Back in March, I was plied with advice about what to pack and what to leave at home when I left for my round-the-world trip. DO pack a money belt. DON'T take wads of notes with you. DO NOT take your iPhone. All words of well-meaning advice - and all entirely ignored.
Let me explain: I've never found money belts useful or necessary and I'd rather have ready cash to minimise withdrawals from dodgy ATMs (depending on where you are in the world, your card may not even fit in the slot). But what I really want to talk about is how ruddy useful my iPhone has proved on my travels - and why I'm glad I rejected all pleas to take my crappy old Nokia.
Built-in features
1. Wifi - The primary reason for taking my iPhone was wifi access - something most of us can barely get along without at home, let alone in a foreign country. While the break from constant access to wifi can be refreshing, it makes your life a hell of a lot easier on the road. Booking flights and hostels, email confirmations, Google maps, destination research and adding people you meet along the way are just a few situations where having a wifi-friendly device comes in pretty handy.
2. Camera - iPhones double up as fairly decent cameras if yours runs out of battery before the day is through: you can get surprisingly good shots, especially with the array of filters we've come to know and love.
3. Torch - The built-in torch is invaluable if you get back to your dorm room in the early hours or need to wake up early and you don't want to disturb your roomies with the main light (although head torches are miles better if you're camping).
4. World clock - Knowing what time it is at home can be helpful for a couple of reasons. For starters, it'll stop you accidentally calling your family for a chat at 3am their time and causing unnecessary worry that something's gone wrong - or at best waking them up and severely pissing them off! You can also figure out what time you should be taking daily medication (e.g. the pill) in different time zones.
Apps
The above features come ready and raring, but you can also turn your iPhone into a travel-savvy device with the help of some well-chosen apps. Here are a few to consider:
5. Viber & FaceTime - Most smartphone users will have heard of WhatsApp, a free instant messaging service that many people choose over standard texts at home and use to keep in touch with friends overseas. However, not everyone knows about Viber, a great app that allows you to make free audio calls internationally. If the person you want to speak to also has an iPhone you can use FaceTime to make a video call, otherwise Skype is a good shout.
6. Puzzle games - Travelling is tons of fun...when you reach your destination. You may hit the jackpot and be sat next to a like-minded traveller or chatty local on the way, but if luck isn't on your side long journeys can be made far more bearable if you have something to keep you entertained; something to distract you from the sorrowful truth that there are STILL 8 hours to go. Dig through the latest puzzle games on the App Store to keep you busy on night buses and at the airport. I recently downloaded a new free app called KODA which has done a fabulous job keeping boredom at bay.
7. Blogger - Whether it's to create a collection of treasured memories, keep friends and family updated or build up an online portfolio, stacks of travellers like to keep a personal blog. Take it from me, it's much easier to keep your blog ticking over if you've downloaded the appropriate app (I went for Blogger but there are several other platforms to choose from) and easier still if you invest in an iPad and SD card reader to transfer photos.
8. Mobile banking - If your bank or building society has released an app, download it before you go, and make sure you update it whenever a new version is released. That way, you can quickly and easily pay off your credit card, transfer funds and know when to slow your spending down! Making such transactions on a personal device is often preferable to using a public computer. Ensure the wifi connection is trustworthy and relatively strong - you don't want it cutting out just as you confirm a transaction.
9. Currency converter - I cannot stress how useful currency converters are, especially when you're hopping between countries on a weekly basis. Sometimes you might rock up in a new place without even knowing which currency they use! Don't just hand over your hard-earned cash: know what you're paying, whether you need to shop around and protect yourself from getting ripped off. Real time currency converters are best, and there are plenty on offer in the App Store.
10. World weather - Even if you only have a rough idea of where you want to be when, it's important to check the weather patterns in your intended destinations: monsoon season can be miserable, humidity can be suffocating and swarms of seasonal biting insects can cause a lot of grief. Downloading a world weather app helps you plan on the go and make the most of the conditions.
Aside from your passport, your iPhone is probably the most valuable possession you could have by your side as you travel the world! Final tip: If your contract has come to an end, it may be wise to cancel and opt for a PAYG (pay as you go) SIM card. Odds are you'll mainly be using your phone for free wifi, so unless you need to make calls, your initial $10 credit top-up can last for months.
