#1 travel tip

[butterbarter]

I too use digital maps on my phone for marking out places of interests. I use Google maps on my PC before my trip to find all the places, add them to a custom map, and export them to my phone. Much easier than paper maps and extremely accurate most of the time.

As for weather, it's not exact science but it's a reasonable guide. For colder places, I usually check the range of temperatures before deciding if I should bring my sweater or warmer jacket before heading out. If I have 2 potential places to choose from, I check the weather to decide on which one to pick first.

I'm a huge believer of smart phones for the offline features, with downloadable maps being the most obvious one. The other thing I do is to save everything of importance in a photo album. A map with points of interest marked out because I'm not going to visit every single one and it's much faster than looking it up in the index of a guidebook, flipping to the map page and matching the corresponding number to a legend. There's easily 30 places of interest in maps like these (sights, food and accoms) when I'm only interested in 5. ID photos. Screenshots of email confirmations for flight and hotel bookings. An itinerary with directions (I.e take train at xx and alight at yy (45min)). Etc.

I'm guessing that SIM cards are pretty useful for city traveling but the one time I bought one, I regretted it. I'm probably one of the most spontaneous off the beaten track backpackers around and there are many places I would have avoided if I had researched beforehand either because they were too inaccessible or sounded boring. Also, if you're reading about a place online, chances are it's not too far off the beaten track... Weather forecasts are pretty useless because it is not an exact science. What I usually use is climate data so that I don't waste my time going somewhere during the rainy season and pack adequately for the expected temperature range.

 

[wuso]

Well, obviously with so many different travel styles and behavior with so many different kinds of people in the world, you are gonna get 101 "travel tips". And obviously, not every "tip" is for everyone.

My 2c on mobile, SIM & internet since I'm here.
I am also the old school type since I am an uncle, who uses paper maps etc. But I am also from IT line, and I have adapted to using IT where necessary.
I am so glad I had a ebook reader/tablet during my long travel, and offline maps have helped me on occasions.
I don't buy data SIM unless its cheap and necessary. Basically a balance of cost & necessity/convenience. If I can get some data for $5 for 2 weeks, I really don't mind. I remember the days of visiting internet cafes for 1 hr to check emails and stuff . But I don't understand people who spend 30euros to get 5gb of data etc. Seriously? (ok I am a budget traveler... to some pple 30euros is peanuts for 2week trip eg)

So I guess my "tip" is, use technology where applicable but don't over-rely on it. But don't shun technology just because old-school has been working so far. Mix-and-match is best

 

[invisible999]

Point is, is a phone with data connection that necessary?

Sure. Imagine that you've arrived at the place is it is completely trashed. My own case - in Georgetown there is Armenian Street Hotel. Stayed there couple of times and it was fine. However at the last time arrived at 8PM and discovered that they openeing karaoke bar on 5th floor and we could hear them even before stepped to the lobby on first floor.

So, got my phone, fired booking.com and in 40 minutes I was in another, way quieter place. Oh yes. their wifi did not work in the lobby.

Majority of experienced travellers do their planning. Even if one do need help or lose his/her way, can always open his/her golden mouth to ask. I ever went on a train for five days and not having a map when I arrived. Exit the wrong exit from the metro and lost my way. Don't speak the local language and yet I managed to find my way by asking passerbys. I was also stuck in an ulu part of Jeju, with no sim card and I misread the bus timing. The bus comes only twice a day or so. I had to hitchhike to the nearest bus-stop which was 45mins away. Then, I was actually heading to the airport to catch a flight.

It seems we have different priorities in life. For me, time is money. Sometimes - literally. If I can spend $10 to get a SIM card to avoid hitch kinking 45min away and asking people how to get there - I will do it in split second. Secondly, I most time travel with family members and/or friends. In in this case it is even more stupid the group of four people wandering around trying to figure out where they are.

Getting out of one's comfort zone, asking the right questions, are some of the beneficial experience that can be applied to other aspects of one's life.

Sure. Smartphone can be used as a hammer as well, to get out of comfort zone.

No need to argue, as I said - we have different outlook and priorities. Your works for you, mine works for me. I am going to convince you and you won't be able to convince me either.

 

[Din0saurus]

didn't expect such strong responses from a discussion on whether to purchase a data plan. what we can all agree on is the usefulness of smart phones at least. anyone tried these?

http://maphappy.org/2015/04/the-best-free-offline-maps-for-traveling/

I too use digital maps on my phone for marking out places of interests. I use Google maps on my PC before my trip to find all the places, add them to a custom map, and export them to my phone. Much easier than paper maps and extremely accurate most of the time.

are there instructions on how to do this?

edit: https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024396
good stuff.

