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Christmas

From present ideas to party food, find all your Christmas inspiration here.

Ideas for presents for travelling

28 replies

expatmummyiscold · 06/11/2015 18:39

My mum is off travelling for 6 weeks next year (a retirement gap travel type thing). I thought for Christmas Id get her a few things that might be good for her travels. And now I'm stuck. Any ideas for little presents that might be good? She's off to Oz and Singapore and Bali. She is not doing this on a budget so it'll be nice hotels all the way (if that makes any difference to any ideas).
Any ideas gratefully received.

OP posts:
Terramirabilis · 06/11/2015 18:41

I was given a Kindle before I went travelling. It was incredibly useful. You may want to weigh up whether to get a Kindle Fire so she can go online, or one that is really just an e-reader (which has the advantage of longer lasting battery AFAIK).

swooosh · 06/11/2015 18:43

My grandparents bought me a travel wallet which is really brilliant for organising tickets, passport, print outs, boarding passes etc.

How about a plane travel kit? Lip balm, cosy socks, neck pillow, moisturiser, face wipes, sweets etc.

expatmummyiscold · 06/11/2015 18:46

Some brilliant ideas already. Thank you. Keep them coming. I'm all she's got now my Dad has passed away. I'm so proud of her going off to have the trip they'd planned (she's going with a friend who's also widowed) but it does mean I have to get a decent amount for her for Christmas as I'm the only person to buy properly for her now.

OP posts:
badg3r · 06/11/2015 18:46

Notepad/diary, camera, pocket tissues, hand sanitizer, fan, that posh face mist?!

Leeds2 · 06/11/2015 18:55

New, posh, suitcase.

Travel guides to the places she is going.

Novels set in the places she is going.

curriegirl · 06/11/2015 18:56

Travel diary/journal?

Hillfog · 06/11/2015 18:58

Photo album for when she gets back

MyHovercraftIsFullOfEels · 06/11/2015 19:03

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

AuditAngel · 06/11/2015 19:10

A nice sized handbag/shopper for using on holiday, big enough to carry book/money/passport/hat plus what ever else needed but light/secure

Sgtmajormummy · 06/11/2015 19:25

Could you and any DC take attractive photos of things from home that are important for her and get them printed into a pocket sized photobook or album?

That way, if she gets into a conversation with local people or fellow travellers she can show them her pets/garden/grandchildren/stamp collection without flashing her technology about.

recklessgran · 06/11/2015 22:53

Lonely planet guides for the countries she is visiting-these are the best for the "hidden gems".Travel journal to write as she goes so she doesn't forget her experiences.A good digital camera.You could make her a hamper and put everything in that.You can get all the kit including rolls of Christmassy cellophane,hampers,shredded paper,bows etc in Wilkos.

Kuriusoranj · 07/11/2015 00:35

That's a lot of plane time, how about noise cancelling headphones? You can get some that fold away into a case - really nice and portable and they make such a difference to plane travel even if she never uses them again.

Trumpton · 07/11/2015 06:59

Hand sanitiser , ears plugs ( hotels can be noisy ) I use the wax ones .

Best thing I took to China was a light weight gauzy cotton scarf. It covered my arms in temples, it protected from the sun , it was an extra layer of warmth around my neck on coach journeys and made a great hand towel !

Packing cubes from Amazon ( I bought cheap ) are great if she is changing hotels a lot.

Cotton swimming hat , many hotels insist on them.

Small padlock for her suitcase.

Wish her a fabulous trip. I have just started on long haul holidays and I go alone . I am in my 60s .

GlitteryShoes · 07/11/2015 07:16

You can buy scratch off maps and globes, where you can scratch off every place you have visited - could be nice for when she returns? My son is an avid traveller and loves his.

Glassofwineneeded · 07/11/2015 19:44

A power pack for charging her phone. I bough my mum one and she loves it! Perfect travel size.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 07/11/2015 19:58

Lovely pashmina and socks for plane journeys.

