The idea of escaping technology, even for a couple of days, is on the minds of more and more people nowadays. We have suffered for almost two years from a pandemic that kept us indoors, either out of fear or quarantine. As such, it’s clear why quite a lot of people want to leave their homes and be on the road for some time.
However, the convenience and accessibility of the digital world won’t let one take their leave that easily – and maybe for good reason. While the lack of pressure from the smartphone in your pocket is clearly healthy, that very gadget does come with certain benefits that can be extremely helpful when traveling.
3 Types of Apps that Will Help You When You’re Away from Home
Virtual Private Network Apps
A virtual private network, also known as a VPN, can help you keep your traffic data and browsing preferences intact when traveling abroad. Not only that, but it can also fully encrypt your data and prevent you from being hacked when accessing a foreign country’s public networks.
Moreover, such software also allows you to access platforms and content from your own country, in case the one you visit has it banned. For example, even if you spend a weekend in nature, camping, you might still want to watch Netflix. If you want to watch your own shows abroad, then the chances they’re not available are quite high – and only a VPN can help you bypass such restrictions.
Last but not least, you keep your location data safe and untraceable if you use a VPN while traveling. Such software can also extend to all of your devices. You can have a VPN for iPhone, Android, as well as for your Windows laptop or computer (often all covered by the same plan).
Arguably the best use of VPN software while traveling is to protect the data on your devices while accessing public networks. These are known to be extremely insecure and quite prone to hacking.
Navigation and Maps Apps
Google Maps is only on the first level when it comes to apps that enhance your navigation and maps experience. For instance, Google Maps won’t help you that much when you go hiking. Certain outposts, markers, or stop points will not be marked on mainstream apps.
Instead, for a full and genuine hiking experience, you need specifically dedicated apps. The same applies to driving in foreign lands, discovering national parks and so on. Mostriving apps are able to update the road congestion level in real-time, not to mention that they pinpoint recent accidents or road works as well.
National Park discovery apps, on the other hand, can take the adventurous experience to whole different level. They can do so via augmented and virtual reality, to name a few of the technologies employed. In short, smaller and dedicated maps are often more helpful than the mainstream ones – increasing convenience and enhancing the experience at the same time.
Some of the best dedicated navigation maps out there are Waze (real-time GPS), Komoot (for hiking), Spotted by Locals, and Roadtrippers (for curated trip guides).
First Aid and Emergency Apps
First Aid training/education is not a common thing throughout the world. Unless you specifically search for organizations that offer First Aid training, you’ll never know how to stop someone from bleeding, adjust a twisted ankle, or give proper chest compressions/mouth-to-mouth breathing.
Luckily, certified apps that teach us these things can be found in the app store. Not only that, but we can also find apps that show us more about how to travel through nature/forests, what we should pay attention to in certain environments and so on.
Moreover, if you’re traveling to foreign countries, offline translator apps can also be extremely handy. If you end up stranded in a village with no way of returning to the modern world, being able to communicate with the locals will ultimately save your life.
Some of the best apps out there when it comes to emergency management are the American Red Cross First Aid app and the Offline Survival Manual.
The Bottom Line
It’s not that we can’t escape technology! It’s the fact that, if we know how and when to use it, technology can enhance experiences, even if those experiences are meant to involve the physical world more than the world online.
At the same time, this doesn’t mean that we should always rely on apps, software and devices to save ourselves, so to speak. For example, even if you have a comprehensive First Aid app on your phone, it’s still worth taking that course and learning everything you need to know about helping the ones in need.
Ultimately, if you plan to travel long distances and/or through various countries, the three types of apps described above are enough to keep you safe and on the right track.
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