Posted by Randy LeGrant on Fri, May 28, 2010
GeoVisions is an all-Mac company. And when we travel, we're an iPhone company too.
As I write this post on May 28, 2010, do you know there are 328 Travel Apps for the iPhone in the Apple Store? Here are a few of my favs that make my travel easier. I keep most of my travel apps on one screen so they are there when I need them.
If you use travel apps that make traveling more fun or easier, be sure to share them in our Comments section below and share with the rest of us.
Currency
Currency provides up-to-date exchange rate information for over 100 currencies and countries! Great for when you travel abroad and need to calculate the latest exchange rates. FREE Rated 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
iXpenseIt
Ranked one of the 50 Most Useful iPhone Apps (Best Expenses App) by LAPTOP Magazine.
You can use this app for your personal budget as well as your travel expenses. You can even email yourself a spreadsheet with your expenses. If you're abroad and you want to budget your funds, nothing comes close to this app. $4.99 Rated 5 stars out of 5.
TripIt
TripIt Travel Organizer puts all your travel plans right on your iPhone no matter where your travel was booked! Forward travel confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com to build a trip itinerary. This app even keeps track of my appointments, builds maps and the weather. You can literally use this app to go out for the day and have everything you need on your iPhone without the hassle of so many pieces of paper. FREE Rated 2 1/2 Stars out of 5.
FlightTrack
The best flight tracking app out there. Track every aspect of your domestic and international flights with real-time updates and beautiful, zoomable maps. Check gate numbers, delays and cancellations. More than 5,000 airports are covered worldwide! $4.99 4 out of 5 stars.
GateGuru
GateGuru is the leading airport resource that covers the top 86 airports in the United States, the top 12 airports internationally. Walk off the plane, tap the icon and tell GateGuru where you are in the airport. It will show you to the restrooms, the news stand, anything you need on any concourse. And travelers get to rate the shops! FREE 3 Stars Out of 5.
Tipulator
Take the guesswork out of restaurant tipping with Tipulator. Enter the bill amount, select a percentage, and set the number of people, and Tipulator will calculate the tip and split it between you and your friends. $1.99 Apple Staff Pick.
iTranslate
You can translate every word and text! You can translate from Russian, English, French, German and Spanish and to each other! FREE 3 Stars out of 5.
Everlater
Travel Journal and Travel Blog. A nice app that goes along with the Web version of Everlater. I use it when I travel and so do our volunteers. The perfect alternative to a Blog, it comes with maps, ability to upload photos and publish your trip in a book. FREE 3 Stars out of 5.
World Customs and Cultures
This app is essential for any traveler. It includes customs, cultural information, and facts on over 165 different countries. FREE 3 1/2 Stars out of 5.
Skype
With Skype on your iPhone or iPod touch you can call and instant message anyone else on Skype for free. You can also call landlines and mobiles and send SMS anywhere in the world, at great rates. Skype is free to download and easy to use. FREE 3 1/2 Stars out of 5.
AccuWeather
Enter a U.S. zip code or the name of an international city or country to get the world of weather at your fingertips! See if severe weather is approaching with AccuWeather snow, ice, and rain radar; plus check out the latest weather conditions and get forecasts for the next 6 hours or the next 15 days with the AccuWeather Calendar. AccuWeather forecasts are available from coast to coast and around the world. FREE 3 out of 5 stars.
Shazam
Lovin’ that tune? Shazam gives you instant satisfaction when you want to know what song is playing. Just point your phone towards the music source to identify and buy the track, or share your discovery with friends and family. And if you want to own that tune to remember the experience, tap the tune and you are taken right to iTunes where you can instantly buy and download it. FREE 3 1/2 stars out of 5.
What about it? Do you have favorite travel apps you'd like to share with the rest of us? Please let us know about them in our Comments section below so we can all give them a try.
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Apr 18, 2010
There are quite a few companies out there offering low-cost airfare. Here are a few we recommend to people who plan to volunteer or teach abroad:
Smarter Travel
Student Universe
The Airfare Guru
STA Travel
Fly For Good
But my point in this post is that anyone out there who provides airfare for students, teachers, and volunteers...thank you. And while you're finding lower fares, where you could also be of great help is to negotiate reduced airline fees or negotiate that the airlines get rid of them totally for teachers, students and volunteers.
