How on earth did people cope before the digital age? (Rhetorical question.)
Everyone has their own preferences, but here are the apps I lived by on our RTW trip last year.
Trail Wallet
I wish I could be an affiliate for Trail Wallet. I sing their praises all the time and can’t believe not more people know about Trail Wallet.
Basically, it is a slick expense tracker, super easy to use while you’re out and about. It’s ideal for RTW travellers as you can switch between the 218 currencies as you move around. Enter your purchase in the local currency and it will also show you how much that equates to in your home currency. (Current exchange rates are automatically updated as long as you’re online; otherwise you’ll have to wait till you next get an internet connection.)
Categorise your purchases according to your own preferences. Set a daily budget and if you’re under, you’ll get a peppy congratulatory message, otherwise, a sombre but sometimes encouraging one. A running monthly total will keep you in the loop as to how you’re doing with your spending overall, and colourful pie charts are the icing on the app. IT IS ALL YOU EVER NEED.
TripIt
No need to be paranoid about missing your flight or forgetting the date you’re catching that train out of the country. Tripit compiles all those confirmation emails into one handy itinerary that you can access on your phone via the app.
Booking.com
Booking.com is my accommodation search engine of choice. It’s always upfront about taxes and fees, has the lowest prices, is user-friendly and rewards loyal customers. The mobile app is pretty nice, too. You might prefer another provider, though!
You might also want to download the Hostelworld/Hostelbookers apps (hostels for couples in many places are not all that cost effective, so I never did).
Triposo
If like me, you’re not a fan of guidebooks but don’t want to go into new countries totally blind, Triposo is the app for you. It’s based on crowdsourced info from the likes of Wikitravel, so don’t take anything here as absolute gospel, but for a free app it’s hard to beat.
As well as basic guides to countries and cities along with background on their history and culture, Triposo provides maps that can be accessed offline, displays the time zone and current exchange rates, and also includes a phrasebook of key words and phrases so you can learn to greet and thank people – and maybe decipher basic signs too.
