Twenty five years ago, I travelled with paper tickets, travellers cheques/checks and lots of real cash. We organised to meet people by letter and I sent postcards home.

Now, a credit card and a smartphone are all I really need to organise my travel world.

As I approach the end of the year, I am reflecting on what have been my essential travel tools. These are the ones I could not live without:

1. Kayak and Skyscanner – Nothing beats these two fare and accommodation finding tools for getting the best deals.  Their interfaces give me flexibility over destinations, dates and airlines, that are unbeatable I have saved thousands of dollars through them
2. Tripadvisor- the best hotel and attraction website ever. I do not book any hotels without consulting here first and I have never been disappointed
3. Pintrips – my newest discovery. Think pinboard for organising the best fare options!
4. Tripit – I think this app is magical. Add a flight, hotel or activity and Tripit creates an itinerary that I can print, email or keep on my phone. I can be updated as to cancellations, flight alternatives, arrival and departure gates
5. Google maps – I still prefer them to Apple maps or any other sort of map program
6. XE currency exchange lets me quickly calculate currencies on and off line
7. Yelp helps me find services and restaurants in most cites around the world
8. SitOrSquat – in some countries finding a lavatory is an art form
9. Flightmemory.com – lets me track my flights after I have done them. Frankly these guys are in need of an upgrade and if I was not locked in, I would switch to flightdiary.net/
10. Great Circle mapper – this air mapping website is not an essential travel tool. Its just for fun lets me imagine flights, calculate mileages

 

What can you not live without while travelling?

 

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