December 12th, 2009 by admin

Holiday shoppers can spend hours on the internet or in a department store looking for a gift to give to the avid traveler on their list. Chances are, serious travelers are already well-equipped with plenty of luggage and travel accessories. Here are some ideas that are unusual and

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Holiday shoppers can spend hours on the internet or in a department store looking for a gift to give to the avid traveler on their list. Chances are, serious travelers are already well-equipped with plenty of luggage and travel accessories. Here are some ideas that are unusual and new, and can provide a much needed update to the traveler’s arsenal.

Great Travel Gifts under

The Cup Pilot (.99) is one of those “why didn’t I think of that” inventions. It fastens onto the back of a folded tray table and protects a beverage from the sliding, sloshing and spilling that inevitably occurs when a passenger tries to balance a full cup in the woefully shallow cup-holder on the air carrier tray table.

Call Keeper (-, depending on style) is perfect for all those people who loved the convenience of fanny-packs but hated the way they looked. Not only are the colors and printed designs on Call Keeper cases modern-looking and hip, the product is actually reasonably useful. It fully protects a phone (or pocket-sized camera or iPod) and also can serve as a wallet because of an extra pocket for credit cards and money.

Modal’s GSM World Phone ( budget model, regular ) works anywhere in the world where there is cell phone coverage. There is no need to mess with local SIM cards or rent a phone with high per-minute charges. Modal also provides global SIM cards () to people who already have unlocked quad-band GSM cell phones.

The Kindle 2 is part of many travelers’ must-pack lists. The device allows users to download and read eBooks without having to take up too much space in their carry-on luggage. The traveler you are shopping for might already have a Kindle, but there are plenty of accessories such as the GelaSkin Protective Skin (.99), which can protect against fingerprints and premature wear and tear, and the Patagonia Book Case (.99), which offers weather-proof protection for Kindles (or Kindle-sized devices).

Great Travel Gifts between and 0

TripIt Pro ( per year) is a service that allows frequent travelers stay up to date on all the need-to-know aspects of their trip. Features can be accessed from a computer or smart-phone. TripIt Pro’s itinerary monitoring service will automatically send members text messages when their flight has been delayed or its schedule altered. The service even sends texts when a flight’s departure gate has been changed at the last minute. Friends, family or business partners can track member’s flight status and receive alerts as well.

If you’ve ever had to endure a lengthy layover, then you know that those exclusive premium class lounges are a desirable, but difficult to enter, airport feature. Priority Pass, a company that offers access to 600 airline lounges worldwide, has an agreement with airlines that allows Priority Pass members to use private premium class lounges without having to spring for a business or first-class ticket. Memberships start at per year.

Dream Sack Airline Comfort Pack () includes a silk blanket, eye-shades and a pillow in a handy carrying bag. The blanket even has pockets so that you can remove your shoes and warm your feet. The three items are durable and can be rolled up and stuffed into a foot-long bag. All together, the package weighs less than a pound. Plus, there is no need to rely on low quality airline pillows and blankets. The Dream Sack is a practical gift, since some airlines have begun charging passengers a small fee for pillows and blankets.

Sony Noise Canceling Ear-buds ( retail, currently on Amazon) offer a decent level of comfort and privacy without the bulk of around-the-ear headphones. Sure, the noise canceling effect is not as complete as that offered by the Bose line of headphones, but Bose products are bulky and will set you back 0-0. The Sony Ear-buds easily fit in a shirt-front pocket and are able to block out at least 90 percent of all ambient noise. Maybe that’s not good enough for airline passengers who are unlucky and have to sit next to a crying baby, but for average in-flight noise, these headphones are more than enough.