Essential Apps for the Adventure Traveler

 WhatsApp

This is in our opinion the best messaging app there is.  It uses Internet (as opposed to cell service) and can be used for texting, voice calls, video calls, and file sharing.  Most importantly it is used by 1.2 billion people worldwide.  It is not used much in North America and most North Americans I meet have not ever used it.  But as an Adventure Traveler be prepared and have this installed so you can keep in touch with new acquaintances you make along your way.

 Skype

Why Skype you might ask?  Despite being in foreign countries there are still times that I need to conduct business and personal affairs with companies in North America.  Sometimes this requires a phone call to a real phone.  In addition, I also find that I need to call businesses such as airlines, hotels, hostels, tour operators and the like in countries I am, where I will be, or where I recently was where apps like WhatsApp and Messenger just don’t cut it.  I also have some family, friends, and businesses that I want to be able to call me that don’t use WhatsApp or Messenger.

Before leaving your home country get a Skype account, a subscription service, and a virtual phone number.  Get your subscription before leaving home.  In this way you will have access to the most economical plan for places you will call most.

I have an account where I pay $30 per year for unlimited calls to phones in the US and Canada.  I also carry a $10 credit automatically recharged each time I fall below $1 in credit for calls I make with Skype to phones outside the US and Canada.  The rates are usually very good but you have to be particularly careful calling cell phones in some countries.  The costs can be astronomical.  But Skype does have a rates web page that you can access to get rates before you make a call.

In addition, my virtual phone number costs $30 per year.  When I left for my travels I knew I would not be back for a long time.  I did the unthinkable and in addition to selling my house and car I also got rid of my US cell phone service (and thus number).  But for just $30 a year I can still have a US-based phone number that anyone can use to contact me.  Sure I can only receive a call when I have Internet connectivity but if I don’t answer the caller gets my voice mail and are none the wiser.  As for me I did not give my number out much but I did like my banks, family, and close friends to have a way to call me.

 Facebook Messenger

Let’s face it, if you are from North America most of those you want to communicate with from home do not use WhatsApp.  So I also have the Messenger App on my phone.  I am not a fan as I think WhatsApp has a better interface, usability, and is used by most of the people I meet along the road during my travels.  But instead of fighting it I use Messenger as well.

 Super Sudoku

I am not sure I ever played Sudoku on my phone prior to beginning my travels. Well for sure I am not of the generation that constantly plays electronic games.  I do like the “Super Sudoku” app though.  While traveling I often find myself waiting in lines or otherwise.  It is nice to have this basic yet challenging game I can pull out and just play for a few minutes at a time when I am waiting.

 Google Translate

This is kind of a no-brainer so, well…just install it.  I have spent months at a time traveling through regions where English is not spoken and Google Translate is certainly my friend.  If you don’t know this already you can download languages that you want available offline.  Whenever I enter a region with a new language I download that language so it is available even if I don’t have connectivity to the Internet.

 Currency Converter

“Currency Converter” by Oanda is my currency conversion app of choice.  I have not tried out all the possible apps for converting currencies but this one does the job and I do like it usability.  It does everything I need it to do.  Most importantly, even if you are not connected to the Internet rates for any currency are accurate to the last time you were connected to the Internet.  You do not have to take any actions to update rates.  It is just always ready to go to work and give you the answers you need.

Tip: Before crossing a border into a new country with a different currency check your Currency Converter App for the exchange rate.  Figure out in your mind a simple calculation to convert local currency into your home currency that will get you close.  For example local currency x 2 or local currency / 4.

 Maps.me

This is one that I am surprised that even many adventure travelers I meet along the way do not know about.  Indeed that was me at one point. I don’t remember now where or when it was but at some point I met a fellow traveler that introduced me to the app.  I have been a huge fan ever since.

Maps.me works offline so no matter where you are you can use it to find your location and even get directions.  This is a totally free app and does not even have advertising.  I use this app several times a day when traveling.

 Google Maps

You are probably already familiar with and using this one.  I use it as a backup to Maps.me.  It does have an offline mode but my experience with it is not good.  Sometimes the offline data disappears and it seems to happen when you need it the most.  Remember, as an adventure traveler you are not always where there is Internet service.  One thing that I find Google Maps best for is finding businesses.  It is the most comprehensive tool available for finding restaurants, gas stations, well really just about anything.

 Uber

If you have followed the blog at all you will know that we do most of our travel by motorcycle.  So the need for Uber is fairly limited.  But there are times when I don my backpack and take off for a few months.  The trick with Uber is you need a cell phone number to sign up for an account.  So plan ahead.

 Booking.com

For many years I worked at Expedia so I was always a bit partial to them but as an adventure traveler I soon learned that Booking.com was the place to go to research (and sometimes book) accommodations.  Booking.com has by far the most comprehensive listing of properties for places throughout the world.  What I really like is that they have all the hostels in their system as well as hotels.

Because they have such a comprehensive listing of properties of all types I have one place to go to research accommodations.  Many times I do not know if I want a hotel or hostel and depending on where I am in the world the price difference between the 2 may be little enough or great enough to influence my decision.

If I am ready to book, they do a great job in making the booking process quick and easy.  It usually only takes me 30 seconds to complete a booking.

 Airbnb

As an adventure traveler I don’t use Airbnb too often but there are still occasions where it is a good fit. I am usually looking for cheap accommodations such as a hostel or campsite.  But there are times when I either want to pamper myself if even for just a night or there are no cheap options available.  Big cities that are not tourist destinations often do not have hostels and even the cheapest hotels can be expensive.  With Airbnb I can often times find a bedroom at a reasonable price.

My biggest challenge with Airbnb is that you can’t always get immediate confirmation of a stay and I am always booking last minute. There are more and more places offering instant confirmation but not enough. Another consideration for me with Airbnb is whether I am in the mood to interact with the hosts. If my brain and body are exhausted Airbnb can be a burden even though I am a sociable person.  But let’s face it, even the most social person when tired just wants their own space.

 PureVPN

A VPN service is extremely useful to the adventure traveler.  If unfamiliar with what it is, in short it allows you to make it look like your computer is in any country you want it to be in.  For instance, as an American I “like” to follow news produced in the US.  Many sources of TV programming are blocked to IP addresses outside the US.  Thus, you will get an error if you are trying to access the content from Brazil for instance.

With a VPN service you can overcome this obstacle.  You can make it look like you are coming from a US-based IP address when in fact you are in a foreign country.  Here is another example but in reverse.  I like American football.  But when I am traveling through Central Asia there is no way to get that programming.  Did you know that on YouTube the games are available?  Well on YouTube in the US they are not.  YouTube blocks them.  But they don’t block them around the world.  So I was in Argentina and using PureVPN I logged into a server in Kazakhstan, went to YouTube’s Kazakhstan site and could find the game I was looking for.

Well there are many other uses for a VPN service while traveling around the world but hopefully this gives you an idea how you can benefit from it.  I tried a few services before I settled on PureVPN.  I am extremely satisfied with both the quality of the service and the pricing.  I highly recommend this to any adventure traveler!

Spotify

I like Spotify to provide me access to the music I like and to keep me abreast of new music that is popular.  Music affects culture and if you are gone traveling for a long period of time you tend to lose touch with your own culture.  I don’t worry about this too much but it does help to have exposure to what’s popular back home even if on a limited basis.

What I like about Spotify is that it is available all over the world.  But unless you have a paid account you can only access it from your home country.  I do not have a paid account.  But with my PureVPN service I can trick Spotify into thinking I am in the US no matter where I am in the world. So I continue to listen to Spotify without a paid account.