When traveling abroad, you need all the help you can get. After all, you’re going into new and strange surroundings, surrounded by people you don’t know. To make matters worse, you may not understand the language of the place where you’re headed. A trip abroad can be frustrating, but only if you don’t take some measures to make it easier. Technology is making everything so much more easier nowadays. With the myriad of phone applications available, you can get several apps that can in one way or another make your trip in a foreign country so much more pleasant. So, let’s look at some of the best apps to download before going abroad:
Google Maps
While getting lost once in a while may help you actually get to know a place better and perhaps come upon interesting spots you never could have otherwise, that’s not something anyone wants to happen to them in a foreign city. Free and easy to use, Google Maps comes to the rescue of any visitor in any foreign place. What’s more, it does not just help you with your destinations. You can create your own trip map, pinpointing places you want to go, and places you’ve seen.
Duolingo
Language barrier can be frustrating. Especially when you’re trying to get to know more about a place but everyone around you seems to be speaking in tongues. Duolingo is a language learning app that allows you to learn a new language through simple quizzes. A few minutes of practice each day can familiarize you with common phrases in the language of the place you’re visiting, so that you’re not totally clueless.
Google Translate
Google Translate will come in handy when you need to decode that menu or sign that is in some strange language. All you need to do is take a shot, and the app will do the rest for you.
Uber
Ensuring safe transport is very important when you’re in a foreign place. Uber is a world renowned cab company. This makes it a safe bet when it comes to finding a taxi to get you around. Armed with the Uber app, you can order a ride in minutes and get anywhere you like.
TripAdvisor
A second opinion never hurt, and you’ll get hundreds of them on TripAdvisor. This is the ideal app to use to discover all the hot spots in a new place. And avoid the badly rated ones, of course. A lot of travelers give their opinions on places that they come across in their travels, and these will help a lot in enabling you to navigate abroad.
XE Currency
Abroad, you’ll probably be dealing with a different currency to the one you’re used to. Without doing close tracking, you may overspend without realizing it. XE Currency allows you to conveniently converts currencies, giving you a clear sense of what you’re spending.
All of these and many more apps used together will increase your chances of having a great time abroad. With them, you’ll actually know your way around and make informed decisions.
