Ah, do I love it or hate it! For years I didn’t own a smart phone but then the kids grew up and texting seemed to be the best way to contact them. I took the plunge and traded my flip phone in for a smart phone. Now I’m on to my second smart phone and wondering if it was really all that “smart”. Do I have nomophobia – the intense, irrational fear of being out of mobile phone contact? Absolutely NOT, but I do feel the need to check email and certain apps on a fairly regular basis, like it or not. I do, however, relish in being “screen free” when I can and certainly encourage people to disconnect as much as possible when exploring the world through travel.
There are, however, some definite advantages to having your Smart Phone when travelling and here my top tips when travelling with a Smart Phone.
Before you go
Choose Your Plan – Be sure to contact your provider prior to travel to choose a plan that is right for you or opt to have your phone unlocked and use a worldwide or local SIM card. You may have to turn off certain apps that may continue to run the in the background to avoid excessive roaming charges.
Password Protection – Always have your devise password protected so no one can access it should it become lost or stolen.
Documentation – Take a picture of your passport and insurance policy and store it in a safe place along with your itinerary and electronic airline ticket.
Downloads to consider
Travel Guides – Many of these are free and don’t require the internet once you have them downloaded on your device.
Maps – Download these in advance and if your plan includes roaming you can use your GPS when navigating around.
Currency Converter – This instantly tells you the exchange rate in currencies worldwide.
Weather – Add the destinations you will be visiting for forecasts and current conditions.
Translation – Choose an app to translate when you don’t speak the language.
In-flight Entertainment – Many airlines require you to download their inflight entertainment app prior to flight to enjoy their entertainment options on board. Or, if you choose, download a movie or two on your own before your flight.
Photo Storage – Set up a cloud storage such as Dropbox or iCloud for your photos so they can be transferred easily from your device to your computer and vice versa.
Photo Sharing – Download the “Cluster photo sharing app” before you go to share photos with fellow Broad Escapes travellers during and after your trip.
While you are travelling…
Safety – Upon arriving at an unfamiliar place, take a picture of the front of the hotel, the street sign and the hotel’s business card for taxi drivers.
Postcards – Use your contact information to send postcards to your loved ones.
Camera – Use your phone as a secondary camera, especially in the evening when you don’t want to carry camera equipment around.
Journaling – Take notes on your phone or if you prefer, voice record your comments to be used for journaling at the end of the day.
Let’s face it, Smart Phones are here to stay, so embrace the opportunity to use yours. But also be “smart” and turn it off to truly immerse yourself in the destination you travelled so far to experience.
Let’s face it, Smart Phones are here to stay, so embrace the opportunity to use yours. But also be “smart” and turn it off to truly immerse yourself in the destination you travelled so far to experience.