Gift Ideas for Travelers

There's one in every family. They'd rather take a trip to Paris than buy a new computer. They've missed weddings because they were backpacking in India at the time. Before you invite them to an event, you first have to find out if they are actually in the country at the moment. But now that you've finally figured out how poste restante works, what should you get the traveler in your life for Christmas?

Clothes

Maybe you thought everyday clothes were just fine for traveling. Well, it's a bit more complicated than that. Good travel clothes should be lightweight, wrinkle resistant, sturdy, versatile, and quick drying. That's a lot to ask of ordinary clothes. Fortunately there are many clothing companies that specialize in traveler's needs. Patagonia, REI, Magellen's, Ex Officio are just a few. Unfortunately, these clothes are usually quite expensive. Why not get a gift certificate to one of these stores so your traveler can pick out an outfit perfect for their next getaway?

Gear

With travel becoming increasingly popular and affordable, there is tons of stuff out there to make life on the road easier. The savvy traveler doesn't over pack, but instead carries a backpack or suitcase well-stocked with just what he or she needs on their trip. Sometimes the linen at hotels could be accused of lacking cleanliness. If your traveler is staying at hostels, they might even be expected to provide their own! In that case it's good to have a "sleep sheet" and towel stowed away. Not just any towel will do, however. Thanks to technology, the micro-fiber travel towel is now the best bet for travelers. It dries faster, absorbs more, and fights off bacteria much better than a normal towel. Just ask anyone who has traveled with a terrycloth towel and a microfiber towel which one they prefer! Plus, the microfiber towel packs a lot smaller, leaving lots of room for the souvenirs your traveler has promised to bring home to you!

A sleep sheet is also a basic necessity for the well-prepared traveler. These are essentially sleeping bags that are sheet-thin instead of blanket-thick. Some of them even double as sleeping bag liners. You can buy a cotton one quite cheaply (or even make one yourself by sewing up a sheet) but if your traveler is racking up those frequent flier miles, you might want to consider splurging for a more expensive silk one. The silk sleep sheet stuffs into an incredibly small space and is much lighter than the cotton one. Not only that, it is amazing comfortable and can be very warm or cool in different temperatures. This will be invaluable when your traveler has to take the overnight train from Budapest to Prague or gets stuck at Charles de Gaulle airport in the middle of the night.

Books

Is your graduating teenager threatening to take off for Europe for the summer before college? Rough Guide's First Time Europe and Lonely Planet's Europe on a Shoestringare good options for under the tree. Perhaps your colleague is planning a getaway to Tahiti. They would certainly appreciate a guidebook and phrasebook to help their pre-trip preparation. If you know someone going to a place you have already explored, a more personal option is to create your own "guidebook" full of individual and tailored advice. Travel books can be great sources of escapism as well as information. If your aunt is dreaming of starting a new life in Paris, she'll love C'est La Vie by Suzy Gershman or Almost French by Sarah Turnbull. For someone interested in the history of a region they are about to explore, there is the Traveller's History (with two "l"s-it's the British spelling) series. Literary companions or anthologies have been complied for many cities; one example is Imagined London by Anna Quindlen.Bill Bryson will make anyone laugh! There are tons of anthologies of travel tales, and there is a good mix of travel writing and travel-related fiction available for every destination. If you can't find what you're looking for, try asking on sites such as Rick Steve's or Lonely Planet's Thorn Tree. It's probably not a coincidence that most travelers also love to read!