Top Travel Gifts for Women

Many of our women friends have become nomads and are often on the road. I am sure this is also true of your circle. For get-togethers or celebrations, you can't go wrong by getting these globe trotters something for their trips. Even though women travellers still go for the usual essentials, they also want items that set them apart from other travellers. As you know, we all want to claim some bragging rights.

Many of my women friends want not just to travel in comfort but travel in style, too. To travel in style, one does need to carry enormous suitcases that make people think you have left home for good. My husband and I are now at the end of a 6-week holiday, and we only brought our carry-on luggage. When you discern what to get, you can often travel light and still go around in style. So, when you give gifts to your women friends, help them travel light, in comfort and style.

I just packed and unpacked 4 suitcases and I tell you, one of the most useful gifts you can give women who are often on the road are travel packing organizers. Something thin and light. I leave these packing cubes in my luggage and each time I go, I have them ready for my travel stuff. Each one has a specific function and thus, have pockets for gadgets or small items. Get some that are spill proof for those items like shampoo or lotion and expandable for souvenir items you'll shop for.

Also handy are organizers that fit the hotel room shelves. I just put these organizers on the shelves and I am free of the hassle of packing and unpacking. I also keep a few Ziploc bags in my luggage. I have to admit, they are versatile, handy and occupy less space. Moreover, I can immediately see what's in there.

My things are also safer when placed inside these organizers especially at airport security points when, sometimes, you need to open your luggage for one reason or another.

For trips, don't you find these backpack slings very practical? Even just to the shops. Just the right bag for a camera, a bit of money, and a phone when your women friends go on day tours, visiting sites or out shopping . They can tuck in a bottle of water and all the other tour info, maps and guides they need to roam around cities.

Baggalinis are my other most practical option. They are light and full of pockets to better organize my things. At airports, I often see many women travel with their baggalinis. Of varied sizes, you can get several and put them inside your bigger purse. When you reach your destination you have a choice of purses.

With so many security issues now to be anxious about when one goes on a trip, this travel wallet enables your women friends to tour places with their passport and money safe with them. I have known of women whose purses were snatched by guys on motorbikes right in front of their hotels. This happened to a woman who stayed in the hotel where we were. Sadly, the next morning, it again happened to her.

Taking precaution is so necessary when one travels. This is especially true for smaller ladies who are easy targets for thieves. In many countries, locals often warn us to look after our purses. Close to really hugging it which makes you look ridiculous, I don't know how else to protect it so this travel money bag will be just great for those valuables. With their valuables safely protected, your women friends can interact freely and rummage through the souvenir bargains in many crowded places.

Travel Gifts for your stylish women friends

Scarves are fabulous for travel. I have several scarves and depending on the weather, I choose one that I can use in the beach over my bathing suit, use another to enhance a dress in the beach for a very nice dinner, or keep me warm in the plane.They are so light that I can easily put them in my purse. If I have 5 silk scarves, they occupy almost zero space rolled up and it gives me 5 outfits with 1 dress.

I usually choose wide silk scarves as I can do many things with it. As you can see in this picture, our granddaughter uses a wide silk scarf to accessorize her outfit. Wide scarves can be used as skirt or sarong so they are more useful. I can also use this to wrap around my neck when it is really cold. But when I get to cold weather destinations, I have very light but large scarves of pure wool and silk that are extremely warm. Again, these are scarves I can put inside my purse even if it is wide enough to cover most of myself.

So, for the women who travel in your gift list, a scarf would be most welcome. Unless of course, they travel to Cambodia, India, Thailand, Nepal or Pakistan where these scarves are abundant and cheap. Still, something not from there would be a bonus.

There are so many gifts to choose from for women who often are on the road. What do you usually give?

Money organizers are some of the best gift you can give women in your gift list who are always on the road. Often, in their travel, these women have to deal with different currencies. With this organizer, your women friends can easily pay for purchases rather than shuffle around handbags for the right currency while other people wait in the line. Because they have several compartments which are zipped, this will take care of those coins as well. Hey, you'll need those coins to get luggage carts in some airports or to get to bathrooms in some European cities.

The Perfect Carry-On

I wish I can get a good carry-on. Light and easy to spot, great zippers, good wheels (4), firm handle, stable, not black but nothing crazy either. When travelling, it is better to just bring your carry on luggage. This way, you are assured you have everything you need.

This is especially true when you are traveling for business and have to perform immediately upon arrival. Okay. I know women love to shop so what do we do when we find something we really like? Well, get a suitcase that you can check in going home or have it mailed to you.

For us, the only exception to this carry-on rule is when travelling for longer assignment. There are just too many things to bring along even if nowadays, almost everything is available and if not in your specific destination, then often easily available in the next country. The airline cannot lose what I do not check in nor can the wretches charge me for it and I'm first to the taxi lines in countries with 10 taxis and only 2 are at the airport!

See what concerns women most when they travel and make your gifts respond to these concerns.

I just had a month driving through the south of Italy with my husband, and I just brought three silk shirts I wash and hang and presto, the following day, they're dry and ready to wear. It would help if you convinced your women friends that this is not a fashion show. Make them think of the times when they had to park at a distance from their hotel and roll their luggage through the cobbled streets of many cities.

No more, as well, of those fancy toiletry bags made of heavy plastic. I have very light silk bags or totes that will carry almost anything I can wash and reuse. I can also use one of them as an evening bag when necessary or pack extra shoes in the bag to keep everything clean in the carry-on. Silk is a strong and light material. So gift your friends silk bags in different sizes that you can easily make yourself.

Use washable synthetic silk as this would be more practical, though not as classy for the evening but something you can quickly put inside a small purse. Give your women friends one for their shoes, one for underwear, and another for toiletries or gadgets. We are in Hanoi right now, and I just washed my tote yesterday, ready for use another day.

I often bring a pair of black pants and another of white or beige, and I wash them when the dirt starts showing. Or, skirts are more practical in hot weather. This way, you have more space for more tops, making you look different daily.

I know many of you love to wear those travel pants with all the packets but you look ridiculous in it in the evening. You also announce to the whole world, I'm a tourist. I don't deny its practicality and if you have enough space, for heaven's sake, bring one, but no other apparel item can match the light, washable pair of black slacks.

Many times women have to catch up with the kids and see how they're faring while they're on the road. Having this dual time watch will help them time their catching up with home easily.

Also, your sense of time often gets distracted when you travel and there is always a reason to check out the time at home when you're on the road.

My life has been made easier by Kindle. So, your friend will appreciate this if they don't have one yet. We used to carry suitcases of books, and when you find that the ones you brought with you on a particular trip are not interesting, you're doomed. With the Kindle, you get a library, so no problem. Just hit home and click on another book.

Travel Journals are great for the women jetsetter in your gift list as they are light. Again, they can bring several and not even feel the weight.

These can go in their purses so they can quickly write them down when they are out and want to remember details of the places they visit. This notebook is especially true when they travel for business. When they go to meetings, these can fit in their purses. And you know what, they don't have to plug them in.

Make sure they meet air travel regulations.

Yes, ensure you get them the toiletries they can carry on the plane. The doofuses on security almost pass out in joy when they can find an oversized toothpaste, little scissors, or a harsh shampoo and wave it triumphantly over their little pointed heads.

Most toiletries are provided by hotels now, and even when they are not to your liking, you can buy something you like when you reach your destination. What harm can it do in a few days? Think sunblock, moisturizer, and lip balm.

Here's my latest recommendation. Foldable water bottles will make you breeze through security, and you can fill them up at several drinking water stations in most airports today.