Around the World Travel - Apps and Gadgets

This post is to discuss some of the tips and tricks that that I've compiled for traveling as a young women internationally. Obviously having awareness of your surroundings is the most important thing, but there are also some really helpful apps and tips that can make traveling easier. One thing is, wherever you're going there will most likely be access to your basic needs, so never panic!

APPS:

The Points Guy has an article on apps for solo women travelers and I am going to reference some of those here to give an example of a couple key apps that can help keep you safe and informed while abroad.

Smart Traveler

Smart Traveler is an app that links you to the US embassy and is really easy to navigate. Prior to booking your first flight you can determine what you need as far as travel visas, vaccines, and pre-travel medications. Plus you can determine what areas have been deemed more risky than others. Probably what most solo female travelers use this for is that you can also register your trip and times within each country which will send that information to local embassies that can contact you in case of any possible tragedies and reach out to ensure you are safe.

Chirpey

This app is useful if you're interested in meeting up with other female travelers during your trip. Chirpey is a social media app that has a verification process that limits users to only verified women, but allows you to share and get advice on lodging, food, events going on in the area and more. Further, you can post your location and start a meet up or join an existing meet up if you want to go out in numbers to get dinner or drinks. Tourlina is another similar app that allows you to swipe through travelers in nearby areas and is also limited to only female travelers.

SitorSquat

Traveling without the ability to use toilets that you are familiar with is really difficult. This app will let you know the nearest bathroom, cleanliness levels, whether toilet paper is available and whether the toilet is a sit or squat situation. You'd be surprise how useful something like this will be!

What to pack?

Again, referencing an article from TPG, but taking out things I did not think were imperative and adding a few of my own:

Anker PowerCore 10000

A lightweight, compact power bank for any usb compatible device. High speed charging and enough juice to fully charge a phone or tablet before needing to recharge the power bank. I also chose this one because it is extremely lightweight and any opportunity to reduce the load was important.

UBesszie Portable Camera Stand with Remote

This is and adjustable "selfie stick" that can be set up as a tripod or using the octopus style legs it can be wrapped around a tree or other raised surface to take solo pictures using a wireless remote to actually capture the background rather than selfies of your giant face and no visible scenery. I went with this brand based on price and reviews, but there are plenty of adjustable tripod options out there.

Rainleaf Microfiber Travel Towel

This towel is super compact and folds up to a 7"x4" rectangle and comes with a travel bag. Knowing that I am going to spend time on the beach in various countries and that I'm staying in hostels and airbnb's that likely will not provide towels, this was an important purchase. First, it is super fast drying and anti-microbial, so hopefully can handle a number of uses before washing since access to laundry may be sparing, but also it won't mildew or retain that damp smell like a cotton towel. Perfectly compact and multi-use.

Collapsible Water Bottle - ValourGo

I went back and forth on this a number of times as a roll up water bag is more compact, but for me the collapsible bottle was the way to go. There are tons of brands but this one came highly reviewed and having tested it on a recent hike, it holds plenty of water and is easy to compress or expand. Having a water bottle or some container for carrying liquid helps for travel and reduces plastic bottle usage. This version is also easy to clean out in comparison to a bag. Again, having low weight and small footprint items is so important when trying to pack for a multi-month journey out of a single bag.

Feminine Hygiene products

I know these can take up valuable space, and if you're lucky enough to not need them through a shot or IUD, congrats, but being found in a country that does not provide them while you are in dire need is not a situation you want to find yourself in. On the same subject, having a pack or two of tissues is a really smart idea because you may find yourself in a situation with a toilet without paper and being over-prepared is ideal in that situation.

Silicone Wedding Band

As a single female this may seem strange, but having a wedding ring on is a good way to discourage unwanted attention while also providing an extra level of security. A silicone one is nice because it is super cheap and durable, can be worn in any climate or terrain, and it doesn't encourage theft.