Use Your Smartphone Wisely When You Travel

I recently attended a jazz concert sponsored by the city in my neighborhood’s park and decided to take pictures of the crowd enjoying the show for use on the community website. When I downloaded the photos, I was disappointed to find that most of them showed people who were more involved with their phones than they were with the neighbors or the music, hardly an advertisement for my exciting urban lifestyle.

While cell phones drive me insane when their owners use them to communicate with everyone but the people right next to them, I’m addicted to some of my iPhone apps, especially when I’m on the road, and I don’t have access to a computer.

A smartphone is handy, even when you don't have service.

If you travel overseas, you probably know that the first thing you need to do is turn off the data and roaming to avoid a huge bill. If you can find a café or hotel with Internet access, you can still take advantage of Wi-Fi to use your apps. McDonald’s offers free Wi-Fi, and the coffee wins awards in several countries, so it’s a good option in a pinch.

There’a an app for that. There are lots of apps, many of them free, that can simplify travel. Following are some of favorites: 

• Most airlines offer apps that enable you to check in and get updated flight information. Some allow you to download a boarding pass for certain airports. I would still recommend a paper ticket after witnessing a TSA agent at JFK tell a passenger who had waited an hour in line for a plane that was due to take off in 15 minutes that the smartphone reader wasn’t working, so she had to go back and get a paper ticket.   
• TripIt (available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry, Windows Phone 7) enables users to forward their confirmation emails for plane and hotel reservations to the app, so all of the vital information is available in one place. If the information is a small hotel or other vendor not supported by the TripIt system, the user can manually enter the information.
• If you will be in a city that has a metro system, MetrO is a necessity. Plug in the starting and ending stop or landmark and the time that you want to travel to find out which metro, tram or bus to take and where to transfer. Best of all it’s a downloadable database, so you don’t need WI-FI or a data plan. Just beware that some city names are presented in their native language, e.g., Prague is Praha, and Vienna is Wien.  Check the website http://metro.nanika.net/index.php?p=Z  for the list of smartphones supported, as the company continues to add more.
• A foreign dictionary always comes in handy if you are going to a country where English is not the native language. There are free versions for many languages, but like most apps, the paid versions offer more. Before buying, be sure to find out whether Internet access is required if you won’t be using your data plan.
• A currency converter is a big help when you are shopping and trying to figure out how much you are spending on a souvenir, or when you're at the ATM trying to figure out how much money you need. I use GlobeConverter Free because I can open it before I leave or when I have Wi-Fi access to download current exchange rates, and it will use the last rate downloaded to make the calculations.  
• To stay in touch with the folks back home without spending an arm and a leg, download Pinger's free texting program. If you have Wi-Fi, you can text anyone in the U.S. for free. Pinger also offers free incoming calls from any U.S. phone and free outgoing calls to any mobile phone in the U.S. that also has this app.
• Walking tours can offer advice on what to see and how to get there. Again, find out whether Internet access is required if you won’t be using your data plan. Rely on user reviews to choose the best guide. Some of the popular travel guides, such as Frommer’s and Rick Steves, are available for a fee, but they are cheaper than the printed books and certainly less weighty. Remember that most hotels and tourist spots overseas can provide a free map as well as advice on the best places to visit, so don’t rule out the locals as some of the most useful resources.
• Foursquare, available for most smartphones, is helpful if you can use your data plan and you want to know what’s worth seeing in the vicinity. Although I don’t really care to be the mayor of any of the places I visit, I was happy to let it lead me through the Garden District of New Orleans to the homes of some celebrities and the resting place of Lestat, the main character in several Anne Rice books.
• Living Social offers bargains in your town and throughout the world. PayPal also offers an app called Where that provides information on local offers based on your GPS location.

Know where to go. While a map app can be a great travel tool, it’s still a good idea to print out a map that shows the location of your hotel before you leave. While I’m on this topic, research the best way to go from the airport to wherever you’re staying by doing a search for “transportation from whatever airport to whatever town.” You can compare prices between shuttles, taxis and whatever modes of transportation available and learn how and where to buy tickets. You will probably be tired and disoriented when you arrive, so it won’t be a good time to start figuring out where you are and where you need to be, especially if you won’t be in an English-speaking country.

A photo of your luggage doesn't have to be a work of art. 

Take a picture. You’ve probably heard that you should keep a copy of your passport in a separate bag. But what of you lose your bag? What if you lose your passport and you just can’t get to your bag? As a simple safeguard, take a picture of your passport and email it to yourself. You can also take a picture with your cell phone. If the phone or the camera uses a flash, make sure your photo, the passport number and expiration date are still visible. As I mentioned in my last entry, use your phone to take a picture of your suitcase just before you leave for your trip. That way, if the airline loses it, you can show someone exactly what it looks like. 

I hope you get a lot of use out of your phone while you’re away, but I also hope that you don’t become so involved with it that you miss out on all of the exciting activities and scenery around you. And if you come across a must-have app, please let me know. 

It’s in the Bag: 5 Packing Tips for Simpler Travel

Are you one of the masses heading out for summer vacation over Independence Day week? If you’re traveling by plane, train or another form of public transportation, you will be fighting for space to stow your bags and most likely carrying them a fair distance. These tips can help you keep your luggage safe and your sanity intact. 

