Many find their most interesting holiday gifts are ones they find while traveling away from home. And often they can be the least expensive! In my sojourns as head of a boutique travel PR firm, I’ve picked up many intriguing items.
Markets abound with goodies, particularly in Latin America and Asia. Here are just a few I’ve brought back from press trips for journalists I have taken to these fascinating destinations:
- Thailand — A pashmina for my son in a nighttime market in one of the most authentic villages in Thailand, Chang Mai. And while I was at it, I seized the opportunity for a foot massage that has yet to be surpassed. Both items were less than $3 US dollars!
- India — Necklaces in the night market in Goa displayed in virtually every color under the sun were there for the picking over, presided over by a woman seated on a mat under the blazing sun. Overwhelmed by the array of colors, I only bought three in turquoise, my favorite at the time, when I could have bought so many more. Oh well, all the more reason to return to Goa again!
- East Africa — Just before the border crossing of Zimbabwe and Zambia, which is the renowned attraction of Victoria Falls – the largest waterfall in the world — there is an enormous crafts assemblage with locals selling their wares. Since the currencies of both those two countries as well as the South African rand all being exchanged, making it a challenge for negotiating. There I picked up beautiful carved wooden napkin rings with all the animals of the jungle. That was over ten years ago, and we still use them today.
- Dominican Republic – Near our boutique hotel property, Casa Bonita, my colleague, Katrina Leo, found just the pair of dangling earrings made from the local stone Larimar. When my eldest daughter also visited Barahona, the same mountainous region in the DR where she did a service project, she picked up a necklace made from that same stone.
- Belgium – If you are visiting France, take a side trip to Antwerp, where the international diamond exchange is located. There you can find earrings which are certified and come in virtually every size and carat.
It pays to start your holiday shopping early, so next time your traveling – even if only through the duty-free shop – pick something up for your loved ones.