When going to a country where you don't speak the language, I recommend having a translation tool on your phone like google translate. Make sure to download the language you need to go before going out so it's ready to use Google translate is very helpful, but sometimes has epic fails, like the above where …
Category: Technology & App tips for travel
Tips for traveling with little/no 4G/3G service
Google can be very helpful when you travel without cell service (or you have very little data allowance so you have to be careful about what you allow to transfer). Before going on a trip you should set up google translate and download the language you need to "read" Apple store - Google Translate Google …
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Travel in a carry-on – packing electronics
To pack in just carry-on is a slowly learned skill. You can only take essentials and have to plan on washing clothing. You can see more about this in other posts ( quick wash clothes, multi-way clothes, Random things pouch, Health and Safety pouch, etc.) Finally, you need your electronics to be compact and versatile, so …
China visa requirements and process, and helpful free apps for China
These apps are great to have installed before you go so they are ready to use as you need a VPN to do so once you are there. Make sure your VPN is installed and working before going to China (see more about that here). General apps that are …
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A cheap “laptop” with backup power for traveling
Depending on where I travel, I'll take a Chromebook or my newest "computer" which I will describe below. The thing with laptops/Chromebooks/etc. is that they are easy to steal and easy to damage. So when I travel I prefer to have something that won't be horrible if it gets stolen or broken. A Chromebook fits …
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Travel: will I ever finish going through my pictures?
In the past year, I've gone to half a dozen Caribbean islands, Thailand, Cambodia, and China. On each trip, I took hundreds to thousands of pictures (although many are just documenting signs, info, etc, not really "pictures" in the sense that they are pretty or interesting to look at). I feel like I just never …
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Don’t be afraid to travel where you don’t speak the language
Travel where you don't speak the language If you haven't recently traveled to a place where you don't speak the language, you'd likely be surprised how easy it can be these days. First, it's amazing to see how well pantomime works. When we were in Panama, and I couldn't remember the word for ice (kept …
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Don’t go to China without a VPN (unless you don’t want the outside world to find you; or see the outside world)
In China, you can't get access to the websites most of us use on a daily basis. Things like Facebook, Gmail, Google, and many other sites can't be accessed without a VPN. But not just any VPN, you want one with good connections in China. Before going to China last year, I spent a …
Travel in carry-on – packing electronics
To pack in just carry-on is a slowly learned skill. You can only take essentials and have to plan on washing clothing. You can see more about this in other posts ( quick wash clothes, multi-way clothes, Random things pouch, Health and Safety pouch, etc. Finally, you need your electronics to be compact and versatile, so …
Phones and SIM cards while traveling
Phones and SIM cards while traveling I generally don't like to use my personal phone when traveling to foreign countries. Although I am very careful (and have never lost a phone), if I somehow lost it or it was stolen or severely damaged somehow, I would be extremely unhappy and feel a deep sense of loss …
Translation fails; be prepared
When going to a country where you don't speak the language, I recommend having a translation tool on your phone like google translate. . . . Google translate is very helpful, but sometimes has epic fails, like the above where the ice cream I was looking at translated to "he mutinied" or to the …
Travel Around, Experience the World 