When travelling, you need all the help you can get. Traditional maps are now outdated, but there are several apps for your smartphone or tablet you can use. From communicating to finding specific locations, here are seven apps that will make your trip easier.

Google Maps

Imagine all the maps in the world at the palm of your hand – that is what Google Maps essentially is about. Available for all sorts of Android-, OSX- and PC-based devices, it will assist you not only pinpoint the exact location you are looking for, but also measure the distance between two places – this is of great help to me in big cities like Tokyo and New York – give you directions and allow you a 360° view of certain places.

TripAdvisor

Another app available for basically all known platforms, this is a mobile version of a popular website. It allows a detailed search of hotels, restaurants and other venues you are looking for when travelling, but it also heavily relies on customer reviews. These feedbacks give you the real picture of a certain location and I always read them when choosing where to stay.

WiFi Finder

When in another country, even a neighboring one, you have to pay attention to roaming regulations and not use your mobile data package. That is why it is essential to find Wi-Fi and an app like this is more than useful. It scans available connections better than your device’s default app and alerts you which are free and ready to use.

Instagram

A popular social network – also available on all devices – has a location-tracking option, so you can see all the photos taken at a spot you want to visit. This allowed me to prepare for my last year’s trip to Rome better. Moreover, it has a hashtag search, so you can view photos with certain city tags.

Google Translate

This great app can be used even by professional translators when they get stuck on a specific word, but it is more than handy when abroad, too. For example, I had a great conversation with an elderly Chinese man in Paris once – he spoke no English, I spoke no Chinese, but we used Google Translate and managed to understand each other just fine.

Trippeo

This app is used by business- and travel-oriented people who want to calculate their spending. It is basically an expense tracking app that collects receipt data – both online and physical – and calculates how much money you have spent, providing you with a list of expenses. When on a trip, it helps you a lot because it is connected to your credit card and tracks even the smallest expenses you could easily forget – I always forget postcards and stamps, for example.

AccuWeather

There is a difference between wearing a sweater on a hot summer day and leaving your house without a jacket when it is -10°C. That difference lies in whether you know weather conditions or not, and with AccuWeather, you will always be updated. Extended forecasts and minute-to-minute synchronization are available and even how certain weather affects your health.

Other Apps

In the sea of travel apps, you do not need to install them all, but opt for an efficient combination of these seven essentials and perhaps one or two made specifically for a certain city. Foursquare is also useful – when I was in Rome, I found the best bars in Trastevere by reading the recommendations of locals on this app.

About the author

Marie Nieves, student of economics who loves unusual trips and have a plan to travel the whole world. She has always loved to travel, and she loves to talk about her experiences. On her travels she likes to read poetry and prose and loves to surf the Internet. Photography lover.

Find Marie on Facebook or follow her on Twitter and G+.

Where is Mount Mabu?

I watched a documentary about this rainforest and it caught my imagination. Fancy using today’s technology ‘Google Earth’ and discovering a forgotten rainforest deep in the mountainous north of Mozambique! The video below is an interview with Dr Julian Bayliss about the discovery back in 2005 and further links to news articles from the time. Extraordinary stuff!

Mount Mabu and its surrounding virgin rainforest in northern Mozambique covers approximately 7,000 hectares. Mount Mabu is approximately 1,700 m (5,600 ft) high. Although it was known locally, the Mount Mabu forest and its extremely diverse wildlife were unknown to plant and animal scientists until 2005. It was ‘discovered’ by scientists from Kew Royal Botanic Gardens by browsing Google Earth’s satellite view to look for potential unknown wildlife hotspots in Africa. It is frequently referred to as the ‘Google Forest’ and the ‘Butterfly Forest’.

Lonely Planet Zambia Mozambique & Malawi

Map

TravelTipsPlus Google Map of Mount Mabu

One Great Reason to Visit Mount Mabu

One great reason to visit this travel destination is because no one else rarely does!

Dr. Julian Bayliss: The Lost Forest of Mount Mabu

For More Information

• Wikipedia
• Related Article about the discovery

You’ve scrimped and saved, and finally got enough money in the bank to pay for that dream holiday. When you’ve worked towards your getaway you don’t want to waste it, and for most holidaymakers, the best way to get the most out of their travels is to create an itinerary.

