There’s value in sometimes putting your smartphone to one side and just seeing what you do without the device in your life. That’s especially true when you’re traveling when there’s so much joy to be had in discovering something that you may otherwise have missed.
But having said that, it’s also true that, used correctly, your tech devices can make your traveling adventure smoother, more fun, and just all-around more enjoyable.
The keywords there are “used correctly.” In this post, we’ll run through some handy tips to use your device to elevate your trip.
Download a Language App
This obviously only applies if you’re visiting a destination that speaks a language different from yours. In many parts of the world, you’ll be able to get by with basic English sentences and your hands, but that won’t always be the case.
If you’re going anywhere off the beaten path, the chances that you’ll encounter an English speaker dwindles considerably. You can get around a potentially difficult encounter by downloading a language app for your trip. You’ll need an internet connection to make translations, so look at getting a data plan from Prepaid Bill when you’re on the road.
Even if you only use it to say basic sentences, you might just find that it’s the difference between eating and not eating, sleeping or not sleeping, and so on.
Offline Maps
It can sometimes be fun to get lost while you’re traveling. But it can also be highly dangerous, especially if you’re visiting a place with high crime rates. Understanding where you’re going is key to ensuring you don’t venture into somewhere you don’t want to be, plus it just makes things easier.
It’s best to download a map onto your phone, so you can navigate yourself even if you don’t have a signal. This is especially important when visiting nature areas, where phone signals can be nonexistent.
Local Applications
Want to discover more from the place you’re visiting than just what you find in your travel guidebook? Then take a look to see if there are any applications or websites that locals use to discover what to do. If you’re visiting a cosmopolitan city, then there’ll likely be dozens of things happening.
Finding the best websites for local listings is a tried and tested way to uncover the events that you may otherwise have missed.
Staying Entertained
Traveling can be a lot of fun, but it can also be a little boring from time to time. No one likes to spend hours in an airport, or hours on a long coach journey. Eventually, you’ll need something to keep you entertained. And this is where your device can come to save you.
Download some music and podcasts onto your device before you hit the road, and you’ll always have something to entertain you, whether you’re waiting at the gate or sitting in those comfortable airport seats during a layover. If you’re traveling with other people, then consider downloading some simple multiplayer games onto your device, too — there’ll be a bigger hit than you might imagine!
