Holiday Gift Giving Guide for Hikers, Nomads, and Travelers 2020

 

It’s been quite a year, and I think most of us are ready to say good riddance to 2020. We are all wishing for a 2021 full of health and travel. With those visions in mind, I give to you the Eat Walk Learn Holiday Guide for Hikers, Nomads and Travelers. Many of these items are available at REI, where I shop as much as I can to support a co-op with amazing return policies that gives back to our outdoors.

Drink Clean Water with a Clean Sip

Water is the ingredient that makes the world go around. When traveling, it can be hard to find good water, or good water can be expensive to order. One way to always ensure you have clean water is to carry a purifying straw. I used this one all over Latin America for five months and had ZERO intestinal problems due to drinking water. Buy a few of them. Keep one in your suitcase and one in your backpack. Trust me, you’ll end up forgetting it at your homesit or in a restaurant, so buy a couple. And get a couple for your traveling partner as well.

Read my 10 tips for how to find clean water without paying for it when you travel.

Beeswax Wrap from Patagonia Provisions

I love Patagonia, and I wish that I could afford everything that Patagonia makes. They truly understand sustainability and their responsibility to improving the world in which we live. One of their oft overlooked but fabulous products is the Patagonia Provision’s Bee’s Wrap sandwich wrap. I got so tired of throwing out the ziploc bag I used for my peanut butter and jelly sandwich that I sought out this solution. This wrap is great for sandwiches. I put it in my backpack, use it to wrap leftovers from the cafe, and also use it at the markets to gather seeds and nuts for bulk purchases. When it gets dirty, just wipe it clean with soapy warm water.

Inspiring Nomad Travels

I love to read about how other people have done what I’ve done or what I want to do. In this book, the author, Rita Gelman, takes off by herself to discover her inner most love. I still think about how she embedded herself in the kitchens of families and learned languages, flavors, and cultures through dicing onions. Would you be willing to give up your Cuisinart for a chance to learn, grow, and flourish? I love this book and frequently recommend it.

I’m in Love with this Rollie

Is it okay to be in love with an inanimate object? My husband says he’s jealous with how much I’m in love with this rollie bag. I looked for a bag for years that

• always fit in the overhead compartment
• had wheels that wouldn’t break down
• could carry helmets and odd shaped gear
• was water resistant and tear resistant
• had a toiletry compartment big enough for toothpaste, toothbrush, comb, deodorant, floss, pluckers, mirror, medications, lip balm, and Altoids.

This beauty by Eagle Creek is it. I rolled this baby all over French Polynesia, on a cruise, on Easter Island, and four major big cities in Latin America, plus it’s been with me on all my 50 Hikes 50 States Project. With over two years of travel, it’s as good as the first day that I started using it. If I ever to have to replace it, I’ll buy the exact same bag. Get it here.

A Comfy Skort

I’ve been an ambassador for Skirt Sport for years. When 2020 closed them down, I was devastated. Where would I find another great skort with a super fit, fun fabrics, and functional for hikes, walks, travel, and dining? When Skirt Sport announced its acquisition by Zooma Run, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. The skort is back! With a limited run now for the holidays, you can get your skort on again. I just ordered the Lotta Breeze in Moonshine, and I’ll be packing it for our world trip. Which will you get?

Holidays for Nomads

Nomads travel light, and finding gifts for them that they can’t eat or wear is difficult. I hope this list is good for the nomad in your life, the hiker whom you love, or the traveler you share time with. Let me know what you think of these gifts. I love them all and use them religiously. Cheers!