App-roved: Excellent Travel Apps From My Trip to Colombia
Part of my doctoral degree requires me to do at least 100 hours of public health practice at some location in the world. Because I am bilingual in Spanish, my advisor suggested somewhere in Latin America. And because my school has a close relationship with a university in Barranquilla, Colombia, I spent a whole month in one of the hottest places on Planet Earth. Not only was I away from everything I loved back here in the States (i.e. my wife), I was also in a foreign land where temperatures were seemingly always in the hundreds, where the police warned the citizenry to always keep their valuables (i.e. smartphones) out of sight, and where local taxicab drivers were reluctant to drive into some places. For that assignment, I would need more than just my wit and good looks to survive. I would need my iPhone apps.
Up, Up and Away
Because my flight would take me on two different airlines and across the Caribbean, I downloaded FlightAware to make sure I wouldn't miss a single update for my flights. The app uses the information that airlines use to keep track of times of arrival and departure, delays, and even weather conditions at different airports. I was lucky to have good weather both ways, but it was nice to see my flight path over Cuba included no weird detours because Communism.
It's All About The Pesos
One of the first apps that I downloaded was XE Currency. The price of the Colombian Peso has been very volatile as of late, so I didn't want to lose track of how much I was spending. See, if I extracted one hundred American Dollars one day from an ATM, I might need to only extract 90 the next day to get the same amount of Colombian Pesos. (Yes, it was that volatile while I was there.) So I used XE Currency to make sure that I was getting Colombian Pesos out of the ATM at the right time of the day and week. That is, when the dollar was strongest.
¿Que?
The next app in my arsenal was Google Translate. Yes, I was born and raised in Mexico, but my Spanish is very different than the Spanish spoken in Colombia. I also don't usually write in Spanish. Part of my practicum assignment was to write a couple of reports and give a lecture. So I used Google Translate to make sure that those pesky words with those pesky accents and tildes were written correctly. There's nothing more embarrassing than to write "ingles" when you meant "inglés." One is "groins" and the other is "English."
Take A Left At El Parque
Once in Barranquilla, I had to find a way to get around. While I secured a SIM card for my phone and a suitable phone plan that included data (go with Tigo if you're in Barranquilla or Cartagena), I needed a map. For that, I used Maps.Me, a mapping app that allows you to download the locations you're going to so you can have a map available when you don't have a data connection. The update I used when I went to Barranquilla allowed me to look for points of interest, restaurants, stores, and other locations without a problem. It also provides turn-by-turn directions. It's no Google Maps, but it allowed me to find a store to buy groceries and to make sure that taxicab drivers were taking me to my locations via the shortest route. (You do not want to walk much in Barranquilla in the daytime.)
It's Nice If You Don't Mind The Weak Air Conditioner
The final app that I took with me specifically for travel was the AirBnB app. Because I was going to be in Barranquilla for a whole month, I opted not to get a hotel room. I went with AirBnB and got a great apartment in a really great part of town. The building was guarded 24/7 and very clean. In fact, the guy that owned the apartment shared my last name, so it was like were long-lost cousins. Through the AirBnB app, I was able to pay for my apartment rental, keep in touch with the owner (and his assistant), and even check out other nearby apartments and contact their owners as backups in case the apartment didn't quite pan out.
A Data Plan Saved My Life
Of course, once I got a data plan on a SIM card there, I was able to use my iPhone 5S as I wanted. But those apps I mentioned above helped me get there safe, find a place to stay, find my war around, and helped me watched my money. What more can you ask for, really? Also, I was able to tether the phone to my laptop to watch YouTube and post to my blog almost every day. Skype allowed me to stay in touch with my wife and relatives without paying the exorbitant international roaming fees that AT&T can charge. Listening to her voice made the homesickness a little more tolerable.
Giving Out Papaya
Oh, and that whole thing about hiding your "papaya" from people because it might get stolen? It's only true if you have it out and about and have some flashy color (*cough* rose gold *cough*) to it. I had the iPhone 5S laying around in a tattered case, and no one ever looked at it. I'm also six feet tall and 130 kilos. No one in Barranquilla -- or Baltimore -- ever wants to really mess with me. So vaya con Dios and use some of those apps to get there and stay safe when traveling... And take lots of pictures.
