The ease of my daily travel has been largely due to the magical device I carry around. My cellphone has been extremely valuable to me on this journey. Apart from the obvious service as a way to communicate, combined with Google Maps its navigation functionality gets me to where I need to go every day. In large cities, it tells me what bus or subway to take and how many stops I will be on for. I have  also become an app collector on the road and have found a few that help put the world at my fingertips and make planning a breeze.

Trail Wallet
I discovered this app through a great blog I follow by a couple who travel around the world together. I had been struggling with a way to keep a budget in a way that fit my needs. This app is perfect and functions flawlessly. It’s the best $2.99 I spent for my trip.
trail wallet

 

 

 

 

Airbnb
I use Airbnb for 95% of my accommodation needs and their app comes in handy when booking rooms around the world. I can communicate with my hosts and make wish lists of places I want to rent. Sometimes it’s fun to pick a place I’ve never been and see how people live. It’s a great way to get motivated to travel. It gives you a much more local experience. Sometimes you can even come away with new friends through connecting with great hosts. If you haven’t signed up, I highly recommend it and you can save $25 off your first rental from my referral here.
airbnb

 

 

 

 

Day One
I wanted an easy way to keep a journal and save space in my luggage. I can add a photo from the day to each post and sync all my entries to both my phone and laptop. This app even reminds me to write entries and best of all, weighs nothing!
Day One

 

 

 

 

Rome2rio
When I first started planning my trip, I had no idea how to get from point a to point b at times. This app shows you the way. Just type in two cities and it will map out all route possibilities for you with links to flights, trains, buses and more. It’s a must for travel!
rome2rio

 

 

 

 

Skyscanner
This is a great way to find flights. It searches from a very wide selection and is great for international travel. You can even set travel alerts to tell you when a certain flight’s price has changed. I have used it for all my flights.
skyscanner

 

 

 

 

Google Translate
Pick two languages, type the words you want translated and go. You get a written and an audio translation. While the feature isn’t always successful, you can use your camera and translate written words when you are out and about. I find it helpful in grocery stores when I can’t read labels.
google translate

 

 

 

Trip Advisor
While Yelp is popular in the United States, Trip Advisor is the way to go overseas. I love finding restaurants and attractions through it. A great added bonus are the travel guides that users create for cities. I often look through them to find interesting and sometimes off the beaten path attractions.
Trip Advisor

 

 

 

 

Podcasts
I am often on long bus and train rides and podcasts can really help pass the time. My favorite is Radiolab. I often find myself laughing out loud or moved to tears by the amazing stories they feature. Time flies and I actually learn interesting things about the world through them.
podcasts