Traveling and Technology – TIPS for using your phone abroad.

Reasons to Take Your Phone on Vacation

Phones…they are now an extension of our arm.

We need phones for phone communication

Phone communications- texts, calls, emails, FaceTime.

We need phones to record our experiences.

We use our phones now as cameras. Our photos are souvenirs and ‘proof’ we are there!

We need our phones to take down information.

We make notes, we take photos, we record voices. We need them for information. We use them for maps and looking up information. We don’t go anywhere without them.

Some people even have more than one!  In the US, there are more cell phones than people! According to the Washington Post, there are 315 million people living in the US and 327.6 million phones. 

More phones than people!

Some people think that phones are something they want to get away from. Why would you even want to use your phone while abroad on vacation?

So when you travel you need your phone to work. Sometimes you need your phone FOR work.

Sometimes you need to work online with your phone.

Once, while on a Disney cruise, my husband had to work. There were lots of phone calls and lots of meetings and lots of downloading material. We were in the middle of the ocean for some of the meetings and in more than one country while in port. Not to worry though because technology is amazing! We made that happen and so can you!

Using your phone abroad – Get the right plan

Preparation is never more key than when you are deciding how to use your technology during your travels. Making a mistake in preparation can be costly. Get the information BEFORE you go!

Think about your needs.

Will you be downloading information?

Will you need to text?

Will you need to text only the people in your traveling party or will you be texting people at home?

Will you need to talk on the phone?

Will you use the phone for conversations or will you only use the phone in case of emergency? Will you be calling people back home or will you just need to call within your traveling destination? Will you want to use the phone for things like FaceTime?

Need to check on a pet at home?

Thinking about how you’ll use your technology will help you prepare.

At the very least, you’ll want to be able to call/text your family in case you want to see separate sights or someone gets lost. Added bonus: the kiddos know the number!

We use AT&T so before a trip, I head to the AT&T store for a visit. I explain where we are going and what sort of data and phone use we need. Then, together, we walk through my options. When it came to cruising, we needed service while on the ship, but when we entered a port, we needed service for that country.

Using your phone abroad – Charging converter

Every wonderful phone in the world becomes an expensive paperweight if it isn’t charged! You have to think ahead about charging possibilities for travel.

Firstly, most electrical devices in the United States use 110 volts.

This is really important to know because other countries in the world often use 220 volts. Some electronics will need a converter – a small device that plugs into the wall BEFORE you plug in your device. This changes the current coming out of the wall into current your device can accept. Some electronics don’t need this at all, but find out before you go! No one wants a fried device!!

When you need to charge your device you need to make sure the current can be accepted by your phone but you also need to be able to plug the whole thing in the wall!

Think about the size of the holes in the electrical wall socket.

Electrical outlets have different holes in different parts of the world. Since you can’t fit a square peg into a round hole…you need the right adapter.

An adapter plugs into the wall first. It has the right shape and configuration of pegs that plug into the wall. Buy a whole kit!

Using your phone abroad – The right order

Don’t feel embarrassed about being unsure about how to use your phone, the charger, the adapter…there are a lot of moving parts.

Here is your cheat sheet!

How to use your phone charger and adapter.

First – plug-in adapter. (with the right shaped prongs to fit in the wall)

Second – plug-in converter (to change the electrical current)

Third – plug in your device (to charge)

***** Always have MORE THAN ONE converter.

Once while at a very nice Western-style hotel near the airport in Spain, our converter almost melted in the wall! We plugged it in and tripped the electricity on the entire hotel floor. They aren’t perfect devices. Thankfully, we had another converter so we were all charged up and ready the next day.

Using your phone abroad – How many do you need?

Chargers and adapters and converters are small and easy to pack. Be sure to have enough!

Think about all the devices you’ll have with you when you travel.  Do you have…  iPads? iPhones? Computers? Will the kids have their own devices, too?

Count up all the devices used by your traveling group and plan accordingly. Be sure to have enough adapters and converters for several things to be charged up at once.

You might be out all day sightseeing and need to charge all devices overnight. Everyrthing needs to be at 100% when you head out for your exciting travel day!

Using your phone abroad – Why not just leave at home?

There is a part of me that wants to unplug. I love the idea of being out of touch, out of range, and leaving all the stress behind. Without the phone, we can’t read the news and no one can need us for anything. It is really tempting to just leave the darn thing at home!

So, why don’t I leave the phone at home?

There are a lot of cool things you can do with technology to enhance a trip!

There are apps for maps and language and even travel guides you can access on your phone.

The key for me is to tell everyone at home I’m unavailable. Then, I just don’t read emails or news.

I just choose not to. I feel like the people with me and the wonderful destination need my full attention.

Whatever your technology needs are when you travel, plan ahead for the best trip ever!

Happy travels,

Natalie, The Educational Tourist