From Australia to Zimbabwe, boomers are on the move! And those exciting trips to foreign lands can go much more smoothly with five dandy international travel apps you can install on your smartphone so they’re right at your fingertips.
World Lens
With this app, you can read in any language. Simply take a photo of a sign, menu or direction within this app and it will translate that text into your own. Recently acquired by Google, this app will undoubtedly go through another round of improvements, making it a necessary app for all international travelers.
Currency
Not sure how many dollars you’re spending at that charming French flea market? Find out in a jiffy with a handy conversion app that takes the guesswork out of the exchange rate of foreign currency. Currency is an app available for iPhones that instantly serves up current currency rates of more than 150 countries. Currency Convert is a similar free app available for Andriod users.
Google Maps
Whether you need the quickest walking route to the local Irish pub or the most scenic driving directions to the Parthenon, Google Maps is at your service. This easy-to-use app lets you enter where you are and where you want to go, then provides a number of options for getting there. Free; available for iPhone and Android, with a voice feature available on the Android version.
Google Translate
Make sure you’re telling your host “Thank you” instead of “You look like a pregnant goat” with help from the Google Translate app. This free app can translate between 90 different languages, using your voice, camera, keyboard or handwriting. You can also translate offline when no Internet connection is at the ready. Available for Android and iOS.
TripIt
Sick of rooting through your luggage for those crumpled pieces of paper containing all the details of your flights, hotel info and activities planned? Keep all your itinerary details organized on your smartphone with the TripIt app. The standard version is free, or you can upgrade to an ad-free or pro version with additional features. Works on Android and iOS.
In addition to downloading all these groovy international travel apps, make sure your passport is ready for action. If it’s not, get it that way in a flash with Swift’s passport renewal service. We’re also happy to answer questions or concerns you may have about your upcoming trip; contact us any time.
