Gift(s) for girlfriend traveling in SE Asia?
July 21, 2010 8:05 AM Subscribe
Gift(s) for girlfriend traveling in SE Asia?
My wonderful girlfriend is leaving at the end of July to travel in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. She'll be back in mid-October, so it's about a 2.5 month trip. She's 25 and has been to Europe with friends before.
I'd like to get her useful and fun gifts for her trip. What would you suggest? She'll be staying in hostels and hotels, for however that might figure in. They can be specific to the region or more general for traveling.
We're pretty close and are going to miss the hell out of each other, so romantic ideas are fine, too, but I really want to avoid making her feel bad/sad unintentionally.
Let me know if any additional details might help!
My wonderful girlfriend is leaving at the end of July to travel in Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. She'll be back in mid-October, so it's about a 2.5 month trip. She's 25 and has been to Europe with friends before.
I'd like to get her useful and fun gifts for her trip. What would you suggest? She'll be staying in hostels and hotels, for however that might figure in. They can be specific to the region or more general for traveling.
We're pretty close and are going to miss the hell out of each other, so romantic ideas are fine, too, but I really want to avoid making her feel bad/sad unintentionally.
Let me know if any additional details might help!
I found myself on the water a lot - a Dry sack might be an idea. Something she can throw her camera and wallet in, just in case.
Some skype credit might be nice, so she can call you while abroad. Maybe a compact microphone/earpiece too.
posted by backwards guitar at 8:13 AM on July 21, 2010
Some skype credit might be nice, so she can call you while abroad. Maybe a compact microphone/earpiece too.
posted by backwards guitar at 8:13 AM on July 21, 2010
Seconding a sleepsack. Also, a personal water filter or water filter straw would probably come in handy. Last time I went urban backpacking, it was made much more comfortable with Ex Officio underwear (it's nice not to have to change every day) and a good microfiber towel (one the size of a hand towel will fold down to the size of a coupla packs of cigarettes and dry off your whole body). There are lots of power converters on the market, but honestly, it's easier and cheaper to get one of those when you get off the plane.
posted by Etrigan at 8:35 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by Etrigan at 8:35 AM on July 21, 2010
Any of those "travel gadget" type things others have already mentioned, if it's something she's expressed interest in. A lot of backpackers like to travel light. Both times I've gone on a big backpacking trip I stressed to friends who wanted to give/lend me things that I am traveling light and will need the option of ditching anything, at any time, for reasons of space and usefulness. Which means don't give me a silly travel gadget I haven't asked for unless you're OK with me leaving it behind in a hostel in 2 weeks.
But if there's something she's mentioned, like "I don't know if I should splurge on a head-lamp or just bring my old flashlight...?" - then it's probably a good thing to get her.
A really good book to read on the plane - bonus points if it's about the place she's going.
An iTunes gift card so she can load up on new music for the trip.
If you are particularly generous, a Kindle.
One thing that would be wonderfully romantic, but not impractical - a really beautiful travel journal (or just a swank notebook). Write her a love note on the first page.
posted by Sara C. at 8:51 AM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
But if there's something she's mentioned, like "I don't know if I should splurge on a head-lamp or just bring my old flashlight...?" - then it's probably a good thing to get her.
A really good book to read on the plane - bonus points if it's about the place she's going.
An iTunes gift card so she can load up on new music for the trip.
If you are particularly generous, a Kindle.
One thing that would be wonderfully romantic, but not impractical - a really beautiful travel journal (or just a swank notebook). Write her a love note on the first page.
posted by Sara C. at 8:51 AM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
A small, accurate compass is great.
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:10 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by bonobothegreat at 9:10 AM on July 21, 2010
Best answer: I did the same trip last year, minus Vietnam.
A dry sack is definitely a good idea, as the ones that you can rent/buy there are pretty much worthless. Don't bother getting her a guide book, they sell photocopied Lonely Planets, etc for $3 or $4 in the touristy spots and/or she can trade with other people going the opposite direction. I would advise against a Kindle, as recharging it can be a bit of a hassle. I brought an old 1st-gen iPhone so I could use WiFi (there was quite a bit of it around, and generally free with a drink or food purchase) and there are a TON of free e-books available through the Stanza app. Extra SD cards would have been nice, but I really wanted a battery for my camera more than I wanted the extra space. A USB thumb drive so that she can pull pictures off of the camera and have them in a separate place if she doesn't get around to uploading them (or doesn't want to take three hours out of her day to upload 100 pics). A head lamp was very useful, as was a micro-fiber towel. However, a sarong or two will take up less space in her pack, dries just about as quickly, and can be used for a lot of other things: makeshift bag, curtain, skirt, cape, etc. A good pair of walking shoes (I took a pair of Merrell's) is a necessity. One of the girls I was traveling with had a pair of Keen water shoes that looked like they would be perfect for spending time in the river(s). A deck of cards and a set of dominos was REALLY nice to have, plus you get to learn all kinds of weird international games.