1. Reduce your baggage allowance. If you plan to get around by train or another form of public transportation, be sure to pack light. Instead of heavy jeans, ladies can pack lighter skirts or dresses along with tights for cooler weather. Remember, black goes with everything. Shoes are heavy and take up a lot of room, so limit yourself to two pairs. When it’s cool, I bring a pair of flat boots and a dressier pair with low heels, and they take me everywhere. In the warmer months, I wear a pair of black Mary Janes that take me from day into night along with sandals or flip flops for the beach or pool.Toiletries are also heavy, so pack travel-size bottles of shampoo, lotions and other products that your hotel won’t provide. To help prevent wrinkles and to make more room in my suitcase, I stuff small piles of clothes in clear vacuum-pack bags that flatten to remove the  air. If you can’t find them at Walmart, Target or Bed, Bath and Beyond, fold clear plastic shopping bags under for the same effect.
2. Keep the weight on your back to take a load off your mind. Do you really need to be told to pack your camera, laptop, jewelry and other valuables in your hand luggage? Sure, it can get heavy, especially if your camera is as hefty as mine, but if you don’t carry it with you, just kiss it good-bye before boarding your flight. While you’re packing your carry-on, be sure to throw in any medication you will need for the entire trip, and add a little extra in case your return home is delayed.  Don’t forget aspirin and over-the counter drugs you may need, such as cold and allergy medicine because foreign pharmacies aren’t always easy to navigate.
3. Bag it. The type of suitcase you use makes a big difference. Since I’m petite, and I usually take the train from place to place when I travel abroad, I have learned the hard way that a standard suitcase is not easy to load on and off a train and even more difficult to drag up the steps in the many metro and train stations that don’t have an elevator. Instead, I use a duffel bag on wheels. Not only is it lighter, but it’s not as deep, so you don’t have to lift it as high off the ground when you are climbing steps. Even better, mine has handles on each end, so I can use both arms to pick it up rather than lifting from the top.
4. Stand out. After many hours of exhausting travel to your destination, you will look forward to reuniting with your suitcase. Make sure it stands out, especially if it looks a lot like everyone else’s bag. Colorful luggage tags and ribbons tied around the handle can help. I credit my dad, the cleverest person I’ve ever known, with the idea of painting distinctive marks on both sides of my bag. Any kind of wall paint will do. I’ve also used acrylic paint. While you’re making your bag easy to identify, be sure to write your name and the address of the place where you’re staying along with a phone number where you can be reached on a piece of paper and place it in the bag. I include my cell phone number, along with its country code, especially when I stay at a hotel. I always lock my bag with a TSA-approved lock, so I place the sheet in an outside pocket.
5. Shoot it. Just before leaving on my trip, I use my cell phone to take a picture of my suitcase. That way, if the airline loses it – yes, it’s been known to happen – I can show someone exactly what it looks like. 

If you have any good packing tips, feel free to share.  

Cash or Credit? You Need Both for Overseas Travel

It’s officially summer, and a lot of people I know are planning vacations that range from a budget-friendly week in their own town to a month in Europe. As a veteran of several overseas adventures, I know first-hand about the additional challenges that travelers encounter in foreign countries. One of the biggest concerns about overseas travel is money. By following these tips when preparing for your trip abroad, you can face a little less stress and save a lot of money when you’re on the road.

Take Credit. How are you going to pay for your hotel, meals, souvenirs and other expenses if the country doesn’t accept American dollars? Years ago, travelers’ checks were the only option, but many establishments no longer accept them, and there are exorbitant fees for exchanging them, so they really aren’t a viable option anymore. I know of some travelers who rely solely on a preloaded travel card that works like a credit card, but it’s not going to be of any use when you’re trying to buy a one-of-a-kind piece of art from a street vendor. In addition, a poor exchange rate and additional fees make this an expensive way to pay.  A credit card is still a necessity when traveling because it’s never a good idea to carry a large amount of cash. Most credit cards smack a foreign currency conversion fee onto each purchase, usually about three percent of the amount charged. Some can add an additional flat fee for each transaction. To avoid these costs, sign up for a card that doesn’t charge foreign currency conversion fees, like CapitalOne and certain Chase cards. Note that CapitalOne doesn’t charge an annual fee either.

Money talks. While credit cards come in handy, cash is sometimes the only option. Since many countries have an advanced smart chip feature, merchants may not know how to use the American cards with the magnetic strip, and some train stations do not accept these cards. It’s possible to get an American card with smart chip technology – Chase offers a few – but the annual fee is at least $95.

While many larger banks and AAA offer foreign currency, avoid the urge to buy it in the United States, even a small amount. Likewise, don’t buy it in change offices when you arrive at your destination. These places offer a terrible exchange rate and usually add additional fees. You most economical way to get cash is at an ATM. As long as you have a four-digit personal identification number that is all numbers, you should never have a problem. Note that the card usually has to be hooked up to your checking account rather than a money market or savings account. If your card is hooked up to more than one type of account, the money will come from your checking account, and you will not have the option to transfer money between accounts at a foreign ATM. You may be charged a fee for taking money from a foreign ATM, usually $5 to $7, so be sure to take as much as you feel comfortable with rather than using the ATM every day if you are trying to avoid fees. Check with your bank to determine your daily ATM limit and fees. Note that Bank of America customers are not subject to fees when using ATMs at its sister banks in foreign countries.

Before you leave, be sure to call your credit card company and your bank to let them know where and when you will be traveling. If you forget to do this, the company will put a freeze on your card the first time you use it in a foreign country. If that happens, you will have to call the company to straighten it out if you hope to use the card again. Save yourself the time and the cost of an expensive phone call and make arrangements before you leave. Be sure to take the international phone numbers to your bank when you travel just in case something happens.

Finally, do I really need to tell you to keep your cards and cash secure when you travel? Pickpockets can be clever, so think twice before you strap on a backpack that contains your wallet or stuffing your cash in your back pocket. You don’t want to treat a thief to a souvenir of your vacation.