5 Traveler Must Have Apps

In this day and age of technological advancements traveling has never been so much easier than before. Thanks to the invention of coding (and the smart phone of course), different applications can now be downloaded to your phones of which most are free. These applications will definitely help you not just navigate from A to B, but also keep your within your budget on the road.

 

1.  Google Maps

Who would have not have these on their phone, ey? Uhm…. iPhone users i guess? Well  I am not really quite sure if iPhone users have this or not but if can download it, go ahead! Google probably has the largest database of roads mapped out on an application. So instead of carrying that big paper map why not trade it with an easy to use app like Google Maps?

 

2. Train Apps

Major cities throughout the world are densely populated if not widely spread to several square kilometers. For this reason most of these cities have their own Metro (train) system to move people around the metropolis. Luckily, there are apps available like Trainsity for most metros in major cities. But make sure to research more about this because cities like Hong Kong have their own super cool app for their MTR which tells you how, where and when to transfer and get off on a station to get to where you want to be!MTR App

3. Google Translate

You might think that this thing wont actually work offline, well maybe for some functions but it is really handy having this app in times where no one would seem to know how to speak English or your language. To make sure that you don’t run out of luck specially if you are off the grid, download the language packs so that it will still work even without internet connection, brilliant ey!?

 

4. Weather App

Seriously this is one of the most important thing that I use. I actually double check this before I leave my house going to the airport, crazy me huh!? Not really. It is important that you check and double check the weather of your final destination, you don’t want to be over dressed if there’s a heatwave going on or freeze if there was a sudden snow fall right?

 

5. Currency App

Making sure you exchange enough money to another currency is a vital thing if you want to keep up with you budget when you are on the road. That is why having a currency conversion app is really helpful in making those decision that could possibly hurt your budget if you do not think carefully. There are bunches of them out there but I personally recommend the XE Currency Converter, it is simple and fast and handy.

Any apps that we missed out there that you think should be part of this list? Let us know on the comments section below.

 

*note: any logo or trademark that appears on this blog/article belongs rightfully to their respective owners. thebackpackerguide.com does not claim any right from any of them and was used for educational/informational purposes only.

Top Tips For Hong Kong

If you are planning for a trip to Hong Kong you might be in a situation that you don’t know how to decide on because you would only know the answer when you are already there. Well I’ve been in that situation, here are some useful travel tips that I learned on my recent trip to Hong Kong that I feel will be really helpful on making your decisions with your upcoming trip.

 

1. Buy An Octopus Card

The Octopus Card will not only let you travel conveniently but also saves you a lot as discounts specially for transfers are given when you switch lines. You don’t have to buy another single journey ticket at each station!

If you don’t have any $50 or $100 HKD bill go to the customer service counter and add value on your card there.

2. Airport To The City

If you want to save on money don’t buy an Express Train ticket, remember that you are there for vacation so no need to rush. An Airport Express ticket costs about $100 HKD from the airport to either Kowloon or Hong Kong stations. Using your Octopus card, hop on the express train and get off at the Tsing Yi station then transfer to the regular commuter train on to your destination. This will cost you $60 HKD from the airport to the Tsing Yi station but your travel from Tsing Yi to you final stop is going to be free! You just saved $40 HKD!!!

3. The Peak

According to my research and friend recommendations, it is best to go to The Peak between 4:00 PM – 6 PM. However, when I was there the line was really long that it crossed the street already. I think it was just a fluke and my luck just ran out that day. To avoid from suffering the same on your trip, buy a The Peak Tram-Madame Tussaud’s-Sky Terrace combo package ticket so you can skip the regular cue and go straight to the waiting area for the tram right away.

4. Buy Tickets At Your Hotel

Not necessarily your hotel, but buy your tickets in advance from a travel agency around Hong Kong or from another Hotel. I actually found that the rates of the tickets that my hotel was selling is cheaper than the travel agency’s price which are lower than buying from the attraction’s travel booth on location.

5. Wear Comfy Shoes

I say wear good rubber shoes! You will walk and walk and walk around Hong Kong, and I highly suggest that you do. Walking lets you experience the city more and feel the vibe than getting on a cab, I actually never rode a cab while I was there the MTR and buses were enough for me to get to my next location.

6. Bring Enough Money

And I mean enough, not too much or too little (of course). Bring enough money that you are willing to spend for your stay, sight seeing, food, attractions, other petty expenses and yes shopping. Make sure that you make a budget for your shopping, I am pretty sure that you’d want to buy cheap (I am referring to price not the quality) branded stuff while you go around the shops there. Create a separate budget for this because over spending is not easy to evade, it’s like being in a casino it would just tempt you over and over to spend more and more because of the great deals that you’d find.

7. The MTR App

If you have a smart phone download the app that will be your best friend while in Hong Kong, The MTR Mobile App. This app will help you navigate the MTR by telling you what station to get off to transfer lines (if needed), how much time travel you’ll spend and tell you how much you fare is!

Do you have a good tip for Travelers to Hong Kong or got a question that didn’t get answered? Share them on the comments section, we might just include it on our list!

 

5 Ways To Make Your Luggage Unique

One of the things that I hate most about checking in luggage is the difficulty in spotting yours specially if you have those generic luggage that just blends in perfectly with the rest in carousel.

So we’ve came up with some Ideas that you can use in making your own luggage easier to spot and most specially having your luggage mistakenly taken by another passenger.

 

1. Stickers

Express your creativity and character through stickers. Put as much as you can on your luggage to make it more distinct from others. Put stickers that you buy from each destination that you go to making your luggage an instant travel scrap book.

luggagephoto from niutoday.info

2. Ribbons and Fabrics

Probably the most trick that a lot of people use, but putting a good number or combination of ribbons and even fabrics will surely make your luggage stand out from that bag pile in the airport.

Ribbon-On-Luggage-300x199

3. Spray Paint

I remember the day when the kid wonder Shaira Luna was finder her space in this world, she took  jobs as an artist in a shop in malls like Robinsons Galleria where she paints over plain canvas shoes creating works of art! So I thought why not spray paint or doodle over your luggage!? I’m sure that you’ll spot yours!

painted on bag

From Behance.net

draft_lens21425645module169101963photo_d311c076a82c7240b53f2

from  studentz.squidoo.com

4. Bag Huggers

essential6from zest-inflight.com

 5. Oversized/Big Bagtags

Bag tags are good but they are small and not that easy to see if your bag is on a pile of moving luggage if they are hard to see from afar, so what better way to maximize its effectiveness. It would be a lot more fun if you could make your own unique bag tags!

100924-ella-butterfly-tag1

from lovestamps.com

bag-tags

Which ever way you decide to mark your bag, the important thing is that you make your luggage visible and identifiable even from afar. Remember you can never go overboard in securing your property the easier to spot the better.

Do you have other Ideas in making your luggage unique? Let us know on the comments below!