And a few unsolicited bits of advice for the trip: 1) Spend as little time in Bangkok as possible. That town is a shithole. 2) Check out the White Temple outside of Chiang Rai. 3) Vang Vien, Laos is the happiest place on Earth. 4) When at Angkor Wat, get the three day pass and a personal guide. One day is just not enough. 5) Sihanoukville, Cambodia is the second happiest place on Earth. 6) The only Visa she'll need to get in advance is for Vietnam, even though the tour places will tell you otherwise. Thai, Laotian and Cambodian visas can be acquired at the border. 7) Haggle, haggle, haggle.
Feel free to memail me if you or she have any additional questions.
posted by sacrifix at 11:45 AM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
A dry sack is definitely a good idea, as the ones that you can rent/buy there are pretty much worthless. Don't bother getting her a guide book, they sell photocopied Lonely Planets, etc for $3 or $4 in the touristy spots and/or she can trade with other people going the opposite direction. I would advise against a Kindle, as recharging it can be a bit of a hassle. I brought an old 1st-gen iPhone so I could use WiFi (there was quite a bit of it around, and generally free with a drink or food purchase) and there are a TON of free e-books available through the Stanza app. Extra SD cards would have been nice, but I really wanted a battery for my camera more than I wanted the extra space. A USB thumb drive so that she can pull pictures off of the camera and have them in a separate place if she doesn't get around to uploading them (or doesn't want to take three hours out of her day to upload 100 pics). A head lamp was very useful, as was a micro-fiber towel. However, a sarong or two will take up less space in her pack, dries just about as quickly, and can be used for a lot of other things: makeshift bag, curtain, skirt, cape, etc. A good pair of walking shoes (I took a pair of Merrell's) is a necessity. One of the girls I was traveling with had a pair of Keen water shoes that looked like they would be perfect for spending time in the river(s). A deck of cards and a set of dominos was REALLY nice to have, plus you get to learn all kinds of weird international games.
And a few unsolicited bits of advice for the trip: 1) Spend as little time in Bangkok as possible. That town is a shithole. 2) Check out the White Temple outside of Chiang Rai. 3) Vang Vien, Laos is the happiest place on Earth. 4) When at Angkor Wat, get the three day pass and a personal guide. One day is just not enough. 5) Sihanoukville, Cambodia is the second happiest place on Earth. 6) The only Visa she'll need to get in advance is for Vietnam, even though the tour places will tell you otherwise. Thai, Laotian and Cambodian visas can be acquired at the border. 7) Haggle, haggle, haggle.
Feel free to memail me if you or she have any additional questions.
posted by sacrifix at 11:45 AM on July 21, 2010 [1 favorite]
Oh, and it was really nice to have real, hard copy pictures of people to look at when I was feeling homesick. Pictures on an iPhone, SD card, etc just don't have that same feel. So maybe a few pictures of the two of you together or some of your favorite spots at home. Plus, she'll have something to show people when she talks about you.
posted by sacrifix at 11:53 AM on July 21, 2010
posted by sacrifix at 11:53 AM on July 21, 2010
1) Spend as little time in Bangkok as possible. That town is a shithole.
having just arrived in Bangkok from Delhi, I would say that "shithole" is all relative.
posted by moorooka at 12:49 PM on July 21, 2010
having just arrived in Bangkok from Delhi, I would say that "shithole" is all relative.
posted by moorooka at 12:49 PM on July 21, 2010
@moorooka: Fair enough. I suppose getting robbed twice left a bad taste in my mouth. I was just mainly not a fan because it sort of reminded me of every "Chinatown" I had been to in the US. Barely felt like I was in another country. /derail
posted by sacrifix at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by sacrifix at 1:42 PM on July 21, 2010
Practical items include a swiss army knife, a small mini-mag-lite, a canvas wide brim hat.
posted by jannw at 8:23 PM on July 21, 2010
posted by jannw at 8:23 PM on July 21, 2010
@sacrafix agreed. Delhi might not have the swag but the city has a beautiful spirit. Bangkok reeks of sex and money.
