· Issey Miyake Pleats Please. Basic, straight, sleeveless dress in stretchy man-made fibre. Creases are part of its design, and if you have to wash it in a hotel sink, it dries in 15 minutes. £170

· Eurostar gift vouchers. Return tickets to Paris or Brussels start at £79, and Lille, which is great for shopping, from £69

· Hip Hotel Budget (£18.95, Thames & Hudson) and Hip Hotel France (£18.95, Thames & Hudson ) by Herbert Ypma. Two of my favourite guidebooks this year

· Point It: Travellers' Language Kit by Dieter Gra. Little book with 70s kitsch pics of everyday objects, such as a plate of chips or a bottle of suncream, to which you can point and grunt. £3.99

· Samsonite by Starck. The A4 version can be used as an ergonomic briefcase with rucksack straps, or you can undo a zip to concertina it out into an overnight option. £85

· Raymond Blanc cookery course. A one-day course with overnight stay and seven-course Menu Gourmand meal is £400. Gift vouchers available

· Kenwood Discovery steam iron with fold down handle. Does the job as well as a normal iron and looks good, too. £14.99

· A Canon Ixus camera is the size of a cigarette packet and easy to keep hidden from view in places you might feel nervous about attracting thieves. APS from £68.89; digital from £400