Buying Gifts When Staying
Stay with friends and family but budget to pay for a meal out and/or expensive gift. If they are in a new home you might offer something you notice they need. We stayed with a divorced friend who had nothing except bedding a couple of mugs. On various visits we bought a set of crockery, a set of cutlery (we researched the designs which included traditional and modern and he opted for modern), a new kettle, and a set of coffee cups.
Gifts When Staying In A Home
A visitor to my house bought me a pair of bone china tea cups and saucers. At the time I thought she must have spent a lot of money on very little. For two years they sat at the back of a cupboard, taking up space, useless. Then we decided to start drinking lemon tea. Our cups were in use regularly and a lovely, daily reminder of my friend and her thoughtfulness.
Spare Bags
You can buy a set of stacking suitcases. Some cheap sets have wheels on only the largest. Nonetheless. just to take up the excess baggage and souvenirs and gifts, a roll bag is handy to carry your extra stuff home.
If you always travel home or away for christmas, or home or away for a birthday, you can buy in the sales for the next event.
Lightweight Gifts
Now is the time to consider your next year's trip for Xmas or a birthday and stock up on items which are light to pack. For example, paper banners saying Merry Christmas or Happy Birthday, birthday cards, lightweight gifts such as tee-shirts, tea towels, towels.
Lost Items: Passports and Driving Licenses
If you have more than one suitcase, place a label on the suitcase which contains the goods for your holiday. One year I left my passport inside the suitcase so I could not go without it next year. Then I had a new suitcase and forgot and had no passport.
I have just mislaid my driving license.
Keep a photograph and photocopy of essential document and a log of vital documents are, in which bag or suitcase or drawer. Take a picture so you can send it to somebody else.
Certificates For Job Applications
One year I was overseas applying for a job. I needed my graduation qualification certificate from the UK to teach in Singapore. I was on the phone (expensive) and email to a family member trying to help them find my certificate so they could post it to me.
Photos of Documents+Locations
I decided it had to be in a photo frame somewhere in the house. Eventually it was found behind another picture. If I had taken a photo of the size and shape of the document (vertical or horizontal) and the colour and shape of the frame, and the position and room where it was hanging, my relative could have found it much quicker.
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer.
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