Like it or not, the holidays are creeping up on us! To help you prepare for the holiday season and your future travels, I’ve teamed up with Alfred, the globetrotting gnome, and his flamingo friend, Santiago, to share 10 useful travel gift ideas! All of these items are perfect gifts for friends/family or for you to add to your Christmas list before you send it to Santa!
My pink Marmot rain jacket has been everywhere from Iceland to the Patagonia (above) with me. It’s a great jacket for any traveler in any type of weather!
1. Marmot Rain Jacket
The monsoon season in Asia taught me the importance of quality rain gear. There is a big difference between WATERPROOF and WATER RESISTANT. The later takes days to dry, which I learned the hard way. Luckily, I found this Marmot jacket on a clearance rack at REI. The zippered underarm vents are a life saver in the heat. It also serves as a top layer for insulation in cold weather and helps with wind.
I randomly bought an Osprey backpack from an outdoor store before my first long-term trip and still use it daily!
2. Osprey Backpack
Since I am a photographer, I pack about 30 pounds of camera gear including my laptop for every trip. After a relentless search for the perfect backpack for my gear, I stumbled on this Osprey daypack that fit my shoulder camera bag and also had a laptop sleeve. It’s perfect for flying as a carryon and a great daypack for anyone!
The best thing about Osprey gear is the quality and lifetime warranty. After four trips around the world, the straps started to rip. (I’m rough on bags.) Osprey repaired it for free several times and eventually replaced it with a new one! I will never buy another brand of backpack. Don’t forget this rain cover – I often use it also cover my camera in light rain!
3. Classic Travel Books
The most important part of any trip is what you are reading. I always search for a book that both inspires to travel MORE and reminds me WHY I travel despite the delays and rough days. Beryl Markham’s West with the Night is one of my favorite books. Don’t miss these classics for any Asia trip: Paul Theroux’s The Great Railway Bazaar, The Autobiography of the Dalai Lama, Pico Iyer’s The Lady & The Monk, and Amitav Ghosh’s The Glass Palace. For Latin America, grab Graham Greene’s Our Man in Havana and Paul Theroux’s The Old Patagonian Express.
Santiago, the traveling lawn flamingo, is modeling my favorite neck pillow by Sea to Summit.
6. Sea to Summit Neck Pillow
It is entirely possible to fall in love with a pillow. I have been on the quest to find a good travel pillow for years. Foam neck pillows were too bulky, and cheap inflatable pillows don’t last. When an employee at an outdoor store recommended the Sea to Summit pillow to me, I was hesitant. Then, I took it on my trip to Iceland and was AMAZED. It was super easy to inflate with minimal effort, holds air extraordinarily well AND it packs super light.
4. Stainless Steel Water Bottle
Invest in an insulated stainless steel water bottle like Klean Kateen or YETI before your next trip. (Plastic bottles are bad for both the environment and your health.) Avoid aluminum and anything that’s not BPA free. Stainless is easy to clean (hot water) and most importantly—keeps beverages colder longer. I use this 16 oz Klean Kateen bottle every day even when I’m not traveling!
5. Sawyer Water Filter
The easiest way to save money on a trip is to pack a water filter! I recommend Sawyer’s Mini Filter. It’s tiny, inexpensive ($20) and easy to use. I used it for seven months in Central and South America. Both the filter and stainless steel bottle mentioned above will save you a fortune in airports. Simply filter the bathroom sink water. (Yes, I was THAT girl in the bathroom at the Cancun airport filtering the sink water!)
Learn from my mistakes: If you plan on taking a longboat anywhere, put everything of value in a dry bag!
8. Dry Sack
Once upon a time, I took a wooden longboat (above) to Railay Beach in Thailand. It seemed like a good idea for a 15-minute ride from Ao Naug until the boat got hit by a wave. The boat guys were using a bucket to get the water out. Luckily, my camera gear survived. The minute we hit shore I instantly invested in a dry sack like this one. Lesson learned. (Tip: Avoid these super lightweight ones for storing anything with sharp edges because they rip too easy.)
7. Swiftwick Socks
Heading to Patagonia or Nepal? Swiftwick socks are the best $12 you’ll ever spend. Since I’m a big runner, my cousin suggested I try these compression socks. Instantly, I could tell a huge difference! They are lightweight, great at controlling moisture and preventing blisters. I pack two pairs and usually hand wash them with Dr. Bronner’s soap when I travel to keep them fresh!
My small quick dry towel also doubles as a gnome blanket for Alfred.
9. Quick Dry Towel
Quick dry towels are the single greatest invention in life after the burrito. When I was a travel novice, I packed regular towels, which NEVER seem to dry completely. Then, one day I found a small quick dry towel on clearance at an outdoor store. It’s been the best thing ever. No more packing wet towels! This year, I plan to invest in an extra-large one during the online Black Friday sales.
10. Biodegradable Soap
Be sure to ask Santa to fill your stocking with travel sized bottles of Dr. Bronner’s peppermint soap! It’s chemical free, biodegradable and smells great. Use it as body wash, dish soap and laundry detergent. Plus, a small drop goes really far. Trust me, no other soap will make you or your clothes smell so fresh!
(Disclaimer: The product links above are Amazon affiliate links. If you click on a link and make any type of Amazon purchase, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. I am not affiliated with any of the brands mentioned and only recommend them based on my personal experience. To support the blog, please use this link before making your next Amazon purchase to help TravelLikeAnna.com to continue to grow and provide meaningful content!)
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COMING UP:
Where to Go in Southeast Asia
Bon Mai village, Thailand
I’ll start wrapping up 2016 with a series on Southeast Asia, where I lived and worked for three summers. First, I’ll cover where to go in Southeast Asia followed by a detailed guide for Thailand! What do you want to know about Southeast Asia?
