The Coolest Last Minute Gifts You Can Get For Your Traveling Spouse

The Coolest Last Minute Gifts You Can Get For Your Traveling Spouse

Are you on the road all the time? Is your spouse?  Are either of you Preferred / Platinum / Priority on one airline or more? Heaven knows I am.  I thought about all the top ten lists for gifts, but I don’t believe I have seen a good one for people that travel.  When I have found a list, the person writing it doesn’t tell you *why* the items made the list.  So, here goes.  You still have time to run to the store.  Where possible, I have listed where you can purchase these items.

1. Luggage. Briggs & Riley Baseline 21″ Carry-On Expandable Upright U421X  – Say what you want, but the right piece of luggage can make for a great trip.  So you know; I beat the hell out of my luggage, so I can’t mess around.  Honestly, I recently tried a Swiss brand, bought 4 new pieces and within a few trips, two of them broke and they all looked like they had flown a million miles. So, I’ve now opted for my Briggs & Riley 21 Carry-On Expandable Upright.  You can’t kill this thing. It’s sturdy, good looking, and functional. The wheels are smooth. The handle casing is on the outside of the bag, leaving more room on the inside. Plus, it’s the perfect size for a couple of days. Go to http://www.briggs-riley.com/ and find a store near you.  About $320. Perfect for the serious road warrior.  Note there are lots of models from which to choose. Briggs & Riley rocks.
   
2. Noise Cancelling Headphones. Seriously, nothing makes for a better flight than the drowning out of all that noise.  I don’t care if it’s a crying baby, excessive pilot announcements or, heaven forbid, a gum-snapping seat-mate. I have a pair made by Sony (MDR-NC200D).  Available on Amazon for about $199 though you can find some models for $99.  Perfect for all, especially avid music fans because your tunes will sound great while you’re blocking out noise simultaneously.
   
3. Belkin BZ103050QTVL Mini Surge 3-outlet Wall Mount with USB Charger.  How many devices do you own that will likely need to be charged at the airport? For me, it’s at least two or three. When you finally get to the airport, the plugs are all taken by everyone else.  With this nifty device, I walk up to someone, and ask if I can unplug their device for a second while I plug in the “tap” and presto, I plug them back in and still have two outlets for me. Seriously, it is the best gift ever for a traveler. Amazon for about $20 (starting price). Perfect for the digital road warrior.
   
4. Folding Leather Picture Frame.  One thing for sure, when you travel you’ll miss your family.  The best gift my wife ever got me was a leather picture frame with a picture of her and the kids in it.  I get to a hotel and put it on the nightstand. It makes you feel like they’re there with you. Available online – just search and you’ll find it. The sell for about $40. Perfect for Moms and Dads.
   
5. Leather Folding Snap Dresser Tray / Caddie.  You tend to leave stuff around a hotel room; keys, room card-keys, change, money, passport, etc.  The first thing I do when I get to my room is snap the edges of my dresser caddie (it lays flat in my briefcase) and unload all the stuff in my pockets.  It is a great way to stay organized. Available on Amazon for $45. Perfect for the serious, Type “A” traveler.
   
6. Silk Sleep Sack (aka dreamsack). One word; bedbugs.  They’re gross. Yes, I’ve been bitten and mind you, it was at a rather nice hotel.  Expensive room rates do not guarantee you won’t have bedbugs.  When I’m ready for bed in a hotel, I pull off the comforter entirely (don’t even make me go there!) and unroll my sleep sack, put it on top of the sheets and get in.  It won’t guarantee you won’t be bitten but sleeping in *your* silk cocoon seems so much more clean than jumping into hotel sheets.  In very nice hotel, I normally still use it.  Simply wash it when you get home, in between trips and throw it back into your suitcase. Available on Amazon for $60 – $100. Perfect for all.
   
7. Incase EC20035 Combo Charger for iPod, iPhone and iPad.  I don’t know about you, but I carry around my share of chargers. iPhone, iPad, mi-fi, etc.  The problem is you need at least one iPhone charger for the car.  So, I carry this combo unit that works either in the car or in a standard wall outlet and it allows me to carry one less cord. Available on shopping.com for about $30. Perfect for the iPhone using rental car customer.
   
8. Mobile hotspot aka Mi-Fi.  Mine is 4G from Verizon.  This lets me get wifi for up to 5 devices anyplace I can get a cell signal. No need to try and find a public hotspot in a pinch. Plus, it is perfect for conferences when you’re traveling with a few people and you all need wifi acess.  Turn it on and you can hook up four friends as well.  They run anywhere from “free” to $100.  Plus you’ll also need a service plan which could cost $30 or more per month, depending on the plan may you already have. Perfect for the digital road warrior.
   
9.  Royce Leather Toiletry Bag – Yea, okay, just like the one my dad has.  It’s a classic and holds a bunch of stuff (that’s another post). Leather is perfect because it lasts, you can clean it and it is sturdy enough. Newegg.com for about $60. Perfect for your hubby.
   
10. Leather tie and accessories case.  Okay, we’re not wearing ties that often any more.  However, when you do need a couple for a trip, transporting them is a bit of a pain, especially since the ones left in the closet these days are likely the best ones you own.  So, when I travel, I pack my ties (and cuff links) in my tie case.  Ties are stored folded in half and then half again but they arrive wrinkle free.  Gifts.com for about $70. Perfect for the classy man.

So your guy or gal might not like *all* of these, but you really can’t go wrong with *any* of them.