Travelling the world on a small budget is a rite of passage for twenty somethings. It is a time when we learn to appreciate what we have, explore our values, and overcome obstacles. One of those obstacles can be having a frustratingly short phone battery life. In a foreign country, there are exponential ways in which we rely on our phone. A mobile phone makes adjusting to and learning about a new culture so much easier.
First and foremost is using it to connect to free Wi-Fi in cafes, venues and hostels. Many backpackers don’t want the added bulk or weight of a laptop or even tablet, and so their phone is their lifeline. You can then use this internet for just about anything you want. When you are a traveller, having a strong internet connection is absolutely essential, rather than just convenient when you are in your hometown. It is perhaps most handy when it comes to using Google Maps. Reading a physical fold out map can be very difficult, especially if all the street signs are in a foreign language. Besides, this is just another thing to lose from your bag. Having everything on your phone makes for easy, light and efficient travel.
This brings me to the second main use for phone internet, which is translating. In a foreign country where you speak little or none of the language, getting around and just surviving can be a challenge to say the least. While you can get by with pointing and charades, it is part of being a backpacker that you put the effort in to absorb some of the culture of your surroundings, and try to respect the place you’re in rather than just being another loud, obnoxious tourist. There are countless apps that can help you translate and even speak another language. Of course, maps and translations are not the only benefits. There are endless times throughout the day when backpackers will look things up on the internet, from review on a good hostel to connecting with like-minded travellers and new friends on online forum communities and through social media.
If your phone starts to die, then panic sets in. If you’re between accommodations or between cities, you don’t know where your next power point is going to be. If you don’t have a power adaptor, then this complicates the problem even further. You might have to resort to an internet café, but with so many people now relying on a portable device, these establishments are few and far between. You could ask around for fellow travellers, but Wi-Fi or worse data roaming, is a precious and sometimes expensive commodity which is not shared lightly.
The power bank is a dream come true for the nomad. When you do have access to a power socket for a day or so, simply charge your powerbank along with your devices. Then carry your powerbank in your backpack with your phone and charge on the go at the first sign of low battery power. Browse the range of compact and lightweight powerbanks at Powerbanks Australia and find your next travel accessory today.
