Presents for someone going travelling??

[kizzie]

Hi everyone - I never did the gap year thing and my grown up step son is going off travelling for a few months and not sure what to buy him. Want to get him a present from DH and I and his little brother that will be practical and give him a few home comforts while hes away.
Thought its probably best to get him a mix of things.
Anyone any suggestions (from little cheap things to bigger ones.)
Thanks
Kizziex

Whereavouts is he going? What type of things will he be doing whilst away?

Good watch suited to what he is doing
Tri-band mobile
Camera
Rucksack

Just for starters; will think again in a bit.

A microfibre travel towel (if he hasn't got one already) - folds up to a really tiny thing and dries v fast.

Eye patches for sleeping on planes/during the day.

I would say a Leatherman (sort of multi tool thing) but think they are not allowed on planes any more.

A really nice notebook to record his travels in.

When I went off travelling I was given a nice new address book - for keeping in touch with people at home and for putting new people in - even if they do mostly use email addresses rather than postal these days it would be a good way to keep them organised

Also one of those bumbags (bellybags?) might be useful, as well as a rucksack. And a plug-in mosquito repellant (wuth a foreign plug adaptor)?

When I went travelling my work bought me a short-wave radio as a leaving present. Good if he likes football, as you get live commentary on the second half of whatever Saturday's featured game is.

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cash

a book on where he is going to take with him

a tiny photo book of you all (took one with me and was great during those low moments), phone cards if poss. depending on where he is going, agree about the towel, if he is back packing sad to say but nothing that looks expensive, where is he going?

A travel diary.

A small, light camera that's easy to hide when not in use.

Lots and lots of film for his camera so he can take loads of photos to show you when he gets home.

sleeping bag liner (for those beds you don't want to sleep in - you can get great silk ones (unless he's going to asia and he could buy it himself

good walking boots

mp3 plyer or mini disc player

what about saying that you'll pay for a something special when he's away - an trip that he wouldn't be able to afford otherwise or a plane journey rather than a long bus journey

I'll have a think about other things

2nd the suggestion for a very small multi-wave radio, although I'm not sure what all you can get, any-more with the big move towards digital radio and that.

How about a wind up radio? Think you can get small ones. Then he won't have to worry about batteries. Ditto a wind up torch

Or both combined!

here is both combined!

Thanks for all the great ideas!!

Hes going to Australia/ New Zealand/ various parts of Asia
Kizziex

A really good 'bum bag' you know the ones like pouches you keep round your waist, a leather one if you can.
It saved my bacon after an accident in the South China Sea, by staying on and keeping documents dry.

I've travelled on my own all over the world. The things I always take with me are:

A Swiss Army knife (with scissors)
Earplugs (for noisy youth hostels)
A wedding ring (from Argos, for repelling unwanted advances)

A small blank notebook with small photos of loved ones stuck inside the cover is useful for starting conversations in lonely places.

slug swiss army knives (and leathermans) now confiscated on flights

I understand you can still take things like Swiss Army knives if they are in the hold, it's just the cabin they're banned from.

The knife goes in the hold, no problem.

Another thought is to set up a web based email account (like yahoo) so he can contact you from internet cafes.