Traveler Gifts: Was Santa good to you?
 

The original Traveler Gifts thread was so popular, I thought it would be fun to see if Santa granted any of your travel gift wishes.

I got the Travelon shoulder bag I wanted. Can't wait ti try it out. :)

Didn't really ask for any travel gifts, and at the risk of sounding like an ungrateful idiot, I did receive a rather nice toiletry bag, though I have my old faithful that has been traveling with me for years (also have a small one I take on weekenders). Also got an Insight guide for Croatia, but I had already purchased one. In addition, we each got a set of two "approved" combination luggage locks. We have been using plastic ties for years and gave up our locks years ago. We have thought the new locks rather silly, since if the baggage handler can open it what good is it? They seem to be the ones doing most of the stealing. Plastic ties work just as well so the new locks will probably stay surrounded by the plastic and cardboard packaging.

I know the gift givers meant well, but I thought they knew us better. Who knows--maybe they weren't thrilled with the gifts we gave them!

I got part III of Norman Sherry's biography of Graham Greene. He's a real trip.

Well, Santa was good to my mom since my husband and I gave her a Rick Steves tour to Paris.

I'll just have to settle back with my <i>Lord of the Rings</i> extended version box set and be transported to New Zealand, er, Middle Earth that way. :-)

<font color=#990033>~gnr~</font>

I did get the new bright red rolling carryon I wanted..and neded! along with 2 tickets to Paris for Feb! so I &quot;done good&quot;!

Mom granted one of my two requests. (the other may come in Feb for my birthday)... I got a new set of traveling luggage -- 3 softsided rollers (in graduated sizes), a duffel, and a travel case for smalls, etc.

My other wish is for an upgrade on my digital camera to one with optical zoom, macro capabilities, and at least 3-4 Mgs ...droool....

My husband bought me a piece of the Terre e Provence pottery I &quot;discovered&quot; in Provence a few years back (and they now carry at Williams Sonoma!) so it wasn't a trip back there but a good gift none-the-less.

<i>&quot;My other wish is for an upgrade on my digital camera to one with optical zoom, macro capabilities, and at least 3-4 Mgs ...droool&quot;</i>

That's what I'm spending my Best Buy gift cards on - I'm upgrading to the Olympus C-765 (4mp, 10X optical zoom, still small enough for traveling.) :)

Jody, did you get the Pathfinder rolling tote from Norm Thompson? I ordered one with a cash Christmas gift, but it hasn't arrived yet. Mine will be bright red, also!

Kayb... the Olympus C765 was one of the options I was looking at. The 10x zoom has me panting :D

I have seen it on ebay for around $200 -- but then again, mom might get it for me. Gods, I hate waiting for goodies!!!!

For any who are interested, these are the cameras I have researched (for those that love travel photography like I do):

Fuji Finepix S5000Z (3.1Mg, 10x optical zoom, 2.2x Digital zoom)
HP 945 (5.3 Mg, 8xOZ, 7xDZ)
Kodak DX7590 (5Mg, 10xOZ, 3xDZ)
Kodak DX6490 (4.23Mg, 10xOZ, 3xDZ)
Minolta Dimage z3 (4Mg, 12xOZ, 4xDZ)
Minolta Dimage z10 (3.2Mg, 8xOZ, 4xDZ)
Pan Lumix DMC-FZ20 (5mh, 12xOZ, 4xDZ)
Olympus C765 (4Mg, 10xOZ, 2.2xDZ)

Usually Digital Zoom doesn't matter if you use Photoshop or something similar to crop photos afterwards. Optical zoom is much more important, as it actually gathers more data when you take the shot.

I've learned a lot doing this research. I have details (including battery types, weight of the camera, relative prices, etc.) so if anyone wants them, email me... I'd be happy to answer!

[email protected]

My husband gave me a small wheeled carry on. It's black like everyone else's.

carolyn, I will take it if you don't want it! LOL. That is what I need. I have a 26inch and it is toooo big. Do not know why I even bought it.

And from other threads, black stays the cleanest, which makes sense. Happy New Year!

From family I got 5 books from my Amazon wishlist:

Tall Blondes: a Book About Giraffes by Lynn Sherr
Born Free Trilogy by Joy Adamson
Elephant Destiny: Biography of an Endangered Species in Africa by Martin Meredith
Out of Africa by Karen Blixen
Big Cat Diary: Leopard by Jonathan and Angie Scott

Are you detecting a theme?

Also got various toiletries, a few foodie things and things like that.

Best of all, some of my friends bought photographic prints from my charity project (kavey.dpcprints.com - DSWF ones). I'd sent an email out to people whom I usually exchange presents with asking them to consider buying a charity print instead - they'd either get to keep it or give it to someone else as a present. The present to me would be in the support for something important to me. So far 6 people have done just that which is brilliant. I'm most excited about these gifts than all the rest.

By the way, Kavey, my mother called me this morning to tell me she received her print and she LOVES it! So Santa was good to her--and to the animals of Africa.

Thank you for doing this.

<i>&quot;Kayb... the Olympus C765 was one of the options I was looking at. The 10x zoom has me panting&quot;</i>

What I really like about it is that, even with the 10X optical zoom, it is still small enough that I can carry it in my purse. And I like the Olympus lens. A photographer friend of mine told me that when looking at cameras, keep in mind the origins of the manufacturer. Are they a camera company that makes cameras - or a film or computer company that makes cameras?