Travelling the world continues to be an unparalleled adventure even in the 21st century. Even though almost all of the globe has been mapped, there are discoveries awaiting us in street corners of the top travel destinations we visit. The difference between old adventurers and new, however, lies in how connected we are today. We are digital nomads guided by maps and travel apps on our smart phones. And yet, while the idea of going offline during an international vacation sounds appealing, we’d argue that staying connected to family and close friends during an international vacation is actually good – it’s better to be prepared for unexpected emergencies, isn’t it?
Here are ways you can stay connected while travelling to your favourite holiday destination in the world:
Use social media judiciously
Postcards of yore have evolved to pretty posts and stories on Instagram. Travel pictures of top tourist destinations are among the most popular hashtags on the platform. Pictures as the cliché goes speak a 1000 words, and so when it comes to keeping your dear ones updated on your holidays, posting a shot from a popular tourist spot or a café you just visited is a quiet way to let everyone know your whereabouts. You can also use Twitter or Facebook to make short updates. Posting pics and adding updates works especially when you are visiting countries where the time difference with India is wide. Or in unexpected situations where you may not be able to call your family daily. When it comes to using social media though, be mindful not to be on it 24/7!
With Vi international roaming plans you can get unlimited free data & calls in most popular countries.
Stay connected with emails
A more personal way to keep your near and dear ones looped in to your international vacation is to send them long, personal mails where you share your daily experiences and perspectives or observations you have gleaned therein. Depending on how long your holiday is and how much time you have, you can write emails daily, on alternate days or weekly. Mails are a great way to keep your close ones feel involved, but the additional advantage is that the emails become a kind of documentation of your holiday that you can read and savour later. Vi’s international roaming plan offers free data that you can use to read and write emails.
Use apps to make calls
If your holiday to a top international destination is going to be an extended one, then it would be good to download video calling apps that allow you to make calls for free. Google Meet allows you to make unlimited calls. WhatsApp is extremely popular in Africa, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Spain, Colombia and Turkey. Skype is another good option to download as it is popular in the US, Russia, Brazil and UK. So in case you are visiting any of these top holiday destinations, downloading these apps makes economic sense if you plan to make calls to your family every day. Use Vi’s international roaming plan to download these apps to your phone.
Set up a travel blog to document your journey
Here’s an idea to put your writerly and photography skills to good use. Create a travel blog where you can extensively document your visit to a holiday destination. This idea to stay connected is appealing if you are not someone who enjoys making long international calls, don’t want to be hooked to social media, and also want to jot down details of the trip for the purposes of writing a book later. A blog gives you the leeway to write without having to worry about the word count. Share the link to the blog with your family and friends so that they can read about your adventures and comment on the posts as well.
Carry a portable Wi-Fi device
If the international holiday destination you are visiting doesn’t offer free Wi-Fi, or if you think you may have issues with your international SIM or roaming services or are travelling with a big family, it would be a good idea to pack a portable Wi-Fi device along as it ensures continued connectivity on multiple devices throughout the duration of the journey. It is economical and ensures you are accessible even if you are in a remote location.
Vi’s MiFi is a portable Wi-Fi router that enables you to create a personal hotspot/mobile hotspot and simultaneously connect multiple devices and users to Vi’s high speed internet. It allows you to securely connect 10 Wi-Fi enabled devices like Smart TVs, Laptops, Mobiles, Tablets, CCTVs, Smart Speakers at the same time – which is a win-win any way that you look at it. Make your travel around the world a seamlessly connected experience with Vi MiFi. Did you know that you can also connect your Vi mobile MiFi device to the Vi App? Travelling just got easy with Vi.