What’s the secret to creating a great travel itinerary? One that’ll guarantee an enjoyable holiday for all?

We’ve got some travel tips to help you plan the perfect trip every time.

Making plans by Tamas

Get tech savvy

Modern holidaymakers have it so lucky. Mobile apps, websites, social networking, Google Maps, review sites – all have made holiday planning a whole lot easier. Embrace the new technology and check out apps like Itinerary for iPhone that lets you plot routes on maps and add notes, and sites like TripIt where you can use professional looking templates to create the most complex of itineraries and share them easily with family and friends.

Blog it

There are loads of online blogs out there that are packed with just the kind of info you crave when you’re trying to plan your perfect holiday. Check out travel blogs like the one over at Choice Hotels. By following blogs like these you’ll find instant travel guides to a range of destinations, as well as info on the nearest accommodation to attractions you might want to see, and you could even bag yourself a discount rate into the bargain. Wherever you’re headed, search for blogs by people who live in the area and you’ll find up-to-date info about everything from what’s on to where to eat, where to shop to what the latest political news is there.

Be realistic

We know you want to milk your holiday for all it’s worth, but it pays to be realistic in the planning stages. After a long haul flight, and an eight hour time difference, are you really going to want to hike up a mountain, then visit some sea caves, a cathedral, archeological museum and go to the theatre? Make exceptions for times when you know you’re going to be tired, and remember – a holiday is supposed to be relaxing.

Get the timing right

When you’re trying to create a realistic itinerary, getting the timings right – for plane travel, car journeys, or journeys on foot – is key. Try to find existing guides online or travel messageboards like Independent Traveler where you can find out from those in the know just how long the drive from A to Z is really going to take.

Travel itinerary by Dan Barbus

Being connected whilst travelling or working remotely has become very popular over recent years. Now more people than ever are working from home either on a full-time or part-time basis, whether they are self-employed or they work for an employer.

One of the key requirements for any remote worker is a good computer, and many people choose to invest in a laptop because of their enhanced portability. If you are in the process of choosing a laptop for your remote work, here are five of the key features to look for.

1. Lightweight

One of the joys of working remotely is that you can take your work with you anywhere. You may want to work from home one day, in a café the next or even in the park. Having a good laptop makes this possible. However, if you are transporting your laptop around with you, you will want to ensure that it is as portable as possible, and this means choosing one that is lightweight.

Some of the latest ultrabook laptops are incredibly thin and lightweight, but they tend to be more expensive as a result. However, it could well be worth investing in one of these if you know that you will be carrying your laptop around with you a lot and want to make it as convenient as possible.

2. Long Battery Life

If you plan to work on your laptop in various different locations, you will not want the power to run out when you are in the middle of some important work. It is therefore a good idea to find a laptop that has a long battery life.

If you cannot find a laptop that has a long enough battery life, or you don’t want to buy an expensive laptop just because it has a good battery, another option is to buy a spare battery. For example, visit here for cheap laptop deals and then spend the money you save on an extra battery. This will ensure that you never run out of power when you most need it.

3. Webcam built in

If you are going to be making video calls to people back in the office or to your clients, it is a good idea to buy a laptop that comes with a built-in webcam. Most laptops come with a camera these days, but otherwise you can always buy one separately.

4. Fast Boot Time

If you are working on the go, you will not want to spend ages waiting for your laptop to boot up. You may want to open it up and write a few notes on the train, for example, without having to waste time waiting for it to get ready. It is therefore a good idea to choose a laptop that is fast to boot.

5. Sturdy

If you are carrying around a laptop with you every day, it is certain to pick up a few knocks from time to time. As well as investing in a good laptop case, try to buy a laptop that is sturdy and able to put up with a few knocks, as this will save you having to purchase another new laptop too soon.

Work Better on the Go

Choosing the right laptop can make a big difference to your remote working. It is therefore worth spending some time thinking over your specific requirements and finding the laptop that provides you with everything you need. Consider the above five areas when you start looking for the ideal laptop for remote working, and then find your perfect model.