 

[butterbarter]

Yes, I use the tools/apps in the provided link. My thoughts on the tools I use:

Google maps - needs no intro. I use it almost exclusively in online mode (it also has a rather limited offline mode). Main uses are for navigation (when I ride scooter/bike) and to find places nearby. Obviously needs a data SIM card. Google's search is amazingly good. I was able to find the nearest Citibank ATM in Taipei when even Citibank's own website indicated a much further ATM. Also great for finding nearest gas station when running low on fuel on scooter.

Locus Pro - best map app for general use and my main map app. Supports dozens of online and offline maps. Supports vector maps and raster maps. Supports points of interests, tracks, route recording, etc. Basically, this is the Rolls Royce of map apps. I import Google map KML files into this to track the places I'm going to visit. Also supports offline navigation (in conjunction with BRouter) for those times when I have no data or phone signal. Highly customizable with tons of features. Free version also available.

Maps.Me - used to be called MapsWithMe. Uses offline vector maps. More detailed than OSM(Open Street Maps), although it is derived from OSM. Very smooth and fast map. Good selection of vector maps. Recently added navigation, though still not turn-by-turn the last time I used it. I use this as my backup map. Has free and paid version.

Triposo - my main travel guide. Contains simple offline maps and detailed destination info trawled from the web. Can mark points of interest as favourites, which then shows up on its offline maps. I also export these to Locus Pro, so that Locus Pro contains the master list of places and their locations.

Kiwix - ZIM file reader. My secondary source of travel info. I keep an entire offline copy of Wikivoyage and Wikipedia (12GB without pics) on my phone and read them with Kiwix. Very good resource for reading up on things that are usually left out of travel guides.

Tripadvisor - good for looking up recommendations and opinions on places. Online mode only. I use this occasionally, but has been handy.



With these tools, I don't carry paper maps or paper guide books anymore, which considerably lightens my bag.

didn't expect such strong responses from a discussion on whether to purchase a data plan. what we can all agree on is the usefulness of smart phones at least. anyone tried these?

http://maphappy.org/2015/04/the-best-free-offline-maps-for-traveling/



are there instructions on how to do this?

edit: https://support.google.com/mymaps/answer/3024396
good stuff.

 

[wuso]

............
Locus Pro - best map app for general use and my main map app. Supports dozens of online and offline maps. Supports vector maps and raster maps. Supports points of interests, tracks, route recording, etc. Basically, this is the Rolls Royce of map apps. I import Google map KML files into this to track the places I'm going to visit. Also supports offline navigation (in conjunction with BRouter) for those times when I have no data or phone signal. Highly customizable with tons of features. Free version also available.

How's the functionality of the free version? Is it alot crippled vs the paid?

I've been using Maps.Me free version for quite a while and the map data is pretty impressive so far.

With these tools, I don't carry paper maps or paper guide books anymore, which considerably lightens my bag.

I still use paper maps where available, and when I reach a place (hostel etc), I will try to get a localized paper map and walk around using that. While I used electronic tools for my travels, I won't reach a point where I need to lug around huge powerbanks and/or rely so much on it that I become crippled w/o my gadgets

Oh, I used the term electronic tools/gadgets cos I use tablet for the mapping stuff etc. My smartpone only use for whatsapp haha

 

[butterbarter]

Suggest you download and try lor. The free version is already very functional. I used it for 1 year or so before paying for it. Support good software, and it does add some convenient features.

As for electronics, I don't bring laptop or tablet. I only bring an Android phone with 5.5inch screen. That's big enough to lookup info, for reading maps, and for facebooking at night. I also bring a powerbank. This combo is still lighter and smaller than a guidebook, but with superior functionality.

Problem with paper maps is that they tend to be not detailed, so sometimes it is hard to pin point where you are because the street you are on is just not on the map. In less populated areas, paper maps are sometimes not even available or just provide a vague overview. A digital map + GPS completely solves this problem. If you use vector maps, they become progressively more detailed as you zoom in.

Many times I have alighted from a bus or shuttle, whipped out my phone and started walking towards my hotel while fellow passengers are still puzzling over their paper maps and looking for landmarks. it's also easier to check the digital map when on a bus to figure out if you are near your destination so that you can alight nearby.

If you somehow lose your phone, you can still go buy a paper map. It's not as if you suddenly forget how to read a paper map just because you use a phone more often.

How's the functionality of the free version? Is it alot crippled vs the paid?

I've been using Maps.Me free version for quite a while and the map data is pretty impressive so far.


I still use paper maps where available, and when I reach a place (hostel etc), I will try to get a localized paper map and walk around using that. While I used electronic tools for my travels, I won't reach a point where I need to lug around huge powerbanks and/or rely so much on it that I become crippled w/o my gadgets

Oh, I used the term electronic tools/gadgets cos I use tablet for the mapping stuff etc. My smartpone only use for whatsapp haha

 

[Din0saurus]

finally!

http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-34770966