Looking for a great gift for the travel lover in your life? Christmas will soon be upon us so I’ve put together a travel-inspired gift guide to save you from that mad last-minute dash to the shops. From stocking fillers to wish-list wants read on for some useful and quirky gift ideas.
These are all things that I personally own, have bought and used myself for my travels and am happy to recommend. There’s also a chance to win a camera for yourself so check out the giveaway at the end of the post to find out more…
Gift Guide
1. First in my gift guide is the Fire Tablet, 7″ HD Display, Wi-Fi 16GB (£39.99 – now on special offer) It would be impossible for me to lug two or three books around on my travels because of the weight and space they take up. That’s where the Kindle Fire tablet comes in allowing me take as many books as I like with me without using up precious luggage space. It has a bright display and decent 7 hour battery life. It also doubles up as an affordable media tablet which Prime members can use to download films and video, gaming and music. NB For some travel inspiration, Prime have just released The Grand Tour on streaming!)
2. Burt’s Bees Fabulous Minis (£24) This mini gift set contains six Burt’s Bees trial sizes and is small enough to put through airport security in your liquids allowance. There’s deep cleansing cream, cream cleanser, body lotion, foot cream, lip balm and hand salve. Everything you need for keeping your skin at its best on your weekend away.
A Fun Gift
3. Airportag is an online shop started by ‘Captain Greg’, a designer with a love of flying and airports and he’s created some really cool products. There are heaps of travel-themed goodies to choose from; throw pillows, coffee mugs, t-shirts, tote bags and phone cases all with quirky airport code designs or travel quotes and it’s beautifully made too. From US $10 with worldwide delivery. Perfect for the airport geek in your life.
4. 1000 Places to see before you die by Patricia Schultz (£11.99) I’ve had this book on my shelf for quite a few years now and its ideal for dipping in and out of when I’m in need of travel inspiration.
5. Kipling Carry On Suitcase (£119)
I wouldn’t be without this lightweight Kipling case. It’s perfect for weekend breaks and for using as carry-on luggage. The material is incredibly tough but super-lightweight. The 360 degree swivel wheels mean it just glides nicely along beside and the dimensions meet cabin baggage requirements for most airlines.
The large pocket at the front fits my laptop perfectly and the smaller one is good for travel documents. The main zip opens all the way round making packing is easy. There’s an extendable handle for wheeling along but when you need to carry it the top handle is incredibly sturdy. It’s a little more pricey than some but I know my Kipling case is good for at least another ten years.
A Luxe Gift
6. Cashmere Travel Wrap (£73)
Hearing that airline blankets aren’t actually laundered after each flight completely put me off using them. Nowadays, even if I’m travelling in economy, I get that first class feeling with my cashmere travel wrap. This luxe gift is warm, soft and snuggly and beats an airline blanket any day.
7. Carry on Cocktail Kit (£20.95) If you need more than a cashmere wrap to get your travel diva on then how about an in-flight cocktail. I love this cute little retro cocktail kit.
8. Sony MDR-ZX770BN Wireless Noise Cancelling Headset (£79.99) Not only are these great for listening to your favourite sounds but they also drown out droning engines and mean you can skip the dodgy airline earphones. So when you’ve finished your cocktail (7) just snuggle up in your cashmere wrap (6) and catch some in-flight shut-eye.
9. What travel blogger doesn’t love a travel journal...? (£4.30). I get through two or three each year. I also have a bit of a thing about vintage travel labels so this jaunty journal is right up my street. The little sticky notes and page markers which go with it are fun too.
10. G4 Packing Cubes. These nifty packing cubes have revolutionised the way I pack and are a quick and easy way to keep clothes organised and accessible. They were perfect for our stay in the Amazon Jungle where I used them to keep anti-mosi gear and jungle wear separate from other gear so I just needed a couple of cubes in the treehouse. Such a practical gift.
11. I love maps! So it goes without saying that I love this world map themed laundry bag.
12. 500 Secrets of Lisbon. (£13.95) The 500 secrets books uncover heaps of things you shouldn’t miss on your visit to a variety of cities. It’s an inspirational and practical guide with insider tips covering hidden sights, interesting places, buildings, restaurants, shops, museums, galleries, neighbourhoods, gardens and cafes. Other cities include London, Copenhagen, Paris and Barcelona – perfect for finding some hidden gems on your next city break.
* GIVEAWAY CLOSED *
The lucky winner is Kim Neville
I’m giving away a Lomo’Instant Montenegro Camera with photo paper worth over £130. This vintage looking instant camera has a black leather and silver finish. The built-in, 27mm wide-angle lens, and flash on/off settings deliver the great images in various light settings. Additional features include different lens packages and a “B” setting for long exposure shooting. This fun camera uses Fujifilm Instax Mini film to produce on-the-spot credit card-sized snapshots. Enter on the Rafflecopter below. Good luck!
T&Cs
- The competition closes at midnight on 5th December 2016
- A winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter
- The winner will be notified via email within 24 hours of the competition closing and will have 7 days to respond with a valid postal address before a new winner will be selected
- The winner agrees for their name to be used in any publicity material
- Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current UK data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party
- UK residents only
love a new suitacse
The Kipling case is my go to carry on when I don’t have hold luggage.
Cushion
I definitely need a cashmere wrap, looks so soft and cosy. And those 500 Secrets books look good too – a twist on the usual guidebook format. Christmas list sorted!
The guide books are nicely different. I love the feel of cashmere – so beautifully soft.
Eww is right, you’ve burst my bubble. I thought those nice plastic blankets packaged in plastic were a sign they were all freshly laundered!! Bring on the cashmere wrap…Everything on your list would be a great gift for travel lovers, but I would love a Fire tablet.
The Fire tablets are perfect for a long haul flight – all your in-flight entertainment all nicely contained.
Some great gift ideas here Suzanne. And I’d love to win the instant camera. It would be fantastic to take to Africa and take photos for people to keep. I remember hearing about a blogging friend’s visit to a market in The Gambia where he started taking pictures and printing them off for people. They went crazy for them and it nearly got out of hand.
Rather wish I hadn’t read that about the blankets though!
Good to know about the blankets but I think its different for different airlines. You can also buy a little mini printer that’ll attach to your phone. I’d have loved to have had one in Cambodia about 10 years ago – I still have little notes and drawings from some children we talked to there. It would have been lovely to give them all a photo of themselves.
Ok, so I want the cubes, the 1000 places to see before you die book, the weekend bag and the cushion. Now I’ve just got to find someone to get them for me!!!
Those cubes – I was always a bit sceptical but wouldn’t be without them now. Hope Santa’s nice to you… 😉
I want that cushion badly now! But I’ve had the 1000 Places To See Before You Die book for years too and I think it is a brilliant gift for any travel lover.
What’s really gutting is I was invited to an event to meet Patricia Shultz the other week and I got so excited…until I noticed it was in Vancouver, where I no longer live! That book has cost me a fortune in travel over the years but I wouldn’t have it any other way 🙂
I love that book too – so much inspiration in one tome! There’s a new version out now which would probably whet my wanderlust even more…
The bedding isn’t washed on flights… eww! I will stick to a nice cashmere wrap too!!
The blankets aren’t cleaned after every flight – whether it’s after every other flight or depends on the airline I’m not sure. Even so, eeuuk! Any excuse to buy more cashmere!