When you computer hop as much as I do, not having to locate and install applications is nice.
Portable Applications are simply applications that run without being installed.
Your first point of call should be here.
http://portableapps.com/apps
Special Mention goes to
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/filezilla_portable
and there are many more now, increasingly commercial vendors make them available as well.
UltraEdit and UltraCompare
http://www.ultraedit.com/products/mobility.html
A brilliant and lightweight colour picker.
http://nattyware.com/pixie.php
Real Time CSS Editor
http://css-editor.info/
HTTP File Server
http://www.rejetto.com/hfs/?f=dl