To illustrate my point, take a look at this chart I downloaded from Smarter Travel. It is very current...updated on April 6. It lists 14 airlines and 12 different fees the airline charge passengers. Just click on the link above and take a look at the chart.
I just returned from meetings in and around London and I flew on United. Because I fly constantly, I don't have to pay all these fees. But had I been going over to volunteer abroad or teach abroad, here is what I might have had to pay in fees on United, in addition to my airfare and taxes:
$25 for my bag.
$45 for my 2nd bag (Int'l charge)
$25 booking fee
$9 for extra leg room on the International flight
$9 for a meal plus $6 if I want wine or beer
And that totals up to $119.
On Student Universe, I can fly over June 1 from New York to London and return on July 31 for $280 and then add $389 in taxes and security fees and then add my $119 in airline fees (above). The airline fees are almost 50% of the airfare and the taxes and security fees are even more than my airfare.
So I'm asking all of you out there who brag about how low your airfares are (and they really aren't all that low if you don't fit a very small demographic like student or maybe a teacher), you could help our volunteers by asking the airlines to get rid of those extra fees. We will give the airlines proof that our volunteers are who they say they are and they are going abroad to volunteer their time. This is how you can be helpful to everyone. I understand you can't get rid of security fees and taxes, but the rest of those fees? You can negotiate that for us.
So if I'm a senior citizen (and I almost qualify) and I can't access the student airfare, I'm going to have to pay full freight to buy my ticket through you. But if I go ahead and buy my airfare from you anyway and prove I'm going to volunteer, why can't you help me by getting the airlines to get rid of all those extra fees? That helps everyone and it would certainly sell a lot more tickets on your site.
Please? Anyone else have ways to help?
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Posted by Randy LeGrant on Mon, Nov 09, 2009
Information in this Post comes from Travelmole.
If you are thinking of a volunteer abroad or teach abroad destination, check out this list of best value destinations for 2010, which was reported recently by Travelmole. GeoVisions supports volunteer projects in four of the ten: Mexico, India, South Africa and Thailand.
Best Value Destinations in 2010
Iceland and London have made it into Lonely Planet's new top 10 list of best value destinations for the first time.
The economic collapse in Iceland means the island is no longer punitively expensive, said the "Best in Travel 2010" guide, putting the beleaguered country in its best-value list. "Have you always wanted to discover this magical, mysterious country, to explore ice caps and volcanoes, and wallow in hot springs? Been put off because of the prohibitive prices? Well, 2010 is your year."
Meanwhile London's days as a costly destination are now over, Lonely Planet said. "Long ludicrously expensive, London has become much more affordable for visitors from abroad, if not for its residents," said the guide.
Lonely Planet travel editor Tom Hall said: “It may seem a surprising inclusion but as a direct result of the economic crisis London has become much more accessible to foreign visitors. “The tables have turned and London’s reputation as one of the world’s most expensive cities is over. The favourable exchange rate means that travellers will often find hotels and meals up to half the price they were a few years ago."
Elsewhere in the top 10, Thailand remained "perennially good value", said the book. "It's one of the cheapest long-haul holidays for European holidaymakers... visitors are always spoilt for choice regarding accommodation."
Malaysia "is a clever choice for travellers on the lookout for a bargain", while in India "your money stretches almost as far as the infamous Indian 'stretchable' time".
"South Africa is not only about an amazing climate, vast unspoilt scenery, balmy sandy beaches, extraordinary wildlife and adventure activities, but the cost of living is low, so it's also excellent value for money."
Lonely Planet's annual guidebook captures "the world's hottest travel trends, destinations, journeys and experiences for the year ahead."
2010’s Best Value destinations:
Iceland
Thailand
London
South Africa
Malaysia
Mexico
India
Bulgaria
Kenya
Las Vegas
(Note: the destinations are not ranked)
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sat, Sep 12, 2009
Thanks to our good friends at Brilliant Trips who showed me an article on Isabelle's Travel Guide, we wanted to make this available to all the volunteers in Madrid and for those who are going soon.
The attached link is a post on how to use the Metro in Madrid. Again, thanks to Brilliant Trips who showed this to us and thanks to Isabelle who is writing a great travel journal and offered up this very detailed guide (with photos) on using the metro in Madrid.
