With the advent of the internet, travelling has become the goal of more people than ever. They look at all of the various websites online and the travel bug bites them hard. Arrangements are made to see these amazing places appear on websites that are created to seduce the adventure hunter. Transportation, accommodations, and any tours of interest are booked. Everything is all ready, right? Not exactly. There is one more thing that you need to take care of before you set off on your grand adventure. That final detail is to add some apps to your cellphone that all serious travelers need. Read on to see the top 10 apps that every traveler must have before setting off on his or her trip.
1. Google Maps: Satellite technology has enabled the ability to see geographical images online ranging from full regions to specific roads through the use of Google Maps. All you have to do is put in keywords and instantly you will be able to check out any area for things such as traffic, the appearance of a location on Street View, or be given directions for the quickest way to get somewhere. While you must have a mobile connection to use Google Maps, you will also get access to an offline cache of maps, which is ideal for travellers that can do what they need by using only a snapshot.
Google Maps
2. Instagram: This is an image sharing application that lets you take photos and immediately put them online to share with your social network friends. Instagram is perfect for beginners that aren’t skilled in photo editing. You can also record a 15 second video with this app. It works with the top social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr, making it the perfect way to share travel moments instantly.
3. Google Translate: For travellers going to locations that speak a different language than their own, the Google Translate app is the ideal replacement for those translation dictionaries that used to be carried everywhere. This is a much more convenient method of understanding what is being said to you in those countries. Using the SYSTRAN program, this app translates texts, audio, and image texts into more than 70 various languages. It does need the internet to operate but you can download a language pack that will provide offline translation.
Google Translate
4. Trip Advisor: This is the treasure chest of travel knowledge, hands down. Trip Advisor is the expert of accurate information regarding travel sites, tips and experiences. Their site regularly puts up lists that show the most recent information so that people can make informed decisions about their trips.
Trip Advisor
5. Foursquare: This is a social networking site that allows the sharing of your location with others so that they can find you if they are nearby. It requires a mobile connection as it uses the GPS hardware on your smart phone to work but is quite useful to locate the best places to dine and just have fun.
Foursquare
6. Foodspotting: Food lovers will adore this app because it provides ratings of delicious food. You can share the recommended dishes from restaurants as well as the ones most liked by the people in your social network. You can tag dishes as Tried, Want, and Love. Points are awarded for each dish you spot. This is the app that show travellers where to find the best foods in a location.
Foodspotting
7. Waze: This handy app allows you to get updated suggestions on how to reach your destination as well as real time traffic information. Google Maps has even made it a part of their app.
Waze
8. XE Currency: No matter where you are, this app tells you the currency rates of that location. It is free to download, easy to use and available on different mobile platforms. You can also find a calculator to compute prices.
XE Currency
9. TripIt: If you want to fully organize your travel plans, this is the app for you. All you have to do is submit your documents such as vouchers, tickets, transfers, and hotels in order to have everything organized. You will also get information on things such as weather conditions, directions, travel guides and maps. TripIt is free but offers paid upgrades.
TripIt
10. The Weather Channel: This application is great in providing the most accurate and recent weather conditions that may affect travel plans. You will find detailed forecasts for the area of your choice as well as animated maps to show you exactly what is going on at that point in time.
The Weather Channel
You can always add more apps along the way but these are the top 10 apps that you should never leave home without when you head out on your latest travel adventure.
