Taking the Plunge: Why I Am a Smartphone Travel Convert

I have been solo traveling since 1997, before the smartphone explosion. On my first trip, if I wanted to communicate with loved ones, I went to a cyber cafe, and paid for antiquated, slow computers and tedious internet speeds. To figure out where I was or how to get somewhere, I asked someone. To take pictures, I had an old-school film camera. I know. Hard to believe I'm that old.

Nowadays, it's astounding how much can be accomplished with one small, hand-held device. My philosophy has always been that carrying a small, fancy-looking device valued up to $700 isn't a good idea while traveling. It is too easily stolen, holds too much important information (account access, names and numbers, etc), and is just too flashy. So my first 19 years and 24 countries of travel were phone-free. With this trip, I decided to bring my phone. My original plan was to use google voice, which would enable me to maintain my phone number and cancel my current wireless provider. Unfortunately, something went wrong with that process, so I don't have that capability any more, but that is beside the point.

Despite my initial trepidation, much to my surprise, I have loved having my phone with me, even without call or text capabilities. If you are contemplating bringing your smartphone traveling, here are my favorite arguments for it (and just to be clear, I am recommending these things based upon my own experience and am in no way compensated for my recommendations):

Offline Map Navigation: I know those words might seem like a contradiction, but this is by far the coolest thing my phone has enabled me to do. Since a phone's GPS works to track your location even without a data plan, all you need is to download an app with maps for any given location, then navigate freely without needing data or internet! There are a lot of options out there, many of which charge $50 plus a cost for each map you download. I am currently using a free app called Maps.me. Completely free, and it works amazingly. I literally have not one complaint about it! You can search for a specific site (say if you knew the name of the hotel you are staying at, or a restaurant you are meeting someone at), search for types of service (like post offices, hospitals, lodging, points of interest, etc), and you can set it to navigate from your current location to any other site. It has been fantastic. Especially since I have found that the streets in Peru are not always clearly marked, knowing where I am because of the GPS is indispensable. It is always just SO much easier to use than trying to navigate with the small maps provided in my heavy guidebook while carrying my luggage.
GPS tagging of photos: A very close second favorite thing about having my smartphone with me in Peru is that not only can I snap quick pictures in a subtle, commonplace manner, but even better, the images are immediately geo-tagged when my GPS is on! How cool is that?! I'm especially surprised that I have that capability even without a wireless service. I like it because in case I forget where I took the picture, the info is already there. Also, if you upload the image to any social media, the location is already embedded in the data and shows up automatically. Pretty handy.
WhatsApp: Friends have been asking me to get this app for a while, and for some reason I was slow to pick it up. I had used Skype for so long, I thought I was all set. Now, I am a complete convert. If you haven't used it yet, a basic description is that you can text and call others with the app for free, you just need an internet connection. This is handy for anyone traveling, since internet is relatively easy to come by, and it negates the need to buy an unlocked phone and continually buy local SIM cards. My new favorite feature is the ability to record voice messages. Sending messages back and forth is awkward at first, but it is up till now the clearest form of voice communication I have found. Programs like FaceTime and Skype are much choppier as they demand a lot more bandwidth. With WhatsApp, your message gets sent like a file and requires much less data. Although you can get the app on a computer, it is still based upon your phone, and cannot be used independently, making the phone essential.
Portability: With the increased ease of internet access, more and more restaurants, cafes, hostels, and even public squares provide free wireless. It is much easier to quickly connect with a light smartphone in your pocket, rather than bringing a heavy laptop. It is also much more subtle and attracts much less attention.
Commonplace Nowadays: Smartphones are even more common than I had realized. It seems that nearly everyone has a smarthphone out as they walk down the street (If you remember back to my post about PokemonGo?). It is not as eye-catching as it once was. With all the different models and cases, it is not immediately obvious which phones are more expensive or desirable. Though I am careful, I have felt comfortable having my phone out in just about any situation here so far.
Uber: This last one was a complete surprise. Not only was Uber available in Lima (just Lima), but it was by far the cheapest and most convenient option to travel. Public transit was available, but it was cumbersome and not always safe. Uber, on the other hand, was reliable, cheaper prices than the street cabs, and brought you door to door. I honestly don't know how I would have survived my time in Lima without it! (Just a quick anecdote about the pricing: I had trouble finding my driver from the airport after ordering Uber. I thought I had to resort to a cab. When I explained to the taxi drivers parked outside the airport that I had ordered an Uber, a few literally walked away! They knew the price would have been so much cheaper they didn't stand a chance! Thankfully I connected with the driver and it all worked out. They were trying to convince me that I needed to pay S.100, when the Uber only cost me S.60! And here, that is an very large amount of money.