Travel

6 Best (and Free!) iPhone Travel Apps

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6 Best (and FREE) iPhone Travel Apps

One of the downsides of traveling is that it involves a lot of planning, organizing and energy. From a month before you leave to even during your vacation, many of us are booking hotels, double checking for flight delays, packing, planning itineraries and the list goes on and on…Instead of listing 10 or 20 essential travel apps, we cut the list down to just 6 apps that can help you save time and effort while traveling.

1. TripIt

This app syncs with your emails so that email confirmations from hotel reservations, concerts, restaurants and cruises can be automatically organized into a personal itinerary.

2. Photosynth

Have you ever ran out of space to step back in order to take a full picture of your favorite landmark? Photosynth allows you to take 360-degree photos so you don’t have to struggle in order to get that perfect shot.

3. EveryTrail

For the outdoor travelers – search for the nearest trail around you and never get lost (it coordinates with the phone’s GPS)!

4. World Travelpedia or UrbanSpoon

World Travelpedia searches for the nearest restaurants and shopping spots all around the world. If you are in Australia, U.K., U.S. or Canada, UrbanSpoon is also a popular app that picks a restaurant for you when you shake your iPhone.

5. Flashlight and Compass Apps

Some of the best apps are already installed on your phone! The compass is great for finding your directions on a confusing foreign street (and it doesn’t even require data!). Whether it is used for searching the ground for something you just dropped at night or camping overnight, the flashlight also comes in handy while traveling.

6. XE Currency

Up to date currency rates, you can save the last updated rates so they can be accessed offline while at a local store. Ever wondered if a souvenir is worth the money by trying to convert it into American currency? This app is definitely a must if you are planning to do a lot of shopping.

5 Reasons Why the iPhone Should be a Part of Your Packing List

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5 Reasons Why the iPhone Should be a Part of Your Packing List.

Everyone has different essential items for their vacation but there should be one common denominator on everyone’s lists – the iPhone. Here’s why:

1. GPS

While traveling, transportation can be very time consuming and it can even lessen the time you wish to spend at your destination. This is where the Maps App comes in – with the phone’s GPS, you can definitely save time by knowing where you are at all times.

2. Camera

One of the headaches of traveling is packing, specifically over packing. However, the iPhone has so many functionalities, it can help you save a lot of room in your luggage for souvenirs. For example, you can leave your camera at home because the one on the newest iPhone has 8 megapixels. You can even instantly post your photos to Facebook or edit them with Instagram. The built-in GSP in the iPhone means you can also leave your portable GPS at home!

3. Apps, Apps and More Apps!

The countless apps from the App Store can help you relieve a couple of hours of boredom while on the plane. The increasing number of airplanes with Wi-Fi also means you can check Facebook, your e-mail and browse the Internet while in flight.

4. Cheap hotels, flights, restaurants, car rentals.

You can also find the lowest rates for hotels, flights, restaurants and car rentals with apps such as Kayak and Urbanspoon. Urbanspoon also displays customer reviews of restaurants, price ranges so you know what to expect at the newest spot in town.

5. Camping essentials

If you are camping or hiking, useful apps such as the Flashlight and the Compass can also save space in your camping backpack. The flashlight is chunky and takes up a lot of batteries. If you are camping for a few days and are afraid of your phone running out of batteries, remember to put it on airplane mode and turn off data fetching/Wi-Fi to save battery.

7 Free Places To Go To In Europe

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7 Free Places To Go To In Europe

Traveling can be expensive, especially in Europe. With the high cost of hotels and food, it is hard to stay under your budget. Luckily for those who want to stay connected in Europe, our Europe SIM is currently free until August 31.

Oslo, Norway

Make your way to the Frognerparken (Frogner Park) where you can explore over 200 sculptures of Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures are known to be unique and bizarre, make sure you get a picture of each statue!

Paris, France

If you go to Paris at the right times, you can get into Le Louvre for free. Once the residence of many French kings, Le Louvre now holds the famous Mona Lisa painting (La Jaconde). The museum is free on Friday from 6pm to 9:45pm for those under 26 and free on the first Sunday of each month and July 14 (French National Day) for all visitors.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

For all the music fans, the famous Concertgebouw Concert Hall in Amsterdam offers free lunchtime shows on Wednesdays starting at 12:30pm (September to June). Concertgebouw stands as the second most popular concert hall in the world with almost one million spectators each year.

Vatican City, Rome

If you are lucky enough to be in Vatican City on the last Sunday of the month, you can tour the Vatican Museums for free from 9am to 12:30pm. Here is where you can find some of the best works by Michelangelo and Leonardo Da Vinci.

