Travelling can be a stressful experience. Booking flights, worrying about your Visa and struggling to find your hotel are just some of the concerns you may have when planning a trip to a new exotic country.
Fortunately there is help at hand. Whilst holidays and trips abroad are seen to be a chance to escape technology and finally give your thumbs and phone a rest, modern mobiles have made it easier than ever to find information at the tap of a screen. With access to thousands of travel related apps you can easily get help on whatever subject you need, and now we are going to take you through our top 8 travel apps for when your volunteering with animals abroad
1.Onavo
Normally we would recommend that you purchase a local sim card/dongle when you travel to a foreign land to avoid the extortionate roaming fees that mobile companies love to charge, but if that is not an option then Onavo is for you. If you just have to look at that work email with a huge 1gb attachment, or even if you just really want to see the video of your mums dog jumping into a paddling pool then Onavo drastically reduces the amount of data needed for these everyday tasks. Don't ask how it does this magic; it just does, so enjoy it!
Available on IOS and Android for Free
2.Travel Safe Pro
This is an app for those who like to have every eventuality and outcome planned. Hopefully it will never be necessary, but this app lists the contact details for the emergency services in every country you've ever wished to visit and some you didn't even know you wanted to. It also gives you all the information for the embassy of your home country in whichever country you may be in, so should your passport go missing then you will know exactly where to head to get it sorted. It's an app you'll hope you don't need, but you'll be glad you have it, and for 99p you'd be silly not to.
Available on Android for 99p
3.Foodspotting
Food can make or break a trip. Thankfully there is help available. Foodspotting works on a simple premise of people posting reviews of the food they have eaten, accompanied by a picture so you can see what they are talking about, and these reviews can then be seen by you on your phone. If you decide you are craving chicken, it's a simple case of typing it in and any number of places to eat in the city you are in will pop up. The app covers all types of foods in all types of locations so you can easily find something to satisfy your rumbling stomach.
Available on IOS, Android and Windows for free
4.Touchnote
Whilst you may never have understood the attraction of hearing about how Auntie Deidre was enjoying the Spanish sun and even more so one of the waiters, some people still enjoy sending postcards detailing what they are getting up to on their holidays. Touchnote allows you to send a postcard with an image you have taken to anywhere you wish around the world, all from the app on your phone. So whilst it may not seem like an important app, if you are away for a few weeks at a time and want to keep in touch with home, for £1.49 it is a nice way to do so without the need to walk around tatty souvenir shops.
Available on IOS and Android for free
5.Whatsapp Messenger
An awful lot of people already have Whatsapp and use it on an everyday basis but for those who don't, Whatsapp lets you send messages, videos and a wide variety of other multimedia files over the internet. So to avoid paying phone/texting fees, download Whatsapp and you can message your friends and family wherever they may be for free over a Wifi connection.
Available for 0.69p on IOS and for free on Android and Windows phones.
6.Entrain
There's nothing worse than landing in a new country, eager and ready to explore, and then jetlag hits. All you want to do is sleep and your first day is ruined as you try to adjust. Luckily Entrain will help you to adjust your internal body clock once you land in a new country so you can get the most out of your trip straight from the off.
Available on IOS and Android for Free
7.XE Currency
This app does what it says on the tin. If you want to ensure that the rate of exchange you are getting on the local currency is fair and accurate then XE Currency will tell you just that. Simply select the currency you want to exchange and the one you wish to exchange it with, and the simple user interface means you will know how many Euros or Rand you should be getting for your Pound or Dollar in seconds.
Available on IOS and Android for Free
8.City Maps 2 Go
It doesn't matter how good your sense of direction is, sometimes you will end up lost. In a new country with unusual sights, things can start to look the same and you may find yourself in unfamiliar territory. City Maps 2 Go lets you download a map of the city of your choice prior to arrival, so you can find what you are looking for without having to risk additional charges by using the internet. You can save a selection of cities so if you are touring around the world you'll always know where to find the local McDonalds for some 3am chicken nuggets.
Available on IOS and Android for Free
This is by no means a comprehensive list; it is just a highlight reel to give you all an idea of how apps can help to enhance your travel experience. If you have a favourite app that has helped you on your travels then please feel free to comment below and we can make another list
