Best Apps for Traveling Abroad

I've traveled to Europe a few times now, but our trip to Spain in May was the first time I've gone with a smartphone. I was a little unsure about bringing it at first since I was worried that it would just be annoying to have to keep track of something I wouldn't be able to use very much. Having worked at Verizon in the past, I know what a ripoff global phone plans can be. Unless it is very important for you to have cell service it's really not worth it to get one, and it does limit your phone's capabilities to not be connected to a mobile network. 

However, I did some research, found a lot of apps that work offline, and ended up deciding to take it along. I honestly had no idea how useful my iPhone could be, even without getting a global plan. We used it all the time, and I am so glad I brought it! 

Here are a few of the best apps we discovered:

(P.S. The links are for the iPhone version, but most of these are also on Google Play)

ForeverMap 2

This is by far the app we used the most. Something a lot of people don't know about smartphones is that the GPS feature works worldwide, whether or not you are connected to a mobile network or the internet, and using it won't cost you anything. With this app, you can download maps for the country or state you are in and use it to see exactly where you are, get directions, and even look up restaurants and such. 

It was really handy, especially since we rented a car for a few days so we could drive to see Dallin's friends and some other sights. The roads there are completely jacked up, and I know that we would have spent a lot of time very lost and very frustrated without this app. It's a lifesaver! I think this is the only app we paid for, and it was well worth the $2.99. 

Tripioso

This is basically a free, electronic guidebook... on steroids. You can download info about different countries, regions, or cities to use offline. It has all kinds of great stuff... restaurants, attractions, maps, travel and safety info, phrasebooks, local time/weather, shopping, historical facts about sites (I used this a lot!), pictures, and more. It's all free too! I loved having so much information readily available. We didn't need a lot of it since Dallin was so familiar with Spain already, but it really came in handy sometimes, and I enjoyed learning more about the places we visited (and trying to pick up some more Spanish with the phrasebook). I can't say enough good things about this app!

Expedia

I love Expedia. We needed to stick to a budget to afford our trip, and I did lots of price comparisons and found that Expedia really did have the best prices on flights, hotels, and our rental car. It saved us a lot of money to bundle our flights and hotel, by the way, so be sure to try to do that. They also have a very nifty app and it was nice to have our schedule, confirmation numbers, and all that good stuff all in one place. Made all the fun logistics bizness little easier! (Although being the overly prepared person I am I still brought spare paper copies of all our info, just to be safe.)

XE Currency Converter

There are a million currency converters out there. Most of them probably work just the same, but this happens to be the one I picked. It did the job!

Google Translate

This probably isn't the best app for traveling abroad since it doesn't work offline, but it's the only one I used. Dallin is fluent in Spanish so I didn't really need one. This is free (always a plus!) and worked well for me. If anyone has a favorite offline translator let me know!

Google voice

This app lets you call people for free, which was handy to let our families know we made it safely. You can also send texts but I didn't use that feature. One thing I wish I had done was try to call a local number while we were there to make sure that works. The reviews I saw were conflicting, some saying it worked and some saying it didn't, but if it does work to call foreign numbers then this is even more useful! You do need a Google account to use this, and of course it only works when you have wifi.  If you have an iPhone you can FaceTime or text other iPhones for free with wifi as well, in case you didn't know that already.

GOWEX WiFi

This is one I really wish I had known about earlier. In Madrid, and many other cities around the world, they have a wifi system set up with lots of hotspots all over. It's free, but you do have to go through this app and set up an account with them. It was worth the hassle  though! 

Madrid Metro Map

Most metro systems also have apps with maps and other info. It's nifty to have it in your pocket instead of searching around the station for a map. 

(source)

Airline-specific apps

I am pretty sure that all major airlines have their own app by now, which is really useful for checking your flight status and such. You can also check in and use your phone as your boarding pass, but to be honest I'm a little paranoid of having something go wrong so I've never used that feature before. If you've done it successfully you should tell me so I get the gumption to try it out sometime! 

Some also have airport maps and such which is really nice, especially when you get in the longest line in customs with the overly chatty dude that takes about 10x longer than he needs to, making it necessary for you to find your way around Chicago O'Hare and fast, or else you might miss your flight home. Not that I am speaking from experience or anything here. ;) Also, does anyone else get really antsy at customs? I mean, I am an upstanding citizen that hasn't even so much as gotten a parking ticket (knock on wood), but I always feel like I have to work really hard to look innocent. Clearly, I have problems. ;)

Well, there you have it! Hopefully these apps with be as useful for you as they were for us. 

Any other travel apps you can't live without?

Favorite iPhone Apps: Photo Edition

(Read about my "can't-live-without" iPhone apps here)

One of my favorite things about my iPhone is having a decent camera on me all the time. Like I've said before, I am an avid picture-taker. It's a little bit of an obsession, to be honest. 

Here's the photo apps I use the most. 

Instagram

I already talked about this one in my last iPhone review post, but this is the app I usually use to share my pictures as well as do some light editing with the filters. Way better than Facebook, although I do share quite a few pictures on there as well. 

(Click here to follow me on Instagram)

Pros:

Easy to use

Some of the filters are fun

Good privacy settings

Cons:

It cuts pictures into squares. Sometimes that works, but if it doesn't I use Whitagram (keep reading to learn more about it)

Some of the filters really diminish the quality of your picture. It's a minor flaw that doesn't bother me too much

Whitagram

This app allows you to use landscape and portrait photos on Instagram if you don't want it cropped into a square. I use it a lot.