Venice, Italy

The Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square) has been the heart of the city for as long as history can tell. You can listen to string quartets, duets and orchestras as you enjoy the sight of the famous Basilica.

Paris, France

Re-live Victor Hugo’s Hunchback of Notre Dame visiting Notre Dame Cathedral free of charge. Choirs normally sing at 8am and 9am so make sure you grab an early breakfast.

Norway, Scandinavia

To catch a glimpse of the northern lights are on the bucket list of many travelers. The key is to be patient and know when to go. Tours can be expensive and can’t guarantee a sight of these mysterious lights. Plus, if you do your own research and stay in the area for a few weeks, your eventual discovery of the northern lights can be extremely rewarding. Northern lights usually appear during late autumn to early spring but the weather also plays a huge role. Some things to keep in mind are: visit during the night and visit when it is not snowing. Good luck with your sighting!

Top 6 Places You Can’t Miss While Traveling in Europe

It’s vacation season and why not add Europe to your destination list? Tourists can explore Greece’s original Olympic site (taking back to 700 BC), be serenaded down the Grand Canal in Italy, and go up the Eiffel Tower in France…all using the same currency!

  1. Le Louvre, France

    Le Louvre has been standing for almost 1000 years and was surprisingly first built as a fortress. Later, it was inhabited by many French rulers such as Louis XIV (Le Roi de Soleil or The Sun King).
  2. Olympia, Greece

    With all the excitement for the London 2012 Games this year, it would be interesting to see where the games began.
  3. Colosseum, Italy

    Another ancient structure, the Colosseum has been standing for almost 2000 years and symbolizes the imperial Rome of gladiators, spectacles and myths.
  4. Swiss Alps, Switzerland

    Chocolates are carry the symbol of it, watches and drinks are named after it, it almost subconsciously symbolizes durability and strength.
  5. Cheese Festival, Spain

    Taking place in May 2013, Trujillo is hosting the National Spanish Cheese Festival. This is when tourists can try hundreds of cheeses with wine, prosciutto and in tapas bars (perfect for chatting with some locals over appetizers and Spanish snacks).
  6. Museum Island, Germany

    A total of five museums on this island, Neues, Alte, Pergamon, Altes and Bode, Museum Island is definitely on the top of the list for many travelers. With centuries of history, the intricate architectural designs will blow you away.

INFOGRAPHIC: How to Avoid Roaming Charges

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INFOGRAPHIC: How to Avoid Roaming Charges

The summer means its traveling season! But don’t let roaming fees ruin your vacation, for more tips on how to avoid these outrageous bills click here.

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4 Memorable Ways to Spend your London Afternoon

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4 Memorable Ways to Spend your London Afternoon

With the London Games fast approaching, millions of visitors will be watching the game live. Make the most out of your vacation by traveling to some of the most notable places in the UK.

Unusual restaurants

Eating in the dark? Traveling through a maze to get to your table? These spots are definitely hard to forget even long after your trip

Dans Le Noir

Eat and drink in the dark. This is the perfect chance to test your taste buds, because you can’t actually see what you’re eating. A rich dining experience with the help of blind guides.

Beach Blanket Babylon

An old Georgian Mansion in Notting Hill. Explore the intriguing tunnels and bridges connecting each room. The restaurant will make you feel like you have traveled back in time, dining in rooms such as the “Crypt” within a giant maze.

Watch the famous Olympic torch relay

On the last day of the relay, July 26, drop by The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea to cheer on the athletes and philanthropists who will be carrying the torch towards the finish line. Click here for the route to cheer on them on. To access the routes on your phone, you can download the official London 2012 mobile app with a UK data plan.

For the Nature Lovers

From street arts to gardens, discover the beauty of London in its most free form.

Hyde Park

With a slight resemblance of Central Park in Manhattan, Hyde Park is one of the largest parks in London. This park is also right next to the Kensington Gardens, which was once a private garden of Kensington Palace.

The Serpentine Lake is situated in the middle of the park where you can take a boating ride on UK’s first solarshuttle. The park is also within a 10-minute drive to the Buckingham Palace, it is definitely one of the Royal Parks that you don’t want to miss.

Regent’s Park

At this Royal Park, there is something to do for all types of travelers. Live performances take place in the park’s outdoor theatre with productions such as “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”.

The London Zoo is located within “Regent’s Park”. This summer, “Zoo Lates” is hosted every Friday night (In June and July) after hours where visitors can discover numerous animal demonstrations including nocturnal creatures.

Spot the “Giant Olympic Rings” all around UK

To celebrate the Olympics, The Rings ornament cities to welcome visitors. These are three of the many places where you can spot the giant rings.

