The Inexpensive way to use your iPhone Overseas
There is no debating it. iPhones (and smart phones generally) are fantastic. Gigantic phone bills because of data roaming charges overseas however, are definitely not. How are the best ways to avoid the nasty charges? Read on to discover the inexpensive way to use your iPhone overseas. What sort of trip have you planned? Firstly, it is important to recognise that there are differences in how you will use your iPhone overseas, depending on the type of trip you have planned. Holidaymakers Tourists on holiday and any other people on short trips are most likely to avoid all the hassle of getting a local SIM card and continue to use…
Jetlag swine!
I have never suffered badly with jetlag (or been badly ‘lagged’ as my brother used to say). In all my travels I think I’ve fallen asleep in my dinner once or twice around the world, but I have always got at least as far as dinner before collapsing with exhaustion. The trip from the UK to Australia is something else though. It really is the other side of the world you are travelling to. Calculating the time ‘over there’ (whichever way you’re working it out) is confusing enough; trying to get your body to adjust is truly difficult. I have long been teased about my ability to fall asleep almost…
Singapore Airport I love you
What a joy it was to arrive at Singapore’s Changi airport. Of all the airports that I have had the pleasure (or displeasure) to have passed through over the years, Singapore beats them all hands down.As if the 14 hour flight hadn’t been bad enough, it was with Qantas, who lived up to their dreadful reputation with regards to the rude check-in lady at Heathrow and charging me £240 for being 6 kg over my baggage allowance. Yes, you read that right – £240! They topped this off with foul inflight food and an inflight entertainment system that didn’t work. Consider me to have learned my lesson. I am never…
The Hardest Goodbye
I have said a lot of goodbyes this week. Some people are very casual about it and in this day and age with the internet, email and the genius that is skype, that is understandable. Some people are very emotional. But one of the hardest goodbyes I have had to say so far was to my girls. My girls are my two cats Sultan and Saba. They have been a daily part of my life for years and already, I miss them. Sultan is seven and a half and has lived with me for seven of those years. She was a street cat in Turkey and I fell in love…
How to keep low cost carrier costs low
Low cost carriers are everywhere these days but how low are their costs really? We’ve all seen the adverts for flights that cost less than getting to the airport. But have you ever actually managed to pull it off? Read on for my tips on how to keep travelling on low cost carriers as inexpensive as possible. Book as far ahead as possible The later you leave it before travelling, the more your seat is going to cost. Lower availability makes the remaining seats more desirable (I use the term loosely) so wherever possible book your seats as far ahead as you can. Understand the refund / change costs If…
How to not get sick while travelling
Unfortunately a common side-effect of travelling is feeling ‘not quite right’. You may be very unlucky and actually get sick far from home. That means a trip to the doctor and is not what this post is about. This post is just my guide on how to avoid feeling a bit ropey on the road. Many things can cause this such as a change in climate or more commonly a change in diet. Here’s how to stay healthy while travelling. 1. Drink enough water We spend our lives being told that it is essential we drink enough water and nowhere is this more true than in warm climates. Getting dehydrated…
Departure Countdown Checklist
Ahead of leaving on any trip there are plenty of things to do, but if you are planning to travel for an extended period then it can be even easier to become overwhelmed by all of the things you need to do. Need a handy countdown checklist to guide you through the period immediately before leaving? Here’s my countdown to travel checklist: 6 months to go 3 months 1 month 1 week to go Last few days If you think I have missed anything, please mention it in the comments section below. Bonne Voyage!
10 Free Apps to download before you go
The Digital age is upon us and we now live in a world where everyone seems to have the internet in their pocket. You can update your Facebook status from a sailboat on the Mediterranean and tweet a Twitter update from Timbuctoo. We’ve all got email, Facebook, Twitter and games on our gadgets, but which apps are worthwhile? There are so many apps out there for iphones and ipads. Here are my favourite 10 free apps to download before you go which are especially useful for travellers. 1. Free Wi-Fi FinderLet’s be honest, however fantastic your gadget is, you’re not going to get far without an internet connection and roaming…
Pre-Trip Planning
Maybe I’m about to expose myself as a bit of a nerd here, but I quite enjoy planning trips. I like to be well prepared in general and travelling is no different. Still, I realise that to a lot of people planning and researching sounds dull, dull, dull. However, if you are going to make an extended trip I’d say that at least some organisation is essential to make the most of it. Don’t panic! This doesn’t need to be painful. Read on for my tips on how to efficiently plan your trip so that you can get on with something else. Money We’ve all heard the phrase ‘Money makes…
Travelling alone vs travelling with friends
Are you planning a trip? Wherever you are going and whatever you plan to do and however adlib and unplanned you want your trip to be, there is always the question of who to travel with. Should you go it alone? Should you share it with some mates? Who to travel with is a personal choice that requires some careful consideration. If you go it alone you will be free to be entirely selfish about where you go and when you go. If you rock up somewhere new and like it you can stay longer than your mate may have wanted to. Your schedule is yours entirely. Fantastic! You are also more likely…
