Travelling with Information Technology

Don’t leave home without I.T. !by Bernard Caron

Introduction Where to go ? Transportation Accommodations Resorts Wireless Apps City & Restaurants Guides Stay Connected GPS Other Travel Applications Logistic Sharing your memories Conclusion

Summary: Using I.T. to travel

Travelling is much easier thanks to modern I.T.◦ Internet◦ Wi-Fi◦ Mobile Phone◦ Mobile Applications

But it requires preparations And always have a back-up

Introduction

Check Tours organisers:◦ http://www.exotiktours.com/en/◦ http://www.seniortours.ca/destinations.php◦ http://www.wheretraveler.com/travel-ideas◦ http://www.trafalgar.com/can◦ http://www.collettevacations.ca/◦ http://www.gadventures.com/◦ http://www.smithsonianjourneys.org/tour_group/privateandindependent

Check Travel reports:◦ http://www.mytripjournal.com/ ◦ http://

www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/3391028/The-worlds-best-travel-blogs.html◦ http://www.viator.com/◦ http://travel.ca.msn.com/◦ http://www.cntraveler.com/◦ http://www.stay.com/◦ http://www.gogobot.com/◦ http://wikitravel.org/en/Main_Page

Where to go ?

Air◦ Google Flights: https://www.google.ca/flights/◦ Kayak: http://www.kayak.com/flights

http://www.kayak.com/explore/◦ Hipmunk: http://www.hipmunk.com/◦ http://www.cheapflights.ca/◦ http://www.orbitz.com◦ http://flights.traveleurope.com/◦ http://www.travelalerts.ca/ottawa/◦ Low cost Europe http://www.europebyair.com/ ◦ You can show your finding to your travel agent

◦ Trains◦ Europe: http://www.raileurope.com/en/index.html◦ Germany: http://www.bahn.com/i/view/index.shtml◦ France: http://www.sncf.com/en/passengers◦ Spain: http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/◦ Italy: http://www.trenitalia.com/

Transportation

Rental Cars◦ First check:

http://www.kayak.com/cars http://www.rentalcars.com/

◦ Then check the corporate site: Hertz, Dollars…◦ Compare price, cancellations and insurances

(CDW) Collision Damage Waiver

◦ http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/carrental_cdw.htm

◦ http://www.insurance4carhire.com

Transportation

Hotels Reviews◦ Trip Advisor: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/Hotels◦ Monarc: http://www.monarc.ca

Reservations◦ Trivago: http://www.trivago.ca/◦ Booking: http://www.booking.com/◦ Expedia:http://www.expedia.ca/

Other accomodations:◦ http://www.vacationhomerentals.com/◦ http://

www.tripadvisor.ca/VacationRentals-g29220-Reviews-Maui_Hawaii-Vacation_Rentals.html

◦ https://www.airbnb.ca/◦ https://www.couchsurfing.org/◦ http://www.homestay.com/

Compare with Hotel web site Compare prices and cancellation policy Very cheap price may equal worst hotel room

Accommodations

To check all-inclusive at : http://www.tripcentral.ca/

Make reservation at :◦ http://www.redtag.ca/◦ http://www.itravel2000.com/

Last minutes:◦ http://www.selloffvacations.com/◦ http://www.travellastminute.ca/

Try different departure cities:Ottawa, Montréal, Toronto, USA

All Inclusive Resorts

IP Phone Calls◦ Skypes: http://www.skype.com/en/◦ Fongo: http://www.fongo.com/◦ Viber: Viber: http://www.viber.com/◦ Magic Jack:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.magicjack

◦ WeChat: http://www.wechat.com/en/

Wi-Fi Finder (Off Line!)◦ https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=co

m.jiwire.android.finder&hl=fr

Wireless Apps

City Guides◦ http://www.triposo.com/◦ http://www.ulmon.com/◦ http://www.mtrip.com/◦ http://www.stay.com/◦ http://www.virtualtourist.com/