Birmingham Airport

Cardiff

River Thames

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What you need to know before traveling to Italy

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A country with an abundance of art, food, history and a fiery team in the 2012 Euro Cup, Italy is a travel destination that promises not to disappoint. Maximize your experience by planning ahead, learning some Italian food phrases and getting an Italian SIM card.

Buon Appetito

One of the many delicious Italian dishes can be found while feasting on a plate of antipasto. It is generally the first course of a meal consisting of cheese, vegetables and pickled meat. This is the best time to chat with friends over prosciutto (cured ham), marinated olives, and even figs on mozzarella. Finishing up the meal with an espresso or cappuccino is perfect preparation for a late-night snack of pistachio flavoured gelato.

Gelato (Italian ice cream) is a famous dessert not only recognized in Italy but also worldwide. In Italy, many people come on the streets late at night to have gelato with family and friends. Next time, why not try the pistachio flavour?

Affogato is an Italian beverage usually consisting of vanilla gelato topped with a shot of espresso. The ultimate two-in-one coffee and dessert!

Exploring the Past

When visiting Italy, make sure to add the lost city of Pompeii to your itinerary. Almost 2000 years after the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the city still acts as a reminder to the great forces nature holds over humans.

While the gondolas were traditionally used as a means of transportation, today it is a great way to explore the city and sometimes used for rowing races. For about 40 minutes, you will be serenaded while enjoying the view of the Grand Canal.

Other places that you cannot miss:

  • The Leaning Tower of Pisa (Took about 200 years to build).
  • The Coliseum of Rome (Built in 70 AD).
  • The Amalfi Coast (Beaches, mountains and fjords).
  • The fashion capital – Milan (Make sure to shop on Via Monte Napoleone – this street houses some of the top designers).

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Holiday in Spain

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Summer of 2012 means another shot at picking the perfect vacation. This year, what’s more perfect than immersing yourself in Spain’s culture and food?

There are many tapas bars scattered in the streets of Madrid. After tasting the pickle skewers, deep-fried chili peppers and Iberian ham, you may find yourself at the hotel with no internet and outrageous rates for calling back to your loved ones in North America. So much for emailing them the pictures you took today or even giving them a five-minute greeting from the capital of bullfighting.

Don’t waste time searching for an internet café. Before leaving home, find a Spain SIM card with a data plan. Sharing your real time vacation photos with your Facebook friends will become easy and affordable. (99% cheaper than your carrier’s roaming rates.)

Things to do in Spain (and some fabulous photos):

  • The Canary Islands is a must-see when you visit Spain. Whether it is exploring the volcanoes, underwater diving, or stargazing under one of the most cloudless skies in the world, the Canary Islands definitely has a niche for every type of traveler.
  • La Tomatina is an annual food fight festival in Spain that has been around for about 70 years. Join in this summer for the biggest tomato food fight you’ll have in your life.
  • Drop by Madrid for one of the best bullfighting spectacles at the Las Ventas stadium on Plaza de Torros.
  • The list goes on and on…Happy vacationing!

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    Feelin’ Blue

    This morning, the LA Times advised Beyonce & Jay-Z’s newly born daughter, Blue Ivy Carter, of a few places she should travel to given her namesake.

    While the list was pretty cool (the Blue Hole of Belize looks tropically tempting right about now…), there’s one “blue” spot they missed – Blue Mountain in Ontario, Canada!

    We’re sure little Blue Ivy would adore a little outdoor action, whether it be downhill or cross-country skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, golfing…the list goes on!

    With all there is to do and see, it’s quite a different “blue mountain” than those in Australia (which did make the list, by the way).

    The most intriguing spots on the list, though, were the Blue Zones – areas around the globe where explorer, educator and public speaker Dan Buettner discovered his keys to happiness through lifestyle; a few of the locations include Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; and Loma Linda, California.

    Why are these spots so great? According to the Blue Zones website, they are “verifiable parts of the world where people live the longest and report the highest levels of well-being.”

    Sounds pretty good, right? What would make a trip to these lifestyle-improving locales even better? The peace of mind that you could stay in touch with loved ones during your trip, and a Brightroam SIM card is your ticket to fearless roaming world-wide!

    After all, why should little Blue Ivy have all the happiness to herself?

    Friday Factoid – Warm Weather Wisdom

    How much heat can the human body withstand?

    Check out this funny video from npr.org to find out!

    And for the record, the hottest temperature ever recorded was in Aziziya, Libiya, in 1922.

    How hot was it?

    57.8 °C!

    Planning on traveling to warmer climes this winter? No sweat – order your Brightroam SIM card or international phone to ensure your holiday is easy breezy!