m wishing I had a cup to rinse my mouth with after brushing my teeth. As well, when having an impromptu picnic, a cup is useful for drinking wine. I use the X-Shot by Sea to Summit. This small (75 mL/2.5 oz ) food grade silicone collapsible cup easily fits in a shaving kit/bathroom bag or your day pack. It also comes in a 250 mL size. It has measurements on the inside. I used it almost every day in SE Asia. $6
Dry Bag
This is an idea I picked up while checking out packing tips. A 20L dry bag makes an excellent addition to my backpack. Used as a bag for dirty laundry, it keeps the rest of your bag free from stink. As well, it can hold a wet towel, or keep electronics dry when needed. The bag I used is made from waterproofed nylon. Not as durable as a proper dry bag, but for the use we put it to, it rolled up easily and took up very little space when stored. $15
Document Wallet
Wandering around one of my favourite stores, Mountain Equipment Co-op, I came across this document wallet. Being somewhat casual in my everyday life, it didn’t really interest me, but knowing Tanya and her desire to be organised, I picked it up. After using it for a month, I can say that Tanya gives it her approval. Not too large, yet having enough dividers to keep passports, papers, and whatever else you wish in its own place. It easily fits in a small shoulder bag. $15
Spork
I love picking up groceries for picnics when travelling. It is helpful to have utensils to slice cheese, spread jams, or eat salads. Commonly you can find sporks that have the spoon at one end and the fork at the other. That’s ok but then you have to add a knife. The MicroBites set from Guyot Design fills my needs. The spoon is large enough to eat soup with, the fork sharp enough to pick up steak, the knife will cut easily through most foods. As well, the knife is wide and will easily spread peanut butter or jams. As a bonus it’s check point friendly so I’ve never been questioned carrying it onto a plane, even in the United States. $6
Elastic Clothesline
Travelling with carry on luggage only, it’s necessary to be able to do a little laundry frequently. For hanging clothes to dry, this braided clothesline from Flexoline can’t be beat. The clothesline easily holds a couple of day’s worth of laundry for one person. The braids hold the clothes without needing pins. I added a small carabiner to each end to easily allow it to be attached to any handy item in the bathroom. $10
These little items make life easier on the road for us, and would be excellent additions to any traveller’s stocking. Let me know in the comments if you have any suggestions of your own.