14
Staying in touch
Not long ago, staying in touch was a reasonably straightforward affair. Unreliable mail services, expensive telegrams and uncooperative pay phones that ate coins by the fistful were your only options. Now, perhaps the most difficult aspect of staying in touch is choosing how you want to do it. On a bare-bones budget you can get by with just about all international communication for free (or the cost of wi-fi).
The best way to keep your friends and family informed on a budget
With time zones and long-distance charges, email, Facebook, Twitter and a travel blog are going to be your best allies for almost-immediate contact. The bigger trick is getting used to not being quite as connected as you are back home – or paying more for that service. Naturally it depends on the country, perhaps even the city. Some hostels/hotels/restaurants/libraries offer free wi-fi, some don’t.
Unless you’re writing a novel or editing a movie along the way, the cons of bringing a laptop may outweigh the pros. You can get internet access virtually anywhere. And by anywhere, I really mean anywhere. Nearly all hostels are now equipped with a connection (often with their own computers), and if they’re not, you shouldn’t have to walk more than five or ten minutes to find an internet café or library. You can plug in USBs and SD cards to send photos and back-up files. Expect to pay anything from 20 pence/30 cents to £3/$4.50 for fifteen minutes of surfing if you can’t find free access.
VoIP: the cheapest way to phone home
The technical name is VoIP… you may know it better as Skype or one of the other services listed below. Set up a free account with one, set your friends and family up with free accounts and then test it with them so everyone is comfortable using it.
There are connected computers everywhere, and many of them have headphones you can use. But it’s not a bad idea to carry a little wire headset/mic (like the type that come with most smartphones) that you can plug in.
A free Skype account (you only pay for calls made to phones) should get you by just fine and will connect you with most. If not, Google Hangouts (also free) is a solid bet. There are a few others to check out as well:
- Vbuzzer Like Skype, but with cheaper rates if you plan to call to phones.
- Viber Much like the others, but a bit easier to use on your smartphone. With the free app, you get free smartphone-to-smartphone calls over 3G and wi-fi connections.
- ooVoo Free multi-user when you have a group video call.
- FaceTime Apple’s own video chat app comes preinstalled on iPhones and iPads. The video quality is high but may take more bandwidth.
How to manage your mobile phone so it doesn’t cost you a fortune
Warning: if you get email on your mobile phone or are used to surfing or updating social media, and you don’t turn off the data roaming function while abroad, you can get slapped with high international fees worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars. You can, though, avoid this with some smart shopping. For US residents, the current best deal is from T-Mobile, but they may change their plan or other carriers may offer a better one at any point, so check online for the lastest deals. For about $70 a month, you should get free data and texting internationally (at the fastest speeds of the local carriers that T-Mobile partners with), plus pay 20 cents a minute for roaming. Note that some deals will run out after a few months, so always check the small print.
Benefits of changing your mobile habits
The easiest and cheapest workaround to travelling internationally with your mobile device is changing your habits. First, turn off data roaming, or keep it in flight mode, where you can still use downloaded digital guidebooks and other useful apps that don’t require an internet connection, plus save your battery. If you’re keeping the same phone number you’ve had before and don’t want a bunch of expensive “I’m on the road” explanations for friends who forgot you were away, just leave a voice recording that you’re travelling and that people should text, email you or use social media instead of leaving a message.
Use wi-fi when you get to a hostel or free wi-fi hotspot and download/upload what you need there. You can find several free wi-fi-hotspot finder apps for iPhone and Android phones in their respective app stores.
Benefits of a local SIM
If you have an unlocked phone (or can get your provider to unlock it for you), you can take advantage of local SIM cards. If you’re in one country for a few days or more and want to do some on-the-move surfing/calling, you can buy a local SIM card (you can fill it up as needed) – these local cards are always cheaper than a global SIM. If you want to keep your main phone number for emergencies, you might just pick up a cheap extra phone for these local calls/surfing. Some SIM cards offer special deals for calling internationally and some are better for using the internet – just check with a local mobile shop for the deal that best suits your needs.
Benefits of a MiFi device
If your phone is locked in with a specific provider or you’d just rather keep your main phone number for emergencies, this could be a solid alternative to the SIM card. You even have the choice to rent or buy a MiFi device that will give you a hotspot for up to five devices. Some of these can be rented or bought before leaving, but will likely cost you more (£10/$15 and up per day) and are therefore only realistic options for much shorter trips. With MiFi, you can use VoIP for your regular calls and then use your phone for basic online communication.
Benefits of a global SIM
The global prepaid SIM card option isn’t all that cheap, but it may be better than using your current plan while travelling (depending on your carrier or what offers are available in your country). It provides bigger savings in certain countries and is aimed more at sending/receiving SMS and receiving phone calls. Data roaming can still be very expensive. Here are a few options to compare online for up-to-the-minute rates:
- WorldSim (
worldsim.com) Free
incoming calls in 90+ countries; data roaming can be off-the-charts
expensive. - Sim Card Global ( simcardglobal.com)
Free incoming SMS globally and free incoming calls in 65 countries.
Surfing/email is possible.
- One Sim Card ( onesimcard.com)
Cheapest outgoing calls but uses callback service except for the
Europe & More card. You dial a number, get a call back, then
dial. Free incoming SMS globally, free incoming calls in 162
countries – unless they are using one of the local numbers you set
up, which adds a small fee. Seems to work best on jailbroken
iPhones.
More tips to minimize mobile costs
- Use offline maps and other apps iPhone users can try Skobbler’s ForeverMap app. Android users can pre-download Google maps within a 10-mile radius (enable the “Download map area” feature via the Labs tab in the Google Maps app). In fact, we have a list of other great apps you may want to have.
- Compress your data Onavo ( onavo.com) offers this
service as an app. It will at least help minimize the data you are
sending.
Are those special international mobile phone service budget plans a good option?
There are crop of companies that offer “amazing deals” for international calling. They may be cheaper than your current service plan, but they aren’t nearly as cheap as just using VoIP when you find wi-fi hotspots or a cheap internet connection. Check the websites of the major providers in your area to see what special deals they may have around the time of your departure.
Speak with your service provider about any global data roaming deals they may have. Often these are prepaid arrangements, but you may be able to top them up online as you go.
How to stay connected when you’re off the grid
If you’re planning to be in the middle of nowhere on your own for a while and want to be able to call in the cavalry, or if you’re on a guided trip and you want to be able to update your social media continually, you’ll probably want one of the following palm-sized gadgets:
- Spot Satellite GPS Messenger You can send out an SOS to local emergency services, or send “HELP” or “I’M OK” to a preset list of contacts. You can also make a custom message that goes out to your contact list as well. All messages include your current coordinates. Rugged, good for check-ins and emergencies.
- Delorme inReach This two-way GPS communicator pairs with your Android or iPhone via its Earthmate app and allows you to send SOS beacons and text messages, lets people follow your every move on a map and even posts messages on Facebook/Twitter. Better for sending personal messages, social media.
Try the lost art of snail mail
Sadly, letter writing has dried up. There’s still nothing quite as nice as receiving an actual letter from abroad: the stamps, the smell and knowing it had to travel around the planet to get to you. The proliferation of email simply makes the occasional postcard or letter all the more special. It’s easy to forget this while you’re on the road hopping from one internet café to the next, but it’s worth the effort and is likely to strengthen friendships and ensure you’ll be getting mail from your travelling friends in years to come.
The trick to sending packages as cheaply as possible
Depending on the place, sending a package can take anywhere from two minutes to two hours. There are a few tricks you can use to simplify the process, but they all revolve around the same concept: scout out the sending requirements before you try to mail (or buy) something. In some countries, there are special postal boxes you can buy that will speed up the shipping process. More often there are package weight limits in various price categories. (It’s a drag to show up with your carefully wrapped package, only to learn you’re 20 grams over a price cut-off, which will cost you an additional £10/$15.) Sometimes you can get good bargains within a lower weight range, so if you divide up a larger package into two or three smaller ones you can actually save money.
Before you start wrapping (or shopping), swing by the post office and find out about the rates and any wrapping requirements. In some developing lands you may need string, cloth, forms and a wax seal, but bear in mind that you may end up having to open packages for inspection. Consult your guidebook for local tips.
Surface mail – the slowest, cheapest way to send packages
Surface mail is fairly reliable, cheap and slower than a snail with a hangover. It’s perfect for sending home items you realize you no longer (or never did) need: inexpensive souvenirs, worn-out clothing you simply couldn’t part with, and so on. Just about the time you’ve forgotten you sent it, it’ll arrive, prodded and shaken by countless customs officers, like a gift from the heavens.
Registered mail and major couriers
If you’re sending anything of value, such as jewellery you purchased or a filled diary, it’s worth spending the extra money for registered mail to make sure it arrives. If the local mail service has an especially shoddy track record, go straight for a private delivery company such as DHL or FedEx.
OVER-COMMUNICATION
I spent my first thirty minutes in Asia standing outside an internet café waiting for my friends to finish writing to people back home about the trip over. Even in remote areas, net access was cheap and easy to find, making it a painless way to stay connected to home… and with the nearest familiar place an ocean away, feeling connected became something I found myself wanting more and more.
From internet cafés in northern Thailand, I was moderating roommate disputes, checking sports scores and typing out relationship advice to friends back home more often than I did when I lived there. Pretty soon I was less focused on my adventures in Asia than I was on finding a high-speed connection. And I wasn’t alone. Internet connectivity has become a common addiction on the travel trail.
Eventually, I learned to check once a week, limit myself to one good mass email a month, and cheerfully neglect the day-to-day stuff, which gave me enough distance to experience the culture I came for. No one back home seemed to mind. When you’re living in villages and sleeping on trains, nobody expects you to be plugged in 24/7.
How to pick up mailed packages
If you’re organized enough to plan an itinerary, it’s a good idea to send yourself bulky gear you’ll need later in your trip. The old school method was to address it “Poste Restante, Central Post Office” or send it to an American Express office. With shoddy Poste Restante service and few AmEx offices, a better route is to figure out when you’ll be passing through a town. Book a night in a hotel and write them to say you’ll have a package arriving just before you get there and ask if they would please take care of it before you arrive; tell them you will compensate them for the service. If you’re using a private delivery firm (DHL, FedEx etc), you can let them know when you want the package delivered.
How to get your post forwarded
You may just want to switch as many bills as possible to online payments and then ignore your post. If there are mailings you don’t want to miss, check with your national mail carrier to see if your post can be forwarded for free or for an additional charge:
- UK royalmail.com
- Canada canadapost.ca
- Australia auspost.com.au
- USA usps.com
- New Zealand nzpost.co.nz
Best, of course, is if you can have a friend or relative filter out the junk mail and send important stuff on.