1. Gladiator School – Watching the movie, Gladiator, each of us had a moment where we pictured ourselves on the floor of the coliseum. Well, now you can give someone the ultimate travel gift. Yep, Gladiator lessons in Rome, Italy. Located on the ancient Appian rode where Spartacus met his end, the Gladiator School offers a variety of lessons in the theory and actual combat techniques of the Gladiators. You will actually cross swords with others. Courses range from on day to four months.
2. Packing Compressors – Okay, these aren’t the most exciting of gifts, but travelers love them. When you travel, space is at a premium. Packing compressors are zip bags that hold clothes. The bags have a pressure valve that removes the air and reduces the space taken up by the clothes by over 80 percent. This means you don’t have to leave the wool sweaters and winter jackets at home. A tremendous utilitarian item. Eagle Creek is the leading brand in this category and you can spend between $10 and $30 depending on the size of the bag. This is a travel gift that will actually be used and cherished.
3. 1,000 Places To See Before You Die – This books makes a great gift for travelers. Locations and descriptions of unique places are included. Be warned, the person you give this gift to will end up sitting somewhere for hours reading it. In rare cases, they’ll walk out the door and go directly to the airport. You can buy it at any bookstore.
4. Swiss Army Knife Pens – Everyone knows the value of Swiss Army Knives. Now you can buy it in the form of a pen. The tools pull out of the top of the pen just like the traditional knife. Expect to pay $30 for this travel gift.
5. Fly the Big Apple – If New York City is on the travel itinerary, then a helicopter tour over the Big Apple is a great gift and surprisingly inexpensive. Xperience Days is offering them for $65.
6. Nomad Travel Journals - A little self-promotion here. Nomad Travel Journals are compact writing journals that let travelers keep notes about their trips. Really great for creating a record of who was on the trip, things seen, people met, contact information such as email address, phone numbers and so on. As the years pass, you can read back through your travel journal to relive trips and laugh yourself silly over funny events you might otherwise forget. A tremendous gift for student travelers and backpackers. You can click the link at the bottom of this article to see the travel journals which cost $25 with case.