In this day and age mobile apps are becoming incredibly valuable, at least some of them anyway. We both carry a cellphone but neither is connected to a service provider. We try to stay independent from technology when we can, but it is also 2018, which means we don’t have to, and being strangers in a strange land, having a helping hand from your pocket computer is nice. These are the 5 apps that we have consistently been using during our travels. The two things all these apps have in common is they are free, and they work offline.
This is the overland travellers bible. We primarily use it to find camping spots, but it is loaded with other useful information like: hotels, restaurants, service stations, road warnings, tourist attractions, and water sources. The list goes on. You may not appreciate how truly valuable this app is until you find yourself having to use it on a daily basis. The app is completely user maintained. Not only do you contribute information for travellers after you, but you can check in to leave a review and/or verify description accuracy on existing locations. This app is simply about travellers helping other travellers. Thanks to iOverlander we have camped in incredible places that we would have never otherwise found, met families that have become an extension of our own, and learned from the mistakes of the adventurers before us.
We enjoy paper maps as much as the next explorer, but they are not practical to carry on our already loaded bike. Maps.me is a simple to use map that can be downloaded for offline use. You can even use it as a GPS, but beware, it doesn’t always pick the best route. Another bonus is that maps.me is compatible with iOverlander. Any place that you find on iOverlander can be viewed on maps.me with a click of a button.
Type in one language, and it translates to another – simple. This has been a really helpful tool. We use it to fill in the gaps of our conversation skills, or just to quickly learn a new word or phrase on the spot. You can also set it to camera mode and point your phones camera at what you are trying to read and it will translate on your screen. It comes in handy while reading cooking directions on a package or signs at a museum.
Please Note: This isn’t the best app to learn another language. Not everything directly translates. We have found that full immersion is the best way to learn, but we also use the apps Duolingo and Brainscape.
This is exactly what the name reads, a currency conversion app. You can add multiple countries for comparison at one time. This helps us familiarize ourselves with the local currency when first entering a new country. It is also handy when we are exchanging funds with money changers at border crossings. We can quickly pull out our phone and compare the rate. The app refreshes to the current rates when you are in WIFI.
Last but certainly not least, the entertainment section. And with every genre available for your listening pleasure, you should have no problem finding a fit for your mood. Stretching out in a hammock and tossing the ear phones in is our equivalent to relaxing on the couch and flipping the TV on.
Bren’s favourite podcasts are: Adventure Rider Radio, The Joe Rogan Experience, Born to Kick Arse, Star Talk Radio.
Kira’s favourite podcasts are: Adventure Rider Radio, Dear Sugars, The Tim Ferriss Show, Oprah’s SuperSoul Conversations.
Tell us about your favourite travel apps in the comments!