Click here to read Isabelle's entry on how to use the Metro in Madrid and while you're there, take a look at the entire Journal. It's truly amazing.
Interested in using the metro in Madrid? Join the Conversation Corps in Spain!
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Aug 09, 2009
So you've joined
The Conversation Corps!
Next item on the "Things To Do" list is write a "Host Family" letter. Here is one recently submitted to us:
Dear Potential Host Family,
I love French fashion and French food. I want to come to Paris and spend my time learning how to design French clothes and show the French fashion industry what I know about French fashion. I'm also a really good cook so I think that will help me fit in to the culture.
1. Your "Dear Family" letter is the most important part of your packet. GeoVisions is out there "marketing" you to families seeking tutors. Tell them why you have a passion to visit their country. Explain why you have a keen interest in languages and communication. Write something funny about conversational English and that you know it's not only difficult but most of the time doesn't make any sense...even to Americans. Let them know something about your own family and what you've been doing the last few years with your life. Tell them how friendly you are and that you know one of your "duties" is to respect their family's rules. You are eager to try all kinds of things and you look forward to meeting them.
2. When you submit your five photos you want us to show your prospective host family, keep in mind only your closest of friends are interested in your tattoos, piercings and your talent of holding 5 beer bottles with your toes while standing on your head...on the bar. Mom and Dad are not especially interested in showing your bikini-clad body at spring break to their teen-aged sons. They don't care what you look like asleep with the marker drawings on your body that your friends drew on you when you were passed out. They want to see you with clothes on, with your own family, with your friends doing ordinary activities.
3. Use humor, but don't go overboard. Don't do this, which is an actual letter we were asked to share with a potential host family:
Dear Host Family,
I want to come live with you because I hate my own family and living with you could not suck more than the family I live with now. I am embarrassed about my own family and since no one here knows you...you have to be a step up. My father is gone and I have no idea where he is nor do I care. My mother dates an undersea welder who's main function it is not to get blown up. My sister dates every man in [location left out to protect the innocent].
4. Don't demand Paris, Rome, Rio, Barcelona, Bangkok, or San Jose. Tell your potential family you are eager to go where you are needed. It's OK to tell them you hope it is easy to find public transportation where they live because one of the reasons you want to come to their country is to learn as much as you can about their COUNTRY. You don't want to tell them you want a central apartment in Madrid to allow you to stay in the clubs until 4:00 a.m. making your return to awaken them early in the morning much easier and safer.
5. Let the family know you hope to travel as much as possible and that if they choose you, you would love to set up a tutoring schedule that matches their expectations to learn Conversational English and also takes into your consideration how much you want to experience their country. Don't go thinking you are going to SIT in their home all week. Plan the activities you want to do, read up on the area and make a list of things to do, ask GeoVisions for other hints and ideas to make your 1, 2 or 3 months rewarding...to your host family and to you.
GeoVisions can help you prepare the very best Dear Family letter and packet to guarantee your placement. Our staff has a lot of experience and are available to help you when you decide to join the Conversation Corps
Posted by Randy LeGrant on Sun, Aug 02, 2009
I came across a Blog Post recently, entitled, How To Travel On Your Own Without Getting Attacked, Maimed, Robbed (And Maybe Even Enjoy Yourself) and wanted to pass it on. It's a post (with comments) on staying safe, especially if you are a female and traveling alone.
Around 80% of all volunteers abroad are female and the majority travel alone to their project.
If you have ideas and suggestions about travel safety and traveling alone, I hope you will comment at the actual post. I've no clue who Sarah Von (the Blogger who keeps up that site) is, but the topics on her Blog about travel are really very good. Take it from someone who started traveling professionally in 1975...the suggestions there are really very good. From staying safe to packing and even how to pack a backpack for a 6-month trip...all worth your time.
You will learn a great deal about traveling safely by reading Sarah's site, but in a nutshell:
- Be Aware of Your Surroundings
- Leave The Daisy Dukes at home
- Learn Some Choice Phrases
- Know The Scams Before You Get There
- Make Friends With The Locals
- Take Part In A Volunteer Program
- Learn How To Amuse Yourself
- Allow Yourself Some Downtime