Illustration: Brent Couchman http://www.flickr.com/photos/brentcouchman/
If you use Opera Mini to browse on your phone and love traveling as much as I do then this post is a must read. Usually when a press release goes beyond 5 lines, it leads to yawning and eventual closing of the window but this one from Opera caught my fancy. For two reasons: it was well written and I love reading anything on travel. And fashion, of course!
Coming back to Opera Mini, it offers a feature called Speed Dial. Basically, the home window looks like a phone speed dial page where you can set your favourite sites for a quick one click access. Recently, Ian Wright(travel show host) penned down top 10 sites that you ‘must have’ on your speed dial while globetrotting. Here are his picks in his words:
1. Oh no, they cancelled my flight!
Before you get in line to rebook, give yourself the upper hand with flight information. FlightStats.com
2. Where’s my luggage?
It’s late at night, you’re the last person at the luggage conveyor belt, and it stops – without your suitcase. Not to worry, dear Watson! After reporting to airport staff, be your own luggage sleuth and trace your missing bag on the airline’s tracking site, or via Mylostbag.com or SITA WorldTracer.
3. Nowhere to stay?
Change of accommodation plans or just need tips for sightseeing and snacks? TripAdvisor suggests hotels, activities and restaurants — reviewed and rated by real travelers. Book lodging through TripAdvisor, or visitBooking.com, which helps find hotels with good deals. Deal of the Day can save you money if you need a room immediately.
4. Taxi!
Afraid of being ripped off in a strange city, or taking the scenic route through dodgy neighborhoods?TaxiFareFinder
5. Hey, has anybody seen my passport?
If you lose your passport, encounter visa problems or need emergency assistance abroad, contact your embassy for help. Bookmark india.gov.in, which offers a comprehensive list of contact details for all of the world’s diplomatic offices. The site is easy to navigate, and its search engine will help you quickly locate the office nearest to you.
6. Ouch!
You never know when you’ll need advice on anything from a boo-boo on the knee to a full-out accident. If you need quick access to first aid information while traveling, it may be a lifesaver. Try BBC Health and St John Ambulance. If you’re feeling seriously ill, don’t waste time on the internet; go and see a doctor.
7. Help, I’m lost!
Finding your way in a new and strange place can be frustrating. Lucky for you, map sites like Bing Maps can provide directions and a map of your location, right in your mobile phone. Also, check the advice of the1st Special Response Group on what to do when lost. Save this webpage for offline use, so you can access it later even with no mobile coverage.
8. ¡No comprendo!
Frustrated that you can’t understand the locals or debating whether it’s wise to order something random from a foreign menu? Loading a language translator on your mobile browser can save you in those lost-in-translation moments. Google Translate supports 58 languages, and it automatically detects the input language before translating the text to the language of your choice.
9. When there’s a storm brewing
Few things can ruin a good journey like bad weather. Keep up to date on your travel outlook with weather websites for highly targeted forecasts including local temperature, wind speed, humidity and water temperature. Use Accuweather and Gismeteo
10. Is this a bargain or what?
The exchange rate between currencies varies every day, so don’t rely on that conversion you memorized a few weeks before your getaway. Before you take out your wallet, go online to check the most recent rates. Yahoo! Finance’s Currency Converter provides the latest currency exchange rates for all major world currencies.
The next time you step out on a journey, don’t forget to load up your speed dial. Although, I would make sure to add one or two sites for local shopping too. What would you add to the list?
