7 Excellent Gifts for a Pinay Traveller

So since Christmas is “partly” about the gifts, here’s a round-up of the excellent travel-related gifts I received this year.  What great blessings indeed!

7.  Grooming Travel Kit

Now I don’t have to pack and unpack the nail clippers and tweezers every time there’s a trip! This set is perfectly compact and comes in an elegant faux leather case. Thanks to veteran travellers Tita B and Tito J for this practical gift.

6.  Passport Holder

Although I already have a passport holder, the color on this one just pops, making it easier to spot one’s passport inside one’s handbag.  Thanks, M&Ms!

5.  Receipt Organizer from Beabi

Now I don’t have to lose  receipts on the road.  This organizer has five individual see-through compartments, perfect for stashing away anything from money to various travel ephemera!  Thanks, G!

4.  Coffee Press

Ahhh… to drink freshly pressed coffee on the road before starting one’s exploration is a real treat! And if you’re on a budget, bringing your own coffee press makes sense.  Technically, this French coffee press from Bodum is not meant for travel. But the plastic kind which I have doesn’t quite brew the same way. Now all I have to do is make sure I don’t break  this one in transit.  Thanks so much, E!

3. Longchamp Hobo Bag

Longchamp has always been a brand favored by travellers world-wide.  Recently, there has been a surge in the popularity of the Le Pliage line.  I particularly love the tote bags because they are foldable and weigh next to nothing.

Last week, I received not one but TWO Longchamp bags in the mail from my Nanay! One is a navy blue medium sized handbag and the other is this one, a brown Hobo bag.  And while collectively they would cost more than $300 (the handbag is $118 and the hobo bag, $195) brand new, Nanay bought mine from ukay-ukay (thrift shop) for 25  pesos each! That’s just a little over $1 for both bags. Oh the joy!  Thanks, Nanay!

2.  Moleskine Travel Journal (Carnet Voyage)

Knowing how much I love Moleskine, The Hubby gave me this:

I love the embossed flight display screen on the cover.

The Timeline page lets you plot your trips.

The stickers help you plan and make notes.

Finally, there are several tabs for different types of trips and a seperate notebook for notes and other items you may want to write about.  Oh I just love this mucho grande!  Thank you, Hubby!

And finally, the Number 1 travel-related gift I received is… (DRUMROLL PLEASE)

1.  Samsung Netbook

Technically, I won this at the JesCom Christmas Party Raffle. But I’d like to think that there’s some kind of Divine Providence involved in my winning this wonderful little thing.  You see, I’ve been seriously contemplating on getting a netbook for the past month or so because my MacBook is getting a bit too heavy for travelling.  I also wanted something that everyone in the house can use (the family laptop is about to conk out soon).  So if winning this does not involve Divine Providence, then I don’t know what does. So for this gift,  thank you God! (And thank you,  JesCom!)

I am now seven-travel-items richer.  I am so grateful for  all the love.  So from here,  I guess it’s on to another year of travelling and writing.

How about you?  What excellent gifts have you received this Christmas?  Do tell!