I have always loved to travel, not just to enjoy better weather and guaranteed sunshine, but to immerse myself in the culture of a place and for a short time, live life as a local. I’m captivated by the rich diversity of a busy city where there is the constant hustle and bustle of people going about their daily lives. I’m a “people watcher” and find sitting for a few hours in a park, in a café or just walking without any purpose or destination in mind, is a great way of getting a feel for what makes that place tick. I absolutely love the cacophony of sounds, smells, and unfamiliar sights as they bombard my senses.
Travel is however not as easily accessible to everyone. Firstly, you need time to be able to travel and it is of course often costly. We all have challenges associated with prioritising the other commitments in our lives, so we might not get to go to the places we might like to.
Bringing a small piece of the world to those I care about is one way I love to share my passion for travel. It is my birthday this week and I’m taking my husband and two of our dear friends to a fabulous middle eastern restaurant where we’ll spend a few hours enjoying some traditional Turkish foods and lively entertainment in the attentive company of our restaurant hosts. We’re sure to feel like we have just stepped off the street into an Istanbul café and I’ve no doubt it will be a memorable evening.
This made me think about other ways I love to share my passion for travel and to suggest some creative ideas for a unique travel-inspired gift for her or a birthday gift for him. There are now many specialist shops in the UK, where you can source traditional gifts, foods, and snacks to include in a gift box. Whether your loved one is a travel enthusiast or simply loves experiencing new cultures, a gift box filled with items from around the world is sure to delight and inspire.
Here are some ideas for travel-inspired gift boxes that will bring a little taste of the world to your loved ones:
- Taste of Italy: A gift box filled with Italian delicacies such as pasta, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and biscotti, as well as a cookbook with authentic Italian recipes, will transport your loved ones to the streets of Rome.
- Moroccan Magic: A gift box with handmade pottery, a tagine cooking pot, traditional spices, and a beautiful Moroccan tea set will bring the flavours and culture of Morocco to your loved ones' homes.
- Japanese Delights: A gift box with a miniature Zen Garden, a deluxe sushi making kit and some Japanese snacks and teas to bring a taste of Japan's unique culture to your loved ones.
- Indian Spice: A gift box filled with tantalising aromatic spices, a handmade elephant dung paper journal, covered with a colourful recycled sari and a small hand carved elephant in sandalwood bringing the vibrancy and essence of India to delight someone you love.
With a travel-inspired gift box, you can transport your loved ones to far-off destinations and help them experience new cultures without ever leaving their home. Travel to countries with cultures very different to our own, is a life affirming and enriching experience and I believe, gives us a broader perspective on our own lives.
