App-reciate your vacation experience

Getting lost while roaming the streets of a new city has its own charm, but if you have a planned itinerary and limited time on hand, staying connected helps. This season, as a lot of us are travelling, we thought of suggesting a few applications that will surely elevate your experience.

1. eSims: eSim is the digital version of the SIM card that carries your phone number. It is a boon for travellers having become cost-effective and zippy in the last one year. Besides, pretty soon we all will be using them anyway as our regular mobile phones move away from the physical SIM card. Apple has already started eliminating the SIM tray from iPhone 14 (the ones sold in the US), and the trend is likely to follow suit by other phone companies. But coming back to eSims for travel, there are several companies offering them. All you got to do is download the app and purchase an eSim with the choice of data bundle. These are way more economical than the data roaming packages of the usual telecom companies. We have tried using Airalo, which offers eSims in more than 200 countries.

Other popular eSim apps are: Holafly, Nomad, Flexiroam, SimCorner. All these offer network coverage in over 80 countries. Before you download one, it is worth checking if the country you are travelling to is covered and what are the data bundles being offered.

You can also compare the pricing between apps to see which is the most cost effective.

Another point worth noting is the hand device you use. eSims are not yet supported universally. So before you dive in and enter your card details to purchase roaming data and call minutes, do make sure your device is compatible with eSims.

For now, these are the devices that support eSims:

i) Apple iPhone XS and above series

ii) Google Pixel 3 and above series

iii) Samsung Galaxy S20, and above series

iv) Huwaei P40, and newer models

All applications mention the phones that support eSim, do read this section before buying a plan.

2. VPN: Connecting to the internet over public hotspots can leave you vulnerable to hackers or scammers. To avoid any unpleasant surprises, tunnel into a trusted virtual private network. VPNs offer encrypted web browsing worldwide through servers in different countries. You can also use VPN to make internet calls locally and internationally when on a holiday for better call clarity.

Look and read through the reviews of the app to judge its popularity.

3. Travel expense apps for group trips: Worrying about money is the last thing you want when travelling with a group or friends. If there is an understanding that the trip costs will be borne equally, then you can rely on these apps for help.

a) Splitwise: This app organises all your shared expenses and IOUs in one place. It can never be easier to find what you owe or are owed. There are fairness calculators that offer subtle ways of making sure everyone pays for what they should. It is as good as WhatsApp for containing awkwardness, to say the least.

If you'd like to use a currency not mentioned on the list, all you got to do is contact the support staff and they will add it for you.

Splitwise has another app called Plates by Splitwise that focuses on splitting dinner bills with ease. Both are worth exploring and using when travelling with friends or in bigger groups.

b) Divvy: Another app that takes away the awkwardness of the money matters. A budget member could make a large purchase from a single vendor for multiple departments. The transactions can then be split and a custom field for each department can be added to show how the transaction should be allocated in your accounting system. The app is easy to use and is very effective.

There are plenty of options available now on the internet. Some of the other good ones, which are free for now, that we have tried include Settle up, Tab, Splid, Snap & Split Bill.

4. Travel protection and insurance: Travel insurance is surely one of the most underrated aspects of travel. Many are coaxed into buying one only if it is a mandatory piece of document during travel. However, travel insurance can save a lot of hassle when the need arises. Sitata is an app that helps. It provides travel, health and safety information through its mobile app and platform. The company offers real-time travel alerts, health advisories, and safety information to help travellers stay informed and make well-informed decisions during their trips.

The Sitata app and platform aggregate data from various sources, including official health organisations, news outlets, and other reliable sources, to provide users with up-to-date information about potential health risks, disease outbreaks, safety concerns, and other travel-related issues.

It also offers global travel protection, assistance, and insurance for individuals and businesses.

5. View Ranger: This is a good app to have if you are a hiking enthusiast. If you really enjoy hiking, trekking, skiing, View Ranger can help you find the good trails in your area. It is also useful for providing health information about the activity you chose.

6. Transit: Live Bus & Tube Times: A good one to have if visiting North America, Europe, Australia or New Zealand. This app has all the info needed on departure times for transit lines. And just in case, the public transit is not cooperating, the app offers the option to request an Uber or grab the closest bicycle. Best used in case of unpleasant weather conditions to minimise time waiting.

7. Flight Radar: Keep an eye on your flights with FlightRadar24. This cool and interactive app offers useful information about delays in your flight or the estimated time of arrival. You can also point at any airplane you see in the sky and the app will give interesting details about its path and destination. FlightRadar24 is free and user-friendly. You can search your flight number in the search bar or use the map to cruise different flights.

8. Eventbrite: This app is useful as much on holidays as on normal days. You can use it to discover upcoming events near you and get personalised recommendations. Keep up-to-date on popular events like concerts, festivals, yoga classes, and other events. It’s free and easy to use, and you can also find a lot of low-cost events when you’re travelling.

These apps can help you plan better and save money while you make memories for life. Happy holidaying.

Suneeti Ahuja-Kohli is an independent journalist based in Dubai, UAE. She can be reached out on suneetiahujakohli@gmail.com

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