Pros:

Free with no ads!

Simple and easy

Cons:

None that I have found

InstaCollage

This app is great for making collages for Instagram. There's some cute borders and such too, although I usually leave mine pretty simple. 

Pros:

Lots of layouts and ways to customize 

Cons:

It only makes square collages since it is meant to be used with Instagram

If you choose to just open it in Instagram instead of saving it to your camera roll, it won't save a copy of your collage on your phone. Just remember to take the 3 seconds to save it and you'll be good. :)

Snapseed

This is the best app I have found for editing pictures, and I've tried a few! The filters it comes with aren't really my thing, but the general touch-up actions when it comes to lighting and coloring are really good and don't diminish the quality of your pictures. I really like this one.

Pros:

Versatile

Doesn't leave my pictures grainy or cloudy

Once you figure out how it works (which doesn't take too long), it is really simple to use.

Cons:

It cost $5... that's definitely the most I've paid for an app. I think it is worth it.

VSCO Cam

I don't use this one as often, but I still thought it was worth mentioning. There's some nice filters I like to use, and I especially like that there are several options when it comes to B&W filters. 

Pros:

It's nice to have some different filters than the ones on Instagram

Multiple B&W filter options

Cons:

There's a few extra steps to upload your picture that I think are unnecessary. First world problems... I know. ;)

Well, there you have it. If you have any suggestions of photo apps for me to try out, let me know! :)

My Favorite iPhone Apps (Part 1)

Last year, I got an iPhone for my birthday. It was love at first sight, especially since I upgraded from a phone that barely functioned well enough to make calls, and sometimes it didn't even do that. Since then I've become a bit of on app-aholic. I love discovering new apps and using them to make life easier, more organized, and fun. :)

I plan on doing a series of posts with my favorite apps in different categories. Today's post includes the apps I use the most and can't don't want to live without.

Gospel Library

This is probably my all-time favorite app. I have all the resources I could possibly want all in this blessed little app. I use it daily! Although I prefer to read my physical scriptures, this is very handy if we are traveling or if I need a little inspiration on the run. It also has all the general conference talks from 1974 to the most current session, and that includes text, audio, AND video for all of them! Plus, I never have to bring any manuals to church because this has them too. It's amazing. 

Pros:

Easy to use

Nothing is left out, it really has everything! Scriptures, manuals, magazines, General Conference, music...

Multiple languages, meaning I can use it to practice Russian

You can bookmark pages, add notes, and highlight important stuff

Cons:

It crashes sometimes without any warning and makes me lose my place :(

Instagram

Anyone that follows me on Instagram knows I love and use this app... a lot. I am a picture-taker. I take pictures of everything. Instagram makes it easy for me to share some of the many, many pictures I take with my friends, plus it is so much fun to look at their pictures as well! As far as social media goes, I like it much, much more than Facebook. 

(Click here to follow me on Instagram)

Pros:

Easy to use

Some of the filters are fun

Good privacy settings

Cons:

It cuts pictures into squares. Sometimes that works, but when it doesn't I use Whitagram to override that glitch.

Some of the filters really diminish the quality of your picture. Minor flaw that doesn't bother me too much.

Facebook

Ah, Facebook... we have a love/hate relationship. Still, I use it pretty often to keep up with friends and family, especially since most of the people in those categories don't live close enough for me to see often. It's also a good place to keep my pictures, partially to share with others and partially to have them organized so I can look through them myself.

Pros:

The app is reliable and easy to use, especially with the most recent updates

Convenient to communicate with people if you don't have their numbers

Good for keeping in touch with people you don't see often

Cons:

Mediocre privacy

Constantly changing settings (see above)

There is definitely such thing as too much information

...etc, etc, etc

Pinterest

I love Pinterest. It's chock full of recipes, tutorials, and great ideas. It's a little overwhelming, to be honest. I use this one pretty often too, although I much prefer to peruse Pinterest on the computer. 

(Click here to follow me on Pinterest)

Pros:

Very easy to find ideas, no matter what you are looking for

If I am making a recipe I found on here I can look it up while I'm at the store if I need to (For example, sometimes I'll forget how much of something I need)

Cons:

I like using Pinterest on my laptop much more than the app

Grocery List Free (Buy Me a Pie)

This is the free version of Buy Me a Pie. I love how easy it is to make shopping lists. Plus, this organizes the items and saves paper too! :)

Pros:

Easy peasy

Lists can be shared (although I haven't done that yet)

Cons:

Haven't found any yet!

Gmail

I can't stand the email app that is built into the iPhone. Drives me crazy. The Gmail app lets me organize my emails the way I'm used to and is a lot easier for me to use. Plus, I think the interface is a little more visually pleasing, which isn't important (but really is, at least for me since I'm a very visual person). 

Pros:

More flexible

Easier to use

Cleaner interface

Cons:

A little slow opening up (first world problems, I know)

Not compatible with Siri

Google Maps

I love (and hate) Google maps for a lot of the same reasons I love (and hate) Gmail. The built-in Apple maps is incredibly mediocre and has lead us astray a time or two. Google Maps is much more reliable, the interface is cleaner, and it doesn't have Siri's I've-been-smoking-for-40-years voice directing you. (Tangent: Am I the only one that hate's Siri's voice? It's like a dull knife cutting through cardboard! The male option isn't much better either, in my opinion)

Pros:

Reliable

Easy to use

Visually appealing

Cons:

Not compatible with Siri

Well, there you have it! The next installments with hopefully be a little more interesting and fun, but these are the apps I use the most.
What about you?