Tis the . . . oh, you know . . .
© Diane Goldberg under the original topic name
However, having spent most of the day on her chaise lounge with visions of travel sized curling irons and rail passes dancing through her head she has a rather different set of suggestions for the traveler on your gift list or even (should you so desire) for you, your very own self.
Stuff ya' gotta have
Ms Budget Travel used to be a luggage minimalist. During the very early years of her wanderings, she foolishly disdained anyone who traveled with more than the basic backpack and she has the compressed disks in her spine to prove her purity. Now, she's learned the value of multi-bagging. Along with never being too thin or too rich, you can never have too much luggage. Pay attention Gentles Readers . . . Ms Budget Travel is still an advocate of traveling light. Having a range of luggage in your very own closet makes this easier. Ms Budget Travel recommends you buy lots of bags --- some are optimal for urban adventures, some work well for a weekend, some fit nicely under airline seats, some will even get an evening gown uncrumpled across country. Check http://www.luggageonline.com/ , http://www.1-800-luggage.com/ or http://www.bargains-galore.com/new2393.h...
Ms Budget Travel used to believe that one should buy expensive reliable last-a-lifetime luggage. Up in her attic she has the nine thousand pound, hard-sided Samsonite suitcases that were the traditional off-to-college gift back in the Dark Ages. (They are red leather and she feels she must confess that she had matching boots.) Ms Budget Travel now believes that one should view luggage as almost disposable --- she recalls the not-too-distant past when strap on wheels were new. She advises you not to invest too much in luggage but to instead check out new luggage technology often.
While she'd caution you against spending a lot on luggage, she does recommend that any one gifting a female wanderer consider Travelsmith's "Indispensable Black Dress" available from http://www.travelsmith.com. Ms Budget Travel has worn hers in countless countries and honestly believes it is not the least bit overrated.
You might also want to check out http://www.magellans.com for any travelers who totes a laptop or anything else he or she might care to plug in from Albania to Zanzibar. Ms. Budget Travel was pleasantly surprised when she called Magellan's a few days before her recent departure to Spain. Ms Budget Travel is just a tiny bit of a Luddite. She had no clue which assortment of wires she'd need to use her laptop in Spain. Gentle Readers take note --- the nice people at Magellan's were able to pull up what she'd purchased in the past and told her (without a discernable snicker) that she already had the equipment she needed. They did not try to sell her stuff she did not need. Ms Budget Travel encourages you to give Magellan's gift certificates to the travelers on your list.
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