Back in the late nineties, magazines often featured travel essentials that included perfumes, crocodile skin bookmarks and ivory framed sunglasses. Such lists are rightfully recycled into toilet paper in this day and age.
Fast forward to today, travel essentials should enrich your travels, providing you insights to truly local experiences. Read on if you want to know what apps to download and what gadgets to buy. What’s more, most of the items on this list cost less than some ridiculous crocodile-skin bookmark.
Translate and interpret
If your phone does not offer a translation or interpretation function by default, you could always download Google Translate. Additionally it also makes sense to get the Google Lens app that allows you to translate images with your camera. No more walking around Japan trying to figure out Kanji when you can just point and translate.
Google Translate, on the other hand, has an interpreter tool. This tool allows you to get translations as you speak, minimising the frustration of locals.
Smartwatch
Depending on the phone that you use, a good smartwatch can be a handy companion throughout your travels. It is an excellent tool to help you stay on track when it comes to your itinerary, it’s a super effective alarm that vibrates on your wrist, it functions as a remote for your camera, it alerts loved ones during emergencies.
Earbuds
As you anticipate long commutes, it’s always wise to carry a gadget that will provide you with some sanctuary. Really consider a pair that offers noise cancelling. To paint a clearer picture, here are a few words to reflect on: 12 hour flight. Babies. Crying.
Smart Tags
In foreign places, you rarely get the luxury to retrace your steps when trying to locate missing items. Thankfully you can locate them with AirTags or SmartTags. Depending on your tracking tool, you can locate missing items on a map or get the tracker to beep so that you know that it’s within your proximity.
Tripod
If your skin is not thick enough to carry around a 5 foot tripod, there are more subtle ways to get beautiful travel shots. Nowadays you can easily find water bottles that have a MagSafe mount attached. If you’re not using an iPhone, you can easily obtain a MagSafe adhesive ring or MagSafe embedded phone case. Look for brands like Onyx or Ringo for quality bottles with MagSafe mounts.
Powerbank
With the universal compatibility of USB Type-C cables, keeping your phone juiced up is not too much of a problem. Issues arise when plug points are incompatible and you have 5 more hours till your tour ends.
Get yourself a powerbank that can bolster the longevity of your phone for at least 1 to 2 full charge cycles. Not a fan of cables? You can even find powerbanks that function wirelessly for greater convenience.
Conclusion
Of course one of the greatest travel essentials to have is your smartphone. One that takes awesome pictures, lasts a long time and processes speedily would be ideal. Can’t afford one? CompAsia offers awesome pre owned phones that come with massive savings. Find the right one for you today!
