I would <i>love</i> a big map with pins for where I've been and where I want to go. The problem is that the entire map would be covered with pins for where I want to go! :)

I have given pashminas to women travelers I know. Pashminas are great multi-purpose travel items: a shawl to keep you warm on the plane or in a restaurant, a head/shoulder covering if you need to be more modestly dressed (e.g., to visit a church or mosque), a sarong, a lightweight throw for napping in the hotel room, a warm scarf double-wrapped around one's neck on a cold day, etc.

I love any book or map, but for others, I'd suggest based on age, experience, and travel style:

extremely lightweight nylon daypack (Rick Steves has one)or other takes up no space extra bag
zip closure lightweight totebag that can carry overnight flight necessities underseat
airplane "comfort kit" of soft eyeshades, earplugs, disposable slippers
adapter plug set
small alarm clock with lighted face/numerals
travel laundry kit of line, sink stopper, inflatable hangars and detergent sink packets
Bose headphones

To get my nieces and nephews interested in travel, I often bought presents from my travels such as coloring books, picture books in other languages, toys, etc. and saved them for Christmas and other gift times.

I agree that most people who travel a lot have strong personal preferences suitcases, backpacks, packing cubes, etc., but for an infrequent traveler a basic 20-21in rollaboard is versatile enough for all modes of travel.

Wow, this thread is funny, still more things I don't use when I travel (lol)! I never take an alarm clock. Or pashmina. I do pack a couple regular plastic molded hangers in the bottom of my bag but no laundry line, etc. btw those inflatable hangers do not work very well, tried them, the clothes slip off!

I think buying for newbie travelers would be really fun. But I'd just set them up with the tried & true practical things I use myself. Wouldn't be a particularly glamorous gift.

I do love all the ideas for travel *inspiration* instead... guidebooks, coffeetable photo albums of exotic places, maps w/ or w/out pins, globes, subscription to travel magazines, etc. Plane tickets and money would be good too.

I love my sarong but I wouldn't give one as a present. Like suze, I never take a travel clock. I take a cell phone.

Now, I wouldn't mind having a cell phone that works world wide.

I think we should start a thread to see what percentage of travelers get a kick out of travel-specific gadgets and what percentage like suze make use of everyday objects.

I LOVE travel stuff, and am always looking for what's new. I don't buy alot of new things, but it's the only kind of shopping that can hold my interest for more than a few seconds.

I probably straddle the fence between the "travel-gadget" types and people like Suze, because there are just a few travel-specific gadgety things I use just for trips:

- passport wallet
- dry laundry soap sheets
- wind-up radio/charger/flashlight

Some people might consider the following "travel stuff", but these are things I have with me every day:

- pashmina (in fact, there are three different colours on the back of my office chair right now)
- tiny flashlight (after being caught in the Toronto blackout, I now always have a little flashlight of some kind with me in my purse)
- ebook

I also don't really have travel clothes. I just travel so much that I buy regular clothes with a view to how well they travel.

I'm not a totally gadget-free traveler, actually I take a lot of stuff... I always have a swiss army knife, corkscrew, flashlight, tweezers, safety pins, nail clippers, nail file, plastic silverware, plastic plate, reusable aluminum water bottle. I pack laundry soap and Woolite refilled in 2 oz. bottles, same as my travel shampoo.

If I could afford an ultraweight netbook, I think that would be worth traveling with!

And I do love 'window shopping' the newest travel gadgets in mail order catelogs like TravelSmith or Magellan or magazines like Budget Travel and I love luggage stores -lol!

I'm not surprised that our different ages, tastes, and travel styles affect what we would like to receive as presents as well as what we think is an appropriate gift for others. I try to remember that what my 20-year-old nephew would appreciate is not the same as what I would want or what my elderly mother wanted for her later travels.

I can use the clock on my cellphone or my computer, but as I age I see why my mother wanted the lit and easily read at night travel clock. My nephew wouldn't care if he overslept throughout his travels, so no clock at all for him. He'd probably like the tiny emergency survival blanket I've got tucked in the travel box, though.

I once gave some newbie travelers a disposable panorama camera and another time a high speed film disposable for when they couldn't use a flash, but items like that are outdated now. I also gave photo albums with a design to fit the upcoming trip, but again, I'm not sure how many people use albums in today's electronic camera age. Travel scrapbook for those who enjoy that sort of hobby?

As for clothing, the only "travel" clothing I would give might be a very plain pashima (I've been given a couple of shawls that I would never wear the color/pattern), some scarves (if recipient wears them at home), gloves, but those aren't necessarily "travel" items.

I can always use another tiny travel umbrella.

I've given younger travelers prepaid phone cards.

