All I Want for Christmas: Gifts for Travelers
Here are some great gifts for travelers; some are great stocking stuffers and others will be “just the thing” for your favorite traveler.
1,000 Places to See Before you Die
This second edition of the New York Times Best seller by Patricia Schultz, expands on her earlier version with more than 200 new entries. This book is for dreamers, and aren’t all travelers dreamers? I know I’m always thinking of the next place to discover. Her descriptions of places I have visited brought back wonderful memories: seeing the sunset over the beautifully preserved walled city of Carcassonne; the surprise of the fantastic architecture of Valencia, Spain; and the serene quiet of Venice, in spite of the crowds. But, learning about new places that “I simply must see” is the real beauty of this book. I never even heard of the Lofoten Islands in northern Norway, now I ache to experience the fantastic Arctic light in summer. I recently became very interested in visiting Riga and Barbara’s description makes me even more so. The experiences she suggests are written in a brief, but engaging manner and include such important information as best times to visit, where to stay and where to eat. She covers the world and widens the reader’s horizons.
Under $20
Victorinox Camper Pocket Knife
I can’t tell you how often we use this knife when traveling, and we aren’t even campers! Our main use for this handy little tool, is to open wine bottles, cut up baguettes and spread cheese and pate for our picnics. We like to put together picnic lunches and save our euros for eating out at dinner. Aside from these obvious uses, the knife has a bottle opener, screwdriver, scissors, tweezers and more uses than I ever thought of. The Climber pocketknife measures 3.6 by 0.71 by 1.06 inches (W x H x D), weighs 3 ounces, and carries a lifetime warranty. Just be sure that when flying, the knife is packed in your checked luggage.
Under $20
Balanzza Digital Luggage Scale
I’ve seen it and I’ll bet you’ve seen it too: people checking in for their flight having to open their luggage and remove a few items because their luggage was over the allowed weight. What a mess…holding up other travelers and then having to find a spot in their carry-ons for the extra pieces. Don’t let it happen to you or your favorite traveler. A luggage scale lets you figure it all out at home, before you get to the airport. We chose the Balanzza scale because it is digital (much easier to see the numbers) and it gets great reviews form those who own one. This is an inexpensive way to save time and embarrassment at the airport.
Under $20
Sea to Summit 100% Premium Silk Liner
Are you or do you know an adventure traveler headed out to see the world on a budget? Staying in hostels or simply camping is great, especially if you have your own sleep liner for your hostle bed or sleeping bag. Silk liners are especially lightweight and breathable. Unlike cotton liners, they wash easily and dry in no-time. While there are several brands of silk liners out there, Sea to Summit gets great reviews and it will last for years of happy travels.
Between $55 and $90
Flip UltraHD Video Camera
Ok, Santa, this is what I have been waiting for: a high resolution, compact camcorder that takes great videos that I can use to post on EuropeUpClose. My son has the old version of the Flip and is perfectly happy, but I was looking for something with a few more bells and whistles. The Flip UltraHD video camera is slimmer than the original and allows you to shoot up to 2 hours of HD video. UltraHD’s newest feature, image stabilization will help keep the videos steady. Connect the built-in USB arm to your PC or Mac to launch pre-loaded FlipShare software, which helps to organize, create and share videos. Please, Santa…
Under $200
Written by Terri Fogarty for EuropeUpClose.com
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