Travel Apps
These are the mobile apps we find most useful when we travel.
XE This app and website are invaluable for quickly converting to/from local currency. Sometimes the best utility is the simplest one.
TripIt The grandaddy of travel management websites and apps, we have used this for travel since 2008 (Bellevue, WA, April 14-18) and continue to find tremendous value in the paid version. Not only does it adeptly take in all of your travel itineraries (You register your email address and then forward emails to plans@tripit.com) but will track your preferred seat assignments and let you know of flight changes (more quickly than the airlines do, in our experience). And, you can create a circle of friends and family who can see your trips – a great way of keeping people in the know.
Google Maps What an amazing time to live in, to have in the palm of our hands access to locations and directions using most modes of transportation! Whether it’s the metro in Paris, the Tube in London, railways of Zurich, or the streets of Medellin, Google Maps most likely has you covered. Tip: download the map of the areas you plan to visit when you have good connectivity, just in case you don’t have good reception where you are at. And, make good use of the Favorites prior to your trip, which makes it much easier to locate the places you want to visit.
TripLingo There are lots of language apps, many of which we have tried ourselves, with various levels of success. Really, we’re much better cramming our linguistics on the way to our destination (or, while deciphering the menu). Think of TripLingo as your travel ombudsman. Whether it’s knowing essential phrases (“Where is the bathroom?”), tips on local culture, or basic safety information, TripLingo has information on most countries.