Each week I’d like to bring you a handy travel tip, Some you may have heard before, some may be old hat and some you may never of thought of. Some of these things I’ve read, some have just came to mind, some are from you, my readers.
The Smartphone – Keep it on Aeroplane Mode.
Smartphone battery power. Smartphones, pocket sized things we all carry to go about our daily life, be it locating a place on a map, completing a banking transaction, selling a house or even meeting a local, when travelling, the problem is, international roaming rates can be horrendous, I know of people who have returned home to get a bill higher than the cost of their international trip! (it actually even happened to me once, the bill was EXACTLY the same price as my 5 day trip to New Zealand). Sure you can get an international travel SIM card, but then you’re handing out a strange number to your family and friends who are struggling to not only understand how to call a foreign number but also being billed for an international call. While your smartphone is roaming and searching for its local provider, you battery is being depleted, massively.
Lets forget the phone calls. (IDD, STD..) Data and wifi is the way to stay in touch these days. There’s Whatsapp, Facebook, FaceTime, and Skype to name just a few but then theres the cost of data roaming, my pre-paid plan costs me $53 per MB! – Yes – thats a pixelated screenshot of a face really)While most hotels include wifi and while out sightseeing or shopping, most cafes, restaurants and bars will usually offer free wifi – ok maybe for a cost of a coffee or beer, but its downtime anyway (from the sightseeing and shopping I mean)
OK, so all thats nothing new, but heres what I do, when I don’t need to use wifi I keep my iPhone on Aeroplane Mode. It not only stops any bizarre, random, spam-ish cost nor any nasty bill surprises, but saves actually saves the phones battery power, immensely – my phone is not searching for the local international provider my subscriber has an international agreement with. So forget
Do you have a handy travel hack to make travelling easier and/or reduce your travel costs. Email: freakyflier@outlook.com and hopefully I can include it!
Matty Somewhere 
Good idea, even aeroplane mode when out in an area with no reception as it just flattens the battery.
I always get a sim card. I like to have internet access when I’m out and about and wandering around just in case I get lost or if I have to look up to see if a restaurant is good or not 🙂
FYI, Wi-Fi can also be enabled while still in Aeroplane Mode- if so required.