Yes to tiny cans of the Avene water spray - it's brilliant. Stopped me from fainting several times in the summer!

Tiny but luxury toiletries - Avene Hand Relief, nice shampoo etc.

MrsTerryPratchett · 07/11/2015 20:45

Packing cubes. Literally changed my life. I was very cynical but they are awesome. Keeps you organised and they give you lots more space. I love them.

expatmummyiscold · 07/11/2015 23:38

These are all such brilliant ideas. Thank you. I'm off to find out what packing cubes are...

OP posts:
putthePuffindown · 07/11/2015 23:54

A money belt
An online storage account (to upload pics and to have copies of all her travel docs available to download)
A homesick kit (just a little bag with some favourite sweets and pics of the family and home etc and maybe a wee positive note from you Smile)

mmgirish · 08/11/2015 15:15

I love love love packing cubes. A parent of one of my students bought me a small pacsafe bag which is great for travelling. www.pacsafe.com

I also love lonely planet guides but not on my kindle.

scarlets · 08/11/2015 15:41

The Smythson travel journal is lovely. The currency wallets too.

hefzi · 08/11/2015 21:39

Folding flower vases - sounds stupid, but lots of the places you've mentioned that she's going have wonderful and inexpensive flowers: and it's lovely when you're on the road to be able to have some fresh flowers in your hotel room.

A money belt that's not the typical flesh coloured bag that you put round your waist but the ones where the zip is on the actual belt inside (and you use the belt to hold your trousers up, obviously...)

A jersey-type material nice dress - if she's going to smart hotels, or just wants to treat herself, there are plenty of places that only allow smart wear.

The packing bags that you roll, rather than suck out with your vacuum - helps things stay crease-free longer

Flannels from the pound shop (I'm not sure if you mean little things, or little prices) that you throw into water to activate, and then unroll: and cheap, so can be ditches

Trousers with zip off legs that can be used also as shorts

Small Aromatherapy Associates bottles of Revive Morning and Evening (either the sample sizes or the small ones they do as Christmas gifts) - great for jet lag

If your DM is a bit nervy: travel door alarms; bag safes; CM alarms; whistle; attack alarm etc etc

A bottle with a carbon filter (Boots sell them, along with replacement filters) so she can top up with water safely from sources along the way and not contribute to a world-wide problem by buying and discarding plastic bottles

A nice kikoi/sarong/hammam towel that can do duty as a beach wrap, shawl, cover up for cultural reasons etc - or perhaps a Saress (never had one myself, but they are dual duty cover-ups/dresses)

A wind up small torch

If you're looking for stocking filler type things: first aid stuff like diarrohea meds, painkillers, insect repellent, throat sweets

A nice facial oil - great after you've been in the sun, even if you have oily skin, and invaluable on long haul flights

Good quality hiking socks, if she's the sort likely to go tramping off sight-seeing

Extra SD cards for camera

Universal/travel adapters

MP3 player with her favourite music/talking books on (you can get super cheap mp3 players - doesn't have to be ipod etc)

Travel mosquito net (if she'll need one)

Individual cloth face masks - the Montagne Jeunesse ones from supermarkets/Boots or more upmarket ones from Space NK etc: nice to use when travelling, minimal faff, and no full size bottle to cart about

Homemade vouchers for her visa expenses?

Foreign cash

Individual sachets of hair mask - handy if she's going somewhere it'll be hot (not sure what time of year she's going) or if she's got coloured hair

recklessgran · 09/11/2015 00:36

What about binoculars-I always forget to take them on holiday and get really annoyed with myself!

ChristmasZombie · 09/11/2015 08:36

Travel first aid kit
SD cards for camera
International phone card
One of those cagoule in a bag things

islurpmyspaghetti · 09/11/2015 08:49

I bought a Point It book for some friends who went travelling and they said it was brilliant. www.hive.co.uk/Product/Dieter-Graf/Point-it--Travellers-Language-Kit---The-Original-Picture-Dictionary/7782742