Travel Apps

Let's talk about apps, baby!  That was just wrong, I apologize.  Anyway, what apps are great for travelling?  There are so many out there, for literally every purpose you can imagine.  There are apps to let you know when to apply more sunscreen, apps that make a lighting schedule for you (to recover from jet-lag) and apps that play sounds of home to help you sleep (city nights, public places, household).  Let's weed through the crazy, shall we?

Here's a screenshot of some of the travel apps I've acquired thus far.  Some I haven't really used yet, but downloaded based on recommendations.  I never pay for apps, so all the apps I'm talking about are FREE!  Let's go through one by one.  Stick with me (I have lots of pictures this time) and yes, I'll go in order.

Google Translate: translates from any language to any other language.  It gives written translation, written phonetic translation and it will even say the word(s) for you out loud, if you're not too embarrassed to be an ignorant idiot.

At the top is the word I typed, and in blue is the word in my chosen language (Greek).  If I click the megaphone symbol, it will say the word out loud.  I can also copy the word or expand it, in case I need to show someone.  Pretty nifty.

XE Currency: converts currency and gives accurate exchange rates.

I have US dollars at the top and I added all our destinations.  It updates every so often, so the exchange rate is pretty precise.  Yes, it has ads, but most free apps do.

Dropbox: I can access all my pics and files from my phone.  Very handy!

Skype:  makes free calls around the globe at dirt cheap prices (or free if Skype to Skype).  Tell everyone you know to make an acct!

I just put 2 payments of $4.99 on my account through my AppleID.  Not sure if there are other ways to do it, but on my phone there were no other options.  $10 should go pretty far, so now I'm set for awhile.

WhatsApp: free texting around the globe, but both parties must have Whatsapp.  Tell all your folks to download WhatsApp too!

Yelp: Popular in the US, but did you know it's worldwide?  Awesome!  Can look up restaurants and businesses in your immediate area, with reviews and ratings from customers.

Here are all the restaurants in my area.  I can click on any one of them and get a detailed description, sometimes including pictures and menus.

World Clock:  Tells me the time anywhere in the world.  Not crucial, but kinda cool.

Especially useful if you're going to lots of different places (or if you know people in different places).  Now we'll be able to keep track of what time it is back home.

Weather Free:  tells you the weather anywhere in the world.  Can bookmark the places you check often.

As you can see, they're pretty detailed.  Nice for when we're taking weekend getaways to neighboring countries and need to know the weather conditions.  I will say the iPhone weather app works great too.

Wi-Fi Finder:  does just that, finds Wi-Fi anywhere in the world.

In green are the free Wi-Fi hot spots and in blue are the ones you have to pay for.  I'm sure this will come in handy.

Foodspotting: finds food in your area based on dishes.  You can search for any dish and also get recommendations.  What I like about it are the pictures.

Who knew there were bacon cupcakes near me??!  I need 5 of those in my mouth immediately!  This app isn't especially useful if you're looking for a certain place, it's more for whimsy.  If you're in a fun mood and want to explore and experiment with new places then this is the app for you!

TripIt: organizes all your travel plans in one place.  It basically makes an itinerary for you, so you don't have any excuse to be stressed or confused (yea, right!).  Not sure if I'll make use of this, since I'm basically  a walking TripIt, but I'll let you know if it comes in handy.

Another pointless picture, but I haven't really put too much info into it yet.  You can put your flight and hotel confirmations and it'll hold onto all the info and make a schedule for you.  If you're unorganized or have lots of people in your party (kids) then this might be for you!

Hostel World: helps you find hostels anywhere in the world.  best part, has reviews from people who've stayed there.

I searched Costa Rica and immediately found at least 7 for cheap in the area.  Now you have to be careful with hostels because some can be gross.  They are definitely not for everyone, as they usually have shared bathrooms and some even have shared rooms.  However, for the price they can't be beat.  Again, it goes back to priorities and what's on your list.  We are going to be paying for apartments year-round, so on side trips we're looking for rooms on the cheap (since we'll be paying double).  Hostels might just work for us.  I've stayed in hostels in Europe in my teenage years and loved the shared experience (although I usually knew everyone in the hostel), but I'm not quite sure how my 30-year old self will handle it.  An app worth having, just in case.

eBook Search and iBooks:  eBook search is an app with lots of free books (most of which you can read in iBooks or in Kindle).  Keep in mind, not everything is free (it's mostly older stuff, which suits me fine because I like old classics).  I'll probably still end up buying books for my book club (yup, we're still doing book club), but this will be good for leisure.

On the left are the free books from eBook Search and on the right is iBooks.  What's happening in the world when 50 Shades of Moron is on the best seller list?

Uber:  a service connecting you with a ride in minutes.  It's basically like a taxi service, but instead of cabs, it's people's cars.  They're pretty much global, so they should be in most countries we visit.  I wouldn't do this alone, but if you're with a man or in a group then go for it (I know that sounds sexist, but that's just the way it is, honey).

I haven't registered yet, so this is as far as I can get.  Might be handy at airports.

Onavo Protect: is a service that you install on your phone that keeps your phone and info safe when you browse public Wi-Fi.  It'll warn you when a website you're visiting is insecure and encrypts your phone's traffic for added security.  I had never heard of it before, but I saw it in 2 different articles, so I went for it.

No idea how or if it works, but I did it and at the very least it hasn't done anything bad to my phone.

Postagram: is an app that makes personalized postcards and mails them for you!  It sounds fantastic, I can't wait to try it!

I'm sure it won't be nearly as cheap as a regular postcard, but it'll be worth it.

Panoramio: tells you where the most picturesque sight are for taking pictures.  Type in your location/destination and it will point out all the sights, as well as include pictures others have taken.

Haven't fiddled with it too much yet, but it seems pretty cool.

So those are the apps I have so far.  I also have apps for my bank, Google Maps and Netflix, which although not necessarily for travel, will prove useful.  I definitely like having apps, I think they'll be fun and super functional, BUT I'm not relying on them for anything major.  I have everything I need in my travel books or on paper, just in case the Wi-Fi/cell service isn't great in our location.  Don't depend on the internet, as you can't be sure you'll have it once you land.
If you are going on a trip, have fun checking out all the different apps.  There really is something for everyone.