Restaurants◦ http://www.foodspotting.com◦ http://www.urbanspoon.com◦ http://www.zagat.com/

City & Restaurants Guides

Buy an unlocked phone http://www.amazon.ca http://www.factorydirect.ca/ http://www.tigerdirect.ca

Unlock existing phones ($20) http://www.cellunlocker.net/ http://www.gsmliberty.net/shop/ http://mobile-phone-unlock.com/ http://unlock.canadagsm.ca/ http://ottawapc.ca/

Stay Connected:Unlocked Cellular Phones

AVOID ROAMING CHARGES or TURN OFF YOUR PHONE! Use WiFi and IP Phone instead of Cell Phone

USA◦ Roam: http://www.roammobility.com◦ T-Mobile: http://

prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-by-the-day-cell-phone-plans◦ http://cell-phone-providers-review.toptenreviews.com/prepaid-cell-pho

nes/◦ http://www.cellguru.net/prepaid_compare.htm

World◦ https://www.g3wireless.com/◦ http://www.brightroam.com/◦ http://www.prepaidsimcard.org/◦ http://www.simcardspain.es

Stay connected:SIM Cards

Stand-Alone (Garmin, Magellan , TomTom…)◦ Find the maps you need◦ Update and test them before you travel

Cell Phone GPS◦ Google Maps:http://www.google.com/mobile/maps/◦ Maps2Go: https://

itunes.apple.com/app/city-maps-2go/id327783342◦ MapswithMe: http://mapswith.me/en/home◦ Sygic:http://www.sygic.com/en◦ Waze: https://www.waze.com

Use a good cup mount for car safety But ALWAYS have a back up: Paper Maps

GPS (Global Positioning Satellite)

To gather in one place all your reservations◦ http://travel.tripcase.com/◦ https://www.tripit.com/

Keep confirmations on line and a scan of passports or send yourself an email with those documents: Google Docs, DropBox…:

Translation: Google Translate (Off-Line available) Gas Price: http://gasbuddy.com/ Flight Tracker:http://flightaware.com/mobile/ Exchange Rates: http://www.xe.com/ Weather: http://www.accuweather.com/ Use only https secure web address when

checking accounts in public place.

Others Travel Applications

Radio: http://tunein.com/ News: http://

www.ottawacitizen.com/mobile-site/index.html http://www.cbc.ca/mobile/services/ Medical:

◦ http://www.webmd.com/◦ http://www.iamat.org/ (Become a member of

INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR MEDICAL ASSISTANCE TO TRAVELLERS)

Password Keepass: http://keepass.info/ Your Bank mobile apps

Other Travel Applications

Bring a multi-plug Extension cord Need AC Plug adapters ? Check AC voltage requirements: Need

Transformers (220 to 120 V) ? http://www.kropla.com/electric2.htm

Bring AC chargers (USB hub) Bring a 12 volt charger (USB or dedicated) for

the car 12 volts to 120 volts inverter for the car Bring a back up Internet device: small laptop Bring spare batteries or a USB Battery pack

Logistics

Sharing your pictures:◦ http://picasa.google.com/intl/en/◦ http://www.flickr.com/◦ https://www.facebook.com/◦ http://instagram.com/

Sharing your itinerary:◦ https://www.tripit.com/◦ http://travel.tripcase.com/

Printing your pictures:◦ http://www.photobookcanada.com/◦ http://costco.pnimedia.com/album/

photobook_selection_main.aspx

Sharing travel memories

Information Technologies is useful to travel the world

…but requires preparations Do not depend on IT…keep some back up Use your IT at home before you travel

Have a nice trip… Or try virtual travel

◦ http://www.google.com/earth/◦ http://www.italyguides.it/us/venice_italy/

interactive_map_of_venice/map_of_venice.php

Conclusions

More info: Bernard.Caron@Gmail.comPresentaion: