Travel is exciting. It is fun to get on a train, fly in a plane, or even take a road trip in a well-equipped car that has been prepped for the journey. Even if you are going someplace you have been before, you almost always see and experience something new, something unavailable where you live.
Vagabondish is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Read our disclosure.
For others, travel has become an unwelcome chore forced upon them as a demand for their employment. They hate the airport and despise airplane food. The open road is nothing more than an obstacle between them and where they want to be.
Regardless of which type of traveler you are, technology can enhance every aspect of your trip. It does not have to be such a chore. And if you already love to travel, the right tech can greatly enhance the experience.
We have come a long way since the 80s. Remember travel agents? Remember Thomas Guides. Remember kids in the backseat losing their minds less than an hour into the trip? All of those things can be fond, if not distant, memories. Here are some of the ways tech can keep those travel nightmares things of the past:
Map Out Your Itinerary
It used to be that one of the most challenging things to do when traveling was to figure out what to do once you got there. You might have an idea of one or two things to do. But you really don’t have a good sense of a place you have never been.
The internet has made it easy to figure out what to do and where to do it. Of course, you know that the golfing is good in Dubai. But it takes a bit of research to find the best golf courses in Dubai. You might know that you want to do some golfing on your trip. But you can’t hit every course in the area. The browser on your smartphone can make short work of figuring out exactly what you want to do once you get off the plane.
Keep the Kids Occupied
Both kids and adults alike can go a little loopy on a long trip that may not be working out exactly the way you had planned. But one of the ways to salvage even the most disappointing vacation is to pack a few games. Board games are not the best fit for when you are actually on the move. Cards are a little better, but only just so.
The best travel games can be found on both iOS and Android. When games are on the phone, there are no pieces to lose or spill all over the place. There is no setting up the board or dealing the cards. There is no time lost between the decision to play and making the first move.
Best of all, these games can be played individually or corporately. You can play UNO against the computer, or with the whole family (driver excluded). And of course, you are not restricted to digital versions of classic games. You can play the types of games only possible on a portable gaming console. If the trip goes sour, it doesn’t have to be due to a lack of entertainment options.
Change of Plans
When humans make plans, the universe has a good laugh. But with the right technology, humans can still have the last laugh. A major detour takes you off map? No problem, you have access to world-class mapping apps that will show you another path.
The hotel you booked through an agent turns out to be inadequate? No problem, find another hotel in seconds. You just found out that Phantom of the Opera is playing in a grand opera house? Use an app to nab tickets instead of going to the water park.
Your trip does not have to go south unless you find that South is a better path. When your flight is delayed, you no longer have to stare helplessly like a dear in the headlights. You can take control of your travels by planning your own itinerary, keeping the kids occupied, and changing your plans as the situation requires. Personal tech is your ticket for doing all of these things and more.