To play devil's advocate I would advise against the microfibre towel, drypack, etc. While they are certainly good things to pack for the backpacker, they don't make for the most exciting presents. The journal mentioned above is a good idea.
Maybe make her a 'goodie bag' for her plane ride. Maybe include things like a letter from yourself / sudoku book / candy bar / vicodin / etc. Tell her not to open it until she gets on the plane.
posted by ageispolis at 1:34 AM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
To play devil's advocate I would advise against the microfibre towel, drypack, etc. While they are certainly good things to pack for the backpacker, they don't make for the most exciting presents. The journal mentioned above is a good idea.
Maybe make her a 'goodie bag' for her plane ride. Maybe include things like a letter from yourself / sudoku book / candy bar / vicodin / etc. Tell her not to open it until she gets on the plane.
posted by ageispolis at 1:34 AM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Aside from a camera and maybe a cheap, locally-acquired phone (no need to even spend $40 on one new, they're everywhere) and SIM card, there's nothing else you really *need*, and if she's going for 2.5 months, the less high-priced heavy electronic stuff she has, the better. However, there are definitely a few things I'd recommend:
• A region-wide phrasebook, like this one. It's something I use everyday when traveling, takes up little to no space, is easily replaceable, functions when there's no electricity or wifi, and is easily passable to a local who might be able to find things more easily or offer more advice.
• A list of English-language bookstores in each of the major cities where she's going. It's a lot easier to carry one book at a time! Alternatively, the e-book/Kindle idea is intriguing, though without a local adapter (easy to find here, harder/more hassle to find there) you'd be sunk, and always worried about your things going missing.
• A light, washable, discreet, non-backpack bag for shopping, day trips, laundry, etc. A canvas tote bag sort of like this would be perfect. She could even get one down there, and again, it's not a huge problem if it gets lost.
• A non-Lonely Planet/Rough Guide guide to the region, if only for some different perspective.
• Maps! Maps in guidebooks don't always feature things like highway numbers, a marked scale in kms or miles to measure distances, place names in local script, local shops and landmarks unmentioned in the text, or the advantage of having a larger scale to deal with when planning. Especially in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, where many locals may not deal with Roman script on a daily basis, a map will beat a guidebook - look for one with both scripts. Again - light, easy to replace, useful for locals who are trying to help them out, low cost.
You could, perhaps, get a bunch of this stuff and bundle it all together into a little gift pack, or give her one gift every few days until she leaves.
posted by mdonley at 1:44 AM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
• A region-wide phrasebook, like this one. It's something I use everyday when traveling, takes up little to no space, is easily replaceable, functions when there's no electricity or wifi, and is easily passable to a local who might be able to find things more easily or offer more advice.
• A list of English-language bookstores in each of the major cities where she's going. It's a lot easier to carry one book at a time! Alternatively, the e-book/Kindle idea is intriguing, though without a local adapter (easy to find here, harder/more hassle to find there) you'd be sunk, and always worried about your things going missing.
• A light, washable, discreet, non-backpack bag for shopping, day trips, laundry, etc. A canvas tote bag sort of like this would be perfect. She could even get one down there, and again, it's not a huge problem if it gets lost.
• A non-Lonely Planet/Rough Guide guide to the region, if only for some different perspective.
• Maps! Maps in guidebooks don't always feature things like highway numbers, a marked scale in kms or miles to measure distances, place names in local script, local shops and landmarks unmentioned in the text, or the advantage of having a larger scale to deal with when planning. Especially in Thailand, Cambodia, and Laos, where many locals may not deal with Roman script on a daily basis, a map will beat a guidebook - look for one with both scripts. Again - light, easy to replace, useful for locals who are trying to help them out, low cost.
You could, perhaps, get a bunch of this stuff and bundle it all together into a little gift pack, or give her one gift every few days until she leaves.
posted by mdonley at 1:44 AM on July 22, 2010 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Thank-you all! These are wonderful suggestions!
mdonley: I had thought of a phrasebook, but had zero luck in any of the local bookstores. Fortunately, it looks like I'll be able to get the book you mentioned from Amazon before she leaves. Cheers!
posted by iftheaccidentwill at 6:56 AM on July 22, 2010
mdonley: I had thought of a phrasebook, but had zero luck in any of the local bookstores. Fortunately, it looks like I'll be able to get the book you mentioned from Amazon before she leaves. Cheers!
posted by iftheaccidentwill at 6:56 AM on July 22, 2010
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posted by Think_Long at 8:08 AM on July 21, 2010