Last week we spent 4 days in the car on our a road trip. While I like driving, 4 days is a little too long in a small sedan packed to the brim. During the trip I discovered a few things that made it more comfortable. This week I thought I would share them with you – they may not be the most glamorous gifts, but I can assure you that any person about to head off on a car trip would be happy to receive one of these…

Weekend: If your road tripper doesn’t have any roadside assist think about buying them some as a parting gift. I found some good deals with 24/7 Roadservices. They will certainly thank you if they need it!

Friday: Of course a great playlist is crucial for a road trip – if you already have it on your iPhone or iPod then you need an FM Transmitter

Thursday: eating takeaway on the road quickly gets old (and expensive). Its great to be able to stop wherever you like with a full picnic set and thermos for a yummy lunch in beautiful surrounds.

Wednesday: Not a pretty gift but certainly a useful one is a 12V-240V power inverter to keep the laptop and iPhone fully charged on the long trip.

Tuesday: we were sharing the driving and when it was my turn in the passenger seat I took the opportunity to catch up on some sleep. My neck pillow stopped my head lolling about the car and getting kinks in my neck.

Monday: I’m sure you have already guessed how much I love iPhone apps. On the trip I discovered two really good ones:

• Show the loo is a must have for anyone with a small bladder (like me!) on a road trip. It shows you toilets within a 10km radius or hit the ’I’m busting’ button and it instantly loads directions to the closest toilet.

• TuneIn Radio is internet radio for the iPhone. It allows you to listen to and record over 40,000 radio stations on your iPhone, iPod touch or iPad. However, on our trip we used it to find stations we wanted to listen to. You simply press browse and it would use your current location to tell you the stations where you were. So much better than constantly having to search through the annoying radio buzz.

Its the start of a new year and like many others I plan to be fitter and healthier this year, so this week I thought I would suggest some fitness related gifts…

Saturday: giving your body an opportunity to recover is of course crucial for any exercise regime – and it just happens to be my favourite part! I make regular use of our Homedics Shiatsu Pillow (as do friends and family when they come over for a visit). It’s a fluffy beige pillow, which is small enough to fit on any seat in the house, and it has two modes — spot shiatsu, and spot shiatsu with heat. Bliss!

So why not lean back and let the rollers gently kneads the lumps and tension right out of your aching back. At the same time you could plan your fitness program for the following week with the help of Women’s Health magazine (or Men’s Health). I get a subscription every year for my birthday. Right now if you subscribe you can get 15 issues for $69.95 (that’s three issues for free!) Or plan your meals for the week with The Biggest Loser Cookbook, this is one of my favourite cookbooks – it has heaps of great, easy and healthy meals to make.

Friday: My younger brother has just been telling me about his foot gloves which he really rates (even though they look pretty funny!). He has a pair of Vibram FiveFingers, that he uses mainly in the gym or during his army exercises when they need to swim and run, and its annoying to have to take your shoes on and off.

I have seen people wearing them before but hadn’t really looked into them – this why the website says you should try them:

1. Strengthens Muscles in the Feet and Lower Legs—wearing Vibram FiveFingers will stimulate and strengthen muscles in the feet and lower legs, improving general foot health and reducing the risk of injury.
2. Improves Range of Motion in Ankles, Feet and Toes—no longer ‘cast’ in a shoe, the foot and toes move more naturally.
3. Stimulates Neural Function Important to Balance and Agility—when wearing Vibram FiveFingers, thousands of neurological receptors in the feet send valuable information to the brain, improving balance and agility.
4. Eliminate Heel Lift to Align the Spine and Improve Posture—by lowering the heel, your bodyweight becomes evenly distributed across the footbed, promoting proper posture and spinal alignment.
5. Allow the Foot and Body to Move Naturally—which just FEELS GOOD.

Anyone else tried them?

Thursday: I been trying a couple of running iPhone apps recently (free and paid) and my favourite at the moment is the free adidas MiCoach. It is easy to use, uses GPS, tracks distance/pace/calories/time and has a great supporting website. But the best thing about it is that the voice in your ear is not annoying and sounds like a human being!

Wednesday: Body Concept Body Tube is a really handy fitness item to have at home or travel with. You can train a range of different muscles anytime and anywhere!

Monday: Check out today’s Sydney livingsocial deal – 81% off Zumba Fiesta for a month (pay $29 instead of $150!). There is a limit 1 per person, but you can buy as many as you would like as gifts. Go on make 2011 the year you get your zumba on!