5 gift ideas for the globetrotter

One of the best ways to trigger ideas about what to get those on your shopping list is to look at their hobbies. If your nephew is a fisherman, you can get him a rod and tackle box. If your brother is into football, you can buy him tickets to a hot college or professional game. If your daughter is into science, buy her a telescope.

Guidebooks and a translator like the one above are useful gifts that every traveler on your holiday gift list will appreciate.

Now, say that there's a traveler on your list. Maybe your boss has a New Year's Eve cruise on his agenda. Or maybe your niece is spending her next college semester studying abroad. What globetrotter wouldn't want a gift that is "one less thing" to buy before he jets off. Here are some travel-oriented ideas perfect for gift-giving:

1. Guidebooks -- Everyone wants to see the city like a native. Knowing where to find museums, the best cafes for a cup of coffee and the recommended places to dine can make any travel experience that much better.

2. Luggage -- You can't go wrong with luggage on wheels, backpacks and other travel gear. Purchase a matching set or get one piece that they can add to their current collection.

3. Money converter -- How many Euros equal a dollar? In which countries will your money go the furthest? Make someone's life easier with a currency calculator that does the math.

4. Maps -- No one wants to get lost in a country where he doesn't know the language. City maps, street maps and specialty maps (shopping, museums, etc.) can be found in most bookstores.

5. Translator -- "I need to find a restroom now" or "I want to order a glass of water but have no idea how." Save the day with a translator like the new LINgo Touch-Screen Talking translator (available online at www.lingotravel.com and at Brookstone, the Neiman-Marcus catalog or from the LifeStyle catalog).

This pocket-sized touch-screen talking electronic translator speaks nine languages (French, German, Spanish, Italian, Mandarin Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Russian, and English), and features nearly 200,000 words and more than 20,000 phrases in each of the nine languages. Words and phrases are categorized for easy reference.

A complete traveler's tool, LINgo Touch-Screen also includes a built-in calculator, world clock, currency converter, an address/phone number databank, and ear-bud headphones for privacy. To operate, a traveler uses a built-in stylus to tap in the word or phrase that needs to be translated. He then selects the language and a built-in voice chip clearly articulates the word or phrase in the chosen language. Character displays are easy to read and the device is powered by batteries and backed by a one-year warranty.

So for the traveler on your gift list, give something that will be put to good use on each and every trip.