As a traveler to various non-English speaking countries, I realised not only the difficulties of, say, ordering off a menu, but also the difficulty in access. And by access, I mean the successful transition from a tourist to a traveler. Speaking a language gets you places you’d never be able to get to if you are left feebly making inept conversation through sign language.
If you’re planning that backpacking trip through Laos or that trip to Costa Rica, make sure you’re armed with at least one of these travel hacks.
I have two words for you. Google Goggles. Tried ordering food in a foreign country where they don’t speak your language? Especially if you’re a vegan, a tree-worshiping vegetarian ,or simply a no-holds-barred carnivore like me, that menu staring back at you might as well be the map to the Atlantis. All you have to do is point and take a picture and Google Goggles promises to translate. Alternatively, there are plenty of cool apps that will translate what you speak into your phone and play it out for the person you’re trying to speak to.
One of the coolest things I found online was this T-shirt called Iconspeak. Just point to the icon on your T shirt and voila! Instant translation!
Say, for instance, you’re in China, one of the worst countries to navigate considering almost nobody speaks English – just ask your hotel for their business card. That way when you want to get back to your hotel, all you have to do is flash it to your cabbie and he can do the math.
Don’t wait to exchange currency in the country you’re traveling through. Every fibre of your being will be tested. Instead, opt for a currency card – used like an ATM card – to avoid the hassle.
Probably the most underrated travel hack is the smile. Yep, that’s right. Just go ahead and smile and see how people respond. Unless they’re an absolute troll, you’ll get away with anything. Well, almost.
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