Back Home Again: Tips and Tech to Make Your Next Trip Even Better

Make Your Next Trip Even Better with apps and gadgets

Each time you take a trip, you probably learn something that you’d like to share with others less experienced than yourself. You can learn from other travelers who have been in the business travel game a lot longer than you have, too. These are some of the best tips from lifelong business travelers.

Tech recommendations

Get Bluetooth padlocks for your luggage: While it’s possible to lose the little keys that open the little padlocks that go on your luggage, Bluetooth padlocks simply sidestep the problem. Padlocks by companies such as LockSmart respond to commands from a smartphone app. Even better, you get to open these locks remotely to allow anyone else to access your luggage. You receive notifications as well, should someone attempt to break into your luggage. Smart padlocks are just a better take on an essential bit of travel hardware.

Wear your translator on your sleeve: The ili Wearable Translator may seem unnecessary when you have all the language apps that you need on your phone. The problem with putting everything on your phone, however, is that you depend on having a phone signal and having the battery keep up with all your activities. A dedicated little translating device that you clip on your clothing is something that can work no matter where you are, whether your phone works or not. You simply speak into the iIi, and it translates what you’ve said, in another language, without having to phone home to use the company’s servers. You need this because communication can be a lifesaver.

App recommendations

Weather: Every traveler probably has a weather app. The Apalon Weather Live app, however, comes with an extraordinarily appealing screen design and is well-loved for its simple, at-a-glance design style. It also offers great accuracy in its Radar mode. This weather app comes in an advertising-supported free version and a paid version with no advertising.

Maps: While the world runs on Google Maps, this gold standard in the navigation space tends to leave out blank spots all over the world, and often doesn’t have much detail when you need specialized local information. If you’re going to a major city and would like a specialized map that has obscure information like coffee shops and bookstores in railway stations or airports, Maplets is for you.

Tips

Learn how to improvise: If you forgot to pack an inflatable pillow and the one at the airport store costs $25, you can improvise. Beach balls only cost $5, and every airport has stores with them. All you need to do is to inflate one partially and use it as a pillow. If you need an idea for a hotel curtain that won’t close all the way, you should look for coat hangers in the wardrobe. You can tie those curtains together with the clips. Sugar can work as an exfoliant, and the sticky side of tape can help take lint off your jacket.

Don’t put everything in one basket: When you’re actually flying, make sure that your passport and your wallet are on your person, and not in your carry-on or in the seat pocket. If there’s an emergency and you need to leave the plane in a hurry, you won’t have to worry about being stuck with nothing. When you’re not flying, however, it’s best to not carry all your cash and cards on your person. If you’re robbed, you’ll lose everything.

Travel is something that you get better at over time. These tips can help you be safer, more efficient and more comfortable.