I also gave a couple picnic supplies--a true picnic basket with all the fixings for concerts in the park etc. plus a travel version of utensils, plates, etc. for airplane travel. Unless they check a bag, however, they won't be taking the Swiss Army knife etc. that was a part of that kit.

Travel gifts I've received that I do not use--
Tiny travel light (I don't think of it, then can't find it when I need it somewhere)
Passport holder (doesn't hold all I want together in one place)
Bag that zips/converts from a purse to a tote the size of a duffle (too heavy)
white noise machine (too large, then I forget it)

I still use disposable cameras when I travel. I don't think they are 'outdated'. You're right it's nothing I'd give as a gift to someone who has a digital camera or a cellphone, but I think they are fun for trips, especially those panoramic ones. And you never need to worry about losing anything expensive (dropping your expensive digital over the side of a boat or something!).

How about a CD/mp3 of environmental noise, like waves, that they can listen to in a noisy hotel room to help them sleep?

We never travel without this, or our tiny iPod speakers that pack flat together to play the wave sounds on- hey the speakers would also be a nice gift!

I also LOVE my pack-mates bags and have given those as gifts.

How about a chunk of FF miles on their favorite airline?

A gift card for a digital travel scrapbook or calendar at a site like shutterfly or even a target/walmart type of place might be useful.
Or it might be work. Tripadvisor sent me a free photo book from shutterfly and it was work to put it together but happy work.

Some people might like a digital photo frame. It seems like a sneaky way to get your family and friends to see travel photos.

Someone gave me a pencil the other day that has a little flashlight on it. It went right into my suitcase. It was a little give away gift they got from a company but I was as happy with it if they would have stuck a bow on it and given it to me for Christmas.

BlueSwimmer, I was thinking of getting a pair of those speakers for my mp3, any recommendations on a brand?

My car traveler relatives were here for Thanksgiving.
Their preferred gifts--

high inflatable air mattress with pump to use at the relative's house, extra bed when on vacation, and for visitors to their home

heavy duty hot/cold bags for carrying food to family gatherings and parties (though not for very long trips, I would assume)

high quality auto emergency kit and tire pump that runs off the cigarette lighter

GPS

I would like gifts that I would like, but not buy for myself because they seem extravagant, but if it were a gift...if only someone would gift me an upgrade on my next international flight or a gift certificate at a nice restaurant at my destination city or certificate for a city walking tour. Of course, that means the gift giver would have to know about my specific plans. I have given some of these type gifts when I knew when/where a relative was traveling.

I got Eagle Creek folders (20" & 18") and cubes (whole,half,quarter) for each of my nephews this year. Last year I got them Eagle Creek dopp kits and stocked them with some travel sized toiletries and small nail kits. I told them that serious travelers always keep a wet kit packed and ready-to-go. I want them to not only be inspired to travel, but to have the supplies that my husband and I have seriously road tested over many years of business and leisure travel.

We've had our EC stuff for decades and it's all still "like new" so I'm hoping these gifts will last the boys well into their 40's or beyond.

Lsky- Our first set of portable speakers came with an Eagle Creek backpack. No idea of the brand but they slid together to pack into a space about 3/4 inch deep and maybe 5x5 on the sides. We've upgraded to a set of Logitechs that sound great but together are maybe the size of a really thick hardback book, so they take up more room in the luggage.

Thanks BlueSwimmer, I suppose it's best to go and listen. If they need to be the bigger size, I'll have to pack them in my husband's stuff. (so nice that he doesn't read this stuff :)

Blueswimmer uses iPod speakers, and we tried some. They were OK, but the sound was not too good – but they were very budget speakers. Maybe if we’d spent a bit more we’d have done better.

Something that we’ve used a lot this trip – one of those gadgets that you plug onto your iPod that allows the iPod to broadcast to an FM radio. I think it cost about $40, and it means that you can have decent (i.e. one’s own) music wherever there is a radio.

The device is about as big as a credit card. One thing we’ve noticed though, is that it flattens the battery in the iPod quickly – a charge lasts about six or eight hours, so you do need to have a charger with you.

<i>Something that we’ve used a lot this trip – one of those gadgets that you plug onto your iPod that allows the iPod to broadcast to an FM radio. I think it cost about $40, and it means that you can have decent (i.e. one’s own) music wherever there is a radio.</i>

That's one reason I didn't buy an iPod but got a Sansa MP3 player. It came with an FM receiver built in. Also, I can get an extra battery and change it myself and all for half the price of an iPod. Not being able to change the battery was a no-go for me with iPods.

It just hit me that I read Peter's email wrong even though he worded it well. You make the iPod a transmitter, not a receiver. Sorry about my mistake.

My comment about changing the battery still stands though...