A Christmas present for my sister who is travelling in Asia
November 17, 2013 11:52 AM Subscribe
I am trying to find a great Christmas present for my sister. This year there are complications.
I am looking for a great Christmas present for my sister who is currently travelling in India and may be in Thailand by Christmas.
- She has no set itinerary and is generally only staying in each place for up to a week so sending anything physical to an address in India or Thailand is out. I assume that I will need to send her something via e-mail.
- She is 24. Her interests are music (she plays several instruments) and travelling.
- She has been accessing the internet from internet cafes. I think a subscription to anything which uses a high bandwidth is probably out.
- I can spend up to £50 (around $80)
- I did have the idea of getting her a voucher for a nicer hotel in India or Thailand. (She is currently staying in hostels and I thought she might appreciate a night in somewhere with air conditioning and hot water!) I think my budget and the fact she doesn't have an itinerary may make this impossible though.
- Finally, I need to be able to buy her present from the UK. Ideally I'd like to get something for her to use in India as she will be there until the end of April but I am open to giving her something that she can use when she gets back.
Please help!
I am looking for a great Christmas present for my sister who is currently travelling in India and may be in Thailand by Christmas.
- She has no set itinerary and is generally only staying in each place for up to a week so sending anything physical to an address in India or Thailand is out. I assume that I will need to send her something via e-mail.
- She is 24. Her interests are music (she plays several instruments) and travelling.
- She has been accessing the internet from internet cafes. I think a subscription to anything which uses a high bandwidth is probably out.
- I can spend up to £50 (around $80)
- I did have the idea of getting her a voucher for a nicer hotel in India or Thailand. (She is currently staying in hostels and I thought she might appreciate a night in somewhere with air conditioning and hot water!) I think my budget and the fact she doesn't have an itinerary may make this impossible though.
- Finally, I need to be able to buy her present from the UK. Ideally I'd like to get something for her to use in India as she will be there until the end of April but I am open to giving her something that she can use when she gets back.
Please help!
I think your original idea is the best. When on the road for a while, sleeping for a night or two in a slightly better hotel or in a private room in a hostel is a real luxury. You don't have to get her the best hotel or anything. Even a couple of nights in a hotel/hostel with AC, single room, en-suite bathroom could be a set up from her usual accommodations.
posted by sockpuppetdirect at 2:19 PM on November 17, 2013
posted by sockpuppetdirect at 2:19 PM on November 17, 2013
The Thailand hostels I stayed in were all relatively nice - with hot water and a/c.
I'd get her a gift certificate for a cooking class, or rock climbing if she's in the Krabi/Railay area.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:22 PM on November 17, 2013
I'd get her a gift certificate for a cooking class, or rock climbing if she's in the Krabi/Railay area.
posted by backwards guitar at 5:22 PM on November 17, 2013
iTunes gift card. She'll be able to use it for apps (music is pointless as you can take your phone to a backpacker cafe and get it loaded up with a gazillion mp3s for $1 a GB sort of thing, but apps is still easier through iTunes).
If you know exactly where she'll be at a certain date, a voucher for a day spa or something frivolous would be a nice treat. I wouldn't do a hotel, too much hassle checking in and out, and food is hard to value from a distance - a $5 meal from a cafe might be better than a $50 meal at a restaurant.
posted by viggorlijah at 11:59 PM on November 17, 2013
If you know exactly where she'll be at a certain date, a voucher for a day spa or something frivolous would be a nice treat. I wouldn't do a hotel, too much hassle checking in and out, and food is hard to value from a distance - a $5 meal from a cafe might be better than a $50 meal at a restaurant.
posted by viggorlijah at 11:59 PM on November 17, 2013
Have a look through BK magazine's website for some great places to relax or feast in Bangkok, e-mail them, and ask if it's possible to arrange a voucher or to pre-pay for your sister to have whatever experience they offer. Bangkok has it all - art galleries, spas, great hotel buffets, coffee shops and boutiques. I bet she'd love the chance to treat herself after months of travelling (I know I would!).
posted by mdonley at 6:05 AM on November 29, 2013
posted by mdonley at 6:05 AM on November 29, 2013
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posted by Laura_J at 11:57 AM on November 17, 2013