Yup, it’s that time of the year again. School’s out, work’s getting slower, traffic is thinning out, for us in the northern hemisphere… summer is here!
To get everyone in the mood for travel season, here are 6 simple travel “hacks” that can be used for an overnight trip or local staycation. You don’t need to travel far to find your next adventure!
1. Type in “Ok Maps” in Google Maps to save any map area to use offline.
If you don’t already have Google Maps, I would say that it is probably the most useful app outside of your home/office and, certainly, when traveling. Download it for free from the App Store or Google Play and type in “Ok Maps” in the search bar to select a map area that you would like to save for offline-use later. This is extremely useful if you are traveling without data connection or in remote areas where Wi-Fi and internet data service are limited.
2. When searching for tickets or hotel reservations online, use your browser’s private mode or Chrome’s “Incognito Mode” to search for deals.
Travel sites apply real-time, variable pricing based on your browsing history. If you are not searching in private mode, they can track that you visited before and raise the price based on the fact that you have visited and want to add a sense of urgency to purchase on your return visit.
3. Use Foursquare’s to find Wi-Fi passwords to new places that you visit.
Again, if you haven’t already downloaded Foursquare, it’s a very useful app to have when traveling to a new place. In addition to recommendations and reviews for places around you to check out, under the “Tips” section, you can often find the Wi-Fi passwords to the place you are visiting.
4. Use a TV to charge your electronics.
If you’re stuck in a sports bar or (if in Asia :)) a karaoke bar at the end of the day, your phone battery is at 5% and there are no power-outlets in sight, don’t forget that most TVs now have a USB port in the back or bottom that you can charge your electronics from!
5. Use a clothespin to prop your toothbrush up!
To all you germaphobes out there (including Yours Truly), this one’s a winner. It’s surprising that even some of the best hotels still don’t have a clever solution to helping their guests keep their toothbrushes away from touching any (potentially unclean) surfaces. Just bring your own clothespin to prop it up!
6. Document your travel memories using PicCollage!
Yes, shameless plug here but we have so many amazing and beautiful travel stickers and backgrounds that it would be such a pity not to mention! Photos may speak 1000 words, but sometimes it’s still more fun to add some flavor with quotes and stickers 🙂
Thanks really helpful