10 great gifts for the traveller in your life, 2011 edition

It’s that time of year again.

Fat men in red suits and fake beards as far as the eye can see.

Bells being jingled and nights being silenced in malls throughout the land.

And my friends and family yet again wondering what on earth to buy me for Christmas.

About this time last year I put together my list of gift ideas for people whose lives fit into a backpack.  With less than three weeks until the big day of feuding celebration, I figured it was time to come up with another round of suggestions.

Amazon Kindle Keyboard 3G

Even with the new range that has been recently released my Kindle recommendation remains the same as last year – the (renamed) Keyboard 3G version.  The only model with free international 3G web browsing, the weight, battery life and visibility in bright sunlight make this still the perfect model for global travellers.

I’ve been using mine for around six months now and am a total convert – the internet access and weight saving on all those books make it indispensible.

Powerstrip with surge protection and USB

First rule of travelling:  There will never be enough power sockets in your room

Second rule of travelling:  The power quality will suck, and your gear will suffer as a result.

For under twenty bucks one of these strips will solve both problems, letting you charge three mains-powered devices and two USB devices simultaneously while preventing the inevitable power surges and brownouts from destroying your equipment.  Invaluable, seriously.

Language lessons

Being able to speak any of the local language improves the travel experience, but being fluent turns a merely good experience into a great one.  Apparently.  I barely manage in English, after all.

For people looking to learn a language before they travel the ‘grand daddy’ of all courses is the Rosetta Stone series, available in 33 languages.  For folks looking to learn by immersing themselves in a native speaking country, a cheaper, intensive option is Fluent in 3 Months by Benny Lewis.

Travel clothesline

Sometimes it’s the simplest ideas that are the best.  If you travel for more than a week or so you will need to do some washing.  Fact.  Scrubbing your clothes in a hostel sink is all part of the experience, but finding somewhere to hang them up can be a pain in the you know what.

This stretchy clothesline can be attached to just about anything, doesn’t require pegs and can be used to as a tie-down or to attach things to your pack as well.  Perfect.

Sleeping bag liner

The great thing about budget accommodation is that it is … well … budget.  The downside is that it isn’t always the cleanest.  If being separated from the bedbugs and mosquitos – or just having a little warmth and modesty while sleeping in an airport – sounds appealing, a silk sleeping bag liner is the answer.

I have left the sleeping bag at home and just taken a liner on the road for years – it takes up virtually no room and is one of the best travel accessories I own.

Canon S100 digital camera

The recently released Canon S100 ultracompact camera has been getting rave reviews across the web.  Small enough to fit into a good-sized pocket, the S100 comes with an excellent sensor, HD video and (important for travellers) GPS tagging of your photos.  It takes great shots in low light and has all of the manual options that non-professional photographers could ask for.

Much more than a standard point and shoot and much smaller than a DSLR, this is the camera I would buy if my current one broke tomorrow.

Amazon gift cards

If the traveller in your life is already on the road, you don’t know what to buy them or you’d just like to help them fill up that new Kindle you bought them, buy an Amazon gift card and give them something to unwrap (or at least, click on) on Christmas day.

Friends and family of mine, you may take this as a hint. *cough*

Asus U31-SD notebook computer

The baby brother of the machine I carry round the world, this Asus laptop is affordable, small and light enough to fit in even the smallest backpack, yet powerful enough for virtually any task that a backpacker might want to throw at it.

Email and Facebook, photos, even video editing and light gaming aren’t a problem, and with a battery life of up to eight hours there won’t be a need to hunt out the nearest dodgy power socket every few minutes either.  Basically just a great travel laptop.

Keen Newport Sandals

I first saw a pair of these shoes in action when a Vietnamese street kid was trying to ‘shine’ the pair owned by a backpacker buddy of mine.  I’ve since picked some up myself and they’ve been surprisingly comfortable – perfect for riding scooters, hiking and just general wandering around the streets and trails of South East Asia.

No more stubbed toes and cuts on my feet, but still enough air flow to keep things cool.  They aren’t the most stylish shoes a backpacker will ever own, but they may well be the most useful.

Travel coffee press

And finally, a totally unnecessary travel accessory – unless you’re a coffee addict like me.  Finding a good brew on the road can be surprisingly difficult, and a lukewarm cup of Nescafe instant is never going to get the day off to a good start.

Throw in some coarsely ground coffee and hot water, wait four minutes, plunge and drink.  Right.  Now that impending 28 hour bus ride seems just a little less painful than before…

I hope this gives you a few ideas for what to buy that person in your life.

Got any other suggestions?  Leave them in the comments!

PS:  I get a (very) small commission if you buy via the links in this post.  I’d love it if you did – I could sure do with a decent coffee or two…

[Christmas decoration image courtesy of Joe Buckingham]

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